Jon Toogood – longtime frontman of New Zealand alternative rock band Shihad – has announced he will release his debut solo album in 2024. Titled Last Of The Lonely Gods – an allusion to Shihad’s most recent studio album, 2021’s Old Gods – the album is set for release on Friday October 11th via Warner Music Australia. An Australian tour for the album has also been announced for the album, the details of which can be found below.
To coincide with the formal announcement of his solo career, Toogood has shared the album’s lead single ‘Gravity’. In a press statement, the singer-songwriter explained that the song was written following the death of his mother. “Losing both parents lead me to thinking a lot about my own mortality, which in turn lead to me writing this tune,” he said.
“I’d been hiding away from the world after my mum passed away, and was trying to work out what I wanted my life to look like going forward. I wrote the tune to help me work some of that out.” An accompanying music video for the song has also been shared, directed by Shae Sterling.
Jon Toogood – ‘Gravity’
Toogood recorded Last Of The Lonely Gods at The Grove, a studio on the Central Coast of New South Wales, with in-house producer Scott Horscroft. The album also features contributions from Middle Kids drummer Harry Day, as well as pop songwriter Andy Mak and former I Know Leopard violinist Jenny McCullagh.
Although he has often toured as a solo act in the past, the upcoming tour with mark some of the first shows where Toogood has showcased his own material away from the band. In the past, Toogood’s solo shows have primarily consisted of acoustic versions of Shihad songs, as well as covers of the likes of Tom Petty, David Bowie, Split Enz and Neil Young.
Jon Toogood Last Of The Lonely Gods 2024 Australian Tour
- Thursday, November 14th – Mo’s Desert Club House, Gold Coast QLD
- Friday, November 15th – Tomcat, Brisbane QLD
- Saturday, November 16th – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne VIC
- Sunday, November 17th – Waywards, Sydney NSW
Tickets on sale Monday, July 29th via JonToogood.com.
Further Reading
Shihad Are Angry With The State Of The World, But They Also Have Hope
Love Letter To A Record: Captives On Shihad’s ‘The General Electric’
