Richard is back with new music

The former Verve frontman, who grew up in Up Holland, who released single This Is How It Feels this week, will play gigs in Manchester and London later this year.

The dates represent his first UK headline dates since 2010.

The former Wigan and Leigh College student will play two special intimate dates in support of new album These People on May 14 at Albert Hall in Manchester and May 16 at the Roundhouse in London.

Tickets went on sale yesterday morning.

These People, which will be released on his new Righteous Phonographic Association label, via Cooking Vinyl Records, on May 20, is the follow up to his 2010 album, United Nations Of Sound.

Recorded largely in his basement home studio, the album tackles topics such as the war in Syria, the Arab Spring uprisings and the death of a close friend.

The 44-year-old released a statement saying: “Some personal and world events take a darker turn, leading to a sense of urgency and a clearing of the mind. To do nothing would be a crime in this sick nihilistic age of war”.

Richard told NME: “Over the period I wrote this we’ve lived through incredible times. Highly contentious wars were going into the pot. There were grassroots movements that were then turning into semi-revolutions, there was Tahrir Square. There was everything kicking off all over the globe, people being divided. Pepper spray everywhere, tear gas… We’re in a very nihilistic age, we’re in death-ridden, world war times and I like to reflect the society we’re in but I also wanna possibly project something that gives us a sense of hope.”

The album also marks a reunion with Wil Malone, who worked with him on the string arrangements for The Verve’s second album A Northern Soul in 1995 and its seminal follow-up Urban Hymns in 1997.

The news has pleased fellow indie rocker Liam Gallagher, who tweeted that it was “good to hear” the singer again after a six year absence. He added: “New tune sounding good.”