With Razorlight set to return to the stage at Neighbourhood Weekender later this year, and a new single landing last year, a new chapter is on the horizon for the band.
‘Sugar High’ was a bold release, stepping outside of any comfort zones, and we caught up with drummer and songwriter Andy Burrows to discuss the new sound and plenty more.
From writing America in a hotel room in Ohio to rediscovering the joy of simply being a band again, Andy reflects candidly on Razorlight’s past, present and future.
He also discusses the 20 year anniversary of the band’s incredible self-titled album, and why, two decades on, it still feels exciting to look forward.
NC: How is life in Razorlight right now?
Andy: “Yeah, it’s good. Me and Johnny have been in the studio quite a lot, writing some new songs. We played a show just before Christmas down in Brighton, so we’ve done a fair bit. Now we’re reconvening to start playing live again in the spring, through the summer, and then into a lot of touring.”
NC: That Brighton show at Concorde 2, how did that go? It was quite an intimate one, wasn’t it?
Andy: “Yeah, it was really great. We’d been rehearsing some new stuff and Johnny really wanted to play, and it seemed like a good thing to support that venue and celebrate Concorde 2. It felt special.”
NC: You released Sugar High recently in 2025. It felt heavier and a bit more experimental, tell us about it?
Andy: “Yeah, I guess it was. It’s quite a heavy song, it starts slow and builds up. It’s not a typical Razorlight song, but at the same time, what is a typical Razorlight song? I think it’s always nice when bands slightly break out of their mould. It wasn’t like we suddenly made a house tune or something, it was still a guitar band. But yeah, I think there was a bit of Pixies in there.
“These last few years have been really cool, just doing stuff together again, recording some things, releasing some, not releasing others. It’s been much more experimental than I expected when we got back together. I thought we’d come back, make an album quickly, stick it out with a greatest hits. But instead it’s been about becoming a band again. That’s been wonderful, and not what I expected at all.”
NC: Do you think that time apart was something you needed?
Andy: “I think so. I quit the band many years ago, and Johnny and I didn’t communicate for a long time. Even though I always had this feeling that maybe we’d do something again, I really thought it was over. So it’s bizarre to look back at the last three years and realise we’ve settled back into being a slightly awkward, slightly dysfunctional family, but one that makes music I love. It feels like the same old Razorlight, but also completely fresh and new.”
NC: What do you think is the biggest difference between then and now?
Andy: “The obvious one is that we’ve all lived a bit more life. Everyone’s older, and in our own ways, we’ve matured. A lot of life happened in that long gap.”
NC: You’re playing Neighbourhood Weekender again this year. What can people expect from your set?
Andy: “A lot of old favourites, all the hits. We’re always working on new material, and Planet Nowhere came out recently, so we’ll mix it up. But we’ll definitely make sure we play the golden oldies. There’s always that push and pull between new and old. When you’re rehearsing, you’re fired up about the new stuff, but when you see the crowd, you know what they want. So there’ll be more old stuff than new, but enough new material to keep it fresh for us and show that we’re moving forward.”
NC: NBHD Weekender brings together classic indie bands and newer ones. How do you reflect on the era you broke through in, and indie music now?
Andy: “The 2000s were an amazing time, like a bonus decade after the ’90s. I was a teenager in the ’90s, watching Suede, Blur, Oasis, Supergrass… it was incredible. Things got a bit confused towards the end, then around 2001 it kicked off again with this real back-and-forth between New York and London. Bands just kept delivering huge tunes, it was a wonderful period. But one thing I do like now is that younger people don’t really care when music came out or what scene it belongs to. They just discover it. That feels healthy.”
NC: Do you notice Razorlight crowds now spanning different generations?
Andy: “Yeah, definitely. It’s a real mix. You’ve got people in their 30s, 40s, 50s who were there first time round, and then loads of kids and teenagers. I don’t know where they come from, maybe younger siblings, maybe Spotify, who knows? I remember looking out from my drum kit and seeing kids appear on shoulders when we play the big songs, singing every word. Certain songs just transcend, and that’s magical. I’m massively grateful that something we did for five or six years still connects like that.”
NC: It’s 20 years since the self-titled Razorlight album. How important was this record for the band?
Andy: “It was hugely important. Up All Night was life-changing, but Razorlight was my first album with the band. There was pressure, I worried that if it didn’t do well, I’d get blamed as the “new guy”, even though I’d been with the band for three years. When we finished it, we had no idea how it would land. It didn’t sound like Up All Night, it felt more commercial, more pop. There were nerves. But the stars aligned, and it completely changed my life.”
NC: And America became an enormous hit. What do you remember about writing it?
Andy: “It was utterly bananas. I was obsessed with being a drummer, I never wanted to be at the front. But Johnny really encouraged me to get involved with writing. We were on a long US tour and had three days off in a hotel in Columbus, Ohio. I borrowed Johnny’s guitar and started playing. On the third day, I came up with this idea about a girl being lost in America. It felt obvious, but also really good.
“The original demo sounds like The Police and punkier, no “oh-oh-ohs”. Then Johnny brought in that iconic intro and chorus, and suddenly it became a Razorlight song. When we heard the finished version, we knew there was something magical, but we never thought it would be a number one. Even the week it went to number one, the label told us not to get excited. It was a proper dream come true.”
NC: How special is your songwriting partnership with Johnny?
Andy: “It’s very special. We haven’t always been great at maintaining a stable relationship, but when we write together, it’s magical. I love it, and I believe he does too. Taking our foot off the accelerator, and not obsessing over having another number one, has been healthy. Of course I’d love another hit, but what really matters is continuing to make music together. That’s always been the most important thing.”
NC: What does the future look like for Razorlight?
Andy: “We reconvene properly around March. Me and Johnny will be in the studio, then the band gets together to rehearse. We start playing live in May, festivals all summer, then a big tour for the anniversary later in the year. We’re hoping to get back to Europe properly, and maybe Australia and Japan again. Places we used to play a lot. Just taking it global again, really.”
Razorlight will perform at Neighbourhood Weekender (23rd-24th May 2026) at Victoria Park, Warrington. Head to Neighbourhood Weekender for more information and tickets.
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