RZA announced today that the debut album of Banks & Steelz— the hip-hip empresario’s musical project with Interpol’s Paul Banks—will be called Anything But Words. This is the product of several years of collaboration between the two musicians that began when RZA was asked by his manager who he’d like to work with, according to a story he told Rolling Stone back in 2013. The British-born singer and DJ came to mind, he said, because the two seemed to have a rapport.
“When I met Paul, I recognized the New York energy he has as a music artist,” RZA said in a statement. “We got to know each other playing chess and vibing out in the studio. Our talents connected in a unique way and we started writing songs. The outcome was something distinctively different from my previous work, yet with another layer of cool.”
Guest vocalists on the album include hip-hop legend Kool Keith and Florence + The Machine’s Florence Welch. And what kind of a Wu-Tang side project would it be if it didn’t feature at least a few pop-ins from the core group? As such, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and Masta Killa all entered the recording chamber at one point or another. The announcement also arrived with upcoming tour dates for the duo and news of a new track, “Giant,” being released tomorrow. The album’s first single, “Love and War” featuring Ghostface Killah, was released last month.
Banks & Steelz Tour Dates
July 21—The Roxy—Los Angeles, CA
August 24—Crocodile—Seattle, WA
August 25—Doug Fir Lounge—Portland, OR
August 27—Independent—San Francisco, CA
August 28—FYF—Los Angeles, CA
August 31—9:30 Club—Washington, DC
September 1—Bowery Ballroom—New York, NY
September 3—Sinclair—Boston, MA
September 6—Mod Club—Toronto, ON
September 8—Lincoln Hall—Chicago, IL
September 23 – 25—Life is Beautiful Festival—Las Vegas, NV
September 27—Fox Theatre—Boulder, CO
September 30 – October 2—ACL—Austin, TX
October 7 – 9—ACL—Austin, TX
October 9—Crescent Ballroom—Phoenix, AZ