Big things are happening for Southampton four-piece Dead Freights. From signing a multi-album deal with Gary Powell’s label 25 Hour to their upcoming main support slots alongside indie legends The Libertines, there’s nothing stopping this punk rock force.
Now returning with a gritty and impactful video for their track ‘Bat Man’, the band steer away from their usual themes to address institutional thuggery and corporate violence.
Kicking off with biting percussion and a foreboding bass line, the track instantly drops the listener into an ominous soundscape, setting the tone for the dark themes that lie ahead. Poetic yet candid lyrics are delivered through an uneasy vocal line, capturing the fear most of us feel living in modern society.
Sharing more on the inspiration behind the track, vocalist Charlie James explains:
‘One night on my way home from the pub I got chased by a guy with a baseball bat, he was off his head and told me he was Bat Man,’ explains Charlie. ‘I joked to the boys the next day that the only difference between this guy and the real thing was a few quid in the bank and an expensive suit, it occurred to me that Batman is just another billionaire that can live above the law, use violence cause he’s got that moral authority that comes with power. Look at what’s going on here with the police, look at some of these celebrity business owners trying to fly to the moon whilst their employees can’t even leave the line to take a piss without being fired, it’s kinda hard to ignore that so many of us are running scared right now…’
‘We’re not a political band but I wanna write about what I see, what makes me angry, what makes me laugh. Vulnerable people are suffering and you can’t ignore that, but we always wanna do it with music that nods and winks at you, not sure you can do that better than with a track inspired by the Bat Man theme tune. We’re probably not allowed to use it without making the wealthy Hollywood estate some money by the way, so that’s just another layer of irony for you to pop in your pipe.‘
Behind the visuals plays the band’s live recording of ‘Bat Man’, recorded at The Albion Rooms studio and produced by Powell. The audio will also be released to fans directly through the band’s mailing list ‘The Freight Train’.
Dead Freights main support for The Libertines Dates:
22 Nov Glasgow, St Luke’s
23 Nov Glasgow, 02 Academy Glasgow
25 Nov Bournemouth, 02 Academy
27 Nov Norwich, UEA
29 Nov Birmingham, 02 Academy
30 Nov Leeds, O2 Academy
01 Dec Edinburgh, Usher Hall
03 Dec Newcastle, O2 Academy
04 Dec Liverpool, Mountford Hall
06 Dec Manchester, Academy
07 Dec Leicester, O2 Academy
08 Dec Headline show, Leicester, The Shed
09 Dec Cardiff, Student’s Union
10 Dec London, O2 Kentish Town Forum
10 Dec Camden Assembly Rooms playing @ The Libertines Official After Party
13 Dec Bristol, O2 Academy
14 Dec Nottingham, Rock City
16 Dec Sheffield, O2 Academy