OUT NOW
October 12, 2020
Explosive and surreal, noise pop project Midnight Drags has today announced a new single Ronnie, a wild journey through love and loss and the chaotic dissolution of a relationship kept apart, out now.
Midnight Drags, the solo project of artist Lucas James, has also produced a stunning video clip for Ronnie in collaboration with Indonesian artist Galihpanji. Ronnie is the first taste of Midnight Drags’ new album Bad Business, expected in early 2021.
Ronnie is evocative of Cheap Trick, Eskimo Joe and even modern rockers Catfish and the Bottlemen – from the opening hits to the fiery, lightning-in-a-bottle chorus, from the dynamite guitar solo to James’ contagious vocal, this track is heartfelt, pervasive and intriguing. Who is Ronnie – and what did they do? What are they looking for?
Offering some insight into the inspiration behind the track, James says, “Ronnie is a love song about yearning, regret and ultimately meeting one’s fate. It was was (loosely) written about someone I know who went to jail. It’s written from the perspective of their confused and tormented loved one waiting on the outside.”
Recorded at James’ very own studio, Hot Bias Recording Studio, Ronnie features Lucas James on vocals, guitar, percussion and synth, Ashley Naylor (Even, Paul Kelly Band) on guitar, Bill McDonald (Stephen Cummings, Frente) on bass and Brett Wolfenden (The Casanovas, Wolfmother) on drums.
Watch ‘Ronnie’
The video for Ronnie is appropriately chaotic, fragmented – the animation style of Galihpanji is perfect for the mood of the track, as the sketchy characters descend into destructive behaviours and hopelessness prevails, as Lucas explains, “The video is a cool, trippy but rather grim little piece that I essentially left to the uber talented Galihpanji (Metamorse Studio) to come up with something after discussing the track with him… I was recommended to him by a friend and loved his rough and beautiful style.”
Ronnie is a stunning reflection of Midnight Drags as a project, as James reveals, “Midnight Drags was borne out of a desire to play some of my slightly scuzzy power-pop with a band as I’d usually always recorded on my own and tried to cover all bases by myself. This was a chance to let go of some of that creative control and allow other amazingly talented people to become part of the process and outcome. Glad I did.”
Midnight Drags is Lucas James.
Ronnie is out now. Stream/buy HERE
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