Tucked away in a Covent Garden hotel room, Johnny Borrell and Andy Burrows are radiating an infectious, crackling energy. Tonight, they will head up the road to Stereo for a surprise intimate show, a stripped-back acoustic set where they'll finally share the true stories behind their greatest hits. It’s a landmark evening serving a dual purpose: celebrating the release of 'Lost In America,' the newly unearthed original demo of their Number One smash, and officially firing the starting gun on the 20th-anniversary celebrations for their pivotal self-titled second album, 'Razorlight'. Louise Phillips Caught up with the pair to discuss this milestone.
Photo: PhotographicGenius.com
For a long time, an evening like this seemed entirely impossible. Following a meteoric, turbulent rise to the top of the mid-2000s UK indie rock scene, the band's core song writing duo famously fell out, leading to an estrangement that swallowed more than a decade. Today, however, the frost hasn't just thawed; it has vanished completely.
Catching up with the reunited duo just hours before the gig, the unmistakable warmth between them is immediate. Swapping jokes about tour exhaustion and the surrealism of their own legacy, Borrell and Burrows share the easy, bulletproof camaraderie of two brothers who have finally found their way home.
Escaping the Bubble: The Surreal Reality of Touring
Stepping into this new era, the pair are taking the chaos of the road in their stride. In fact, Borrell jokes that his new favourite thing is the bliss of geographical ignorance. "You just get into the car, put the shades on, put the headphones in, and let the journey happen," he laughs. "Then you just get out and you're somewhere. It's a bit like being in James Bond." Burrows wholeheartedly agrees, recalling a recent trip where he was blissfully unaware if their hotel was in Germany, Belgium, or Holland.
Reflecting on the height of their careers, they view the frenzy of the mid-2000s with a mixture of fondness and absolute bewilderment. It was a fever dream of extremes, defined by glorious highs, bizarre encounters, and crushing boredom. The reality of fronting one of Britain's biggest bands often boiled down to endless, identical hotel rooms. "You're on stage for an hour and a half, and there's 22.5 hours in the rest of the day," they recall. After months on the road, Borrell points out, the internal clock starts screaming for simple normality, a desperate craving just to make a piece of toast and a cup of tea.
Reconnecting and Rebuilding Trust
Bridging that decade-long silence to reach this point of effortless banter took time. Looking back at their pivotal initial reunion, Borrell admits the nerves were definitely there. "We hadn't spoken for over ten years," he notes. "But it was very sweet, I think. It reconnected us." Rather than rushing back to the spotlight, they took healthy, measured steps.
The catalyst was a documentary project, prompting a casual meetup. It was Borrell who suggested his friend's rehearsal studio, figuring that if they were getting together, they might as well have a drum kit nearby. They jammed, and the old magic ignited instantly. "Rebuilding that trust takes time, you can't just turn it on, but doing the work has been so rewarding," Borrell reflects. Both men agree their mutual understanding is vastly deeper now than it ever was in their twenties, anchoring them securely as they move forward.
The Unlikely Origins of 'America'
Despite the chaos of those early years, the music endured. Touching on the creation of a defining anthem like 'America,' Borrell remains remarkably humble about its monumental scale. "I'm always surprised by it," he confesses. "Honestly, to this day, you start playing it and everyone sings along and it's a surprise."
Tonight’s crowd, a lucky few fans and even James Corden, will be treated to the untold origins of that very track. Borrell reveals the initial spark was actually the drum rhythm to Billy Joel’s 'Moving Out'. "I sat down and said, 'Why don't we just write a song with a drop beat like that, but minus the trumpet?'" he recalls. Burrows was initially sceptical, telling him, "Well, we could, but you wouldn't like it."
Borrell's grand plan was inspired by Prince writing 'Nothing Compares 2 U' for Sinéad O’Connor; he wanted to pen a brilliant song and hand it off to another artist. But after shopping it around to publishers, including a Nashville executive named Tony McMichael, who apparently wasn't a fan, the song languished for six months. Eventually, Borrell merged the track with the very first guitar riff he had ever written at age 13 during a camping holiday. Looking back at the messy twenty-somethings who created that massive hit, Burrows laughs. "I look at us playing it and think, 'Who was that guy? Couldn't even tie his shoelaces. Used Velcro! But here's a hit song.”
Looking Ahead
So, what comes next? The answer is a massive, triumphant return. Borrell confirms they are gearing up for a huge UK and Irish tour to properly celebrate the 20th anniversary of Razorlight. Fans can expect nothing less than the ultimate reunion with all four classic members, Borrell, Burrows, Björn Ågren, and Carl Dalemo, back together to perform the iconic album in full. Even better, this isn't just a nostalgia trip. The creative spark has fully reignited, with the duo already writing together and hungrier than ever to drop new music next year.
