Vista Kicks
It reads like the kind of story you‰Ûªd see in an old rock rag or zine‰Û_
Four lifelong friends from Northern California grow up obsessed with the sounds of AC/DC, The Beatles, Black Sabbath, The Bee Gees and Michael Jackson. Living within a block of each other since kindergarten, they began playing anywhere and everywhere with a stage by the age of 16, taking over supper clubs, parties, and backyard barbecues. After their single ‰ÛÏMake It Real‰Û� cracked 2 million Spotify streams, they made a collective decision to forego college and trade their small Sacramento suburb for Hollywood, forming Vista Kicks in late 2015. Living together in a cramped one-bedroom apartment, the quartet‰ÛÓDerek Thomas, Sam Plecker, Trevor Sutton, and Nolan Le Vine‰ÛÓquietly ignited a buzz throughout L.A. and beyond with two full U.S. national tours under their belts and recording with Tommy Lee behind the board.
Back in L.A., they‰Ûªd sell out local shows and host intimate (and raging) booze-soaked ‰ÛÏVista Kick Backs‰Û� in the studio where they resided for four months. Within a year, the band‰Ûªs independent 2016 Chasing Waves EP and additional singles generated over 5 million cumulative Spotify streams and 3.2 million YouTube views. However, everything set the stage for the release of their 2017 full-length, Booty Shakers Ball‰ÛÓself-produced by the musicians themselves and engineered by their guitar player and vocalist Sam Plecker.
Best described as a smoked-out collaboration between James Brown and Jimmy Page, it bridges eras.
‰ÛÏThis is ‰Û÷Booty Shaking Rock and Roll‰Ûª,‰Û� says Trevor. ‰ÛÏWe‰Ûªre so far behind that we‰Ûªre ahead; I don‰Ûªt think there‰Ûªs anything else like us out there. Every song is different and eclectic.‰Û�
‰ÛÏWe‰Ûªre old soul millennials,‰Û� exclaims Trevor. ‰ÛÏWe‰Ûªre young and wound up like everybody else our age, but our roots go deep. We‰Ûªve found an audience that‰Ûªs just like us. It‰Ûªs rock music that you can shake your booty to and party.‰Û�
That‰Ûªs exactly what the first single and album opener ‰ÛÏGotta Get Away‰Û� offers. Hinging on bluesy and ballsy riffing as well as a simmering, soulful groove, the track opens up the world of Vista Kicks, treading a fine line between rock and funk.
‰ÛÏLyrically, it‰Ûªs about how ambition can get in the way of love,‰Û� reveals Derek. ‰ÛÏIt happens at any age. Art gets in the way of contentment and ambition‰ÛÓor vice versa. It‰Ûªs a conflict.‰Û�
Elsewhere on the record, ‰ÛÏFight The War‰Û� turns into a rallying cry for anyone chasing a dream soundtracked by bold guitars and brash vocals.
‰ÛÏIt was about our struggles in the business,‰Û� sighs Sam. ‰ÛÏA couple of years ago, we were doing a lot of songwriting sessions. We‰Ûªd go into these sessions, and we‰Ûªd be told these songs aren‰Ûªt good enough. We had fans saying just the opposite. We didn‰Ûªt have respect from the industry; however, the people did respect us. We sided with our fans.
‰ÛÏWe put in our 10,000 hours since we were 16- and 17-years-old, that‰Ûªs what makes our live show our strongest asset. It‰Ûªs also where we have the most fun.‰Û� - Sam
In the end, they will be heard in a big way as they invite everyone to the Booty Shakers Ball.
‰ÛÏI hope people know these songs are there for them,‰Û� Nolan leaves off. ‰ÛÏHopefully, the music is useful. We‰Ûªve benefitted so much from the music of others. We want to give something back with what we do.‰Û�
‰ÛÏWe don‰Ûªt make an effort to be cool; we put all our efforts into being honest,‰Û� concludes Derek. ‰ÛÏWhen you hear us, we just want you to be yourself and enjoy the moment and the ride.‰Û