By

Rob Jones

Welsh rock legends The Alarm have been invited to perform as special guests with The Cult on American Independence Day (July 4th 2023) at the band’s huge outdoor show at Cardiff Castle.

Despite very close links between the bands, it will mark the first time that these two classic British groups (who both generated huge successes in the USA), will have ever shared a stage together.

“The Alarm and The Cult go way back and I’ve always personally admired the fact that, like The Alarm, The Cult have maintained a fiercely forward-facing creative vision with an eternal ambition to write and record new music.” says The Alarm frontman Mike Peters. “I have also had the privilege of working creatively alongside Cult guitarist Billy Duffy, recording two albums for the Coloursøund project. I have always dreamed of this scenario and I’m sure fans of both The Alarm and The Cult will be as excited as I am to be at Cardiff Castle on July 4th.”

Also on the bill at the Cardiff Castle show are*
*The Mission, featuring founder members Wayne Hussey and Craig Adams, both of whom share very close ties to The Alarm.

Tickets for Cardiff Castle available here

In further news, The Alarm lead singer Mike Peters has just started out on a spring 2023 UK tour having recently returned from a US promo trip presenting the new album Forwards at various US press, radio and TV outlets, including an appearance on Outlaw Country with Steve Earle who gave the new album a ringing endorsement. Mike also made a special guest appearance at the Alex Theatre in Los Angeles performing ‘Baby Please Don’t’ Go’ with Wayne Kramer from the legendary MC5 alongside guitarists Lenny Kaye (Patti Smith Band) and Peter Buck (REM).

Described by Bono of U2 as “ the second greatest rock and roll band in the world ”, The Alarm release their forthcoming brand new album Forwards, on the new date of 16th June 2023, followed by a two-night-stand at The Gramercy Theatre in New York on June 23rd / 24th.

“I’m lucky to be here,” says lead singer Mike Peters after emerging from a year of serious life challenges during which he faced down both pneumonia and a serious leukaemia relapse. “I was in hospital for such a long time, I had my guitar brought on to the ward and I began writing songs in between IV sessions. The first people to hear ‘Forwards’ were the very people who were trying to keep me alive.”

Forwards is alive with melody and invention and destined to contend for a top place amongst The Alarm’s extensive discography, one that boasts over 17 Top 50 UK singles and over six million album sales worldwide. In fact, the previous three Alarm albums have all featured in the Top 10 of the UK Rock Album Chart – Equals (No. 2 in 2018), Sigma (No.1 in 2019) and Omega (No.8 in 2022).

The release of Forwards has already generated new momentum for The Alarm with BBC Wales set to broadcast a new 30-minute ‘Alarm TV Special’ in the run up to the album’s release date. BBC Radio 2’s Gary Davies has already featured Mike Peters on his Sounds of the ’80s show and Mike Peters also revealed his Rock God on the_
_Johnny Walker Rock Show to be the late Steve Marriott of Small Faces (a recently published interview from 1987 has revealed that Steve Marriott was a self-professed fan of The Alarm).

The new album’s title track has been added to the BBC Radio Wales playlist while Mike and the band have this week kicked-off their new UK tour this in support of Forwards ’ release – full list of Mike Peters and The Alarm’s forthcoming UK live dates is;

30 May Newcastle – The Cluny

31 May Tring Court Theatre

3 June Sale Waterside Arts Centre

4 June Stroud Subscription Rooms

6 June London Union Chapel

7 June Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms

8 June York – The Crescent

9 June Hull Welly

4 July Cardiff Castle (w/The Cult)

17 August Holmfirth Picturedrome

18 August Ottery St Mary – Beautiful Days Festival

Tickets for all above shows available now via*
*https://thealarm.com/upcoming-shows/