# Tom Waits benefit single release > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/tom-waits-benefit-single-release > Updated: 2026-08-02T17:37:11.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2. In late July 2026, Tom Waits announced a new spoken‑word track titled “The Fly,” issued as the B‑side to Massive Attack’s collaboration single “Boots On The Ground.” The release marked Waits’s first newly recorded original music since his 2011 album *Bad As Me* and was made available on streaming platforms. A limited‑edition 12‑inch vinyl, scheduled for 4 September, would be pressed in red, white or blue variants using Massive Attack’s EcoSonic process, with all proceeds earmarked for civil‑rights and community‑advocacy organisations. A few days later, additional details emerged. The track was co‑written with Waits’s wife, Kathleen Brennan, and the lyric‑video featured artwork by his son, Casey Waits. The announcement also noted Waits’s contribution to a tribute compilation for the late Pogues frontman Shane McGowan and his upcoming appearance in Martin McDonagh’s film *Wild Horse Nine*, set for release in November 2026. These later notes expanded the context of the benefit single but did not alter the core story of its release and charitable purpose. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-02: Tom Waits releases benefit spoken‑word single “The Fly” Tom Waits releases the spoken‑word single “The Fly,” a benefit B‑side to “Boots on the Ground,” with proceeds supporting civil‑rights groups; co‑written with wife Kathleen Brennan and featuring son Casey’s art. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/tom-waits-releases-benefit-spokenword-single-the-fly ### 2026-07-31: Tom Waits releases new spoken‑word track “The Fly” with Massive Attack Tom Waits releases spoken‑word track “The Fly” as the B‑side to Massive Attack’s “Boots On The Ground”, available on streaming and a charity 12‑inch EcoSonic vinyl releasing 4 Sept. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/tom-waits-releases-new-spokenword-track-the-fly-with-massive-attack --- Cite as: Tom Waits benefit single release. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/tom-waits-benefit-single-release