Sick Puppies will perform at The Glass House on Saturday, July 20. The band’s new album, “Connect,” will be released Tuesday, July 16. (Myriam Santos/Contributed Image)
Sick Puppies return with new album “Connect” on Tuesday, July 16 and the hard rock band is celebrating with an X103.9 FM-sponsored show at The Glass House in Pomona on Saturday, July 20.
The band, which formed in Australia but is now based in Los Angeles, has played a number of shows put on by X103.9, including repeat trips to the Merry Meltdown. The group shot to Internet stardom when the video for song “All the Same” went viral six years ago. Now at nearly 75 million views on YouTube, the video features Juan Mann offering free hugs in a shopping area in Sydney.
While the ballad is the lighter side of Sick Puppies, the band can rock with the best of them, with the single “You’re Going Down,” off the band’s 2009 album “Tri-Polar” going gold. The rocking “Tri-Polar” spawned the “Polar Opposite EP,” which helped inspire “Connect.”
Sick Puppies frontman Shim Moore took the time to talk about the band’s new album, in an email interview.
Q: Shim, you’ve described “Connect” as “more musical” than your previous albums. How is it more musical?
A: A lot of the songs took an older song writing approach in the chord progressions and melodies. More Beatles and beach boy progressions. But played by a punk rock band.
Q: The “Polar Opposite” EP gave a different life to some of your songs. Did that project influence the new album at all?
A: We definitely incorporated as many elements from that as we could.
Sick Puppies performs during the Merry Meltdown concert at Citizens Business Bank Arena Sunday in Ontario, CA. December 16, 2012. (2012/File Photo)
Q: You wrote more than 100 songs in the last year. Were the songs on “Connect” among those or are any of the songs older and finally found a home? Did the writing process change at all for this album?
A: The one song that had an old element was the title track “Connect” . That is one of my oldest riffs.
Q: Did any themes start to emerge when you were writing/recording the new songs?
A: A little more about trying to elevate the music and take risks.
Q:What songs do you think fans will connect to most with “Connect”? Which songs do you connect with the most?
A: I think once people hear the whole record they will find their own songs to love.
Q: What was it like to work with Desmond Child?
A: It was a privilege and an eye opener. I learned how much there is left to learn.
Q: You’ve played a number of shows in the Inland Empire with San Bernardino radio station X103.9, including their annual holiday show. What keeps you coming back to the Inland Empire?
A: I know it sounds cliche but the fans. We have the most fun with them.
Also of note: Reverend Crow, which features Nate Barcalow from Temecula’s Finch, will open the show, as will Sederra.
7 p.m. Saturday, July 20, The Glasshouse, 200 W. Second St. Pomona, $15, all ages. Visit www.sickpuppies.com for more on the band and www.theglasshouse.us for more on the show and tickets.
Here’s the video for the acoustic version of “You’re Going Down.” If you want to hear the band’s new track, “There’s No Going Back,” you can check it out on YouTube (Warning: There is explicit language in the lyrics).