Sean Elliott, Alfie Agnew, Rat Scabies & Paul Gray reunite for 'Dreamworld' from PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN

PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN are (L to R): Rat Scabies, Sean Elliott, Alfie Agnew & Paul Gray

SEAN ELLIOTT, ALFIE AGNEW, RAT SCABIES AND PAUL GRAY REUNITE FOR THE FIRST ALBUM IN SIX YEARS FROM PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN   Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, "12 Strings and Tambourines" is out now as a digital single with the Dreamworld album following August 7 on FullerTone Records   “Paul Gray and Rat Scabies keep things tight and locked down while Alfie Agnew and Sean Elliott explore a range of styles, echoing The Beach Boys, The Who and Hüsker Dü, among others.” — Classic Rock Magazine

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / May 7, 2026 – Professor and the Madman, a musical group featuring veterans from both the American and UK rock scenes, have announced details for the August 7 release of their fifth studio album, Dreamworld. It will be available on LP, CD and download from FullerTone Records. The first digital single, “12 Strings and Tambourines,” is out now.    Shop for Professor and the Madman at Bandcamp.   Sean Elliott and Alfie Agnew are the songwriters and co-frontmen of Professor and the Madman. Elliott sees Dreamworld as a continuation of themes discussed on the group’s previous album, the critically acclaimed Séance, released in 2020.    “Séance was about re-establishing contact with an era, a way of life, that seems to be making a comeback,” he said. “Like many people, the ritual of bringing home a vinyl record and immersing yourself in its journey was crucial to Alfie and me. With Dreamworld, we’ve expanded that concept to include the idea that a song cycle can still provide escape—even if briefly—from the daily chaos. Modern life is fueled by anxiety, and most of these new songs express that.”     Dreamworld’s musical foundation is inspired by ‘60s baroque pop, but cocktail jazz interludes, classical flourishes, backwards guitar, and playful psychedelia sit comfortably alongside the tempest of punk-pop and alternative rock. “12 Strings and Tambourines” and “Temple of Madness” feature virtuoso performances from The Damned’s rhythm section of Rat Scabies and Paul Gray. Elliott and Agnew trade off lead vocals on all the selections (except for a rare duet on “Songs in My Head,” to which Agnew also contributes trumpet) while also handling the lead and rhythm guitar parts, and keyboards.    To create music this ambitious, it’s appropriate that the pair ventured outside of their Hollydale home studio in Fullerton, California, for the first time.

VIDEO SHARE: "12 Strings and Tambourines"

“In August 2024, we spent a day recording at Abbey Road Studio 2 in London,” recalled Agnew. “It was profound on many levels. It was the first time that Sean and I had recorded in the same room with Rat and Paul. Then, of course, there was the gear, the staff, the physical space, and working with engineer Paul Pritchard—everything was world class. Sean and I were deeply moved at having the opportunity to work in the same hallowed spaces as our biggest influences, The Beatles and Pink Floyd.”   Elliott and Agnew have deep roots in Southern California’s punk rock scene.  Elliott learned surf guitar from Dick Dale before joining Mind Over Four in the 1980s, while Agnew played guitar in the Adolescents, a group closely associated with his six-string slinging brothers, Rikk and Frank.    By the early ‘90s, the pair were playing guitar together in the punk group D.I. Although they enjoyed the adrenalin rush of the band’s live shows, they also felt boxed in by punk’s strict orthodoxy. They toyed with the idea of collaborating on more expansive music, but Agnew’s academic pursuits took him out of state for many years.    In 2014, the pair reconnected at a local show. Elliott and Agnew finally had the chance to dig in their heels and start writing music together. Huge fans of The Damned, they couldn’t believe their luck when they recruited Rat Scabies to play drums on their self-released debut album, Good Evening, Sir! (2016). By the group’s third album, Disintegrate Me (2018), bassist Paul Gray was also a fully-fledged member of Professor and the Madman.   It’s been a long and winding road to Dreamworld, but now it’s finally safe to say that class is back in session.     Dreamworld (Vinyl, FRLP-1009; CD & digital, FRCD-1009)   TRACKLIST: 1. Dreamworld | 2. Tolerant World | 3. Brand New World | 4. Mental Tape | 5. The Light | 6. 12 Strings and Tambourines | 7. Adams Street | 8. Nuclear Boy | 9. Songs in My Head | 10. Temple of Madness | 11. Dreamworld (Reprise)   Produced by Professor and the Madman. Recorded at Hollydale Studios, Fullerton, California, and Abbey Road Studios, London UK.   All songs by Professor and the Madman except “Nuclear Boy” by R. Flynt & S. Allen, originally recorded by 20/20.

Dreamworld album cover by Cliff Mott

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