For Liverpool in modern times, each year brings the release of three new kits.
The home strip is released early in the summer, ready for mass purchases across the globe – spoiler, it’s red. The away usually follows soon after, but this year the third kit stole the show.
Inspired by Merseyside’s prolific music scene, the lightweight shirt uses a mix of dark and light teals to create a wavy pattern effect. A ‘siren red’ logo then takes pride of place on the chest.
The home of many BOSS Nights, the Eventim Olympia theatre played host to the shoot and was decked in authentic Liverpool banners from across the decades.
The centrepiece flag was created especially for the launch by supporter Mark Sweatman. Emblazoned upon his work of art, below a large map of Europe, are the words ‘We’ll follow for a lifetime and a day’.
Directly taken from the song ‘Codependence’, released in 2018 by The Cheap Thrills, the line perfectly sums up the Reds’ commitment to travel across the continent.
Authenticity was the ethos behind the advert and so, fittingly, the song’s writers took centre-stage alongside their footballing heroes.
The emerging Liverpool band comprises four Liverpool supporters; Lewis Pike, Anton Eager, Terry Eaves and Callum Fitzpatrick.
Their music usually consists of lively, upbeat lyrics with loud guitars and drums, however, the third kit advert features a stripped-down, acoustic version of ‘Codependence’.
How it happened
“It was just a mad email out of the blue,” said lead singer Pike when explaining how their surreal experience came to pass.
“The media company had been listening to a list of songs by Scouse bands and then they came across Codependence.
“They liked the idea of the tune but the full band version wasn’t right for them. They got a version up on the screen when they went for a meeting and it was me in some bar doing after about 10 pints or something.”
Within eight weeks, the advert was out and a newly-recorded acoustic version was released the next day.
“The plan was to release the acoustic one a week or so after, but so many people were asking for it, we thought ‘We’ll have to get it online,'” said Eager, the band’s drummer.
The shoot
Codependence blasting around the ground too ? @VoiceOfAnfield ?? pic.twitter.com/JVVRyJlTQz
— The Cheap Thrills (@TheCheapThrills) September 14, 2022
Filming took place at the Liverpool Olympia and it was a new experience for the band.
“We’d never been part of a shoot to that scale. This was full hair, full makeup, catering (the works) and we were made up doing it,” Eager added.
“We weren’t sure if we were going to be there the same day as the players but at the end of the first meeting they said the players were going to be there as well and you can stay if you want,” said Pikes.
“We were like ‘Uhhhh, go ‘ed!’”
Many of the men and women’s team were at the shoot and lead guitarist Eaves described their encounters: “We met a lot of the starting 11. I think we met about nine players. Fabinho was class, he was proper into it.
“Lewis said he was going to be his centre-half partner for next year.”
Pike responded: “It didn’t go down well. He just started laughing like ‘lad, you’re well too little to be playing centre-half.’”
The band also got on well with a couple of the younger players such as Curtis Jones and Fabio Carvalho.
“He was sound,” Eager said of the Portuguese youngster.
“He had a lot of time for us. He seemed like a normal fella and while the other players did too, he had a lot more time for us.”
Famous new fans
‘Codependence’ has had nearly 20,000 streams on Spotify already, while the original song’s tally is over 250,000. The Cheap Thrills’ audience is still growing and thanks to the advert, they’ve got some famous new followers.
As well as Carvalho, Roberto Firmino enjoyed the tune and said ‘I like it, I like it!’
Liverpool Women’s star, Missy Bo Kearns was also into it.
“We had the best reaction from her,” Eager said.
“She was commenting on the Instagram and that, saying ‘What a tune!'” Eaves added.
“She was coming to us saying that she couldn’t find it on Spotify and we were like ‘it’s not out yet!”
What’s next?
After a sold-out show in August at Hangar 34 in Liverpool City Centre, The Cheap Thrills have some exciting announcements lined up.
Their next gig is in Glasgow, supporting Jamie Webster on his tour, and they are currently in the process of booking their next gig.
While details can’t be revealed yet, Eaves said: “It will be our biggest Liverpool headline to date.”
The band is also on the shortlist for Liverpool Sound Music Awards’ Band of the Year 2022.
New singles are coming in the new year.
You can find The Cheap Thrills on Twitter @thecheapthrills and on Instagram @thecheapthrillsss.
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