Chas & Dave announce new album, featuring Hugh Laurie and Jools Holland

The most ubiquitous cockney duo since Del Boy and Rodney, comic musical pair Chas & Dave are set to return with a fifteenth studio album to mark their 50th year in music.

The record, titled That’s What Happens, is their first collection of original recordings in 27 years, and was laid down during a week at Abbey Road Studios.

On the list of contributors are TV piano man Jools Holland, former Buddy Holly drummer J.I. Allison, and Dr. House himself, the accomplished bluesman Hugh Laurie, whose second LP Didn’t It Rain was released earlier this year.

Joe Henry, who produced Solomon Burke‘s Grammy-winning Don’t Give Up on Me (as well as both of Laurie’s albums), takes up mixing and mastering duties.

Chas & Dave were both experienced session musicians in the 70s, before they banded together with drummer Mick Burt to release One Fing ‘n’ Annuver in 1975.

In a press release for the upcoming album, the duo paid tribute to the “unregimented atmosphere” of the recording process, “where the ‘room’ worked well alongside the microphone resulting in an album that ran so smooth and joyful that we’ve almost forgotten we did it.”

That’s What Happens is due to be released on 28 October.

[via CMU]