Simon RushworthSong
The Jokes On You
Artist
High Fade
High Fade backstory
Eight years after founder Harry Valentino unleashed High Fade on the streets of Edinburgh, the ultimate DIY funksters continue to go from strength to strength.
Valentino (guitar, vocals), Oliver Sentence (bass, moustache), and Heath Campbell (drums) have racked up more than 1,500 shows across the UK, Europe, and North America.
And by retaining full creative control over every aspect of the High Fade brand, the fiercely independent trio remain untamed, unlimited and unstoppable.
Despite interest from major labels, the band chose go it alone — launching and operating their own imprint, RPN Records.
And dazzling 2024 debut Life’s Too Fast caught the attention of tastemakers on both sides of the Atlantic — featuring live favourites Take Me To The Floor and Taking Care of Business.
Midway through a career-defining late 2025 run of UK headline shows we said ‘a High Fade show’s like a crate of Buckfast mixed with a smoking bong — it’s the night of your life and you’ll only want more’.
And we meant it.
New album Twice As Nice looks set to raise the bar — recorded between East Iris Studios in Nashville, Tennessee and the legendary RAK Studios in London, it’s out on May 8.
In Harry Valentino’s own words
“We grew up listening to a lot of grungy rap and rock.
“Personally, I feel this is the most adventurous I’ve got with vocals — combining rap and hooks and definitely getting dirtier with the vocals on this one.
“The song’s about somebody thinking they can do it better on their own and thinking it’s easier than it is!”
The verdict on The Jokes On You
When rock and soul trailblazers White Trash burst onto the New York scene in the mid 80s it sounded like funk had finally found its way.
To say we were super excited 40 years ago is an understatement.
And The Jokes On You — with its grungy overtones and scuzzy cool — is further evidence that High Fade are the most thrilling thing to happen to funk rock since White Trash dropped their legendary 1991 debut.
Harry Valentino steps out of his comfort zone to deliver a vocal tour de force reminiscent of peak Red Hot Chili Peppers.
That the canny Scot pulls off one of High Fade’s heaviest hitters to date is a testament to the frontman’s wild versatility.
And a refreshingly edgy tune is driven by a typically robust rhythm — courtesy of the über-consistent Sentence and Campbell.
The Jokes On You might be missing a vital apostrophe but a newly visceral Valentino punctuates one of the band’s best songs to date.
High Fade are ascending to greatness, right before our eyes.
What’s next for High Fade
Twice As Nice drops on May 8 with a handful of coloured vinyl pre-orders still available.
The band hits the road across North America from May 13 — kicking off the Twice As Nice tour in Milwaukee and blasting through 50 dates in three months.
Valentino and co. are back in the UK in October for a run of 22 headline shows, including secret sets.
Read our exclusive chat with High Fade here.