Delivering a final message to their fans, Burrows' face lights up with a genuine, infectious thrill. "We just can't wait to come and see you," he beams. "We're going to so many places later this year, and we are just incredibly excited to get back out there."
As the conversation winds down and they prepare to head up the road to the Stereo stage, the electricity between them is undeniable. The decade of silence is dead and buried. Razorlight hasn't just survived the wilderness; they’ve returned sharper, tighter, and more fiercely united than ever before. The boys are officially back, and the best is undoubtedly yet to come.
Written by Louise Phillips
Catching up with the reunited duo just hours before the gig, the unmistakable warmth between them is immediate. Swapping jokes about tour exhaustion and the surrealism of their own legacy, Borrell and Burrows share the easy, bulletproof camaraderie of two brothers who have finally found their way home.
Escaping the Bubble: The Surreal Reality of Touring
Stepping into this new era, the pair are taking the chaos of the road in their stride. In fact, Borrell jokes that his new favourite thing is the bliss of geographical ignorance. "You just get into the car, put the shades on, put the headphones in, and let the journey happen," he laughs. "Then you just get out and you're somewhere. It's a bit like being in James Bond." Burrows wholeheartedly agrees, recalling a recent trip where he was blissfully unaware if their hotel was in Germany, Belgium, or Holland.
Reflecting on the height of their careers, they view the frenzy of the mid-2000s with a mixture of fondness and absolute bewilderment. It was a fever dream of extremes, defined by glorious highs, bizarre encounters, and crushing boredom. The reality of fronting one of Britain's biggest bands often boiled down to endless, identical hotel rooms. "You're on stage for an hour and a half, and there's 22.5 hours in the rest of the day," they recall. After months on the road, Borrell points out, the internal clock starts screaming for simple normality, a desperate craving just to make a piece of toast and a cup of tea.
Reconnecting and Rebuilding Trust
Bridging that decade-long silence to reach this point of effortless banter took time. Looking back at their pivotal initial reunion, Borrell admits the nerves were definitely there. "We hadn't spoken for over ten years," he notes. "But it was very sweet, I think. It reconnected us." Rather than rushing back to the spotlight, they took healthy, measured steps.
The catalyst was a documentary project, prompting a casual meetup. It was Borrell who suggested his friend's rehearsal studio, figuring that if they were getting together, they might as well have a drum kit nearby. They jammed, and the old magic ignited instantly. "Rebuilding that trust takes time, you can't just turn it on, but doing the work has been so rewarding," Borrell reflects. Both men agree their mutual understanding is vastly deeper now than it ever was in their twenties, anchoring them securely as they move forward.
The Unlikely Origins of 'America'
Despite the chaos of those early years, the music endured. Touching on the creation of a defining anthem like 'America,' Borrell remains remarkably humble about its monumental scale. "I'm always surprised by it," he confesses. "Honestly, to this day, you start playing it and everyone sings along and it's a surprise."
Tonight’s crowd, a lucky few fans and even James Corden, will be treated to the untold origins of that very track. Borrell reveals the initial spark was actually the drum rhythm to Billy Joel’s 'Moving Out'. "I sat down and said, 'Why don't we just write a song with a drop beat like that, but minus the trumpet?'" he recalls. Burrows was initially sceptical, telling him, "Well, we could, but you wouldn't like it."
Borrell's grand plan was inspired by Prince writing 'Nothing Compares 2 U' for Sinéad O’Connor; he wanted to pen a brilliant song and hand it off to another artist. But after shopping it around to publishers, including a Nashville executive named Tony McMichael, who apparently wasn't a fan, the song languished for six months. Eventually, Borrell merged the track with the very first guitar riff he had ever written at age 13 during a camping holiday. Looking back at the messy twenty-somethings who created that massive hit, Burrows laughs. "I look at us playing it and think, 'Who was that guy? Couldn't even tie his shoelaces. Used Velcro! But here's a hit song.”
Looking Ahead
So, what comes next? The answer is a massive, triumphant return. Borrell confirms they are gearing up for a huge UK and Irish tour to properly celebrate the 20th anniversary of Razorlight. Fans can expect nothing less than the ultimate reunion with all four classic members, Borrell, Burrows, Björn Ågren, and Carl Dalemo, back together to perform the iconic album in full. Even better, this isn't just a nostalgia trip. The creative spark has fully reignited, with the duo already writing together and hungrier than ever to drop new music next year.
Delivering a final message to their fans, Burrows' face lights up with a genuine, infectious thrill. "We just can't wait to come and see you," he beams. "We're going to so many places later this year, and we are just incredibly excited to get back out there."
As the conversation winds down and they prepare to head up the road to the Stereo stage, the electricity between them is undeniable. The decade of silence is dead and buried. Razorlight hasn't just survived the wilderness; they’ve returned sharper, tighter, and more fiercely united than ever before. The boys are officially back, and the best is undoubtedly yet to come.
Written by Louise Phillips
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