The Penguin Rocks logo
The Penguin Rocks Menu


Travis Releases New Cover of "Killer Queen"

originally published: 11/20/2021

Travis Releases New Cover of "Killer Queen"

Multi-platinum Scottish rock band Travis take on Queen's Killer Queen,” for their own harmoniously crisp rendition of the 70s classic hit. The previously unreleased reimagined version was originally destined as the B-side for their smash hit single “Sing.” Now the track is available with a cheeky preamble in a special extended, remastered cut as part of the band’s upcoming 20th anniversary deluxe reissue of their critically-acclaimed album The Invisible Band, out December 3rd on Craft Recordings.

Lead guitarist Andy Dunlop shares, “Killer Queen was fun; it was like when you’re young and you take something apart just to see how it ticks. We literally tried to make it as close to the Queen version as possible – take every part and go ‘I want to recreate that.’ It was great because it’s such a brilliant song and such a good recording.”

The deluxe reissue of The Invisible Band features the original album remastered by GRAMMY® Award-winning engineer Emily Lazar, all the original B-sides and a selection of completely unreleased demos, live sessions and alternate takes. 

A special limited-edition 20th Anniversary box set features the material across two CDs and two 180-gram heavyweight, ultra-clear vinyl LPs, cut at London’s Air Studios. The set includes an extensive book with unseen session photography, handwritten lyrics and essays from the band plus contributions from the original producer Nigel Godrich. A limited number of hand-numbered prints, signed by all four of the band, are available via the Travis official store here.

The Invisible Band will also be reissued on standard black vinyl, available for the first time on the format since its original release. A limited green vinyl pressing is available via independent record stores, as well as a 2-CD standard edition. 



 
Advertise with The Penguin Rocks for $50-$100 per month, click here for info



The band are scheduled to tour across North America and the United Kingdom with The Invisible Band in Concert in April 2022, along with a show in Paris at Le Trianon on May 8, 2022. This marks the first time the seminal album will be played in full, plus material from 2020’s 10 Songs and more from the group's extensive catalogue of hits.  The band was also recently announced as part of the 2022 Shaky Knees Festival lineup for Day 1, April 29, 2022.  

Formed in Glasgow in 1990, Travis (Fran Healy, vocals, guitar; Andy Dunlop, lead guitar; Dougie Payne, bass; Neil Primrose, drums) came of age during Britpop’s heyday, but always stood at a remove from that scene’s barely contained mania. When the Britpop hangover kicked in at the end of the ’90s, Travis’ gentle, uplifting songs were the perfect antidote for the chaos of the preceding years. From its title on down, Good Feeling set the mood: an upbeat album unafraid to wear its emotions on its sleeve. By the time Travis took to Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage in 1999, delivering a career-defining performance, they were poised to become household names, opening the door for a new generation of introspective songwriters to come through.

Entering the new millennium as one of the biggest bands in the UK following the success of sophomore album, 1999’s The Man Who (now certified 9x platinum, with over 2.7 million albums sold in the UK), Travis spent the remainder of the ’00s developing their sound without ever forgetting their core commitment to songwriting. The Invisible Band (2001) consolidated the group’s status as the grown-ups’ indie rock band of choice, while 2003’s 12 Memories revealed a newfound electronica influence. 2007’s The Boy With No Name was the band’s most eclectic album to date, and, in the years since, the group have only continued to build on their enduring appeal. 2008’s Ode to J Smith included the fan-favorite single ‘Something Anything’, while Where You Stand (2013) and Everything At Once (2016) returned Travis to the UK Top 5. Travis’ emotionally charged and deeply heartfelt ninth studio album, 10 Songs (2020), marked another new chapter in the band’s extraordinarily prolific and unflappable career. 10 Songs is yet another body of work that showcases the band as one of the UK’s finest song writing exports.

See all of Travis’ The Invisible Band in Concert tour dates below and visit TravisOnline.com for ticket information.

