It's not often that we get to issue a BIG STIR DIGITAL SINGLE whose B-side is already a "hit", and an A-Side co-written by another Singles Series star... but our 20th release is just that. THE EX TEENS return, having seen this flip side, "The New Victorians" (from their EP Get On An Ice Floe), chart on THE MUSIC AUTHORITY's Top 10! But the even
It's not often that we get to issue a BIG STIR DIGITAL SINGLE whose B-side is already a "hit", and an A-Side co-written by another Singles Series star... but our 20th release is just that. THE EX TEENS return, having seen this flip side, "The New Victorians" (from their EP Get On An Ice Floe), chart on THE MUSIC AUTHORITY's Top 10! But the even better news is that "Good News (For Shut-Ins)" is a brand new A-side appearing here for the first time. The A and B will be released Friday, March 15 and are available for pre-order now!
https://bigstirrecords.com/big-stir-digital-singles
We've said it before, but THE EX TEENS are one of our favorite bands on the LA live scene, with frontman SIMON GLICKMAN owning the stage, the fine guitar work of former 20/20 member CHRIS SILYAGI and the determined drumming of JOEY PONCHETTI making for an irresistible show. GLICKMAN has this to say about "Good News", with a nod to A-side co-writer JOSH GORDON of THE LIVING DOLLS (whose single we released just a few weeks back):
“I was feeling old before I started my band.
“To be fair, I WAS old. But I’m younger than that now, and I ascribe that to the restorative power of plugging in and wailing.
“I was at loose ends, stressed about my mortgage, choked with angst as I hustled ineptly for freelance work and imagined I was meant for better things. It was the holidays, the perfect time of year to plunge into an abyss of one’s own making. Then at a holiday party, I met Josh Gordon. We had chatted for less than an hour when he said, in his guileless way, “Hey, do you want to start a band?” My answer, without much thought, was yes.
“And so The Ex Teens was born. Being in the band manifestly did not make my problems disappear. My mortgage still loomed. My revenue faltered. My own mortality was ever more acutely in the foreground. But at least now it occurred to me to write songs about it. One of the first such songs is, at long last, being released as a single.
“I wrote “Good News (for Shut-Ins)” to cheer myself up. It begins:
Middle-aged middle manager Gets the middle finger every day Self-hating, self-medicating Tried meditating, tried to pray
“A tart self-diagnosis, to be sure. But in songs you can do anything. And so:
Turn your haggard face to the sun Your golden hour has just begun There’s good news, good news, good news if you’re feeling bad.
“Josh co-wrote the music with me, and we rocked it. The Ex Teens wouldn’t exist without him, so I’m forever in his debt. He’s since moved on is killing it with The Living Dolls; we are both delighted to be in the Big Stir orbit.”
“For a variety of reasons, after we recorded “Good News” (co-produced and engineered by our pal Steve Kravac), it didn’t make it onto our EP. Now, at last, it’s coming out— and will be a Big Stir Digital Single. We’re very happy to share it with the world at last.”
“So what is the good news, if you’re feeling bad? That you can turn your suffering into big, loud songs. It’s the cure for what ails ya.”
As a side note, THE EX TEENS' previous entry in the Big Stir Digital Singles Series, “Mikey & Murdercat” b/w/ the band's cover of the Byrds classic “I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better”, is still available at the link above and better yet will soon be seeing release on CD as part of our BIG STIR SINGLES: THE FIRST WAVE compilation. It's at the presses now and an official release announcement is coming soon... the first twelve A's and B's are all there, including exclusives from KARLA KANE, MICHAEL SIMMONS, KAI DANZBERG, PLASTICSOUL, TRIP WIRE, BLAKE JONES & THE TRIKE SHOP and much much more!