UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY release new single & video "GTA Online" from their debut album McCartney, It'll Be OK out 20 June 2025 via Transgressive.

UNIVERSITY, the explosive Crewe-based four-piece formed of Zak Bowker (vocals/guitar), Ewan Barton (bass), drummer Joel Smith and Eddie (mascot), today share their new single and video, “GTA Online”, following a premiere on BBC Radio 1's Rock Show.  “GTA Online” is the third reveal from their upcoming debut album, McCartney, It’ll Be OK, out 20 June 2025 via Transgressive.

Nearly four minutes of gargantuan rock akin to the cult early Biffy Clyro records, “GTA Online” features mountainous guitar riffs atop layers of amplified fuzz, while still maintaining a softer and more harmonious edge in parts. Speaking of the new track, the band said:

"I tire an old, sick man, tedious dreams of Bosch, oh do not ask what is it. I do not want to know."

 The accompanying video was directed by Nina Dellow who said:

“My process for this video was to work very quickly, using tight creative restrictions, with a focus on pushing analogue technology to its limits, in order to capture the aliveness and energy of this incredible band. I shaped the piece around three structured shots, but at the heart of it is the band as they really are; their passion for what they do and the joy and risks in playfulness that occur when artists and musicians truly collaborate.”

Recorded with producer Kwes Darko (Sampa The Great, Denzel Curry) at Damon Albarn’s Studio 13 in London, McCartney, It’ll Be OK furthers the extremely exciting beginnings of UNIVERSITY’s 2023 debut EP, Title Track, with the hooks now brighter and more melodic, the breakdowns heavier and the lyrics more refined. The band recorded McCartney, It’ll Be OK totally live, and it retains the delightfully unhinged energy that’s defined their work so far, with everything thrillingly close to falling apart at any minute. 

The third single from their new album, “GTA Online” cuts up moments of softer musical clarity with sprawling and incendiary punk rock.

The track follows the releases of the absurdist humour and scything punk on “Curwen”, and the sardonic “Massive Twenty One Pilots Tattoo”, named after the answer to a game of “what would be the worst tattoo in the world?”.

UNIVERSITY’s sardonic humour melds into their music. After signing to a label and taking the 'business side of their operation' more seriously, they decided to offset this grown-up attitude by pushing their music to more extreme and more absurdist places.

“It’s a side effect of taking the rest of it more seriously,”

Bowker says, with the band determined to trust their weirdest, funniest impulses.

While they might be throwing out gags and urban myths out in all directions, the only thing truly undeniable is the remarkable energy of UNIVERSITY’s music, and the strength of their songwriting.

Across its eight tracks, McCartney, It’ll Be OK  travels to a superb amount of sonic landscapes, and is the heaviest album you’ll hear this year that is also this much fun.

Following standout shows at The Great Escape, Green Man, End of The Road, Pitchfork Festival Paris and more recently multiple appearances at this year's SXSW, UNIVERSITY now gear up for a run of UK dates including an appearance at Manchester’s Outbreak Festival and a headline show at London’s George Tavern (tickets here).

UNIVERSITY also today announce a run of UK instores with appearances at Rough Trade in Liverpool, London and Bristol in June.

Tour Dates

Fri 16/05/2025 London Calling @ Paradiso, Amsterdam Netherlands

Sat 14/06/2025 Outbreak Festival, Manchester United Kingdom

Mon 23/06/2025 INSTORE - Rough Trade Liverpool

Wed 25/06/2025 INSTORE - Rough Trade East, London

Thu 26/06/2025 INSTORE - Rough Trade Bristol

Fri 05/09/2025 Paradiso (Upstairs), Amsterdam Netherlands

Sat 06/09/2025 Misty Fields Festival, Asten-Heusden (NL) Netherlands

Mon 08/09/2025 La Mécanique Ondulatoire, Paris France

Tue 09/09/2025 Aéronef, Lille, France

Thu 11/09/2025 Schokoladen, Berlin Germany

Sat 13/09/2025 Botanique, Brussels Belgium

Mon 15/09/2025 Louisiana, Bristol United Kingdom

Tue 16/09/2025 Where Else?, Margate United Kingdom

Wed 17/09/2025 George Tavern, London United Kingdom

Fri 19/09/2025 The Castle, Manchester United Kingdom

Sun 21/09/2025 Hug & Pint, Glasgow United Kingdom

Mon 22/09/2025 Brudenell Social Club (Community Room), Leeds United Kingdom

Tue 23/09/2025 Hare & Hounds 2, Birmingham United Kingdom