On the surface the third single from Blues Pills forthcoming new album Birthday might seem like a straightforward love ballad, but guitarist Zack from Blues Pills explains that “Top Of The Sky is actually about going anywhere and doing anything to seek attention on the internet” he continues “I was inspired by this documentary about an influencer in China who climbs buildings. He climbed a skyscraper and fell and died while streaming. It made me reflect on the age we live in where people are chasing attention and likes on social media, being willing to climb so high to try to find connection and approval online.”
Wu Yongning, who called himself ‘China’s First Rooftopper’ lost his grip and plunged 62 storeys to his death in 2017. His death is only one in huge list of social media related deaths and highlighted the growing “cash for clips” trend.
“We’re all trapped in that modern prison of social media, most people are affected by it, this attention seeking, wanting likes, when someone dies doing it, it puts it all into perspective.” States Zack “I am an advocate for digital detoxing, but it becomes hypocritical because we must use social media to push the band out there. But I do think it’s creating a mental health epidemic. If I look at my own life, I feel more stressed the more I use my phone. It almost feels to me like when cigarettes were new, and they said there were no side effects. We still don’t know what the long-term effects of intense social media use on mental health are. At the same time, I don’t think it’s all negative, but this extreme use, people are dying for likes.”
“I know they say don’t look down cause
There’s only one way out
I’ll just be holding on until my arms give out” sings Blues Pills singer Elin Larsson on the new single Top Of The Sky. “It’s not a ballad to hate on technology, but it was that story that inspired the lyrics, it was one of those moments that made me stop and think about that what we’re doing.” – Zack
Blues Pills’ new album Birthday exudes an irrepressible energy and live-feel, that bespeaks a confidence in their ability to craft new compelling sounds without tampering with the explosive formula that got them their start – a sound that’s as eclectic as it is heavy as it is fun, and their continuity is testament to their determination to progress, mature, and evolve their sound within a fickle industry.
The Swedish rock ‘n’ roll band will release their 4th studio album on August 2nd before embarking on the European Birthday tour in October. Written and recorded in Sweden’s idyllic rural countryside as well as Recordia studios, Birthday took just 10 days to record and produced by renowned songwriter and studio guru Freddy Alexander.
BIRTHDAY track listing:
- Birthday
- Don’t You Love it
- Bad Choices
- Top Of The Sky
- Like A Drug
- Piggyback Ride
- Holding Me Back
- Somebody Better
- Shadows
- I Don’t Wanna Get Back On That Horse Again
- What Has This Life Done To You
Blues Pills Summer Festival Dates:
May 17, 2024: Open Air am Berg bei Eichstätt 2024, Eichstätt, Germany
June 15, 2024: BBK Music Legends Festival 2024, Bilbao, Spain
August 2, 2024: Wacken Open Air 2024, Wacken, Germany
BLUES PILLS, Birthday Tour Dates:
October 4, 2024: Hamburg, Germany – Gruenspan
October 5, 2024: Cologne, Germany – Luxor
October 6, 2024: Brussels, Belgium – Botanique – Museum
October 8, 2024: Nottingham, UK – Rescue Rooms
October 9, 2024: Glasgow, UK – Garage
October 11, 2024: London, UK – Lafayette
October 12, 2024: Manchester, UK – Band On The Wall
October 13, 2024: Dublin, Ireland – Opium
October 15, 2024: Bristol, UK – Thekla
October 16, 2024: Paris, France – Maroquinerie
October 18, 2024: Frankfurt am Main, Germany – Das Bett
October 19, 2024: Karlsruhe, Germany – Substage
October 20, 2024: Utrecht, Netherlands – Tivoli Vredenburg
November 1, 2024: Helsinki, Finland – Tavastia
November 8, 2024: Gothenburg, Sweden – Pustervik
November 9, 2024: Stockholm, Sweden – Kägelbanan
November 21, 2024: Copenhagen, Denmark – Pumpehuset
November 22, 2024: Oslo, Norway – Vulkan Arena
November 29, 2024: Budapest, Hungary – Barba Negra
November 30, 2024: Warsaw, Poland – Niebo
December 1, 2024: Prague, Czech Republic – Rock Café
December 3, 2024: Berlin, Germany – Hole 44
December 4, 2024: Vienna, Austria – SIMM City
December 6, 2024: Munich, Germany – Backstage
December 7, 2024: Rubigen/Bern, Switzerland – Mühle Hunziken
December 8, 2024: Milan, Italy – Circolo Magnolia
December 10, 2024: Barcelona, Spain – Razzmatazz
December 11, 2024: Madrid, Spain – Mon
December 13, 2024: Toulouse, France – Metronum *without Daniel Romano’s Outfit
December 14, 2024: Lyon, France – Marche Gare *without Daniel Romano’s Outfit
BLUES PILLS is:
Elin Larsson – vocals
Zack Anderson – Guitar
Kristoffer Schander – Bass
André Kvarnström – Drums
Pre-order BLUES PILLS album BIRTHDAY here:
