By Glen Parkes | Jace Media Music
After a seven-year solo silence, Gavin Chappell-Bates breaks the stillness with Simple Life, the defiant and heartfelt first single from his forthcoming album No Cages, due July 2025. Far from a quiet return, this track is a rallying cry against the chaos of modern living, wrapped in the warmth of indie rock, the spirit of post-punk, and the intimacy of a deeply personal journey.
Cambridgeshire-based and a vocal animal rights activist, Gavin has long blended music with meaning. But Simple Life hits different. Born unexpectedly in 2022 while helping a friend’s drum students, the song reignited a creative fire he’d almost given up on, following serious vocal damage and a deep disillusionment with the solo path.
What started as a simple track has evolved into a symbol of resilience. Featuring over 40 collaborators including Vegan Queen V, Liz Mitchell (Terrorvision), and members of Chaos Collective (Blur), Simple Life is anything but simple in sound. It bursts with melodic urgency, intelligent lyrics, and an authenticity you can’t fake.
The track is both a celebration and a protest—a statement on noise, both literal and metaphorical, and a call for clarity in a cluttered world. It’s the sound of an artist finding his voice again, literally and metaphorically.
With polished production by Neil Rogers at Half-ton Studios, mastering by Pete Maher (U2, Pixies), and stunning artwork by Tom Jones, Simple Life sets a high bar for No Cages. If this single is anything to go by, Chappell-Bates is not just back—he’s stronger, louder, and more relevant than ever.
Recommended if you like: Frank Turner, Billy Bragg, early Manic Street Preachers
Out May 23rd — don’t miss it.
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