Confronting Waste: ‘Fatalism and the Negative’ at George Floyd Inspires New Single ‘There’s No Future in Optimism’

Latest Single Announcement

A new single, titled “There is no Future,” has just been released by Garbage. Check it out below.

• Read more: Shirley Manson on Garbage: “We lose groups from the beginning of the working class and risks”

Today (April 9), the song marks the first single from their upcoming eighth studio album, “Let All That We Imagine Be the Light.”

The news about the LP was first shared back in February, confirming that the group had completed work on the follow-up to their 2021 album “No Gods No Masters.” The recording is set to be released on May 30 (Pre-order the album here).

Shirley Manson and the band have shared the single as a call to action against “fatalism and negativity.”

“I love the title. The band sent it to me, and I thought, ‘It’s great. I love it.’ But the lyrics counter that title,” the singer explained. “If we allow our fatalism or negativity to take over, we will collapse.”

“We’re talking about the city — in my case, Los Angeles — but it could be anywhere that bad things are happening,” she continued, sharing a pivotal event that influenced the song. “After George Floyd’s murder, which is one of the few things I wish I had never witnessed: I completely changed after seeing the footage of that officer kneeling on George Floyd’s neck. There were huge protests and a lot of chaos following that.”

“Above our house in Hollywood, there were helicopters flying all day for several days in a row. It was really unsettling, chaotic, and terrible.”

You can listen to the song below and watch the music video directed by Benji Kirkman.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zridnujzaqq

Upcoming Album Details

“Let All That We Imagine Be the Light” was recorded at Red Razor Sounds in Los Angeles, California; sessions also included work with drummer Butch Vig at his Grunge Dead Studio and in Manson’s bedroom.

Produced by Garbage and their long-time engineer Billy Bush, the album features contributions from all four original members: Manson, Vig, Duke Erickson, and Steve Marker.

“This record is about what it means to be alive and confront your inevitable destruction,” Manson explained in a new statement. “It’s about hope. It’s very tender in exploring what it means to be human.”

In addition to releasing new material, Garbage is also gearing up for a series of U.S. tour dates. They have scheduled 31 shows in support of the new album, with stops in New York, Washington, San Francisco, and more.

The tour will mark their first North America appearance in 2023 alongside Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. Their last major tour was nearly ten years ago. Visit here for tickets and to check the tour schedule below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axze6TCXNEA

Tour Dates for 2025 in North America

September
3 – Orlando, Florida – Hard Rock Café
5 – Pompano Beach, Florida – Pompano Beach Amphitheater
6 – St. Petersburg, Florida – Jannus Live
8 – Atlanta, Georgia – The Eastern
10 – Nashville, Tennessee – The Rooftop at The Brian
12 – Cleveland, Ohio – Agora Theatre
13 – Detroit, Michigan – Masonic Cathedral Theatre
16 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Franklin Music Hall
17 – Washington, D.C. – The Anthem
18 – Boston, Massachusetts – Roadrunner
20 – Brooklyn, New York – Brooklyn Paramount
23 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – Stage AE
24 – Toronto, Ontario – History
29 – Chicago, Illinois – Salt Shed
30 – Newport, Kentucky – MegaCorp Pavilion

October
1 – Columbus, Ohio – Kemba Live!
3 – Madison, Wisconsin – Sylvee
4 – Minneapolis, Minnesota – First Avenue
6 – Kansas City, Missouri – Midland Theatre
7 – Dallas, Texas – Bomb Factory
12 – Denver, Colorado – Mission Ballroom
15 – Seattle, Washington – Paramount Theatre
18 – Spokane, Washington – Knitting Factory Spokane
20 – Vancouver, British Columbia – Orpheum
21 – Portland, Oregon
23 – Saratoga, California – Mountain Winery
24 – San Francisco, California – Warfield
26 – Reno, Nevada – Silver Legacy Casino
29 – Salt Lake City, Utah – The Complex
31 – Las Vegas, Nevada – Chelsea Theater at Cosmopolitan Las Vegas

November
2 – Phoenix, Arizona – Van Buren

Last spring, Manson told NME that Garbage was “searching for fragments of life and humanity” while working on their eighth full-length effort. She mentioned feeling “really pleased” with the reception of “No Gods No Masters,” which reached number five in the UK.

“In the next entry, I feel a shift,” Manson added. “I’m trying to soften my indignation. As a society, we have become so beaten and broken. I’m striving for something that’s a little more than just me, because if I don’t, who will?”