The third release from Southern California's own The Hollyberries, a 2:33 swingin' slice of summer fun entitled "Boards & Bikinis Rule (Down at Malibu)!"
The Hollyberries is the pet project of Kip Brown, guitarist and founding member of one of L.A.'s original 1970s pop-punk bands, SHOCK ("This Generation's on Vacation") and a longtime member of The Little Girls, a pop outfit best known for their 1983 local hit, "Earthquake Song." Brown formed The Hollyberries in 2009 primarily as an outlet to release a Christmas song he'd written entitled "(I Wanna Go) Surfin' With Santa!" Reminiscent of classic Beach Boys and Jan & Dean (Kip is a longtime fan of both groups, as well as the whole surfing music genre, both vocal and instrumental), but featuring 1960s Girl Group-style female lead vocals, that tune garnered considerable praise immediately out of the gate and has been called everything from a "fun little slice of holiday bubblegum surf" to an "irresistible, effervescent piece of pop" to a "new Christmas classic."
A follow-up single, "(Let's Have a) Surfin' Christmas Holiday," was released just in time for the 2010 holiday season, and featured Kip along with another rotating cast of guest players, including special guest appearances by former groupie and best-selling author Pamela Des Barres ("I'm With The Band") and Jonathan Paley of The Paley Brothers.
The just-released "Boards & Bikinis Rule (Down at Malibu)!" breaks with the Christmas tradition for the first time, and introduces a more pronounced Ramones influence, guitar-wise. Of course, it didn't hurt that the track was mixed and mastered by longtime Ramones producer and engineer, Ed Stasium.
Lending their considerable lead vocal talents to the track - as they had previously done with Surfin' With Santa! - are Kip's Little Girls bandmates, sisters Caron Maso Murray and Michele Maso Tinsley. Amazingly, the trio have been making music together off-and-on since first hooking up way back in 1980!
"Boards & Bikinis Rule (Down at Malibu)!" -- as does "(I Wanna Go) Surfin' with Santa!' -- sports a very cool cover design by Mark London, who is perhaps best known for his work with former Beach Boy Brian WIlson, including both the CD and DVD graphics from Wilson's legendary "Smile" release. The cheesecake hottie pictured on the cover in the polka dot bikini is actually Kip's mother, Jenny Brown, in a shot taken back around 1955-56 by Kip's late father, Bill Brown.
Kip also pays tribute to his late girl friend, Brigitte Burdine by including his nickname for her ("Briggie") on the baby blue surfboard's decal. Sadly, Brigitte lost her life this past December in a tragic hit-and-run in Playa del Rey, California. The surfboard matches exactly the color of the Fender Stratocaster guitar that Brigitte gave Kip for his birthday back in 1996. That guitar was used for all the guitar tracks (sans solo) on "Boards & Bikinis Rule."
"Boards & Bikinis Rule (Down at Malibu)!" is currently available only via iTunes and Amazon.com.
Summer's finally here...the perfect time to head on down to Malibu, where - don'tcha know - Boards & Bikinis Rule!
"Boards & Bikinis Rule (Down at Malibu)!"
Music & Lyrics copyright (c) 2010 Kip Brown. All rights reserved.
Published by Ear Candy Suite Music
(Administered by Benair Churchill LLC http://www.benairchurchill.com/ )
Written, Arranged and Produced by Kip Brown.
Vocal Arrangements by Kip Brown.
Engineered by Chas Ferry.
Recorded at Rock Talk Studios, Simi Valley, CA. ( http://www.rocktalkrecords.com/studio.html )
Mixed & Mastered by Ed Stasium at KozyTone Ranch (www.edstasium.com).
Kip Brown - Guitars, Percussion
Michele Maso Tinsley - Vocals
Caron Maso Murray - Vocals
Chas Ferry - Bass
Marcos Lopez-Iglesias - Drums
Randy Tivens (Rockin' Radio) - Trumpets
Ed Stasium - Guitar Solo, Percussion
Iris Tower-y - Cello
Darren Tinsley, Michelle Maso Tinsley & Kip Brown - Handclaps
Graphic Design: Mark London
Art Direction: Kip Brown
Cover Model: Jenny Brown, circa 1955-56
Photographer: Bill Brown (1925-2005)
Dedicated with Love to Brigitte Burdine (8/8/1962-12/29/2010). Dearly missed.
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