GLU’s Michael Shuman has spoken with NME about his new EP, Pony Boy, as well as his plans for a full-length album and the contrast between playing stadiums with Queens Of The Stone Age and intimate venues with his solo project.
Shuman, who also plays bass in Queens Of The Stone Age and previously recorded three albums with Mini Mansions, started GLU in 2022 with the single Cold Sweat. His third EP, Pony Boy, arrives August 14 and includes four tracks: the title song, LA, a cover of Jennifer Paige’s Crush, and Bombs Below.
He told NME that this release moves in a faster, heavier direction than his earlier EPs, which leaned more toward mid-tempo material. Shuman said he wanted to remove limits and make music that was more aggressive, with heavier guitars and quicker tempos.
On the title track, Shuman explores the feeling of privacy being invaded, while LA presents a brighter view of life in Los Angeles and features Lily James, with whom he previously had a relationship. He also said the song was made for her and that they enjoyed recording it together.
Shuman recently brought the new material to the UK and Europe and said the shows were his strongest yet, helped by audiences already knowing the songs. He added that hearing people sing along in clubs and stadiums is equally rewarding, even if the settings are very different.
