Multi-talented renaissance man, and former Virgin Prunes frontperson,  Gavin Friday releases his thrilling new single “The Church Of Love” on April 4th. The release coincides with Gavin’s first UK live show for 17 years with a performance at EartH in Hackney on April 6th, along with shows in Europe and Ireland (dates below).

Taken from Gavin’s latest album “Ecce Homo”, “The Church Of Love” is a pulsing slice of post-punk electronica that blends sharp, rhythmic basslines with glimmering synths, creating a driving, danceable energy that throbs with optimism.

“For me ‘The Church of Love’ is a sacred place” says Gavin, “a vibrant sanctuary dedicated to the celebration of all forms of love: self, other, romantic… whatever, whoever you are, you are welcome… “The Church of Love” celebrates the differences, embraces gender fluidity, the freedom to be your true self – if you are brave in love, you belong… Like how dare anyone tell us what love is? ‘Our love is its own.’”

Accompanying “The Church Of Love” is a cover, sung in French, of Desireless’ “Voyage, Voyage”, which takes the essence of the original and transforms it into something slightly darker and more atmospheric. A song, Gavin says, “at the time we were all too cool to admit we liked”. But, he continues “In the 80s it felt like the world was opening up – the mixing of people and cultures was futuristic and full of promise…Yet today borders are closing, countries are looking inwards –

that sense of optimism, confidence… openness has been lost… “Over Saharan dunes, From the isles of Fiji to Fujiyama, Voyage, voyage” sang Desireless 40 years ago. Now in the 2020s all I can think when I hear this song are the people travelling over troubled seas from Calais to Dover, Aleppo to London… the new Voyage Voyagers – but now this is what the world calls migration and the people refugees”.

“Ecce Homo”, released in October and produced by Soft Cell’s Dave Ball,  was Gavin’s first album in 13 years and an engrossing culmination of the life he has lived and the life he is now determined to make for himself.

“Friday has clearly found himself and made a deeply heartfelt record – most of which is perhaps heard at club-level volume”

MOJO – 4 stars

Perhaps best known as the founding frontman of cult Irish post-punk outfit Virgin Prunes, Gavin’s career has spanned four decades and has seen him collaborate with everyone from his childhood friends in U2 to Cillian Murphy, Sinead O’Connor, The Fall, Quincy Jones, and more. He has scored music for Academy Award nominated films such as The Boxer and In America (earning an Ivor Novello for the latter), and his artistic contributions extend to visual arts, with several exhibitions showcasing his work, as well as collaborating and performing on-stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Recent projects have included composition and narration on Emmy nominated animated short film of the classic tale Peter & The Wolf, in aid of the Irish Hospice.