Fire indie rock

Following an explosive set at Electric Brixton recently with IDLES and Kid Bookie, London rock band PROFESSIONAL 101 return with their new single ‘Liar’, a track inspired by Nirvana and Henry Rollins. This single also follows the official announcement of PROFESSIONAL 101’s debut album, This Is The Sound, due for release 6 November 2026.

Fronted by Mani Waldner (vocals), with Rob Hennebry and Paul Fifield on guitars, Daniel Logan on bass and Jonny Brister on drums, PROFESSIONAL 101 delivers a lean, urgent sound forged onstage. Their debut album This Is The Sound, produced and mixed by Grammy Award–winner Danton Supple (Coldplay, Suede, Morrissey), captures that ferocity in recorded form.

New single ‘Liar’ is a study into the psychology of self-belief and a look at what happens when confidence isn’t innate, but constructed - and the line between conviction and self-deception collapses entirely. The track explores imposter syndrome as a quiet survival mechanism: lying to yourself just long enough to act it out, inhabiting belief before you’ve earned it. It asks how thin the margin really is between genius, delusion, and success and whether the difference is simply who commits hardest to the story they’re telling themselves.

Speaking of the single, Mani says, “‘Liar’ is another song dripping with grunge nostalgia. Lots of distorted chorus effects on the lead and a really murky tone on the rhythm which counteracts the high energy of the riff and keeps the mood ominous.”

The release also follows the band’s hugely successful Rock N Roll Freakshow Experience, which landed at Electric Brixton on 21 March, the night after they announced their album. Conceived and curated independently by PROFESSIONAL 101, the travelling event has rapidly become a word-of-mouth phenomenon, blending live music, celebrity DJs, burlesque, circus performers and carnival spectacle into a single immersive night.

This event is designed to turn the traditional gig format inside out while feeding directly into the band’s debut album campaign. Every ticket and album bundle sold contributes toward the release of This Is The Sound. What began as an effort to support local artists has evolved into a model where fans are part of the process itself.

“We wanted to create something that gives back, where people feel like they’re building the album with us, because they are,” says guitarist Rob Hennebry. “When we got described as ‘rewriting what it means to be a live band,’ I was personally, extremely proud. That’s what we set out to do.”

The Electric Brixton launch event featured a stacked lineup including IDLES (DJ set), Kid Bookie, DeVere and Princess Cyberspace (DJ set), alongside roaming performers including sword swallowers and fire breathers. The result is part rock show, part circus, and entirely its own ecosystem. The core idea remains simple: keep tickets affordable, keep energy high, and ensure that the night feeds the music scene rather than draining it.

PROFESSIONAL 101’s origin story is as unconventional as their shows. They formed after Hennebry injured his shoulder lifting beer kegs and was referred to Waldner for physical. Waldner, a poet who had never been in a band, noticed Hennebry’s Hendrix T-shirt and asked if he could play guitar. One cancelled appointment later, they recorded their first track, ‘Madam G.’ Soon after, Paul Fifield joined, and through Danton Supple’s recommendation, drummer Jonny Brister came aboard fresh from touring with Echobelly and Jake Shears.

Since then, the band have built a formidable live reputation, supporting Marky Ramone, The Levellers, and The Luka State, while festival appearances alongside artists ranging from the Sex Pistols to Alanis Morissette and The Streets have earned them recognition as International Festival’s Forum Favourite Showcasing Band. Most recently they went on tour with The Boomtown Rats to support their 50th anniversary across the UK.

Onstage, the band’s performances are pure momentum: stage-diving fans, carnival atmosphere and crowds dressed for the occasion. As Waldner puts it, “It’s fun. We want people to have fun watching live music again. For one night, it’s a freakshow, but it’s also a movement.”

With This Is The Sound arriving this November, PROFESSIONAL 101 are not chasing rock’s legacy. They are building something new around it, a world where live music, spectacle and community collide.

The videoclip it's very cool too, check it:

Video credits:

Directed by Morgan Tedd / The Alternative

Written and Performed by PROFESSIONAL 101

Produced by Danton Supple at RAK Studios

Mastered by Jon Webber at AIR Studios

Atomic Children Records 2026

Debut Album This Is Sound Out 6th November, 2026

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