AS IT IS release ‘Cheap Shots & Setbacks X’ featuring Mallory Knox and ROAM
Photo: Steph Evans
As It Is have unveiled ‘Cheap Shots & Setbacks X’ – a reimagined version of their fan-favourite track featuring guest appearances from Mikey Chapman (Mallory Knox) and Alex Costello/Alex Adam (ROAM). Taken from “Never Happy, Ever After X,” a complete re-recording of their 2015 debut with guest artists on every track, the song delivers that pop punk nostalgia with the accompanying music video cutting between shots of then and now.
The addition of Mikey Chapman is a perfect accompaniment with his iconic smooth tones and ROAM’s Alex Costello and Alex Adam join in to complete the journey this song has has over the past decade. Speaking of the collaboration, the band share, “Cheap Shots & Setbacks is probably one of our few positive anthemic songs. We always thought this would be our biggest single, but alas Dial Tones proved us wrong!
Back in 2014 in the backstage of a club in Bristol, Alex Adam & Alex Costello from ROAM demoed guest vocals on the bridge. It didn’t make the record for whatever reason but ten years later there was only one band we wanted ton guest for that bridge part. They’ve done it live with us countless times over the years and all our first big experiences as a band were together with ROAM. They simply had to appear on the record. We couldn’t get them back from the dead but we could get them to reprise their famous guestie spot one more time.
In 2015 we also spent the summer with Mallory Knox on the Warped Tour – Mallory have always been UK rock legends to us, and have had a similar journey in many ways to us. To have Mikey also sing on this track really turns this version into a full 2015 party. He blew us away in the studio and we’re so excited for people to hear this song the way it was always meant to be.”
Watch the video here:
Set for release on April 18th, Never Happy, Ever After X is more than just a re-recording. The band describes it as “an unbelievably ambitious project” that evolved from a simple idea to re-record a few singles into a full-fledged celebration of the album’s impact.
“This record encapsulates the 2015 scene we came up in while paying respect to the bands that influenced it and the new bands moving it forward. We can’t wait for people to hear this version of Never Happy. Getting to celebrate this record with so many friends and heroes is beyond what we ever imagined when we wrote these songs ten years ago.”
Pre-orders for Never Happy, Ever After X are now live at As It Is’s official store and Slam Dunk Records.
As It Is will embark on a run of UK shows, including two intimate warm-up gigs leading into Slam Dunk Festival.
May 2024 Tour Dates:
- 22: Brighton, Green Door Store (Slam Dunk warm-up)
- 23: Kingston, Fighting Cocks (Slam Dunk warm-up)
- 24: Hatfield Park – Slam Dunk South
- 25: Leeds, Temple Newsam – Slam Dunk North
In addition, Parade Tattoo Parlour in Brighton will be offering Never Happy– and As It Is-inspired tattoo flash designs on May 22nd, with 30% of proceeds going to the trans rights and aid non-profit Notaphase.org.
