Haçienda Records / Essential Music are pleased to announce the

long awaited full physical and online release of the debut Freebass

album,"It’s A Beautiful Life" out now.

The collaborative project between the celebrated Mancunian bassists Peter “Hooky” Hook (Joy Division / New Order), Gary “Mani” Mounfield (The Stone Roses / Primal Scream), Andy “Rourkie” Rourke (The Smith) and lead singer Gary Briggs (Haven / Strays), the Freebass album finally arrives some five years after first being mooted by its bass guitar hero members.

Taking time to audition a succession of guest vocalists before appointing the emotively talented Gary Briggs as Freebass’ front man, Gary is considered by many the finest Manchester lead singer of the last decade. However while sessions with Gary progressed and Freebass’ sound became more and more honed, Andy Rourke moved to New York in 2009, but contributes to tracks on the album.

With a debut tranche of UK live dates in early June 2010 across major cities, Freebass played well received, eclectic sets of entirely new material to sold out, appreciative audiences, and passed up the crowd pleasing opportunity of visits to their extensive back catalogues. As Mani and Hooky aimiably traded bass licks and trademark lo slung bass-lines whilst exchanging an old pals routine of jokey insults, special praise was reserved for Gary’s presence as a lead singer as he confidently held his own centre stage.

The studio album, which brings together the seminal bassists of the seminal Mancunian groups of the last 30 years, originally developed from free-form sessions between Hooky, Mani and Rourkie which provided the open minded, expansive sound of Freebass. Deftly arch guitar work and wonderfully cascading bass lines permeate the album which serves to slyly re-interpret members’ styles and influences in an inventive engaging cocktail of Northern Soul, dub, Krautrock and more, paying homage to the past but not trading off it.

Adapting the illustrious members styles and decades of experience into an innovative and dramatic album “It’s A Beautiful Life” varies its mood throughout, throwing in lighter, delicate, more melodic numbers, “It’s Not Too Late”, “The Only One’s Alone” and “Secrets And Lies” offset against some anthemically brooding, darker-edged tracks, including “Plan B”, “Kill Switch Pt 101” and “Lady Violence” with rock-ier indie tracks such as “She Said” and “The God Machine” rounding off the original album.

This Double CD release comes with three extra exclusive tracks which will only be released on this edition, “Bury Me Standing”, “Sister Surrender”, and “Believer” and contains a second CD which features instrumental versions of all tracks.

“Freebass – It’s A Beautiful Life” track listing

CD One

• 1. It’s Not Too Late
• 2. The Only Ones Alone
• 3. Lady Violence
• 4. World Won't Wait
• 5. Kill Switch pt 141
• 6. Stalingrad
• 7. Secrets and Lies
• 8. She said
• 9. The God Machine
• 10. Plan B

Exclusive Extra Tracks/B sides

• 11. Bury Me Standing
• 12. Sister Surrender
• 13. I’m A Believer

CD Two

• Instrumental versions of all tracks listed above