Hayley and the Crushers - San Luis Obispo, CA
The band have recently released their fuzzed-out, sugar sweet rendition of The Go-Go’s “Lust to Love” https://youtu.be/yF8YZmqTswQ and it precedes more original music from the band this year!
Hayley and the Crushers - San Luis Obispo, CA — An irreverent punk ditty poking fun at American consumer culture is nothing new (Hey: the '90s called and want their rebellion back!)—but a tongue-in-cheek pit-starter delivered by none other than California power trio Hayley and the Crushers? That's one four-chord wonder that begs to be cranked to full blast. The band’s newest single/video "Click and Act Now!” https://youtu.be/BkQrKftIUjk is the latest installment of what will undoubtedly be an infectiously eclectic third full-length album bringing together the band's signature blend of sparkle and destruction (slated for release on Kitten Robot Records in Spring 2022). The Crusherverse, as always, is full of wild surprises.
Helmed by husband-and-wife team guitarist Hayley Crusher Cain and bass player Dr. Cain ESQ (with Action Ben Cabreana on drums), the band signed to New Wave icon Josie Cotton's Kitten Robot Records in 2021 and have already released two previous singles on the label this year: June’s moody anti-ballad “Cul-de-Sac” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vse4QKXAhkM and August’s fizzy, light-hearted summer jam “She Drives” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6YmY0aYims . The California power trio is guided by sonic contradiction: '60s girl group sensibilities meet grinding rock n roll heat; shimmering radio-ready melodies retain an endearingly quirky vibe, no matter how high legendary producer Paul Roessler (TSOL, Josie Cotton, Richie Ramone) ramps up the production value. A peek inside the Cains' record collection reveals the breadth of the band's musical maximalism: classic country greats like Waylon Jennings mingle with '60s exotica, ABBA, crust, and—a shared favorite of the couple—1990s Bay Area punk.
“I remember first hearing the sound of the East Bay at age 16 while crushing a 12-pack of Olympia under a bridge on the Crystal river in rural Colorado where I grew up,” Dr. Cain said. “My buddy Norton had mail-ordered a cassette of Operation Ivy from Maximum RockNRoll and we cranked it up on a beat-up old blaster he always carried around with him. We sat there, drank beer and listened to it on repeat for the day. 'Hooked' is a great way to put it.”
With straight-ahead punk rock riffage written by Dr. Cain and gleefully sardonic lyrics penned by Hayley (the chorus could be torn from a late-night infomercial of yore: 'Five easy payments of $19.99, limited time offer, be the caller on the line!'), the new tune offers up a one-two punch of levity and social commentary. “We laugh a lot and don’t try to take ourselves too seriously all the time, and this song totally reflects that vibe,” Hayley adds. “When it comes to straight ahead punk with a pop element, that’s my bread and butter—that’s what truly made me pick up a guitar as a young kid. We share a love for that kind of high energy music. So, when he came to me with this really punky riff I knew exactly what I wanted to do with the vocal. The result is a song that’s confrontational but with a little wink."
“The heavy bass, pop drums, jangly guitar, crazy male female dual vocals—and a strong message often delivered with humor and sarcasm—this is what inspired me about the East Bay sound,” Dr. Cain said, adding that groups like Jack Acid, Blatz, Filth, and Crimpshrine weren't far from his mind when sitting down to write.
Producer Mass Giorgini—who's worked with Lookout Records greats of the '90s in his own right (Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day; Operation Ivy/Common Rider's Jesse Michaels, to name a few)—mastered the song. According to the band, this is only a cool coincidence, if not a tiny gold star to add to their imaginary punk rock rap sheet.
“In the late '90s I moved to Oakland and fell headfirst into the scene. While the music by then had moved into crustier grind stuff, that exciting, punchy earlier music captivated a new generation of songwriters. That music still finds its way onto our turntable on a regular basis.” Dr. Cain said. “Some influences just die hard—but that doesn't mean we'd claim punk band status. I mean, we consistently advocate for 'more glockenspiel' in the studio. That ship sailed a long time ago!”
True to form, the Crushers have no plans to put out a string of hardcore hits. Instead, they'll continue to walk the line between retro and right now. What could be next for these troublemakers? Like digging through the discount bins, it's anyone's guess, really. With the Crushers, one should only expect the unexpected.
“Nostalgia is not inherently cool or even a little bit dangerous,” added Hayley. “But then again, we never set out to be either of those things!”