US TOUR DATES 2022

04/05 Dallas, TX – Majestic

04/06 Austin, TX – ACL Live @ Moody Theatre



 
Advertise with The Penguin Rocks for $50-$100 per month, click here for info



04/08 Anaheim, CA – House of Blues

04/09 Los Angeles, CA – The Orpheum Theatre

04/10 San Francisco, CA – The Masonic

04/12 Seattle, WA – Neptune

04/15 Minneapolis, MN – State Theatre

04/16 Chicago, IL – Park West

04/18 Toronto, ON – Massey Hall

04/20 Boston, MA – The Orpheum Theatre

04/21 New York City, NY – Terminal 5

04/22 Philadelphia, PA – Keswick



 
Advertise with The Penguin Rocks for $50-$100 per month, click here for info



04/23 Washington, DC – Lincoln Theatre

04/25 Cleveland, OH – House of Blues

04/26 Indianapolis, IN – Old National Centre


 

COLUMNS


Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites...7/10/25

"Well, I certainly hope so, it seems like it is," laughed Blues Traveler bassist Ben Wilson as he discussed what the band has been up to and their preparations before they hit the road once again for a Summer tour. "The band has been quite active over the years through touring and we managed to continue to record some records. We've done two kinds of covers records, the first one was a blues record which actually got nominated for a Grammy which was pretty cool and the next one, we did some soul covers. That one wasn't quite as well received but it was sure fun to make. So, it's been really cool; you have this massive success for a decade or so and then you kind of dip below that cultural Gestalt line where you're just kind of bubbling below the surface and you can do just fine there even though you're not on the cover of "The Rolling Stone" and that's kind of what we've been doing. We've had a good run, it has been fantastic and these summer tours where we get together with these other kind of bands of similar eras with similar kinds of hits; we're very fortunate as kind of a neo-hippie jam band from that era that kind of bucked some of the trends that were going on at the time but we were lucky enough to have a couple of hits and that has allowed us to have kind of a different career than just the straight jam bands do; not that that wouldn't be awesome as well because obviously many of them are doing just fine but it's just a slightly different road but it has been wonderful. We didn't rehearse a whole lot because we've been playing together for 38 years but things are good and we're stoked for this upcoming tour." 




This Week in Music: Previews for Concerts from July 8-14, 2025




The Newton Theatre presents Dirty Deeds - The AC/DC Experience




Makin Waves Song of the Week: "Golden Cage" by Cranston Dean






 

MORE NEWS

(TUCKERTON, NJ) -- Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Griffin House on Wednesday, September 10, 2025 at 7:30pm. Griffin is an American singer-songwriter and storyteller. Touring and making records for over 20 years, House has a discography that includes over 13 albums.


A Chat with Jasper Smith of Straight No Chaser Which Brings its "Summer: The '90s Part 2" Tour to STNJ on July 16




Centenary Stage Company presents Yacht Rock Gold Experience




WXPN Takes Us Back to Live Aid this Sunday to Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of The Legendary Concert




Tickets for Bruce Springsteen Archives' Born to Run 50th Anniversary Celebration to Go On Sale July 16th






 

UPCOMING SHOWS


Sounds of a Summer Night: Music, Nature, and Community in Concert at Reeves-Reed Arboretum

(SUMMIT, NJ) -- Bring your blankets, lawn chairs, and picnic baskets to Reeves-Reed Arboretum and celebrate summer with their 2025 concert series, Sounds of a Summer Night! All performances will be held on select Wednesday evenings on the grounds of this non-profit public garden located in Summit.


2025 Horizon Sounds of the City at NJPAC




South Orange Summer Nights to Offer Free Concerts Every Wednesday Night In July




Middlesex County's Free Concert Series Returns for 2025






Advertise with The Penguin Rocks for $50-$100 per month, click here for info


The Penguin Rocks

© 2025 by Wine Time Media, LLC
PO Box 811, Belmar, NJ 07719
info@newjerseystage.com

Presented by New Jersey Stage

Images used on this site have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and PR firms. If there is a problem with the rights to any image, please contact us and we will look into the matter.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and our NJ Stage accounts on Instagram, and Threads


News | Features | Radio Shows | Penguin's Hall of Fame | Song of the Week | BlowUpRadio column

Contact Us | About Us | Submit Music | Ad Rates