Black Star Riders hook up with roller derby team for Better Than Saturday Night

Black Star Riders standing against a white wall, with Ricky Warwick pointing at the camera

(Image credit: Ross Halfin)

Black Star Riders have announced details of their first album since the departure of guitarist Scott Gorham. Wrong Side Of Paradise is the band's fifth album, and the follow-up to 2019's Another State Of Grace. It'll be released via Earache on January 20 next year.

New of the album is accompanied by a new single, Better Than Saturday Night. The video features members of the Derby Dolls, a Los Angeles-based roller derby team whose members include "Oblivienne Westwood", "Whoopi Rollberg" and "Jane Woe".

“Better Than Saturday Night is a feel-good, uplifting tune about staying strong in the face of adversity, being true to yourself, and the power of positivity," says Black Star Riders frontman Ricky Warwick. "I wrote it for my kids, but subliminally I think I also wrote it for myself and everyone for those days when we need to find a little bit of extra strength.

“We wanted to reflect the positivity, power, attitude and strength to endure sentiment in the lyrics of the song. And no better way to do that than Black Star Riders rockin’ out with the Los Angeles Roller Derby Dolls."

Wrong Side Of Paradise was recorded in the Autumn of 2021 at Studio 606 in Northridge, California and at Toochtoon Sound in Redmond, Oregon. It was produced by longtime band associate Jay Ruston, who's also worked with the likes of Steel Panther, Anthrax, Amon Amarth, Corey Taylor and Uriah Heep.

"I am very proud of this record, Black Star Riders fifth release and the first with our new and exciting relationship with Earache Records," says Warwick. "As with all BSR albums, Wrong Side Of Paradise is an anthemic statement of intent, driven by ferocious guitars and thundering drums.

"I can only write about my own personal experiences, my families, my friends and how I see a world that is unraveling and changing faster than we can comprehend. That being said, I’m a firm believer in the power of positivity, something that echoes throughout this album."

The band have also announced plans for a 10th Anniversary tour of The UK early next year, which will see a temporary return for two founder members: former Thin Lizzy guitarist Gorham – who announced he was stepping away from BSR last September, but would continue his work alongside Warwick in the reformed Lizzy – and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso, who left the band in 2017. Christian Martucci, who plays guitar on Wrong Side Of Paradise, has departed BSR to concentrate on his work with Corey Taylor and Stone Sour.

Tickets for the tour will go on sale this Thursday at 10am. Full dates below. Support will come from Michael Monroe and Phil Campbell & The Bastard Sons.

Black Star Riders tour poster — (Image credit: Kilimanjaro)

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.