Canadian indie rock band announce reunion seven years after split and release new music sending fans wild: ‘I’ve waited for this day for so long’
Canadian band Hot Hot Heat have announced that they are getting back together seven years after their 2016 split.
The indie rock band formed in 1999 and released five albums, two of which charted in the UK top 40.
After their split, frontman Steve Bays and bassist Parker Bossley formed a new band called Fur Trade, leading fans to believe the band was over for good.
However, this week, Hot Hot Heat announced via their official social media accounts that they were making a comeback.
They shared a new group photo showing off the current lineup and revealed they’ll be releasing new music next month.
They’re back! Canadian band Hot Hot Heat have announced that they are getting back together seven years after their 2016 split
Back in the day: The indie rock band formed in 1999 and released five albums, two of which charted in the UK top 40 (pictured in 2003)
Announcement: This week Hot Hot Heat revealed on their official social media accounts that they are making a comeback, showing off the current lineup and saying they will be releasing new music next month
The group wrote: ‘Hot Hot Heat consists of Steve Bays, Paul Hawley, Dante DeCaro and Parker Bossley. We will release a new song, ‘Shock Me’, on December 1, 2023.’
Their followers went wild over the news and many took to the comments to express their shock and joy, with some declaring: ‘This is the best news of the year!’
One person wrote: ‘This definitely wasn’t on my 2023 bingo card but I couldn’t be more excited!!!’
Another added: ‘This made my day, made my week. Made my year, made my decade. Everything. I’m glad you’re back.’
Excited: Their followers went wild with the news. Many took to the comments to express their shock and joy, with some declaring: ‘This is the best news of the year!’
A third fan commented: ‘Dante taught me how to play guitar straight away. You have no idea what this means to me,” while another said: “I’ve been waiting for this day for so long.”
A fifth wrote: ‘best news of 2023! Let’s be honest: I follow every band Steve is associated with, too many to mention. but Hot Hot Heat just feels like home! Excited for the new single’.
Someone else said: ‘I can not stop laughing! This is great news!’ while a seventh echoed: ‘I can’t wait. I love you guys. Always have.’
An eighth fan gushed: ‘I can’t believe my favorite band is back together. no words !! just yes!!!!!’ with a ninth addition: ‘Christmas comes early!!!!’
A tenth person wrote: ‘Are you kidding me??? 2023 is going out with a bang. I can not wait!’ with another saying, “This is the best thing I’ve read all year. YES!!!!’
In an interview last October, Steve heavily hinted that a Hot Hot Heat reunion would happen soon, saying that he had “recently warmed up to the idea” and that it was “being discussed.”
Speak with Call out, he said, “Paul and I actually talk and text almost every day. And Dante is also in contact with us. Every now and then we meet and chat. [I speak with] Dustin also occasionally via email.
“As far as a reunion is concerned, I am obliged to neither confirm nor deny it, but I will say: it is being discussed as a possibility. An absolutely maybe situation.
New venture: After their split, frontman Steve Bays and bassist Parker Bossley formed a new band called Fur Trade, (pictured), leading fans to think the band was over for good
Teasing: In an interview last October, Steve (pictured) heavily hinted that a Hot Hot Heat reunion would happen soon, saying he had “recently warmed up to the idea” and that it was “being discussed”
“I’ve been against it the most, simply because touring was seventeen years of my life, and now I’m on the road so much with my studio, Tugboat Pl. — recording, mixing, co-writing, music videos, etc. with other bands — and I have a few other projects of my own that I’m quite passionate about. But that said, I’ve warmed up to the idea a bit lately!’
Hot Hot Heat originally consisted of Steve, Paul and Parker, alongside Dustin Hawthorne on bass and Matthew Marnik on vocals.
Only Steve and Paul remained the entire time, with Dante joining the band for four years in 2001, and Jimmy Sweet, Luke Paquin and Louis Hearn were also members for several years.
The group’s debut album, Make Up the Breakdown, was released in October 2002 to critical acclaim and was ranked as the 20th best album of the year by Pitchfork.
However, one of their singles, Bandages, was dropped from the BBC Radio 1 playlist due to the Iraq war, leaving it stuck at number 25 in the UK charts.
A spokesperson said the song was removed due to a “prevalence of the word ‘bandages’ in the song.”
Hot Hot Heat continued making music and signed with Warner in the US, where they released their next album Elevator.
In the 2000s the band opened for major groups such as Foo Fighters, The Killers and Weezer.
They also went on tour in 2007, with Snow Patrol as the opening act, and released the album Happiness Ltd the same year. out.
The group later released their fourth album Future Breeds in 2010 and their latest LP, Hot Hot Heat, in June 2016.
Early success: The group’s debut album, Make Up the Breakdown, was released in October 2002 to critical acclaim and was ranked as the 20th best album of the year by Pitchfork (photo 2003)
Popular: In the 2000s the band opened for major groups such as Foo Fighters, The Killers and Weezer. They also went on tour in 2007, with Snow Patrol as the opening act (photo 2003)