Frightened Rabbit have announced plans to release a special covers album version of their seminal second album ‘The Midnight Organ Fight’.
Hutchison took his own life last May after a battle with depression. Before his death, the band went out on a special 10th anniversary tour for ‘The Midnight Organ Fight‘. Listed by NME as one of the best albums of 2008 and of the last decade, the band’s acclaimed second album and cult favourite was hailed by NME as “bleak [but] also utterly beautiful, scathingly honest, darkly hilarious and impossibly grandiose”.
Before his death, Hutchison and the band also curated artists to cover the album in full. Now, they’ve announced that the album ‘Tiny Changes’ will receive a full release on July 12.
In a statement to fans, the band wrote:
“To celebrate the 10 year anniversary/birthday of ‘The Midnight Organ Fight’ we wanted to avoid the usual approach of just repressing the vinyl, or rereleasing the same record with different artwork or putting out demos that were never meant to be heard by anyone other than the band and maybe our parents. We came up with the idea of asking some pals to record their own interpretations of the songs on the album. It felt like a good way to celebrate everyone who had been a part of the last ten years of the band and we didn’t have to do any work ourselves! Every single person on Tiny Changes has been a part of our lives and Frightened Rabbit in a special way over the last ten years. We’ve shared studios, vans, bars, dressing rooms and probably even underwear with some of these people and that’s why this record is so special to us.
“Scott was a vital part of bringing this album together and it’s something he was very excited about and worked hard to bring to life. He listened to and approved every track on there with us and he had already started preparing the artwork which you’ll see on there (if you buy it). This is a celebration of a record that connected thousands of people to Scott and connected thousands of people to each other and ten years on it is still managing to do it. Scott would probably have put in some joke here about when the album hits puberty and starts rebelling by smoking weed and getting things pierced. We’re not that funny so instead let’s just raise a glass, blow out the candles and make a wish.
“We wish the album was available for pre-order tomorrow and that it will come out July 12 and you’ll be able to listen to two covers of ‘Modern Leper’ straight away when you pre-order! Now we’ve told you it probably won’t come true but we’ll keep everything crossed for you”
“Grant, Andy, Simon and Billy x”
The name of the charity is inspired by a line from the song ‘Heads Roll Off’, (“While I’m alive, I’ll make tiny changes to Earth”) which has become a mantra for Frightened Rabbit fans working towards good causes in Hutchison’s memory since his passing. Now, his family hope that the charity will continue “the positive impact that his art and music had on so many people.”
For more information or to donate, visit Tiny Change’s official website here, or find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Speaking to NME about being more open about mental health a few months before his death, Scott Hutchison said: “I hate the idea that opening up is in any way emasculating. Even if it fucking is, who cares? It’s good to lay yourself a bit bare, and you’ll feel a bit better for it. But don’t think we’re all the way there yet.
“Not enough is moving forward for us up to this point. And that’s one of those things that you’d expect to be progressing a lot faster. But there’s sometimes regression in these things, and I don’t really understand that. It’s hard when men should be at their most open but are clamming up again or taking objection to the way that they see the gender discussions going.
“Now is the time for men to be as gentle and open and emotionally fluent as they can be, I suppose.”
For help and advice on mental health:
- ‘Am I depressed?‘ – Help and advice on mental health and what to do next
- Help Musicians UK – Around the clock mental health support and advice for musicians
- Music Support Org – Help and support for musicians struggling with alcoholism, addiction, or mental health issues
- YOUNG MINDS – The voice for young people’s health and wellbeing
- CALM – The Campaign Against Living Miserably for young men
- Time To Change – Let’s end mental health discrimination
- The Samaritans – Confidential support 24 hours a day