# BLITZ VEGA Announces “Northern Gentleman” On The Late Andy Rourke’s 60th Birthday

- Link: https://www.nyrdcast.com/blitz-vega-announces-northern-gentleman-on-the-late-andy-rourkes-60th-birthday/
- Published: 2024-01-22T11:30:00-06:00
- Author: Eugene Tierney

### **BLITZ VEGA**⏎ **Debut Album **_**NORTHERN GENTLEMEN **_**to be released on April 26**

#### **Announcement comes on the 60^(th) birthday⏎ of the late Andy Rourke (_The Smiths_)

#### **The “Strong Forever” EP**⏎ **featuring Johnny Marr, Z-Trip, Jagz Kooner****is now available on Vinyl **󠀁[**HERE**](https://reybee.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f67b4587af2b2ef9aa80ed984&id=bc1c07c14a&e=615f2b8493)󠁿

**JANUARY 17, 2023 (New York, NY) – **“The album is a diary of the last seven years
of the journey that Andy, the band and I went on recording this music as Blitz Vega,”
says **Kav Sandhu **about _**NORTHERN GENTLEMEN**_, the debut album by **BLITZ VEGA**,
a band that he and the late **Andy Rourke** (_The Smiths_) started in 2016 and officially
launched in 2019. Set for release on **April 26, 2024** _via_ **FutureSonic Records/
CEN/The Orchard**, the album is a bittersweet celebration of Andy’s impact on the
music world and especially this band. Andy Rourke succumbed to pancreatic cancer
on May 19, 2023 and today, January 17, would have marked his 60^(th) birthday.

[⌊Blitz Vega album cover⌉⌊Blitz Vega album cover⌉[

“Every song tells a story and personally takes me back to a memory recording that
song, the drive to the studio. That conversation or whatever happened surrounding
the recording session,” Kav continues, evoking not only the emotions of sadness 
for Andy’s death but also the happy memories that came with their personal friendship
and musical collaboration.

“I hear his voice in my head, replaying everything we talked about when we were 
recording the song. I see his face smiling at me. On my last trip back to LA a few
weeks ago, I was driving to the studio and it felt like Andy was sitting there with
me like he had been so many times before, talking about music, just excited to get
this album made. So, all the songs mean the world to me.”

A solid collection of ten songs recorded over the span of five years, _Northern 
Gentlemen _captures the dynamic vitality of Andy and Kav’s combined songwriting.
Launching with the chiming **“Disconnected”** that showcases Andy’s signature melodic
bassline, the album glistens and sparkles in a musical swirl, while Kav’s mesmerizing
vocals.

Written mostly during the pandemic, Kav recalls what it was like remaining creative
during quarantine and lockdown. Forced to cancel touring plans (“We had to cancel
three U.S. tours”), the band “locked ourselves away in the studio in LA. It was 
our happy zone,” Kav recalls. “We recorded and wrote so much music around this time.
Before the pandemic, Andy’s illness would get better and would also come back so
we were constantly dealing with circumstances that made moving the band forward 
difficult.

“But it’s what Andy, all the lads in the band, and I wanted to make work more than
anything. So we constantly adapted to the challenges in front of us. We never stopped
making music, recording and writing.”

Blitz Vega - Strong Forever

[⌊Blitz Vega - Strong Forever⌉⌊Blitz Vega - Strong Forever⌉
Watch this video on 
YouTube

**Blitz Vega “Strong Forever”**

**Johnny Marr**, Andy’s bandmate in The Smiths, added his trademark guitar jangle
to the single “**Strong Forever,” **which was originally released in Fall 2022. 
Blending classic Manchester indie and baggy-style beats with Kav’s own soulful vocals,
the single was co-produced and mixed by **Z-Trip** (_Kasabian, Public Enemy, LL 
Cool J_), and saw Andy and Johnny recording together for the first time in 35 years.

The two have played together live several times over the years (Andy made a surprise
appearance during Johnny’s show with The Killers at Madison Square Garden in Sept.
2022). Andy said at the time, ” I asked Johnny, who very kindly recorded some guitars
and sent them over. Johnny and I have remained friends, we’ve known each other since
we were 13 years old. He’s my oldest and dearest friend and I feel our friendship
gets stronger as time passes.”

