SoCal punk legends T.S.O.L. shivers with anticipppppation with "Sweet Transvestite"
“You never know what's going to happen when you hand over creative control to someone you've never met, but I'm a big fan of surprises--both good and bad,” says Jack Grisham, vocalist for legendary SoCal punks T.S.O.L.about the new video for “Sweet Transvestite” from their ninth studio album A-Side Graffiti (released February 27, 2024 via Kitten Robot Records). “Gavin [Holmes, director] came through with a good one!” Resembling a mashup of Tim Burton’s unique stop-action animated films (The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Corpse Bride, Frankenweenie) and the visual flair of Jim Sharman’s cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show (from whence this cover song was culled), the video for “Sweet Transvestite” is a hyper-realistic visualization of the song’s campy source material.
Replying to an open call for creative fan-made videos for A-Side Graffiti’s twelve tracks, Holmes sent Grisham a message, hoping he could submit a video. "Gavin said he'd heard about the video contest--which was really not a contest at all but just a way to let our friends get involved in the song release process, and he wondered if he still had time to whip something up,” he recalls. “I offered him ‘Sweet Transvestite’ and he ran with it.”
The A.I.-created video transforms the iconic Rocky Horror characters “Dr. Frank N. Furter,” “Janet,” “Riff Raff,” “Magenta,” and others into the digital realm, drawing inspiration from the stop-motion figurines in Tim Burton’s animated classics.
"When we were starting out, punk bands didn't sling merch like they do today," he continues. "So if you wanted a t-shirt, you had to make your own. You'd get a plain white tee, cut a stencil, steal a can of spray paint (Krylon was my favorite) from the local hardware, and off you'd go. Nowadays, with the technology at hand, if you want to make a video for your favorite song, it's as easy as making that old punk shirt. And just like back then, some of those handmades looked like they rode to the show on the slow bus while others looked like they'd been crafted by a master - albeit one who preferred his palette stocked by the scarlet hues of anarchy," he laughs.
“Sweet Transvestite” features guest vocals of Keith Morris of Circle Jerks/Off fame in the role of “Brad," this faithful rendition of the campy classic was initially recorded for a tribute album but was deemed “too close to the original.” Comments Grisham, “When we delivered our version we were told that they’d expected us to ‘punk it up.’ Hmmm, I’m not sure how much punker we could’ve been. T.S.O.L. playing a show tune with Keith Morris as the character ‘Brad ‘is about as punk as you can get.”
Low-Low-Low (2:21)
Rhythm of Cruelty (3:07)
Sweet Transvestite (3:17)
Ghost Train (3:46)
Never Go Home (3:33)
Nothing's Ever Right (3:11)
1 Thing (3:39)
Good to be Home (3:40)
The Way You Groove (3:49)
Swimming (2:53)
What a Wonderful World (3:04)
Can You Hear Me (4:56)
“Sweet Transvestite” is but one highlight from an eclectic album full of high points, including “Swimming" (the first single from the album), which Wasted Attitude calls a "West Coast punk anthem in waiting." Mixed amongst a loose cover of Louis Armstrong's "Wonderful World" is a re-interpretation of David Bowie’s “Can You Hear Me?” featuring some of their musical friends including Frank Agnew from the Adolescents, Chip Hannah of the Trigger Complex, and Murphy from Sugar Ray, and a surprising cover of R&B chanteuse Amerie's "1 Thing." MXDWN praises it as “an incredible album” while The Aquarian chimes, “It dazzled me in ways I never expected and is in the running for my Top Ten of 2024.” Orange County Register calls the record “a siren call to the mosh pit. Yeah, it may hurt a bit tomorrow, but the dancing and singing along will undoubtedly serve as a temporary sweet relief from reality.”
Starting in the Huntington Beach/Long Beach, CA scene in the late ‘70s, T.S.O.L. (short for “True Sounds of Liberty”) is revered in the punk community which celebrates their iconic band logo as well as the band’s wealth of punk anthems. Four decades later, the band soldiers on with no less passion or fury. “I’ve done my share of wiggling to the oldies, but shit, it can get boring,” concludes Jack. “I think it’s important for a band to keep pushing—trying new things. If not, you might as well do the county fair circuit. Not that there’s anything wrong with that—you’ve got to make a living somehow. Shit, oh well, back to the present. Here’s this; a few covers, a few requests, a couple what ifs, and a why not. I hope you enjoy it.”
A-Side Graffiti is now available via Kitten Robot. Stream/Purchase "Swimming" at Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Pandora, Amazon and YouTube.
“Since their inception in the late ’70s, T.S.O.L. has remained a cornerstone of the punk community, embodying the rebellious spirit that defines the genre. As they gear up for the release of A-Side Graffiti, T.S.O.L. continues to defy expectations, proving that their relevance transcends time and trends.” - Rebel Noise
"With searing guitars and a rhythm section ready for an old school mosh pit, [T.S.O.L.] launches out of the record with sweat and teeth." - MXDWN
"West Coast punk legends T.S.O.L. are back Feb. 27 with their ninth full-length, A-Side Graffiti. All hail a band that tosses in a cover of “Sweet Transvestite.” - Buzzbands
