Toploader will release their forthcoming album 'Seeing Stars' later this year.

Toploader's Joseph Wahburn

Toploader's Joseph Wahburn

The indie-rockers have been busy in the studio working on exciting new material, which will be the follow up to their 2011 record 'Only Human'.

Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz about the name of the LP, Joseph Washbourn said: "I'm going to just tell you what it is and then it'll be called it. I really like the name 'Seeing Stars,' there's a song on the album which is going to be one of the main leads called 'Roll With The Punches'. It's a great track and there's a line in that about being on your back seeing stars, and I like the idea of it being called that because it fits in well with the rest of the album. Bits in there are kind of a little hippy and I like that vibe."

Toploader stormed onto the music scene in 1999 with the smash hit album 'Onka's Big Moka' and toured with the likes of Coldplay and Oasis.

However, the 'Dancing In The Moonlight' hitmakers split after their second album 'Magic Hotel' didn't do as well, but reformed in 2010 and have been gigging ever since.

When asked if they've been able to roll with the punches in the music industry, Joseph said: "I think so. The music industry is tough. I think when we first came out we take every bit of criticism to heart and you take yourself really seriously. I just don't think we're like that anymore. I think we probably love being in Toploader more now than we ever have done. We can do what we want now. Play the shows we want, we haven't got loads of expectations or trying to release songs to get to the top 20, which bands don't get in the top 20 anyway at the moment. So yeah, it's really nice to do what you want and this is first album, we actually own the record and we can do what we want with it.

"We've definitely learned to roll with the punches, I think that's an autobiographical song."

Meanwhile, the singer is glad to have memories of playing huge stadiums when the band supported Robbie Williams on tour and has revealed the pair became friends after the concert when they both lived in Los Angeles.

He said: "We did a big UK tour with him right at the height of his Rock DJ days. It had a bit of a weird effect on us, we thought they were our gigs!

"I lived in L.A for a little while and I'd go and play football at his house. He would leave messages at my house phone. If you didn't show up one week you didn't get invited back. I remember accidentally winding him in a tackle and his face slid down this chicken wire fence and I was like, 'What have I done?' He took it in good spirits but I could have scarred him."

Toploader will be performing at the Gibraltar Music Festival (www.gibraltarmusicfestival.com) next month, which takes place on September 3 and 4 2016.

The rockers will be joined at the event, which will see them celebrate their fifth anniversary, with Ne-Yo, Stereophonics, Jess Glynne, All Saints, Bryan Ferry, The Vamps, Foxes and Nathan Sykes.


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