Blossoms’ new music video will star Rick Astley – and is inspired by gorilla statue theft
Opening up about the first video from the band’s highly anticipated fifth studio album, Blossoms have said the promo will star Rick Astley and is based on the headline-grabbing true story of a huge fibreglass gorilla being stolen from a garden centre.
Blossoms’ new music video will star Rick Astley and is based on the headline-grabbing true story of a huge fibreglass gorilla being stolen from a garden centre.
The band revealed details of the upcoming promo as they announced details of their highly anticipated fifth studio album ‘Gary’ – named after the primate sculpture that inspired the video.
Singer Tom Ogden, 31, said: “The video is directed by myself and my brother Ewan Ogden and it picks up where our last video left off.
“The song is based on a true story I heard on the radio last year – Gary the eight foot fibreglass gorilla was stolen from Reynard Garden Centre in Carluke, Scotland.
“We’ve recreated the story on screen with Rick Astley playing Andrew Scott, the owner of the garden centre, and the band stealing Gary.
“This video was so much fun to make and was shot again on 16mm film, on location around Stockport, the Peak District, and Derbyshire.
“The song itself is the centrepiece of the album and after toying with different titles, we kept going back to Gary. In the end, it could only be ‘Gary’.”
The giant Gary primate statue was stolen from a Lanarkshire garden centre in 2023 before being reunited with its owner Andrew a year later.
Blossoms’ ‘Gary’ video was directed by Tom and his brother Ewan, with their singer friend Rick, 58, making a comeback for them in the promo after he made a cameo in the band’s previous video for ‘What Can I Say After I’m Sorry?’
Blossoms’ new album is due for release on September 20 and is produced by the band’s regular collaborator James Skelly of The Coral, alongside Jungle’s Josh-Lloyd Watson, who produced ‘What Can I Say After I’m Sorry?’ and ‘Nightclub’.
Singer CMAT (Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson), 28, has also co-written two tracks on the album – ‘I Like Your Look’ and ‘Why Do I Give You the Worst of Me?’
Tom added: “The heart of this record is about the five of us recording live in a room together for the first time in years.
“We wanted to capture the energy of what it’s like when five friends decide to start a band and make music together.
“We collaborated more than we ever have on this record too, and alongside working with long-time collaborator James Skelly, we brought in Josh and CMAT.
“We hired an AirBnB on the seafront in Anglesey and locked ourselves away for the writing session with Ciara and it was one of the most inspiring few days we’ve had as a band.
“During the writing process, we were listening to a lot of Bowie, Blondie, and Hall and Oates.”
Other standout tracks on the album include ‘Big Star’ and ‘Mothers’, with Tom saying about how they were also inspired by true stories: “The album tracks themselves are based on different stories, mostly from personal experience.
“On ‘Big Star’ after seeing a well-known music journalist in the Chateau Marmont, I debate going over and introducing myself but then shyness gets the better of me and I don’t.
“‘I Like Your Look’ is a tipping of the hat to Blondie’s ‘Rapture’ and a wink to Joan Baez ‘Time Rag’, and lyrically it explores a tongue-in-cheek approach to high fashion.
“‘Mothers’ is an ode to my and (bandmate) Joe (Donovan)’s friendship and it references the fact that our mothers were friends back in the ’80s.”
Blossoms are supporting Tom Grennan, 28, at Gunnersbury Park on 10 August and are set to play festivals including Isle of Wight and TRSNMT, before the band’s biggest headline gig to date at Wythenshawe Park, Manchester on Sunday 25 August.
Since forming in 2013, Blossoms have enjoyed widespread success and acclaim.
Their 2016 debut Blossoms topped the album charts for two consecutive weeks and went on to earn the band BRIT Award and Mercury Prize nominations, while 2018’s ‘Cool Like You’ charted at No4 in the UK album chart.
‘Gary’ Tracklist
‘Big Star’
‘What Can I Say After I'm Sorry?’
‘Gary’
‘I Like Your Look’
‘Nightclub’
‘Perfect Me’
‘Mothers’
‘Cinnamon’
‘Slow Down’
‘Why Do I Give You The Worst Of Me?’
