Members of Happy Mondays, The Who, Oasis, and Ride Unite as Mantra of the Cosmos, Share “Gorilla Guerilla”

The band will be performing at Glastonbury later this month.

Members of Happy Mondays, The Who, Oasis, and Ride Unite as Mantra of the Cosmos, Share “Gorilla Guerilla”

The band will be performing at Glastonbury later this month.

Words: Will Schube

Photo: Neil Cooper/Andrzej Liguz

June 06, 2023

Happy Mondays’ and Black Grape’s Shaun Ryder and Bez have teamed up with Oasis/The Who’s Zak Starkey and Andy Bell of Ride and Oasis for a new project called Mantra of the Cosmos. To celebrate the new formation of British musical royalty, the group has unveiled “Gorilla Guerilla,” their debut single. The track is out courtesy of BMG.

The psych-pop anthem is built around a grooving drum part and repeated chants of “Gorilla” from lead vocalist Shaun Ryder. The cheerfully oddball track is reminiscent of the Madchester indie-dance movement of the late 1980s and ’90s, in addition to the shoegaze-inspired jams from bands like Blur.

Speaking on the new project, guitarist Andy Bell shared, “It’s a pleasure to be part of Mantra of the Cosmos. Four like-minded souls who get off on the same music.” On the band’s sound, drummer Zak Starkey highlights their “fantastic psychedelic groove, from a band of misfits outsiders and innovators.” Frontman Shaun Ryder adds, “‘It’s a fucking blast mate,” with percussionist Bez concluding, “‘I always knew the best was yet to come.”

Listen to “Gorilla Guerilla” below.