Although the Interbay music project tends to release tracks that blend the barriers of electronic dance music and post-punk, resulting in what I call "mutant pop," there are definitely some Interbay tracks that just simply rock.  

Sadly, many of these don't get the attention that they deserve--people who have gotten used to the type of dance music they usually get from Interbay might not feel like hearing someone turn their amps up all the way to eleven.

...but dance music and rock music have always been intertwined in my life.  I think that's been lost as scenes just leave each other alone now, content to stay in their lane and fill their niche.  A lot of rock music CAN be danced to, some will even have build ups and drops.  ;)    

Now, rock music has various genres and sub genres--not nearly as many as dance music, I'm pretty sure--and just as I like to blend unlikely genres together when I make dance music, I like doing that when I make more rock-sounding or guitar based tracks as well.  

If in doubt, I'll probably add them to the playlist--so don't get too pedantic about what does or doesn't, should or shouldn't, be considered "rock"--if it rocks, it goes on this playlist.  

As always, as the new Interbay tracks continue to drop (every single day, so far) I will update this playlist when there's a track that I think belongs on here.  

So, take a listen...share with a friend...and kick out the jams, motherf$#@%&rs!!!

The Rock Side of Interbay (this weekend, we rock portland!)

"What's up with all these putty-looking-ass whips, y'all?"--H. Green

A fun uptempo punky thing with obnoxious synths and a relentless race forward this track is a favorite of mine--both for how it turned out and how it came together.

I watched one of my favorite vlogs and felt inspired to create this.  While this is not sponsored by anyone, I hope this video makes you want to shop from the Good Store (where one can join the Awesome Socks Club) or watch some episodes of Crash Course, or, perhaps, sign-up for the Dropout streaming service by June 12th so you can see a particularly anticipated stand-up comedy special.  

I would like to think that if the subject of this track ever heard this track, he would be amused at what an old man (who owns both of his books and is anticipating socks...and who can totally relate to having had cancer and then doing stand-up comedy about it) can create in homage to someone doing wonderful work as well as being entertaining as all get out.  

(And, most importantly, I hope that he will not sue me.  I don't monetize anything I do, yet...so, please treat this for what it is...an homage from a fan.  And, absolutely, if it amuses you...feel free to share it with anyone you might like.)

 

"PLAW" by Interbay *SoundCloud Exclusive*

I shouldn't get all caught up in the numbers here on SoundCloud...but it always bothers me when an Interbay track gets seriously slept on.  

I mean, the earliest Interbay tracks posted here are all in the single digit number of plays, because I didn't know about SoundCloud's "first fans" program (I'd go back and fix that mistake if I could, but you only get 14 days from posting to take advantage of that program.)

And, more recently, "Zagreb" has an embarrassingly low 4 plays--but I recognize that it isn't my best work, probably could use a remix or a re-implementation at some point.  

(Though, a low play count doesn't mean people didn't like a oarticular track--how could they know if they didn't play it?  So, this is me trying to excuse the algorithm for doing algorithmicy things. ;) )  

In the grand scheme of things, the single digit play counts for two of these SoundCloud Exclusive Interbay tracks really hurt:  The smokey jazz of "Selfishly" should be heard by more people...and yesterday's track, "Nekton", a pretty-pure trance track, is stubbornly sitting at only one play!  

Both are among the best realized genre efforts I've ever made...but unlike almost every track I've dropped here since starting First Fans, neither are getting anywhere close to over 100 plays...  Sigh.

Oh, well.  Shouldn't get my feelings too wrapped up in statistics, right?  When I get too easily bruised by underperformance, even if it KILLS me, I should take the advice offered by Steve here in today's posted track, and just "Walk It Off."  

This is a goofy little number--might be too much guitar for some of you, but trust me, there's plenty of odd electronic synth stuff going on over a groove that chugs along steadily (except when everything completely drops out--which happens a couple of times during the song.) 

I do like the casual vibe of this track--it's not tapping you on the shoulder constantly saying "PAY ATTENTION TO ME!" over and over again.  It feels comfortable being what it is...and hopefully that will appeal enough to you to give it a listen (and a like, a repost, a share, a follow...and even a dive into the Interbay back catalog--though, you might want to pack a lunch, there's over 11 hours of back catalog to rummage through...  Maybe start with "Nekton" and "Selfishly"?  ;) )

"Walk It Off definitely fits my personal definition of "mutant pop"...and I even went so far as to throw a "new wave" tag on it (and by that I mean 80s/MTV new wave...not new wave trap.  That gets confusing when I'm shopping for sample packs, so I thought I'd clarify things here.)  

While I'm pretty sure most of you will recognize the main vocal sample, there is one additional easter egg at the end of this track that should earn bonus points for those who know where it comes from.  

(You ARE collecting your Phantom Laboratories West points in the official PLW Point Stamp Book, yes?)  

This is just some frothy fun, nothing too serious...  

(I mean, the opening guitar note-bend sounds a lot like The Troggs' version of "Wild Thing"--how serious can it be?)  

