Jesse Malin 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).
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 just came back from headlining the UK tour and he will return to the UK following the release of ‘Sunset Kids’ for a headline show at London’s 100 Club on September 17. Check out Strangers & Thieves below!
We caught up with Jesse Malin before his latest headline tour as spoke about his latest single and more!
So how has the release of Strangers & Thieves gone down so far?
“Strangers and Thieves”just came out so its hard to tell what the world thinks of it but the few times we have played it live it seemed to get em moving up in the frontline . Songs can grow and get dirtied up on the road. They reverberate back and you can learn something you didn’t know about them if there good ones …
Can you tell something about the single no one else knows?
“Strangers and Thieves” working tittle was initially called “the 70 s ” a kinda tribute to a decadent times I thought I missed out on but read about or heard through the music and film of the time. .. Pre AIDS. pre war. on drugs. war on sex. and RNR was very alive in many quarters. The song has changed and has a more sentimental meaning that fits my real true past and thinking about some great friends that have faded away …
How was it working with Billie Joe Armstrong? Are you good friends?
Billie Joe is great to work with. He is super fast when he is inspired. He’s a very strong , And focused singer. He has a positive energy. The PMA perhaps 🙂 We have played covers together at parties and he has joined us on stage over the years but I first got to know him when my band D generation was opening for Green Day in the late 90s. They treated us like gold, big hearted people with a great great sense of humor .
We also did a project called Rodeo Queens a few years back with a song called “Depression Times ” it was a drunken very late. night session but the song worked out nicely somehow ..
Would you consider this being your most proudest release to date?
The new record “Sunset kids” is my favorite one since my first album “the fine art of self destruction. “ They are both very personal ones to me .
You have a few shows coming up, what one catches your eye?
I love playing in London , Glasgow , Chicago . Stockholm and NYC of course.
If you could play any venue in the world, where would it be and why?
But a dream venue would be to headline Madison Square Garden. I have only supported there and I got arrested
directly after our set ..