[⌊Blitz Vega⌉⌊Blitz Vega⌉[

**Andy Rourke**
photo credit: Kav Sandhu

In anticipation of the new Blitz Vega album _Northern Gentlemen_, the band and label
are re-releasing their exclusive [2023 Record Store Day 12″ vinyl](https://reybee.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f67b4587af2b2ef9aa80ed984&id=f20fe384a9&e=615f2b8493),_**
Strong Forever**_, to all stores this month. The EP includes two remixes by **Daybreakers**
and **Will Kennedy**, the single version by **Z-Trip** Mix, and the original version
by **Jagz Kooner** on Side A. “We have an EDM version which you can hear blasting
in a proper dance club mixed by The Daybreakers who are fantastic,” explains Kav.“
Both Andy’s and my favorite mix of all was Will Kennedy’s live band version because
we have a string quartet playing on it. I love them all, but on that one you can
really feel the band!”

Side B is rounded out with remixes of two previously released singles “**Lost & 
Found**” (Jagz Kooner and Daybreakers) and “**LA Vampire**” (Jagz Kooner), and previously
unreleased track “**Big Nose**.” It is available for purchase on vinyl here: [https://www.roughtrade.com/en-us/product/blitz-vega/strong-forever-2](https://reybee.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f67b4587af2b2ef9aa80ed984&id=7d06612579&e=615f2b8493)

“I miss him so much,” Kav says, reflecting on his bandmate. “He was one of my greatest
friends and the best musician and bandmate. He was also so humble. He made me promise
him we would release this album no matter what and go out to play it live. It’s 
difficult, but we owe him that as it’s what he really wanted. This was his band,
his ideas, his songs. We are committed to celebrating his music and letting people
listen to the music he was making right until he passed. He was so excited for people
to hear it.”

As Andy’s posthumous album, _Northern Gentlemen_ stands as a testament to the power
and impact Andy Rourke had and continues to have. About the album title, Kav explains
remembering the sunny times, “We would have a lot of banter between us and constantly
be making fun of each other in the studio. I used to say, ‘Wow you’re such a northern
gentleman.’ It was kind of like an inside joke between us. Now, when I would describe
him to my label partners, I’d call him a ‘northern gentleman.’ They suggested ‘that
should be the title of the album’ and it just felt right.”

The future of Blitz Vega post-Andy is a future Kav and band haven’t decided on yet.“
I have no idea about writing new music as Blitz Vega,” he replies. “We are just 
taking one step at a time. We definitely want to release all the music we recorded
and go on tour. I promised this to Andy.”

Looking back at the last few decades as friends, Kav gets misty-eyed and wants everyone
to hear what he and Andy have been working on.  He says, after some contemplation,“
I just hope it makes Andy proud.”

**Blitz Vega **is **Andy Rourke **(_bass_), **Kav Sandhu **(_guitar / lead vocals_),**
Asa Brown **(_keyboards / backing vocals_), **Thom Arizmendi **(_guitar_), **Greg
Gent **(_guitar / backing vocals_), **Craig Eriksson **(_drums_).  _**Northern Gentlemen**_
is produced by **Andy Rourke**, **Kav Sandhu**, **Will Kennedy**, **Jagz Kooner**
and **Z-Trip** and will be released on **April 26, 2024 **_via _**Future Sonic /
CEN / The Orchard**.

[⌊Blitz Vega album cover⌉⌊Blitz Vega album cover⌉[

**_Northern Gentleman_**
**Tracklisting**

 1.  Disconnected
 2.  [Strong Forever (feat. Johnny Marr)](https://reybee.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f67b4587af2b2ef9aa80ed984&id=7c90d2e83d&e=615f2b8493)
 3.  Hole In My Heart
 4.  Big Nose
 5.  Lost Myself
 6.  [Lost & Found](https://reybee.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f67b4587af2b2ef9aa80ed984&id=90d269c05f&e=615f2b8493)
 7.  High Gravity
 8.  Love City
 9.  [LA Vampire](https://reybee.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f67b4587af2b2ef9aa80ed984&id=6df38170b9&e=615f2b8493)
 10. Pass The Gun

**Social Media:[Spotify](https://reybee.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f67b4587af2b2ef9aa80ed984&id=6ea20fa839&e=615f2b8493)
| [Apple Music](https://reybee.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f67b4587af2b2ef9aa80ed984&id=f2a9abe533&e=615f2b8493)
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