Kat Harlton
Vancouver-based pop-rock band The Vidos, recently released their new single “Boomshackalacka” on September 23 via exciting new Canadian rock label Rock Is Dead Records and all streaming platforms.
Undeniably catchy, with groovy, retro vibes and covered in witty lyricism, “Boomshackalacka” is an upbeat tune that proves difficult to ignore. The song is the first single off The Vido’s forthcoming album, and follows the band’s previous releases “Car Trouble” and “Perfect Stranger”, singles that each cracked the Top 40 on Canadian Active Rock charts.
The song was produced by Danny Craig, the co-founder of innovative new Vancouver-based record label Rock Is Dead Records (the first-ever label to be distributed by 604 Records) and member of chart-topping, million-selling Canadian rock band Default.
With an affinity for fuzzy pop hooks, creative drumming and stacked harmonies, The Vidos is the project of Vancouver pals Brett Hornall, Kirk Musfelt and Nolan Nielsen. The group began performing together early on, playing Rush covers at their high school dances. The band would go on to spend the next three years writing, recording and touring across Canada before hunkering down in a converted shuttle buzz in downtown Toronto for the winter of 2019, where their material for Right In The Kisser would come to life.
Known for their witty lyrics and onstage banter, The Vidos have gradually cultivated their live show into an immersive, genre-bending, fourth wall-shattering performance and have become one of Canada’s most promising and unpredictable groups in the process.
I had the opportunity to chat with The Vidos Brett Hornall about the band’s new single, fondest show memories and what to expect for the rest of 2022.
Kat: Can you talk about the inspiration behind your new single “Boomshackalacka”? How did this fun track come about?
Brett: We’d just moved out to Toronto to live on our band bus (at the onset of winter, whoops) for what ended up being around seven months. Pretty much right away we started getting a little disillusioned with the whole idea of “being a rock band”, or “existing”, or “maintaining sanity”. As we lost our minds, we started going to a ton of open mics and there were so many incredible musicians doing stuff that was so unbelievably real and great that it shook our entire foundation. We started messing around with a bunch of new styles and chords n all that jazz — that’s where the keyboard progression came from.
And then rock music, especially the way we played it, can often feel very aggressive and like, “Here I am, uh! Watch THIS! Uhh!!” so we thought it would be pretty funny to have a chorus that basically does that, but really calls out what a phony I am. That theme kinda ended up setting the tone for the whole record.
Kat: You’ve been performing together for quite some time. What’s one of your fondest show memories?
Brett: We used to have this giant stuffed green frog, Gordon, that I won at the PNE. When we started touring we decided we’d bring him with us as a mascot/hype man; he’d start out on the stage and by song three or so, somebody from the audience would grab him and bring him into the mosh pit. It was a huge hit. The more Gordon toured, however, the more weary his tired stitches became. Eventually, one fateful night in Fernie, BC, Gordon exploded in the middle of our set and stuffing filled the air like snow for the rest of the night. It was a beautiful sendoff for our amphibious friend, and that was EXACTLY how he would have wanted to go.
Kat: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received so far in your music career?
Brett: “Rehearse 5 times a week.” — Danny Craig of Rock Is Dead Records
Kat: What’s your favourite part about the Vancouver music scene? Any other local bands that have caught your attention?
Brett: I think some of the best stuff is coming from bedrooms in the suburbs. I’ve been listening to this girl Emma Alves a lot lately, she’s got some really sweet close-mic’d vocal r+b stuff that I’m really digging. There’s a guy Walski, from White Rock, making these really endearing lo-fi cuts that I also love very much. Carson Hoy, whose music video I did some animation for earlier this year, is legitimately making some of the sharpest, most well-produced pop music you’ve ever heard — all from his house in Surrey. I think there’s always been a strong DIY element here that’s pretty idiosyncratic to BC. I’m a sucker for that stuff. Even that first Spendo record, he did that in his room and played every note on it. It’s inspiring, man. There’s a lot of talent in all corners of the lower mainland and I think there’s a lot of mutual respect from everybody. For the most part I think everyone is kinda doing their own thing here and trying to carve their own path, and I really celebrate that.
Honourable mentions: Little Destroyer, Chase the Bear, and shout out to my main man Linty Sleeves. Lotsa love baby.
Kat: What’s next? Any new show announcements coming up?
Brett: Nothing booked right now, but we’re in the middle of building our finest show yet. However, we WILL be appearing on Full Tilt Network’s new contest series So You Think You Don’t Suck at the end of September (hint: keep an eye out for our music “Boomshackalacka” music video).
Facebook: /thevidos
Instagram: @thevidosband
TikTok: @thevidos
Twitter: @thevidosband
Website: https://thevidosmusic.com