Yes, the Grand Rapids garage rock band made waves by performing on the Grand Lady Riverboat and on radio for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted new tracks by several Michigan acts. (Podcast, video)
Yacht Rock: Hollywood Makeout uncorked its new album aboard the Grand Lady Riverboat on Thursday. (Photo/Katy Batdorff)
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Not only has Hollywood Makeout found a groove with its unique spin on garage rock, but the Grand Rapids band also has found its sea legs.
Sold-Out Cruise: Nautical attire was highly recommended for Hollywood Makeout’s party. (Photo/Katy Batdorff)
The evidence? The four-piece band released its long-awaited sophomore album, “Speedo Spider,” aboard the Grand Lady Riverboat in the middle of the Grand River on Thursday night, with more than 100 fans jamming the vessel for a nautically attired evening of rock ‘n’ roll.
Singer-guitarist Erin Lenau said the idea for a river release of new music first surfaced a couple of years ago when band members celebrated drummer Tim Broderick’s birthday with a Grand Lady Riverboat cruise.
“We thought it would be amazing if we could play music on this boat one day. Then years later, Dizzybird asked to put out our record and … we told them this idea and then they just ran with it,” said Lenau. “We all worked together to get that to happen. So, pretty exciting.”
Of course, considering it was a mid-May cruise in Michigan, the band – Lenau, Broderick, bassist/guitarist Cedric Canero and guitarist Tim Warren – also lucked out with the weather.
Hollywood Makeout, “Speedo Spider”
“It looked scary and windy earlier, but it was nice,” said Canero, noting that many fans started dancing to warm up as the weather cooled off in the evening. “It actually sounds good. I was surprised. I thought it was going to be terrible, but it was great.”
Added Broderick: “I don’t think the crew was prepared for how loud we were going to be, but they warmed up to us. They were awesome.” (Check out a photo gallery from Thursday’s album-release show below.)
Hollywood Makeout reprised part of its water-borne performance with an appearance on this week’s edition of Local Spins on WYCE, playing the songs “Wheelhouse” and “Beachcomber” in-studio. Check out the video for “Wheelhouse” here, with the full radio show podcast below.
VIDEO: Hollywood Makeout, “Wheelhouse” (Local Spins on WYCE)
Video by David Specht
With careers and other outside band projects, members of Hollywood Makeout conceded that it took a long time to complete the follow-up album to the five-year-old group’s 2014 debut, “Bikini Bat.”
“Plus, we didn’t want to release it (“Speedo Spider”) in winter. It’s more of a summery album,” said Canero.
Beach Rock: Erin Lenau of Holllywood Makeout (Photo/Katy Batdorff)
“We waited ’cause we wanted it be like: You should be playing this at the beach,” added Lenau. “We waited a little while for that and is just took awhile to put together the vinyl and all that other stuff.”
What emerged is certainly an upbeat, sunshine-splashed collection of surf-tinged indie-rock recorded at Goon Lagoon studios in Grand Rapids by co-producer Tommy Schichtel. The album is available on vinyl and cassette tape through dizzybirdrecords.com, with digital copies available via Spotify and iTunes.
Hollywood Makeout next performs live as part of the Local First Street Party on June 3. Get more details and the full lineup of bands online here.
This week’s edition of Local Spins on WYCE also featured the premiere of new songs by Elroy Meltzer, The Fever Haze, Chris Bathgate, Jake Kershaw, Christopher C. Cordle and Maggie May, as well as tracks from Slim Gypsy Baggage, Nicholas James & The Bandwagon and The Crane Wives (a live track from the soon-to-be-released “Local Spins Live at River City Studios” album). Listen to the full podcast here.
PODCAST: Local Spins on WYCE with Hollywood Makeout (May 19, 2017)
PHOTO GALLERY: Hollywood Makeout Album-Release Show
Photos by Katy Batdorff
