EUROPE's JOEY TEMPEST: 'We Have Some Really Great Songs Cooking' For Next Studio Album

During an appearance on today's (Tuesday, October 3) episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", EUROPE frontman Joey Tempest spoke about the band's recently released new single "Hold Your Head Up". "We went into the studio about a few months ago and recorded one new song," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And over the pandemic, there was some extra time. I managed to get some really good ideas down and everybody loved this idea. So we hooked up with GHOST producer Klas Åhlund. And we managed to record this in between shows, and it turned out really, really good. And, yeah, it's just come out and it feels kind of fresh. We like to stay fresh and try to be innovative and have fun with it."

Asked if he and his EUROPE bandmates plan to make a full record and whether "Hold Your Head Up" was primarily meant as a way to test a new producer, Joey said: "We wanted to check out Klas, obviously. Whether we're gonna work with him or not, we're discussing, but yes, we are throwing ideas around. We have some great ideas and yes, we will make a new album. But this was something we wanted to have out now, because we have a documentary coming out as well [chronicling our entire history] from [the early days in] the suburbs of Stockholm out to the world. We found some old VHS tapes from — I think some of it's from San Francisco as well when we recorded 'The Final Countdown', in the studio with [producer] Kevin [Elson], and the hotel rooms in Japan, when we were very young and backstage from '83, '84. And we managed to put this documentary together with — people from GHOST are in it, Benny Andersson from ABBA's in it, talking, and we're just honored that people wanted to take part in this documentary. It's coming out beginning of next year, so we wanted this song to be part of that documentary. That was also part of the plan. And this 40th-anniversary tour we're doing. We were lucky getting this song together because it seems like it has some legs, so we're happy… But we do have some really great songs cooking. Obviously, 'Hold Your Head Up' will be on there as well. So, yeah, we're right now in the middle of touring. And then beginning of next year, we'll be in the studio again and doing some new ones."

EUROPE performed "Hold Your Head Up" live for the first time this past Saturday (September 30) at Salle Métropole in Lausanne, Switzerland. The track, which is described by the band as "a punchy uptempo rocker with reminiscent elements of early EUROPE," was recorded in August at Atlantis Studios in Stockholm with Åhlund and was mixed by Stefan Glaumann (RAMMSTEIN, DEF LEPPARD),who also mixed EUROPE's "Secret Society" album. The song, which was made available to stream and download on September 29 across all reputable digital platforms, including Spotify, Apple, iTunes, Amazon Music, Deezer, Tidal, Pandora and YouTube Music, will serve as a precursor to EUROPE's twelfth studio album, to be recorded in 2024 and released in late 2024 or early 2025.

The "Hold Your Head Up" video offers a glimpse into the brand-new documentary that the band have been busy filming with producer/director Craig Hooper (DEEP PURPLE, SAXON) for Coolhead Productions simply titled "Europe - The Movie". The film will tell the story of the band, from formation until present day, telling of their rise to success in the mid-1980s, through hard times and heartache, to coming back in the millennium, and the current successes the band has achieved. This is set for release in early 2024.

EUROPE is currently undertaking a "Time Capsule" tour which includes 21 concerts across Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Norway, Sweden, France, The Netherlands, and the U.K., including two nights at the famous London Palladium. These anniversary shows will consist of a career retrospective "evening with" performance featuring all the hits together with deep cuts and fan favorites from all of their 11 studio albums.

EUROPE's latest album, "Walk The Earth", was released in October 2017 via Hell & Back Recordings (Silver Lining Music). It was recorded at famed Abbey Road Studios in London with Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb (RIVAL SONS, Shooter Jennings, Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton).