THIRSTY QUIREBOYS 'GOD BLESS AMERICA BEST OF THIRSTY'
ALBUM NOW TO BE RELEASED 19TH JUNE 2026

VINYL & CD PRE‑ORDERS NOW LIVE Available formats: Blue Vinyl, Black Vinyl & Digipack CD

London, UK (2026): Thirsty Quireboys return with 'God Bless America – Best of Thirsty', a powerful new release honouring the life, work and unmistakable creative spirit of the late Guy Bailey - founder of The Quireboys, songwriter, guitarist, and the architect of Thirsty’s distinctive sound. The album will be released on the revised date of 19 June 2026, with vinyl and CD pre‑orders now available.

At the centre of the record is the haunting title track 'God Bless America', which recounts the devastating true story of Rosemary Kennedy - debutante, sister of JFK, and victim of a forced lobotomy ordered by her father, Joe Kennedy. Set to Irina D’s vivid, tightly focused lyrics and Bailey’s looping, discordant E‑minor motif, the track moves from romance to horror with stark elegance. Spike delivers one of the most emotionally charged vocal performances of his career as the narrative unfolds. Bailey and Spike co‑founded The Quireboys, writing the songs that carried the band from Monday‑night pub gigs to global tours with The Rolling Stones, Guns N’ Roses and Aerosmith, earning gold and platinum records along the way.

Thirsty began in 2014 when Bailey teamed up with Russian poet and lyricist Irina D, fusing his melodic instinct with her love of literature and storytelling. "I loved working with Guy on these songs. He was very well‑read and his home was always full of books – Master and Margarita, Last Exit To Brooklyn and Moby Dick. The first song we ever did was Donnie to Sonny. I showed him a poem I had written and, whenever the story resonated, Guy went away and set my words to music. It was beautiful.” — Irina D

Between 2015 and 2018, Thirsty released three critically acclaimed albums - Thirsty, Albatross and Nomad - featuring contributions from Simon Hanson (Squeeze, Death in Vegas), Chris Johnstone (The Quireboys), Lynne Jackaman (Saint Jude) and Kristi Kimsey. "I’ve known Guy for longer than I have been in Squeeze! He was a great friend — a fabulously talented musician and songwriter even though he always did his best to downplay this fact. The Thirsty thing really was unusual… Irina D would bring poems to Guy based on books and stories she had read – and Guy went away and set them to music. It was a bit like Elton John and Bernie Taupin in that respect.” - Simon Hanson

The new album began as a simple tribute conceived by Irina D, with Spike originally set to sing just one track, '10, 7 and Possibly 6.'' But his first take stunned everyone in the studio, reigniting the old chemistry between his voice and Bailey’s guitar. ..."to get the chance to make a record again with Guy was really special.” - Spike

What started as one song became a full, emotionally charged album — a rare posthumous reunion between two lifelong musical partners. Remixed and shaped under the ear of legendary Rolling Stones producer Chris Kimsey, the record brings new clarity, weight and emotional depth to the music Bailey created with Irina D. "Spike’s voice has always complemented Guy’s guitar playing perfectly. And the addition of one of the world’s best vocalists really complements and illuminates these songs. It was a really happy accident and I was delighted to be a part of it.” - Chris Kimsey

The album revisits some of Thirsty’s most ambitious storytelling pieces - from the mob‑world loyalty of 'Donnie to Sonny', to the jewel‑thief escapism of 'Flawless', the Coleridge‑inspired 'Albatross', the allegorical wanderer of 'Chaos”, and the Virginia Woolf‑inspired 'Orlando.' "...This was an important record for all of us — and he (Spike) made sure that his voice was sounding as good as it has ever done. The results speak for themselves.” - Chris Johnstone

God Bless America – Best of Thirsty stands as both a celebration and an evolution: a final collaboration between two great friends and a powerful new chapter in the Thirsty story. At its heart is the enduring creative spark of Guy Bailey - his melodies, his instinctive guitar work, and the stories he helped bring to life.

Track Listing:
1 - 10, 7 and Possibly 6
2 - Flawless
3 - God Bless America
4 - Mercury
5 - Albatross
6 - White
7 - Libertine
8 - Donnie to Sonny
9 - Chaos
10 - Solar
11 - Orlando
12 - Even Keel
13 - Black

SNEAK LISTEN OF ALBUM TRACKS

Listen to Spike’s renditions of:

'Mercury Rising”: (with flashing imagery & high contrast visuals) https://youtu.be/HhjY4UOTqY0

'Flawless”: https://youtu.be/mUnE5-M1S2Y

'Albatross” (with flashing imagery & high contrast visuals) https://youtu.be/n-S-W3OuWC0

PRE‑ORDER ALBUM NOW - Available formats: Blue Vinyl, Black Vinyl & Digipack CD