WHAT'S HAPPENING...

More Than Just Movements – the NEW album from Simon York...

Simon York (singer of Luxury Stranger) releases his third solo album – titled More Than Just Movements – and it promises to excite and intrigue, with its dark undertones on life, death and our place in the cosmos... 


Read the full article here...


Simon York: More Than Just Movements cover

Above And Below

Work on the new LS album Above And Below continues... Updates on this can be found mainly on social media and, for subscribers, inside issues of the new STRANGEZINE fanzine.


Track listing for the album looks like this:

  1. Toy
  2. Transitional Thoughts
  3. The End Is Only A Whisper Away
  4. Memories Can’t Wait
  5. When I Close My Eyes
  6. Slow
  7. The Empty
  8. All Will Be Well
  9. To Fall In Love
  10. Crowd Thinker
  11. Some Will Not See This
  12. Joke Romance
  13. Contact
Above And Below album cover

Earth-Two Records

Many of you will have seen the extra online push that the band's now able to get via Earth-Two Records – this is via the label's website (as well as it's socials on Facebook and Instagram), and the label's merch store.


The merch store features E2R label T-shirts (similar to how labels promoted in the 70s) and Luxury Stranger designs (some of which have been out of print for years!). Also included on the site are items promoting Simon's "Uh-Huh..." and More Than Just Movements albums, and also designs by the Lux-Strang label. Lux-Strang was originally intended to be out there from 2020 but various issues meant the project had to be put aside. Lux-Strang is aiming to reflect the 'punkier' and 'arty' side of Luxury Stranger.


Earth-Two Records was set-up in 2016 to aid with releases of Luxury Stranger and Simon York music. Head over to the  Earth-Two Records website to find out more...



STRANGEZINE

In Spring 2025, Luxury Stranger published its first fanzine! Available for subscribers via the band's Bandcamp page, the first issue of STRANGEZINE touched on work on the new album and also featured fan-focussed articles. The idea is to try and recapture fans who have lost touch since social media has gone a little 'less social'...


Simon York says: "we were really excited by how people took to this idea – it's nothing new, it's a little nostalgic in places. It was a lot of fun putting together and taking ideas from old fanzines and old British comics. It's working and fans are loving it!" 

Luxury Stranger fanzine, STRANGEZINE

ABOUT

LUXURY STRANGER is a progressive indie-rock band. The project was started in August 2006 by frontman / singer-songwriter Simon York when, after a five-year period away from the music industry, he wrote and recorded the Desolation album. This album was followed by the Precious For Evermore EP.


After Simon had put together the first live band line-up, Luxury Stranger played its first show on 5 Sept 2008, and then went on to record the 'Commitment and Discipline'  album. This was followed by the non-album releases Empty Men EP, Nothing Holy EP and the Face EP. During these times, and various line-up changes, the band  continued to tour extensively across the UK and in Europe, building a loyal and obsessive fan-base. A third album, Darkness Falls Upon The Light was recorded and promoted heavily through touring across the UK and Europe, and world-wide radio airplay.


In the studio, Luxury Stranger is a 'music scientist' whereas live on stage, Luxury Stranger is a wild animal putting out a raw emotive energy rarely seen... Luxury Stranger has been referred to as "one of the UK's stand-out dark alternative acts" who would be able to hold their own playing alongside the likes of U2 or The Stones! Simon York has been referred to as a diverse and  'universe-class' songwriter, and is considered "one of the finest voices in the UK". The band continues to grow and excite... Luxury Stranger is a band with longevity and a will to refuse to fall. 


As well as gaining critical acclaim, Luxury Stranger music has featured in television and film, and is a melodic wall of sound that gives a majestically slick and regimented cushion for Simon's vocals. With comparisons to the quality and likes of David Bowie, Pearl Jam, Scott Walker, Rush, Depeche Mode, Nirvana, The Police, Editors and U2 – Luxury Stranger is currently working on a new album, Above And Below, and Simon is also continuing to write new material – at last count, the number of songs could easily cover at least another ten albums! Simon's writing demos can be heard on the band's Soundcloud page. Simon has also continued to release a number of solo projects...


The band released its first Christmas single in December 2024 – Feeling Ill At Christmas can be found on the band's Bandcamp and YouTube pages, as well as the usual streaming services. Make sure the song is on your playlist for future Christmas parties!


The band went back out for long-awaited live shows in summer of 2025... 


"One of the UK's stand out dark alternative acts” (Sphere Magazine)


"...we have nothing against Editors, why should we, but these three Brits actually are at least as good as them." (Luminous Dash magazine)


"Though the scene has had a feast or famine existence recently, the city[Nottingham]'s hard working Luxury Stranger has done more than most to keep the flag flying" (Neil Anderson, Vive Le Rock magazine, issue 46 July 2017) 


“Simon York is easily one of the finest vocalists in the UK right now."  (Reflections of Darkness magazine)


"Think of early U2 when they were still good. This is of that calibre." (Penny Black Music magazine)


"It's about emotive immediacy, twice-underlined by the vocals, which apparently come not from a teaching book but straight from the bones..." (Reflections of Darkness magazine)


"...certainly a thing of beauty... a band that's hard to pigeon hole, and you know that their influences are as extensive as they are eclectic, and a whole range of influences can be heard throughout their music from the chameleonic Bowie to the anthemic Echo and the Bunnymen, and everything that’s cool inbetween – and they do this whilst retaining their own individuality and style. Quite an achievement." (Lyric Lounge Review magazine)


"...picking us all up in one mighty swoop and bludgeoning us all into oblivion with the powerhouse that is Luxury Stranger. Once again it is apparent that this is no ordinary band." (live review, Penny Black Music magazine)


