UNIVERSITY
Release new single/video, “Massive Twenty One Pilots Tattoo”, via Transgressive – listen HERE / watch HERE
First music released since their 2023 debut EP, Title Track
Announce appearances at SXSW this month along with London date at The Blue Basement on 10 April
UNIVERSITY, the Crewe-based four-piece formed of Zak Bowker (vocals/guitar), Ewan Barton (bass), drummer Joel Smith and Eddie (mascot), today release their new single “Massive Twenty One Pilots Tattoo” via Transgressive.
Produced by the band with Kwes Darko (Slowthai, Overmono) and Andrea Cozzaglio (Inhaler, Beebadoobee), “Massive Twenty One Pilots Tattoo” is named from a game of “what would be the worst tattoo in the world?”. Retaining the heavy and hardcore in their sound, “Massive Twenty One Pilots Tattoo” cuts up moments of softer musical clarity with sprawling and incendiary punk rock. Listen to the track HERE and watch the video directed by Deadhorses HERE.
UNIVERSITY’s sardonic humour melds into their music. After signing to a label and taking the ‘business side of their operation’ more seriously, they decided to offset this grown-up attitude by pushing their music to more extreme and more absurdist places. “It’s a side effect of taking the rest of it more seriously,” Bowker says, with the band determined to trust their weirdest, funniest impulses.
Their debut release, the 2023 5 x track EP, Title Track, featured the songs “King Size Slim”, “Notre Dame Made Out Of Flesh” and “Egypt Tune”. Title Track saw praise for its unwavering explosive sound and energy, described by Dork as “a riotous earworm from noise punk’s most promising new band” and by NME as “an explosion of energy unlike anything you’ve heard this year“.
Watch this space for more news from UNIVERSITY coming soon.
UNIVERSITY have carved up a slice of the festival circuit for themselves, having played standout shows at The Great Escape, Green Man, End of The Road, Mutations Festival, and Pitchfork Festival Paris, with more recent appearances at Cardiff’s SWN festival and The Windmill in Brixton for Independent Venue Week. These charismatic young upstarts now gear up for multiple appearances at this year’s SXSW, in Austin, Texas as well as a London show on 10 April at Third Man Records’ The Blue Basement. See the full list of dates below.
12 March 2025 – SXSW, Austin, Texas, USA: Pandora AMP Showcase @ Elysium (10 – 10.40pm)
15 March 2025 – SXSW, Austin, Texas, USA: BBC Introducing Showcase @ The British Music Embassy (2pm)
10 April 2025 – London, UK @ Third Man Records – The Blue Basement
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My life is a soundtrack, i track my life through music, photography is my passion, my escape, my expression. Without both i have pieces missing, thankfully i’m blessed and get to combine both.
Born in Manchester, lived in Australia for 22 years where i was heavily involved in the Australian Music Industry, firstly in bands (Singer) and then managing bands (all original), I moved back to the UK, Wales specifically 10 years ago
