Chris Difford of Squeeze on Maxine Barker, the quiet force that held the band together @popthehistorymakers
Chris Difford of Squeeze on Maxine Barker, the quiet force that held the band together  @popthehistorymakers
Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Chris Difford is one of Britain’s great lyrical storytellers—the man whose words helped turn ordinary lives, complicated relationships and moments of quiet desperation into unforgettable pop songs.

As a founding member of Squeeze, Chris formed a remarkable songwriting partnership with Glenn Tilbrook. Together they created classics including “Up the Junction,” “Cool for Cats,” “Tempted,” “Pulling Mussels (From the Shell),” “Another Nail in My Heart,” “Labelled with Love” and “Black Coffee in Bed.”

Chris’s lyrics are observant, funny, direct and deeply human. He can capture an entire relationship in a few lines, find humour in disappointment and give a voice to people who rarely appear in pop songs. Away from the stage, he has spoken with equal honesty about fame, friendship, addiction, recovery and the difficult realities behind a successful career.
In this interview, Chris looks back at the beginnings of Squeeze, his creative relationship with Glenn Tilbrook and the experiences that shaped his writing. He also talks about Trixies—an extraordinary Squeeze album whose songs were originally written by Chris and Glenn when they were just 19 and 16, then finally recorded more than 50 years later.
Squeeze take their Tried, Tested and Trixies tour across Britain in November and December 2026, joined by very special guest Billy Bragg.

BRITISH TOUR DATES 2026
12 November — OVO Hydro, Glasgow
13 November — Opera House, Blackpool
14 November — Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
16 November — O2 City Hall, Newcastle
17 November — The Globe, Stockton
19 November — Connexin Live, Hull
20 November — First Direct Arena, Leeds
21 November — M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool
23 November — O2 Apollo, Manchester
26 November — The O2, London
27 November — Cardiff Arena, Cardiff
28 November — Utilita Arena, Birmingham
30 November — Swansea Arena, Swansea
1 December — Plymouth Pavilions, Plymouth
4 December — BIC, Bournemouth
5 December — Brighton Centre, Brighton

Tickets and further information:
squeezeofficial.com/home
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#ChrisDifford #Squeeze #GlennTilbrook #Trixies #UpTheJunction #CoolForCats #Tempted #BritishMusic #Songwriting #MusicInterview #PopTheHistoryMakers
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Chris Difford of Squeeze on Maxine Barker, the quiet force that held the band together

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