Foals have announced that former bassist Walter Gervers has re-joined the band.
The band, who are currently gearing up for a run of intimate UK out-store shows before hitting the road to support Paramore in South America and then later return to headline Reading & Leeds, had previously teased to NME that they’d have a “surprise” for fans about who’d be playing with them at the upcoming gigs.
Now, they’ve revealed that Gervers is back in the line-up, following his departure from the group in 2017.
“After six years in the alpine wilderness guess who’s back in the band?,” wrote frontman Yannis Philippakis in an Instagram post of his fellow Foals members in the pub with Gervers. “Walter is back and better than ever. Rejoining for all the coming shows and into the future. Get ready, the boys are back in business.”
The band then went on to share footage of the reunited line-up back in rehearsals.
Gervers previously left the group in order to “pursue a new life”. The band remained a four-piece before becoming a trio when keyboardist Edwin Congreave left in 2021 to focus on his studies and environmental work. Following Gervers’ exit, live bass duties have been carried out by Everything Everything’s Jeremy Pritchard and Jagwar Ma’s Jack Freeman.
Speaking to NME in 2019 ahead of the release of ‘Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part One’ – their first record without Gervers – Philippakis spoke of how the band felt without him as “the counsellor” of Foals.
“Walter was probably the nicest member of Foals, so without him, you’re left with four sharp edges in a room,” said Yannis. “Those sharp edges have to find a way to get on quite quickly or the whole thing turns into an unbearable nightmare.”
Drummer Jack Bevan continued: “If you were to look at it as a family, and I’ve seen about 100 times more of these guys than I have my actual family over the last 10 years, then Walter was kind of like the dad or much older brother who kept us from fighting with each other. A lot of the time, he was the one who would organise us to do nice and wholesome activities.”
Last month saw Foals release the dub remix of their acclaimed 2022 album ‘Life Is Yours’ by Speedy Wunderground label boss and super-producer Carey (Wet Leg, Slowthai, Fontaines D.C.) as part of 2023’s Record Store Day releases.
Philippakis told NME about how the “sweaty and unclean” remix album “goes into space, via Streatham”, as well as their hopes and plans for touring with Paramore and headlining Reading & Leeds for a second time.
Foals embark on a short run of intimate UK dates this month before Reading & Leeds in August. Visit here for tickets and more information.
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