Tim Burgess announces The Listening Party book, set to be published later this year

A year after he first launched his #TimsTwitterListeningParty at the beginning of lockdown, Tim Burgess has announced a book about the series, set to be published by DK on September 2. Featuring a foreword by Oasis co-founder Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs, The Listening Party will allow fans to relive 100 of the most memorable listening parties, with stories from bands and fans, rarely seen images, and unique insider information from the people who created the iconic albums.

Tim Burgess, the lead singer of The Charlatans, launched his 'Tim's Listening Party' series as the UK entered its first lockdown in March 2020 – and has since featured albums by both emerging and established artists, including the likes of Paul McCartney, Róisín Murphy, The Pogues, The Waterboys, Fontaines D.C., and The Murder Capital. Fans are invited to stream or play the album in question, while following  the relevant Twitter accounts to watch and take part in discussions about the album in real time – using the hashtag #TimsTwitterListeningParty. The listening parties have clocked up over 950,000 online replays since they launched.

The royalties from the book will go to Music Venue Trust's #SaveOurVenues campaign – aimed at preventing the permanent closure of grassroots music venues across the UK due to the Covid-19.

Royalties from the @LlSTENlNG_PARTY book will be going to The @musicvenuetrust - they’ve been doing such a brilliant job this past year and for a long time before. A pleasure to do my bit to help x x @dkbooks pic.twitter.com/uQTnhfCzfu

— Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) March 23, 2021

Mark Searle, publishing director for DK licensing, acquired the world rights for The Listening Party – and has revealed that he first connected to the series during the listening party for Fontaines D.C.'s Dogrel.

“In March 2020, stuck in lockdown and missing gigs, a friend sent a group text telling me to join one of Tim's Twitter Listening Parties," Searle commented. "We listened along to Fontaines DC's Dogrel and reminisced about seeing them live. Hundreds of thousands of people around the world have done the same across more than 700 parties. The way Tim has brought people together while we've been apart is a phenomenon. To be publishing The Listening Party is a real honour. It will be a book for any music lover to treasure.”

Burgess has also noted that he originally thought the series would go on for "a week or two."

"Here we are 735 listening parties later!" he resumes. "Our friends at DK asked if I’d be interested in working on a book and we loved the idea. We are also thrilled that sales of the book will be supporting Music Venue Trust.”

The Listening Party is available to pre-order here.