Former Mansun man Paul Draper announces Bedford show

Paul Draper will headline Esquires next year as part of a 21-date tour to promote his new album Cult Leader Tactics.

The former Mansun frontman will release his first album in five years in January and will headline the Bedford venue on Friday, March 18.

The record was co-produced by Paul Walton and features Gam from Sweat, the 288-person C.L.T. Lockdown Choir and a collaboration with acclaimed musician and producer Steven Wilson.

Cult Leader Tactics follow’s Draper’s 2017 debut solo album Spooky Action and is a satire on the genre of self-help manuals.

Lyrically, the album is made up of extracts from a fictitious self-help manual and after experiencing different types of human behaviour and themes, the album arrives at the conclusion the only true answer in life is love.

These and other themes are subtly referenced in each song and explored on what has been described as Draper’s best songwriting since Mansun’s imperial phase.

Mansun released three critically acclaimed albums in the late 1990s and 2000s.

Their debut Attack of the Grey Lantern was released in 1997, its successor Six and Little Kix followed before their fourth album Kleptomania was released following their split.

After a period away from performing live, in recent years Draper has toured playing both solo material and Mansun classics.

Draper and his band will headline Esquires on Friday, March 18, where he will play stripped back versions of songs from the new album, Spooky Action and Mansun classics and rarities.

Tickets go on sale online through Seetickets via a pre-sale on Wednesday, November 3, at 10am, before general sale on Friday, November 5, at 10am.

Cult Leader Tactics is available to pre-order now. Pre orders of the album will provide access to pre-sale tickets.

Support at Esquires will be by Steve Hewitt’s Love Amongst Ruin.

For more information, visit http://pauldraperofficial.com