The Dresden Dolls, the pioneering punk cabaret duo of singer-songwriter Amanda Palmer and drummer/multi-instrumentalist Brian Viglione have shared a brand new rendition of the fan favourite,My Alcoholic Friends (Tailor’s Version),available everywhere now. The song’s original version has proven to be an enduring classic for theDresden Dolls, amassing more than 240M worldwide streams and over 70M views on YouTube, and recently earning the band their first-ever RIAA Platinum certification, two decades after its original release.My Alcoholic Friends (Tailor’s Version)is among the standout tracks onYes, Virginia… (Tailor’s Version), a newly re-recorded 20thanniversary celebration of the Dresden Dolls’ landmark 2006 second studio LP, arriving digitally and on CD and vinyl on Friday,August 7.
“The Dolls have been smashing out ‘My Alcoholic Friends’ on live stages for over two decades now, so re-recording it a few months ago was less of a scary challenge and more of a fun circus ride: it’s so inside of our blood that the song almost plays itself at this point,”reflects Amanda Palmer.
“This song (and this band, for that matter) was never about perfection. It was supposed to hit the listener like a sonic car crash. The fact that it blew up on TikTok absolutely delighted us, and it’s been a real trip to watch a whole new generation of listeners paste their own weird and personal meanings onto the lyrics. I’ve always loved songwriting as a game of emotional Marco Polo between the writer and the listener, and I even found myself creating new meanings in the words of ‘My Alcoholic Friends’ as I sang them into the mic, officially, for the second time. Music is a beautiful Rorschach and emotional conversation that way, not just between the band members, but between the listeners themselves as they take the words and attach their own designs on top…and I consider us really lucky to be able to re-record this music while we’re still in our prime as players.”
LISTENTO “MY ALCOHOLIC FRIENDS (TAILOR’S VERSION)”
PRE-ORDER/PRE-SAVEYES, VIRGINIA…(TAILOR’S VERSION)
Hailed upon its original release for Viglione’s genre-spanning, emotionally expressive drumming and Palmer’s percussive piano work, jagged vocals and unflinching songwriting,Yes, Virginia…(Tailor’s Version)seesThe Dresden Dollsexploring sexuality, identity, Holocaust denial, addiction, capitalism and social isolation against a backdrop of defiant joy. The tracklist remains unchanged – save for a bonus track on the new physical releases – but the performances reflect two decades of Palmer and Viglione’s artistic and personal evolution, adding renewed depth, nuance, and intensity to such treasured songs asMy Alcoholic Friends,Sex Changes,Backstabber,Mrs. O,Sing,Delilah, andMe and the Minibar. Having earned global applause for their blazingly visceral live performances over the past 26 years, Palmer and Viglione approached the material with a deeper musical connection and a more expansive emotional range. Their performances do not attempt to perfectly replicate the original recordings. Rather,Yes, Virginia…(Tailor’s Version)reflects a more mature interplay – subtler, more elastic, and more attuned to space and restraint – while preserving the raw theatricality that definedThe Dresden Dolls’early work.
Long known as a fiercely passionate live band,The Dresden Dollswill hit the road for a celebratory world tour beginning September 1 at Vienna, Austria’s Arena Wien Open Air and will include two shows in the United Kingdom. Further US shows will take place across October and December. Tickets are on sale now, for complete details and ticket information, please visitdresdendolls.com.
THE DRESDEN DOLLS–EUROPEAN SHOWS:
SEPTEMBER 2026
1 – Vienna, Austria – Arena Wien Open Air
2 – Warsaw, Poland – Progresja
4 – Prague, Czech Republic – ARCHA+
5 – Berlin, Germany – Huxleys Neue Welt
7 –Utrecht, Netherlands – TivoliVredenburg
8 – Paris, France – Élysée Montmartre
10 – Manchester, UK– Albert Hall
11 – London, UK – British Airways ARC