Artist: The Violet Lights
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Touring info: Pretty West Coast local right now, but stay up to date here: www.thevioletlights.com/shows.php
Album: EP Sex and Sound out now, available on Amazon and iTunes
Proof: They are so new that this video of “Your Love/Not Enough” is the only video I could find, so just buy the album and listen to it
Website: www.TheVioletLights.com
During a post-college band publicity gig, I discovered (then researched, then stalked) a woman with whom it became my ultimate quest to get a five-minute slot of time with. This woman was Alex Patsavas. Some of you may not recognize her name, but you’ve seen it a million times before under the Music Supervision credit line of basically every teen dream (and otherwise) movie and television show of the past few years. She’s the musical mastermind behind Grey’s Anatomy, The O.C, Gossip Girl, Twilight, Mad Men, Water for Elephants…just to name a few.
You know that high school girl that has somehow discovered some up-and-coming band, splattered her binder with their stickers and is now simply listed as “girl who really loves that one band” in the yearbook? Alex Patsavas churns out 500 of these girls before breakfast every day.
But this post isn’t (really) about Alex Patsavas. A few months ago when a submission came through from a brand spanking new LA group called The Violet Lights, I thought of Ms. Patsavas within 10 seconds of listening. Why? Because The Violet Lights are highly marketable: with a British-influenced pop-rock sound this band is sexy, chic and fun. Basically this band is a dream come true for someone like Alex Patsavas and for an emerging indie pop rock band, this is a very good position to be in.
In a few months Alex will, too, discover this band, slap them on the background of a Gossip Girl make-out scene and shoot The Violet Lights straight to the hearts and binders of aforementioned churned out girls.
And though I don’t have anywhere near the power Alex does, I just basically wanted documented dated proof that I saw this in them before her. (So I may have a slight competitive streak. Whatever.)
Not to at all discredit talent of The Violet Lights, just to point out that being in this type of genre is tough right now. Indie press comes from a lot of magazines and websites who won’t talk about you because you’re not indie (read: weird) enough and the Top 40 folks don’t care abut you until you’ve flung up the Billboard charts and threatened Train. TV and film placement is practically necessary for a talented band with mainstream potential because it’s the fastest way to the kids. And, thanks to people like Alex Patsavas, the music being shot to the kids is getting to be of better and better quality.
The Violet Lights are a five-piece group from Silver Lake, fronted by Joel Nass and Amber Garvey, who are so fresh to the scene they barely have one EP under their belt. But the EP they have Sex and Sound is undoubtedly all they will need to find success (or at least a label to fund the full album). They shine on the single “Your Love/Not Enough”, a strong alternative pop tune and bring out their edgy garage-side on “Substitute,” but it’s “Sex and Sound” that is ultimately the striking standout- an instant hit. They are one of my favorite non-label/publicist band submissions in the history of this site because getting a good one is rare, getting an incredible one is just astounding.
Freshman Honors is basically a way for me to say, “I told you so” when bands that I find in early stages explode and take over the world. And also I like to create loyalties to people I think will be very rich someday. So, yeah, The Violet Lights were the perfect fit.
Check my interview with lead singer Joel Nass below and get all the scoop you need to stalk, prey and listen above.
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Who are your top three influences?
Oasis, The White Stripes, The Kinks
If you had to pick one celebrity to represent your whole band, who would it be?
I’m going to let Amber answer this one, so what do you think Amber? Fashion model Natalia Vodianova, because she worked her way out of poverty in Russia to become a world famous model by working hard and never giving up.
How would you describe your sound in five words?
Fun nice life beautiful…hopefully
Where do you want to be one year from now?
On tour in the UK, hopefully sooner.
What is the first record you ever bought?
Weezer Blue, a gift to my little brother for Christmas.
Life gives you lemons, what do you do with them?
Lemon Curd, of course!
