Soft Play – FKA Slaves – share new single ‘Punk’s Dead’ and announce surprise Reading & Leeds sets

nme.com:

Soft Play have returned with their ferocious new single ‘Punk’s Dead’ and announced that they will be performing sets at Reading & Leeds 2023.Back in December 2022, the duo comprising Laurie Vincent and Isaac Holman – who were formerly known as Slaves – confirmed their long-awaited return to music and announced their new name.‘Punk’s Dead’ sees the pair addressing the discourse around the decision to update their name as they channel faux-outrage on the rambunctious new track.It also features a cast of family and friends in the bridge along with an unlikely guest feature from Robbie Williams, who sings: “I love you but I disagree / this is bullshit / and I just wanted you to know / snowflake, snowflake / cherries on the woke cake / but I’ll still see you at your show.”Speaking to Jack Saunders on BBC Radio 1, Soft Play said that Williams was a fan of the band and wanted to collaborate in some way.Listen to ‘Punk’s Dead’ below.Alongside the new single announcement, Soft Play have confirmed that they will also be joining the bill at Reading & Leeds festival this year, following their recent return to the live circuit with a show at Tunbridge Wells Forum and headline slot at 2000 Trees Festival.The duo will be performing on the Festival Republic Stage at Reading on August 26 and Leeds on August 27.

They will also be supporting The Prodigy on tour this autumn.Around the release of their debut album ‘Are You Satisfied?’ in 2015, the band drew criticism for its name as some described it as racially insensitive.