Blossoms' New Track Driven by Bus Journey

Stockport's own Blossoms have released a new single, 'Additional Driver,' inspired by a familiar sight for many in Greater Manchester: the No. 192 bus. The track, a collaboration with fellow indie artist Declan McKenna, originated from a minor car collision frontman Tom Ogden experienced outside Manchester's O2 Apollo.

The narrative of 'Additional Driver' recounts a journey from Manchester to Stockport that took an unfortunate turn, with the memorable refrain, "Should've got the 192." This connection to public transport is further emphasized as the accompanying music video was filmed aboard a Bee Network bus.

Frontman Tom Ogden shared that the song's genesis occurred during a writing session in Wales, prompted by his recent minor car incident. "A vocal take in the hot tub later we had finished writing what would become 'Additional Driver,'" he explained. The band later invited Declan McKenna to join them during album recording sessions to finalize the track.

Blossoms join a lineage of musicians who have found inspiration on Britain's bus routes. The Clash referenced London's No. 19 bus in 'Rudie Can't Fail,' and Superfood featured Birmingham's No. 9 route in 'Unstoppable.'

Stagecoach driver Ben Gamble, who operated the bus featured in the music video, expressed his enjoyment of meeting the band, describing them as "a really good bunch of lads." Transport for Greater Manchester's chief network officer, Danny Vaughan, highlighted the significance of the 192 route, stating it's "part of daily life and part of the story of growing up... in our city-region." He praised Blossoms for bringing the route to wider attention.