Big Big Train release video for the topical The Strangest Times

(Image credit: Big Big Train)

Prog rockers Big Big Train have released a brand new video for The Stangest Times, which you can watch in full below.

The Strangest Times is the third track to be taken from Big Big Train’s forthcoming album Common Ground, which will be released through English Electric Recordings on July 30. The song, written by singer David Longdon, sees the band tackling the impact of the recent Covid lockdowns, the separation of loved ones, the passage of time, deaths of people close to the band.

"After the death of a collaborator Judy Dyble in July 2020, I time spent shielding with an ill relative," explains Longdon. "With everything that was happening around me and for the world with the relentless doomwatch tone of the news broadcasts, I spoke with Greg. I said I couldn't just be writing songs about historical figures and scenarios. I felt that I needed to write about the here and now. In The Strangest Times, I'm writing very directly about what has been happening globally and how I feel about it. The screaming media broadcasts made me want to avoid watching or listening to the news, but I made myself read the latest news once a day.

"I felt better when I was out of the house and walking by the brook and then visiting Watnall Wood in Nottinghamshire. I have always admired the directness of Pete Townshend's lyrics, and that very much fitted the tone of the song. The music has a driving piano feel to it. I wanted it to sound like an Elton John rocker with that pushing rhythm piano playing that he does.

"When Rikard and I spoke about this song and I mentioned Elton John, he referred to Grey Seal from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road as external stimuli. That track directly inspired Rikard's swift piano arpeggios. Dave Foster played electric guitar on this song, and when we met at Real World in November 2020, I said that I wanted the electric part to be Pete Townshend-esque, and Dave knew exactly what I was pushing for.”

Big Big Train will tour the UK in support of Common Ground in March 2022. You can see the dates below.

Big Big Train UK Tour 2022
Mar 15: York Barbican
Mar 16: Cambridge Corn Exchange
Mar 18: Birmingham Symphony Hall
Mar 19: Bath Forum
Mar 21: Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Mar 22: Manchester Bridgewater Hall
Mar 23: London Palladium

Get tickets.

Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.