#SupportPGHMusic // Playing now on HughShows Radio streaming at the bottom of the page is Episode 7 of HughShows Live at Just-Records Podcast featuring Gaadge //
Today I am excited to debut the latest music video from Pittsburgh rockers Bikini Island for their song “Vines”. The tune was produced by Harrison Wargo of Badboxes and The Morning Light and features a catchy hook that really does stick in your head after a few listens. The video shows the band disenfranchised in their menial food service industry jobs and fulfilling everyone’s fantasy of becoming rock and rollers. The video will be everywhere on Friday (4/19) but you can enjoy it here early, only on HughShows!
From the band:
“We were looking at the past two records we put out and thought we could do a better job writing songs that can really make you feel something while you’re listening. With Vines we simplified our writing and I think we’ve captured an essence or an emotion that we hope people can vibe with and relate to. We had a bad experience as a band with a relationship that ended up being manipulative and causing a lot of inner turmoil within the group. In the end we were able to move past it and felt a huge sense of relief when we finally did. This song is sort of about letting go of that time period and moving forward together. I think everyone has had a moment in their life when they finally rid themselves of some bad juju – and this song sort of personifies that feeling. The idea for the video came from a sketch called Barth’s Burgers on an old Nickelodeon show ‘You Can’t Do That On Television’. In the show the chef is just this repulsive nasty dude and he’s slinging burgers to kids in a restaurant – it was something that I remember watching as a kid vividly and it stuck with me. The guy honestly scared me a little when I was a kid and I thought it was such a cool aesthetic, and we ran with the idea from there. Eric pulled in one of his good friends (since elementary school!) Kevin Gubish to work on the video, and they really did put an insane amount of planning into getting it all set up. We shot the whole thing in one very long day, but it was tons of fun. I also have to shout out our buds at Wallrose Club, who were so accommodating in letting us take over their building for a day. They have a great yoga studio and host awesome events and stuff there, check them out!”
#SupportPGHMusic
“This new record from Bikini Islands is one that makes you want to, almost NEED to, listen to, over and over again. It combines the pop sensibilities of the Beatles, and the Buzzcocks, with the drive and emotion of todays more purposeful music scene. Each song takes you somewhere musically and lyrically and sonically. Kyle Wackers’ vocals lead the way, the band is super tight, and at the same time they are super relaxed in how they play. There is a “bikini sound” here if you will, a sound that identifies them, and makes them quite unique. The guitars here on this album of well-crafted songs sound clean, then dirty, and then simply smart. The guitars weave a web of pop wizardry, that makes you drop whatever you’re doing, and join in on your personal Fender Air. Quite an impressive offering from this quartet, one CD for me that seems to never get filed away, just played and played.
Look for them playing live, as they are well worth catching on a stage too! Own this now folks.” – Bill Miller, President of Crafton Cassette Club Bikini Islands is an indie rock band from Pittsburgh who are making a splash around town, picking up devoted fans everywhere they play. They have a brand new self-titled debut and expect big things from these guys. I want to thank songwriter Kyle Wacker (Guitar/Vocals) for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.