It’s a good time to be a fan of The Cruel Sea, with the band recently hitting the road to celebrate 30 years of The Honeymoon Is Over and joining Cold Chisel on the road from tomorrow into December.
Now, there’s something else to be delighted about: The Cruel Sea have just announced their first album in 23 years. It’s called Straight Into The Sun, and it’ll be released on Friday, 7 March 2025 (pre-order/pre-save the album here). That’s not all: the sunny first single, the title track, is out now. You can listen to it below.
Straight Into The Sun follows 2001’s Where There’s Smoke. Since the release of that album, The Cruel Sea have toured sporadically.
In 2015, the band were rocked by the loss of guitarist/keyboardist James Cruickshank. For this album and the forthcoming tour dates, The Cruel Sea’s line-up comprises singer Tex Perkins, guitarist Dan Rumour, drummer Jim Elliott, and bassist Ken Gormly, plus long-term collaborator Matt Walker on guitar.
Quietly recorded at Soundpark and Union Street Studios in Melbourne and produced by the band along with Roger Bergodaz, The Cruel Sea reunited and crafted the album during last year’s The Honeymoon Is Over 30th-anniversary tour.
To celebrate the band’s epic comeback, Tex Perkins has written a note about The Cruel Sea, which you can read in its entirety below.
THE CRUEL SEA: 2024 TOUR DATES
Special Guests for Cold Chisel’s The Big 5-0 tour
SATURDAY, 5 OCTOBER – PETERSONS WINES, ARMIDALE NSW
FRIDAY, 11 OCTOBER – THE ENTERTAINMENT QUARTER, SYDNEY NSW
SATURDAY, 12 OCTOBER – THE ENTERTAINMENT QUARTER, SYDNEY NSW
SATURDAY, 19 OCTOBER – SANDALFORD WINES, SWAN VALLEY WA
SUNDAY, 20 OCTOBER – SANDALFORD WINES, SWAN VALLEY WA
FRIDAY, 25 OCTOBER – FLEMINGTON RACECOURSE, MELBOURNE VIC
SATURDAY, 26 OCTOBER – FLEMINGTON RACECOURSE, MELBOURNE VIC
SATURDAY, 2 NOVEMBER – VICTORIA PARK, BRISBANE QLD
SUNDAY, 3 NOVEMBER – VICTORIA PARK, BRISBANE QLD
SATURDAY, 9 NOVEMBER – VICTORIA PARK, BALLARAT VIC
SUNDAY, 10 NOVEMBER – MORNINGTON RACECOURSE, MORNINGTON VIC
SATURDAY, 16 NOVEMBER – QUDOS BANK ARENA, SYDNEY NSW
FRIDAY, 22 NOVEMBER – SIDNEY MYER MUSIC BOWL, MELBOURNE VIC
SATURDAY, 23 NOVEMBER – SIDNEY MYER MUSIC BOWL, MELBOURNE VIC
THURSDAY, 28 NOVEMBER – STAGE 88, CANBERRA ACT
SATURDAY, 30 NOVEMBER – ROCHE ESTATE, HUNTER VALLEY NSW
WEDNESDAY, 4 DECEMBER – QUDOS BANK ARENA, SYDNEY NSW
The Cruel Sea: A Note From Tex
I’ve loved The Cruel Sea ever since I walked into the Harold Park Hotel in 1987 and saw this great instrumental band for the first time.
Led by the unique guitar stylings of Danny Rumour, The Cruel Sea are unlike any other band I had ever heard. At first the influences and references were quite obvious, surf instrumental music similar to classic acts like The Ventures, The Shadows and The Atlantics, but they grew and absorbed, so many other influences. Country, Soul, Blues, Funk, Latino and Reggae all went into the mix. This ever growing gumbo of music just got tastier and spicier.
No one plays like Danny Rumour, he’s a one off and a gifted musician who is a gift to the world. And no one plays like Ken Gormly, the bass player. He makes the music bubble and bounce in a way that makes it also fat, solid and dependable. The drummer Jim Elliott is also a one off. A rhythm aficionado, his playing has a wit and intelligence that always compliments and supports not only the other instruments but the songs themselves.
In 1989, I, Tex Perkins, was invited to write and sing with the wonderful band and continued to do so for over 20 years.
There were amazing, triumphant performances, world tours, platinum albums and awards and blah blah blah! We had a good run.
We eventually slowed down and our activities grew less frequent. Then in 2015 our keyboard player and second guitarist, the enormously talented James Cruickshank died from cancer treatment. It was a huge blow to not only the band but many friends and fans.
As a band and as people we drifted apart. Perhaps James’s death brought more pain than we could have anticipated. I didn’t imagine The Cruel Sea would ever play again. I mean who could replace Cruickers? But, as they say, time heals all wounds and you what else heals? Music!
We, The Cruel Sea, are honoured to welcome the great Matt Walker into the fold. Matt really is the right guy for this job. A brilliant singer songwriter, producer and guitar player, Matt fits in perfectly. The band have known him and loved his music since he would open for us back in the 1990’s.
I am in awe of these great musicians and truly grateful to be back playing with The Cruel Sea.
What more can I say!
Tex Perkins