"Devoid of any pretension and heart breakingly sincere, “Take my hand, I can save you now” sings Simon, meaning every word. It feels like trespassing into a broken man’s psyche." (live review, Left Lion magazine)


"York's voice with its raucous timbre reminded more of the one of a rock singer. But it also gave the song a bolshie appearance... proof that York's voice could shine even brighter on atmospherically calm songs." (live review, Reflections of Darkness magazine)


Luxury Stranger (left to right) Simon York and Martin Valentine
  • Slide title

    Luxury Stranger version 3 circa 2011 (left to right: Chris Tuke, Neal Spowage and Simon York)

    Button
  • Slide title

    Chris Tuke (bass guitar, 2010 - 2011)

    Button
  • Slide title

    Poster for LS show at The Fulford in York

    Button
  • Slide title

    Chris Ruscoe (bass guitar, 2007 - 2010)

    Button
  • Slide title

    Simon York (vocals / guitars, 2006 - present) taken circa 2010 

    Button
  • Slide title

    A souvenir from when Luxury Stranger played at Wave Gotik Treffen festival 

    Button
  • Slide title

    Tim Bond (bass guitar, 2011 - 2015)

    Button
  • Slide title

    Simon York (vocals / guitars, 2006 - present) – chilling out on the morning after a show, taken circa 2010

    Button
  • Slide title

    Part of early LS promo involved the use of masks showing the face of artist John Hertfield... the face also appeared on badges, promo cards and as part of the artwork for the Precious For Evermore EP. 

    Button
  • Slide title

    Chris Ruscoe (bass guitar, 2007 - 2010)

    Button
  • Slide title

    Poster from a show in 2013: There's been a constant link and friendship between Screaming Banshee Aircrew members and Luxury Stranger: SBA split in 2010 seeing Chris set up Berlin Black and temporarily join LS to help Simon progress, Neal also joined LS, Ed set up Partially Faithful and eventually The InSect (who LS have played with several times)... 

    Button
  • Slide title

    Simon York (vocals and guitar, 2006 - present) – performing in Hull, 2017

    Button
  • Slide title

    Luxury Stranger version 8, perfroming in Hull, 2017 

    Button
  • Slide title

    Bass player Tim Bond left an LS motif alongside family names on a flag on one of his treks to Tibet! 

    Button
  • Slide title

    Martin Valentine (Bass guitar, 2017 - present) 

    Button
  • Slide title

    Simon York (vocals / guitars, 2006 - present) performing in Bristol, June 2012 

    Button
  • Slide title

    Simon York (vocals and guitar, 2006 - present) – circa 2013

    Button
  • Slide title

    Simon York (vocals and guitar, 2006 - present) – taken during filming of the Dismissal video 2017

    Button
  • Slide title

    Luxury Stranger toured with Chameleons (then ChameleonsVox) in Europe in 2011... 

    Button
  • Slide title

    Simon York (vocals and guitar, 2006 - present) – performing in Nottingham, 2013 

    Button
  • Slide title

    Simon York (vocals and guitar, 2006 - present) – during rehearsals, 2016

    Button
  • Slide title

    The first Luxury Stranger live show was on 5 Sept 2008 at Junktion 7, Nottingham... 

    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Martin Valentine (Bass guitar, 2017 - present) – perfroming in Leeds, 2018

    Button
  • Slide title

    Luxury Stranger opened for Gary Numan in 2011... 

    Button
  • Slide title

    Simon York (vocals and guitar, 2006 - present) – performing in Leeds, 2018

    Button
  • Slide title

    Simon York (vocals / guitars, 2006 - present) taken circa 2011 

    Button
  • Slide title

    Simon York (vocals / guitars, 2006 - present) taken circa 2020

    Button
  • Slide title

    LS played a European tour with the Chameleons (then ChameleonsVox) in 2011...

    Button
  • Slide title

    Shot by LS band member, taken from the stage at the UK David Bowie Convention

    Button
  • Slide title

    Luxury Stranger version 5 at the Cavern Club, Liverpool in 2012 (left to right: Simon York, Tim Smith and Tim Bond)

    Button
  • Slide title

    Tim Bond (vocals and guitar, 2006 - present) – circa 2011 

    Button
  • Slide title

    Luxury Stranger were featured in Bizarre Magazine when playing at the Liverpool Tattoo Convention in 2013

    Button
  • Slide title

    Simon York (vocals and guitar, 2006 - present) – performing in Europe, 2011 

    Button
  • Slide title

    Luxury Stranger version 3 - the first appearance of this line-up was at The Shed in Leicester on 15 January 2011 (left to right: Simon York, Neal Spowage and Chris Tuke)

    Button
  • Slide title

    Simon York (vocals and guitar, 2006 - present) – circa 2010

    Button
  • Slide title

    (Left to right): Simon York (vocals and guitar, 2006 - present) and Tim Bond (bas guitar, 2011 - 2015) – performing in Whitby, 2013 

    Button
  • Slide title

    Ticket from one of the European Luxury Stranger shows... (21/05/10 – Hagen, Germany)

    Button
  • Slide title

    Simon York (vocals and guitar, 2006 - present) – circa 2010 

    Button

SOUND AND VISION

LIVE SHOWS

2025

25 October: TBC *

8 November: TBA **


2026

19 April: TBC *

July: TBA **

31 October: TBC *


*TBC – we are waiting for confirmation from the booker / venue

**TBA – we are waiting for the venue / booker to allow us to announce the show

Interested in the band's gigging history? Head over to our PAST SHOWS page...

STORE

Merch (and more) can be purchased at live shows, and online at the following places:

https://www.instagram.com/earthtworecordsuk/

LS on Bandcamp Earth-Two Records Simon York solo work

CONTACT

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST

LIKE and FOLLOW

SHARE