Bonnie "Prince" Billy Announces New Live Album Ghosts of American Psychonauts

Bonnie "Prince" Billy has announced the release of his new live album, Ghosts of American Psychonauts, arriving on September 18.

Recorded over Valentine's Day weekend 2025 at The Pico Union Project in Los Angeles, the eight-track collection captures Will Oldham and an expanded ensemble reimagining songs from across the Bonnie "Prince" Billy catalogue. Among the highlights are three newly arranged tracks from this year's acclaimed The Purple Bird, alongside fan favourites including "Strange Form of Life" and the closing classic, "I See a Darkness."

To accompany the announcement, Oldham has shared "London May (Live in the City of Ghosts)," a fresh take on the song featuring its namesake, former Samhain drummer London May, behind the kit.

The live recording showcases Oldham's touring band of Thomas Deakin (clarinet, down-tuned electric guitar) and Jacob Duncan (flute, saxophone), joined by a host of collaborators including Emmett Kelly on bass, Ryder McNair on piano, Dv DeVincentis and Patrick Shiroishi on saxophone, and producer Dave Ferguson, who also lends vocals to "Downstream."

Speaking about the album, Oldham described the performances as a collective act of musical storytelling.

"Everyone on the stage knows how to tell stories, musically, and relies on this storytelling to create liveable real spaces," he said. "The sound of the record doesn't make any sense, nor does its duration, by standard standards, and this allows the record to do what we want music to do, which is to make its own sense."

Reflecting on life as a touring musician, Oldham added that after years on the road, "the road is also home," with the performances bringing together friends, family and audiences through a shared love of music.

Ghosts of American Psychonauts arrives ahead of an extensive run of live dates across Europe and North America this autumn, including UK performances in Birmingham, Sunderland, Glasgow, Manchester and a London headline show at O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire in November.

The album will be available on black vinyl, CD and digital formats, with pre-orders available now.