Looking for a quirky new track that is also highly relatable? (At least, in the music world it is.) Sean Padilla – or, in this case, The Cocker Spaniels – is releasing snippets of his upcoming album The Cocker Spaniels Are Still Alive And So Are You, and the new release, titled “Nobody Wants To Play Last,” is just that. The logistics around a concert and the lineup can get really dicey, so anyone who has found themselves in stage performance will feel for this one. We’re particular fans of the percussion.

Padilla was, admittedly, feeling lots of emotions during the pandemic-long creation of this impressive 20-track album, due out August 13th. Of the “brand new song,” Padilla explains:

From the spring of 2014 to the beginning of the pandemic, I supplemented my household’s income by working as a booking agent for touring artists of various genres. This song was directly inspired by my experiences as a booking agent, and the lyrics summarize most of my grievances about the live music industry.

This was one of the last songs that I recorded for the album. The drums were recorded in one take, while my toddlers were in the room with me. I sat them on the opposite side of the music room, then gave them art supplies to occupy themselves with while I played.

While I was practicing the lead guitar part, Layne texted me the news that Derek Chauvin had been found guilty of murdering George Floyd. I took a few minutes to cry, then recorded the part in two takes.

Keep up with The Cocker Spaniels here.

Meredith Schneider