Jesse Malin has today shared new song ‘Strangers & Thieves’ featuring Billie Joe Armstrong. Co-written by Malin and Armstrong, “Strangers & Thieves” was originally meant Rodeo Queens, their fun side project with only one single (so far), 2011’s ‘Depression Times.’
When Lucinda Williams heard ‘Strangers & Thieves,’ she felt it belonged on Sunset Kids, the solo album she’s produced for Malin (out August 30 on Wicked Cool Records).
“I had the music and lines for a chorus,” Jesse tells Rolling Stone. “One day, Billie Joe Armstrong was in town, and it was one of those nostalgic Sundays, where we walked around looking at all the old sites, like the A7club which is now Niagara, and CBGB’s, now the Varvatos store, and the old Rat Cage Records spot.
“A couple days later, Billie Joe sent me a text with the finished song. He kept a couple of the lines I had for the choruses and wrote lyrics about the Bay Area scene through his eyes, a scene that was very parallel to my experiences in New York. Somehow, we all found each other, just being outcasts looking for real music and likeminded trouble.”
Strangers & Thieves’ was released on a limited 7” with the B-side ‘Russian Roulette.’Sunset Kids will be out everywhere August 30 (Wicked Cool Records / The Orchard / Velvet Elk), and available for preorder now.
Jesse kicks off a headline UK tour this Saturday June 15 at Brighton’s The Haunt, finishing at Belfast’s Limelight 2 on June 22. He will return to the UK following the release of ‘Sunset Kids’ for a headline show at London’s 100 Club on September 17.
JESSE MALIN TOUR DATES
June 15 Brighton UK The Haunt
June 16 Manchester, UK Deaf Institute
June 18 Norwich, UK Norwich Arts Centre
June 19 Oxford, UK The Bullingdon
June 20 Glasgow, UK King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut
June 21 Dublin, IR Whelans
June 22 Belfast, UK The Limelight 2
Sept 14 New York, NY Webster Hall
Sept 17 London, UK 100 Club
Jan 29 Miami, FL Outlaw Country Cruise