Formed by three psychology professors—guitarists Rich Griffith and Rick Frei, and vocalist Mark Healy—and then rounded out with bassist Caitie O’Shea, renowned drummer Dusty Watson, and surf and punk legend Jimmy Dale, surf-punk band The Balboas basically started out as a pandemic project stretched across six different cities in the United States. “When the pandemic hit, we were like most people – scared and anxious, just trying to figure out what this new world meant for us, and our families,” explains Griffith about the bands origins. He then continues, explaining how the band came together to record remotely. “We all have home studios. So I would write a song, and then we would share Dropbox links and pass it around until we had all the tracks.” The project has given The Balboas the chance to team up with the likes of East Bay Ray (Dead Kennedys), Paul Roessler (Screamers,45 Grave), Dez Cadena (Black Flag, Misfits), Rikk Agnew (Adolescents, Christian Death), and Mike Palm (Agent Orange).
The Balboas’ debut album, The Pandemic Singles, is due out April 16 via Burn N’ Surf Records. Today, their debuting their new single off the upcoming album called “Dead in One Hour” which features East Bay Ray. “What would you do if you and your best friend just found out you only had one hour to live?” ask the band. “The Balboas and East Bay Ray suggest that you would do nothing but sit there. No hookers, LSD, or dirty secrets revealed. But don’t think too hard, you’re down to 59 minutes…”
With a classic late-’70s/early-’80s punk vibe, hearty gang vocals, and a stomping beat, “Dead in One Hour” is a infectious, classic punk anthem with a humorous edge to it. Check out the rollicking track below.
You can pre-order The Pandemic Singles from the group’s Bandcamp. Follow The Balboas on Facebook and Instagram for future updates.
Photo courtesy of Suzanne Clements.
