Meet young Fresno band Bazil the Great, a pop/rock group with sing-along choruses, catchy melodies and clever quips to match.
Made up of Kyle Lowe (guitar), Jason Wada (bass), Gilbert Hernandez (keys) and Matt Hubble (drums), the band recently released its debut EP, "Purple Spotted Underpants."
We talked to Lowe to get to know Bazil the Great.
Let's start with the name: Bazil the Great? Explain that. Basil The Great is a saint's name, and when I first heard it out loud, I thought, "That sounds rad (I did use the '90s lingo), it needs to be a band name." So I changed the "s" to a "z" just to make it stand out. We aspire to the popularity of Blink-182, where people shorten our name to "Bazil" in casual conversations. "Hey, did you see Bazil last night?"
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How did you guys get started? The abridged version is the bass player, Jason, and I have played in a bunch of bands together since junior high and when I recorded some pop/electronica demos in 2007, he said we needed to play them as a band and convinced me to get the ball rolling.
Describe your style and influences? Our influences include, but are not limited to The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Cars, E.L.O., and Motion City Soundtrack.
You recently put out your debut EP. Tell us a little about that. Our EP, "Purple Spotted Underpants," is an introduction to what or who Bazil is. It has infatuation, heartbreak and most of the stuff in between.
Where can people get it?
Anyone can pick up a "Purple Spotted Underpants" CD at Spinners Records in the Tower District and digitally download it from Amazon.com. It will be up on iTunes in about two weeks. Or everyone can just torrent it, y'know it's all good -- we just want our music to be heard.
Tell us, in exactly 11 words, why someone should see a live show of yours.
Pomegranate. iPhone. Leather. Turtle. Moog. Lego. Fairytale. Velcro. Contagious. Voluminous. Pumpernickel.
What else should people expect from you guys coming up? I'm not exactly sure. We just lost a gig at a Hollywood club and were just declined a deal with Decaydance Records. I'm calling you out, Pete Wentz! So, we're working on a music video with some Fresno State MCJ alumni friends for our song "Hopefully Hopeless" and are in the process of writing a concept album/rock opera. Also, we'll be here to rock the houses at clubs and bars and lounges and playpens and outdoor events for the good people of Fresno all summer long.
For music and more: Go to myspace.com/bazil thegreat.
Know a local musician that more people should be familiar with? Send the who and why to Mike Osegueda, mosegueda@fresnobee.com.
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