Andy Bell Reveals Third Solo Album ‘Pinball Wanderer’ Featuring Ex-Oasis Bandmate Jem Archer

Andy Bell Announces New Album

Andy Bell has revealed a new solo album titled Pinball Wanderer, featuring his former Oasis bandmate and longtime collaborator Jem Archer.

The member of Ride and Mantra of the Cosmos is set to release his third solo album on Friday, February 28 via Sonic Cathedral. Pre-order/save here.

• READ MORE: Ride share blissful single 'Peace Sign' and tell us about new album 'Interplay'.

Musical Collaborations and Inspirations

Bell announced the upcoming project with “I'm In Love…”, an ethereal cover of The Passions' classic post-punk single “I'm in Love With A German Film Star” (1981). His performance on the track features dreamy vocals from Dot Ellison and guitar by Neu!'s Michael Rother.

“I went through the phase of playing the guitar part for this song at every Ride soundcheck,” Bell explained in a statement. “Erol Alkan always claimed it was 'proto-shoegaze' and I agree.”

He continued: “Dot has been a friend of mine for a long time. Like many people of a certain age, I loved “One Dove”, and when I invited her to DJ a club night in Sweden around 2004, she leveled the place by playing Motorhead's “Ace Of Spades” at 3am, and we became friends. I played on some of the tracks from her latest album, Consciousology, and this was her return of favor.

“Then, incredibly, Michael Rother from Noah! stopped there too. I met him at his Barbican gig last February and asked him to remix the song, but he chose to play guitar instead, which elevated it to a whole new level.”

He added: “I was leaving on tour the next morning and knew I needed to mix the single before leaving. Listening to Michael's guitar work in the mix was an incredible experience; it just encouraged me to keep recording and mixing throughout the night.”

Listen to the song “I'm In Love…” here:

Bell also received assistance on the eight-track album. High Flying Birds member Jem Archer, who performed with him in Oasis from 1999 to 2009. Both are rumored to be reuniting with Liam and Noel Gallagher on stage for their huge concert. Oasis Live '25 reunion tour this year.

New Sonic Chapter for Bell

“The album started with drums. I love playing drums and Jem is great at recording them,” Bell said. “All the melodies and lyrics came from that.”

According to a press release, “Pinball Wanderer” marks a “new sonic chapter” for Bell, continuing the sound of his previous two solo records, “The View From Halfway Down” (2020) and “Flicker” (2022).

Last summer, the album transitioned from half-finished to fully recorded and mixed in “one intense late-night session,” being described as a “quintessential late-night album.”

“(It) features a blend of psychedelic melodies, Can grooves through The Stone Roses, and Arthur Russell-style experimental textures, perfect for both deep headphone listening moments and the coolest, most low-key dancefloor hits,” he elaborated.

• READ MORE: Support me: All the players who could make the Oasis roster in 2025

Furthermore, Bell mentioned that he “took inspiration from Turnstile's 'Glow On' and wrote some songs that were too short.” The track “Madder Lake Deep” is described as “The Cocteau Twins in watercolor” and “Apple Green UFO” references The Simpsons and EET.

“I had this riff on an acoustic, and it felt like one of those Led Zeppelin folk bangers, but I transformed it into the world of Serge Gainsbourg and gave him a glass of absinthe,” he explained regarding the latter track.

Bell is scheduled to perform a series of acoustic shows at independent record stores across the UK, starting next month at London's Stranger Than Paradise.

Ride released their seventh and latest album, Interplay, last March.

Meanwhile, Bell has collaborated with Noel Gallagher and former Oasis drummer Zak Starkey for a new Mantra Of The Cosmos single titled “Domino Bones (Gets Dangerous)”.