The way I see it, everybody needs a sorbet, every now and then...so, enjoy the Interbay flavors of THIS one--now OR then!

"Walk It Off"  * SoundCloud Exclusive*

Did someone say "been awhile since" Interbay has posted a "proper rock song???"  

Yes.  Someone did.  

I did.  Yesterday.  

So, let's do this!  

Including the songs that were posted on Interbay's Facebook page, I think THIS is the most credible rock song I've managed to commit to...ummm....whatever the digital equipment to "tape" would best fit in such a cliched statement.  

And yet, it still has electronic elements to it--bolstering the blistering tempo of this rather dark alternative post-punk rock track.  Very much inline with the Interbay vibe.  

Obviously, this track will appeal more to anyone who has watched the HBO "Chernobyl" mini-series...but even for those of you who haven't (but should, it's quite good...even if it might stray occasionally from perfect accuracy), I think you'll get into it, too.  

I see some similarities with this track that some of you might recognize--there's definitely a dollop of "Public Image" by Public Image Ltd.  The ending seems like a proper homage to the Adam and the Ants b-side/rarity/fan-favorite "Beat My Guest."  And, surprisingly, when the keyboards join the guitars for an instrumental bridge--my head goes to the Sex Pistols classic material (surprising, because they're not a band one would associate with keyboards.)  

At the risk of sounding even more self-indulgent than I normally am in these descriptions, I could see "A Zed 5" as a song that would have fit on the never produced second album for my band DangerScience--and it could have been a monster of a track for either the live version of DangerScience or my previous band, Cremation Dance.  (Of course, you'd need a time machine for either of those to have occurred.)  

For those of you here for the purely electronic stuff, there'll be plenty more of that to come, I'm sure...but THIS is definitely a song that fits what Interbay is now (though, if Crash wanted me to...I'd attribute this to DangerScience instead.  Legally, this is as DangerScience as "Frightening Things" and could sit along side "Aircrash" and "Goodbye?")  

Once again, it would help me immeasurably if you did all the things--Listen, Like, Repost, Share, Comment and, most of all, Follow!  

Thank you!  

PS--Suddenly, "Beneath These Trees" has become Interbay's most played track...someone out there must have done many of the things for this sudden burst of unexpected popularity.  It is definitely appreciated!

"A Zed 5" *SoundCloud Exclusive*

(Once again, an Interbay track has been done dirty by the SoundCloud algorithms--as yesterday's posted track, "Felony"--a melding of blues shouting and breakbeats, with guitars--has been woefully ignored.  Again, all I can ask is that you give it a listen--it deserves better.  Go check that out now and then come back and check out today's track.  Thanks!)  

Yesterday, I'd predicted that there'd be an uptempo guitar-based track coming soon--I even suggested that the next track would be bitpunk...and I think this track fits that description well.  Over drum machines, synth bass, and synth candy...a distinctive and pronouncd plucked guitar and some eurosynths propels this track into breathlessness.    

If this track had come out when I was regularly attending new wave nights at the nearby dance club--well, that would be astonishing, as it would mean that time travel had been perfected...but, beyond that, it would have been something that I'd jump up and run to the dancefloor.  

There's a touch of Devo in this track (I hear it most on the "don't lose your grip" lyric--take a listen and tell me if you hear it, too!). 

But, for as retro as this track can feel--it is, at the same time, very modern.  It doesn't sound dated (I hope) as much as it sounds like the old sounds have influenced a new production.  

...which is exactly what it is!  

If you need a pick me up, something to get your pulse rate up and make you pump your fist and shout "Zipliner, YEAH!"--probably freaking out your neighbors or your co-workers--I think you'll find this latest Interbay track to be a reasonable coffee alternative.    

But you don't need to read me talking about it.  Give it a listen.  It's under 4 minutes long, what do you have to lose?  (And if you just said "four minutes" to answer that rhetorical question...well, congrats...but also, I'll have  my eye on you.  Not literally of course, that would be gross.)  

I hope you like this latest Interbay track:  "Zipliner"  

(All of the usual requests:  Listen to the track, give it a like, follow the page for more Interbay--new tracks post EVERY SINGLE DAY, so far, you know!  If you're feeling extra appreciative, consider reposting this track or sharing it, or adding it to one of your playlists, or, especially if you have something positive to say, leave a comment.  All of that helps.  Thank you!)

"Zipliner" *SoundCloud Exclusive*

Last night, I watched a YouTube video about the song "River Man" by Nick Drake and I was inspired to craft a song in a similar style.  

(Spoiler:  "Forever In This Moment" doesn't sound ANYTHING like Nick Drake.)  

I had a funny idea for some lyrics and I'd say I was 85% done when suddenly I swerved, veered off course, and landed here this morning with "Forever In This Moment."  

What happened?  Quite simply, the lyrics didn't fit with the vibe of the song I had at the time.  So, I paused and took a second look at what I'd made.  I took out some parts, I added other elements, I changed the arrangement, I swapped out instruments, I gated the hell out of my drums...and suddenly, I had something VERY different.  

