Oxford indie-punk favourites The Samurai Seven continue their long-awaited return with the release of their new single Duck And Cover, while also announcing their forthcoming four-track EP, Make It Real, due for release on 11th September. The track follows Punching Down, the band’s first new music in more than 25 years, and marks another step in what has become one of the more unexpected and welcome reunions on the UK alternative scene.
The Samurai Seven
While The Samurai Seven built their reputation on high-energy, punk-pop anthems, Duck And Cover reveals a different side of the band. Driven by swampy, hypnotic guitars and a slower-burning groove, the song retains the infectious vocal harmonies and melodic hooks that first earned the Oxford quartet widespread attention during the late 1990s.
Recorded with GRAMMY® Award-winning producer Hugo Nicolson (Primal Scream, Radiohead, Björk) at Runway Studios before being mixed at Fairport Convention’s Woodworm Studios in Oxfordshire, the single pairs its rich, textured production with a timely message. Inspired by growing global uncertainty and renewed fears of international conflict, the lyrics encourage listeners to embrace the present rather than succumb to fear.
The band explain that while nuclear anxiety may have returned to public consciousness, Duck And Cover ultimately celebrates making the most of every moment. That life-affirming spirit has already made it a standout in their live set following recent festival appearances, including a performance on the main stage at Riverside Festival in Charlbury.
The single also provides another glimpse into Make It Real, an EP designed to showcase the band’s renewed chemistry before they head out on tour later this year. For a group whose original career was cut tragically short, these new recordings represent more than nostalgia—they feel like unfinished business finally being completed.
The Samurai Seven’s story remains one of British indie’s great “what if?” moments. Formed in Oxford in 1997, the quartet quickly became one of the UK’s most exciting emerging guitar bands, impressing both John Peel and Steve Lamacq during Radio 1’s Oxford Sound City showcase. Multiple Peel Sessions followed, alongside singles released through respected indie labels Shifty Disco, Fierce Panda and Plastic Cowboy.
Momentum came to a devastating halt in February 1999 when frontman Simon Williams survived a drive-by shooting in Oxford that seriously injured his eye. Although he recovered and the band eventually returned to recording, changing musical trends and difficult circumstances meant they never regained the trajectory many believed they deserved. Their debut album finally arrived in 2002 before the original line-up gradually drifted apart.
More than two decades later, an informal rehearsal between the original four members unexpectedly rekindled the spark. What began as a chance to play together again quickly evolved into writing new music, resulting in the return fans are now witnessing.
The current line-up reunites Simon Williams (vocals, guitar), Matt Williams (rhythm guitar, vocals), Jimmy Martin (bass, vocals) and Chris Hayward (drums), restoring the original chemistry that first put The Samurai Seven on the map.
With Make It Real arriving in September and a string of UK shows—including dates supporting The Boo Radleys—scheduled for November, The Samurai Seven’s comeback is gathering real momentum. Rather than simply revisiting the past, the band appear determined to write a compelling new chapter.
Upcoming UK Live Dates:
SEPTEMBER
20th – Portsmouth, Wedgewood Rooms
NOVEMBER – With Boo Radleys
6th – Manchester, Night and Day
7th – Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
8th – Glasgow, Stereo
13th – Lewes, Con Club
15th – London, Oslo
NOVEMBER
19th – Oxford, The Bullingdon
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