Glenn Tilbrook has more than earned his place at pop’s top table as one of our most cherished singers, guitarists and songwriters, not to mention an in-demand and endlessly endearing live performer. More than 40 years after first answering an ad placed by Chris Difford looking for like-minded souls to form the band that became the much-loved evergreen Squeeze, an ending remains nowhere in sight.
Such is the continuing work ethic of a musician who has never been far from the action since Squeeze made their recording bow with the Packet of Three EP in 1977. Those humble three tracks led to a catalogue of enduring pop classics—Take Me I’m Yours, Cool for Cats, Up the Junction, Another Nail in My Heart, Tempted, Labelled With Love, Black Coffee in Bed, Hourglass (this could indeed go on for a while…)—as well as landmark albums including Argybargy, East Side Story, Some Fantastic Place and Cradle to the Grave.
Following Squeeze’s demise in 1998 (a state of affairs that proved happily temporary), Glenn embarked on a parallel solo career that produced The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook (2001) and Transatlantic Ping-Pong (2004), albums that showcased an ever-maturing melodic and lyrical voice. In 2009 came the fizzing energy of Pandemonium Ensues, recorded with his touring band The Fluffers, while Happy Ending emerged as his most personal solo statement to date—an evocative set of songs about time, people and places, featuring contributions from his sons Leon and Wesley alongside long-time collaborators Simon Hanson and Dennis Greaves.
Over the past decade, Glenn’s creative momentum has only intensified. Alongside continued global touring with Squeeze, and recent work on two new Squeeze albums, he has firmly established himself as a tireless and much-loved solo performer, undertaking extensive headline tours across the UK and the United States. These shows—often built around his celebrated Songbook format—have seen Tilbrook playing theatres, clubs and festivals on both sides of the Atlantic, reimagining Squeeze classics, showcasing solo material and fielding spontaneous audience requests with trademark warmth and virtuosity.
The 2020s in particular have found Glenn criss-crossing America on multiple solo runs, winning over new audiences while deepening his connection with long-time fans, before returning to the UK for equally well-received tours that underline his status as a consummate live artist in his own right. Whether performing alone with an acoustic guitar or fronting a full band, his solo appearances have become a vital and ongoing strand of his musical life, existing in perfect counterpoint to Squeeze’s continued success as a major live draw.
Anyone who has witnessed Glenn on stage can attest to the sheer rightness of his doings. Armed with ready wit, raucous energy and a seemingly inexhaustible supply of grin-inducing great songs, there are few musicians able to connect with an audience so immediately and warmly. Whether fronting Squeeze, headlining festivals, or fielding impromptu requests that might veer from Jimi Hendrix to Tony Orlando & Dawn, Glenn Tilbrook remains—by any measure—one of British pop’s most vital and life-affirming performers.