English rock band New Order has announced a new live album titled Education Entertainment Recreation, which was recorded at the band’s UK show in 2018 at Alexandra Palace. The forthcoming album is due to be released on May 7 under Mute Records.

New Order’s most recent studio album, Music Complete, was released back in 2015. It wasn’t until last fall that the band had officially released brand new music. They dropped their single “Be a Rebel” along with a music video as their first new release in five years.

With the release of their newest single, the band announced their 2021 co-headlining tour dates with Pet Shop Boys. They currently have plans to go on tour with Pet Shop Boys starting this September in Toronto to make up for their canceled 2020 tour dates. Like many other bands and artists, they had to cancel their 2020 shows due to the coronavirus outbreak.

New Order formed back in 1980 by vocalist Bernard Sumner, drummer Stephen Morris and bassist Peter Hook. One of their most influential tracks, “Blue Monday,” was released three years after the band formed and is still one of their most popular club songs. Since the start of the band, they have taken several hiatuses but have always gravitated back to making the iconic music they have been known for all of these years.

Just a few short months after the outbreak began, Sumner was diagnosed with COVID-19. Sumner eventually was featured as a guest on The Current’s Morning Show where he disclosed that his symptoms were extremely mild despite the fact that many of those who have contracted the virus have not been as lucky. He stated in the interview that the few symptoms that he did have were loss of smell, which would eventually come and go as time went on and fatigue. Sumner said it felt like a “really bad hangover.”

Photo credit: Marv Watson