So, I took out the lyrics that no longer fit (I'll try to use them sometime in the future) and I found a couple of vocal samples that I felt fit...and suddenly, a completely new narrative for the track revealed itself.  

...this was a seance.  

This was an attempt to speak with the deceased through a medium...or maybe it was just someone so heartbroken that they tried simply to speak to the sky in hopes they could make contact on their own.  

It wasn't what I was thinking when I started this track, but I embraced it and went with it.  

Despite the newly discovered theme, this isn't a spooky song (otherwise, I'd be saving it for a few months).  Instead, this is some 80s style "big music"--and I tried to produce it like I thought Steve Lillywhite might have produced it.  Not only do the pianos sound large and majestic, but there's s major melodic element based around a viola.  (Reminder to myself--write more songs with viola!)  

There are synths, to be sure.  The bass is a synth bass (though I thought many times about swapping that out...but, in the end, I felt like it worked) and there's some glitchy arpeggios going on, too.  

Oh, and did I mention that I managed to get a Rickenbacker guitar sound on here, too?  (That's a rather dumb question, seeing as I can see what I'm writing before I post this...and I know damn well that I haven't mentioned that.  No wonder these descriptions get so long!)  

If "Visitation" was a fun, bouncy slice of dance pop cheese--perfect for a Saturday night...then "Forever In This Moment" feels just as appropriate for a Sunday afternoon.  Or anytime, really...I don't know what your schedule is like.  

As always, I just ask that you give this track a listen and this page a follow.  (...though, certainly, I like getting likes...and reposts, shares, comments and playlist adds, as well.)  

"Forever in This Moment" *SoundCloud Exclusive*

Thank you for still clicking on this track, even if the thumbnail might have given you some caution.  The music normally associated imagery of the historic American West doesn't usually sound very much like Interbay.  

But, trust me--"He Comes Riding" is SO Interbay.  So, hit play and read along!  

Like yesterday's posted track, "Over the Course of One Night," today's track was a leftover from when I was posting music videos on Facebook.  The only vocal I had at the time was two instances of the gospel blues shout of the title, "He Comes Riding."  

It sat in the Vaults for a long time, until I produced the song "Felony," which I posted about a week ago.  "Felony" is a dance song with redlined throaty shouts of basic wants and needs.  I thought it worked quite well...and I remembered that THIS track (which I had given a temporary project name of "Round the Mountain"--so the fact that our heroic cowboy in the thumbnail is coming from around the mountain is another Interbay easter egg.  (Bonus Interbay points if you didn't need me to tell you that to make a connection between the image and the nursery rhyme.)  

I liked the idea of working with shouty blues vocals.  

Meanwhile, the inspiration I had for the music wasn't actually Western music (in the "Country & Western" use of that term.)  It was actually The Beatles, specifically "Taxman."  So, that means that "He Comes Riding" is also inspired by "Start!" by The Jam.  ;)  

It was only later that I recognized that rather than being sharp and angular, like a Gang of Four song, the single note plucked guitars gave the track a Western feel.  So, call it Americana or Alt-Country if you wish, Vicar.    

There are some rather thick synths in this track and some stutter edits and other modern fx, so I feel less sheepish than perhaps I should in using "Electronic" as the main tag.  (Tracks where I DON'T give "Electronic" as the main tag typically do not get as many listens as the one that I do...so, I'll grab any excuse to do so.)  

It's odd, the thing that took the most time once I decided to grab this project out of the Vaults and get it ready to post today was settling on a title.  There are three distinct vocal sections.  You've got the "When It All Falls Down" part, the "He Comes Riding" part, and the "Baby Please Don't Go" part...and all of them could have given this track its name.  I also spent a fruitless search for a word or phrase that connected all of the various lyrics and the general vibe.  (Does this feel like it was based on an imaginary TV Western show's theme song?  I did...so, I considered calling this "Hi Ho Silver" or "Blazing Side Saddles" or "There's a New Sheriff in Town"--but none of those felt right.  

So, if what you wanted on your Saturday afternoon was a track that blends Teddy Pendergrass style insistent male vocals, Beatles and post-punk angular funk music, with touches of gospel, the blues and even some Western tropes...and a synthesizer and a more complicated than it has to be name--well, how serendipitous, because that's exactly what "He Comes Riding" is!  You're welcome (?!?)  

Hear for yourself and give it a listen.  While you're at it, give a listen to "Felony" and see if you feel there's a connection between the two Interbay songs.  Give a like to the one you like best--or both!

...it would also be cool if you reposted this track, if you shared it with a friend, if you added it to a playlist, if you left a comment, and if you follow this page for MORE Interbay--as never heard before tracks are dropping every single day (and have for well over a year now!)    

"(When It All Falls Down) He Comes Riding" *SoundCloud Exclusive*

Post-punk, dance, indie, electronic, and mutant pop in various styles (seriously!)--new tracks being posted daily (every day for over a year, so far!)

Interbay is the new project of Peter Greyy (previously of Cremation Dance and DangerScience), based out of Seattle and Phantom Laboratories West.