It's been a hot minute since The Hives released any new music; 11 years to be specific.
However, that has changed with Swedish rock & roll lords dropping the rollicking single 'Bogus Operandi', another serving of frenetic garage rock.The track is a precursor to The Hives' new studio record, 'The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons', that's slated for release in August.
Apparently the pseudonym of Hives' bassist Nicholaus Arson (but never verified), the band's own lore places Randy Fitzsimmons at the centre of The Hives creation as their manager/ songwriter.
The Hives admit they haven't seen Fitzsimmons since the release of 2012's 'Lex Hives'. However, following a cryptic obituary listing in their local newspaper, the lads discovered Fitzsimmons' tombstone.
When they excavated the freshly interred ground, The Hives discovered not a corpse but rather several tapes, suits, and a piece of paper bearing the words 'The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons'. The tapes harboured the demos that would become the 12 new songs on 'The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons'.
"There's no maturity or anything like that bullsh.t, because who the f... wants mature rock & roll?" questions the band's frontman Howlin' Pelle about the new material.
"That's always where people go wrong, I feel. 'It's like rock & roll but adult'; nobody wants that! That's literally taking the good sh.t out of it.
"Rock & roll can't grow up, it is a perpetual teenager and this album feels exactly like that, which it's all down to our excitement – and you can't fake that sh.t."
The Hives have also welcomed new member, bassist The Johan And Only following the departure of Dr Matt Destruction.
'The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons' will be released 11 August, 2023.
The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons Track Listing
1. Bogus Operandi2. Trapdoor Solution
3. Countdown To Shutdown
4. Rigor Mortis Radio
5. Stick Up
6. Smoke & Mirrors
7. Crash Into The Weekend
8. Two Kinds Of Trouble
9. The Way The Story Goes
10. The Bomb
11. What Did I Ever Do To You?
12. Step Out Of The Way
