Guy Garvey on Robert Smith, Elbow’s New Album, and Grassroots Venues

Guy Garvey has shared insights into his enduring friendship with the legendary Robert Smith, while confirming that Elbow is currently deep in the creative process for their 11th studio album. Speaking on the red carpet at the 2026 Ivor Novello Awards, the frontman reflected on a busy period for the band, including their recent participation in the Teenage Cancer Trust concert series.

The band’s involvement in the charity gigs came at the personal invitation of The Cure’s frontman. “If Robert Smith gives you a call, you better get there!” Garvey remarked. “He’s a wonderful man. He does everything himself—even if you get tickets to a Cure gig, it’s his handwriting on the envelope. He’s just really sweet, kind, polite, and really funny as well.”

Looking toward the future, Garvey revealed that the band is preparing to head back into the studio to follow up on their 2024 release, Audio Vertigo. While he noted that it is still early in the development phase, he described the new material as “sonically ambitious.” He added, “Quite often it does take a few turns before we put it to bed, but I’m just so happy that we’re all together. I’m so proud of being in the band for 35 years.”

Garvey also touched upon the 25th anniversary of Elbow’s debut album, Asleep In The Back. Reflecting on the record, he noted that it feels “much edgier” than he initially perceived, capturing a sense of “disgruntlement” that defined their lives at the time. While he remained coy about specific plans for the milestone, he teased fans to “watch this space.”

Beyond his own music, Garvey spoke passionately about the necessity of protecting grassroots venues. Having previously collaborated with Manchester’s Co-Op Live arena to donate sound equipment to local spaces, he emphasized that these venues serve as the cultural bedrock of a city. “It wasn’t just musicians that came through spaces like the Night and Day Cafe,” he explained. “It gave a platform to artists, authors, and the community as a whole. When you axe something with that much history, what you get after is soulless. The small venues of a city are its soul, and they have to be looked after.”