Out of nowhere, Lagwagon leader Joey Cape is sharing the first Bad Astronaut song in 15 years. The track is called "Wide Awake," and it actually comes as part of a sprawling Bad Astronaut box set.
Called Bad Astronaut - Universe, the retrospective vinyl box set is due out on April 23 on Fat Wreck. It will collect all three albums from Cape's more indie-rock-minded project, including 2001's Acrophobe, 2002's Houston: We Have A Drinking Problem and the first-ever vinyl pressing of 2006's Twelve Small Steps, One Giant Disappointment.
"Wide Awake" comes as part of a 7-inch included in the box, with the B-side being a previously unreleased alternate version of Bad Astronaut's "Violet."
Down below, you can stream "Wide Awake" for yourself.
"My favourite thing in the world is when bands make three records, break up and then years later, there's an anthology or a box set," Cape said in a statement. "And you're immediately like, 'Why? But also, 'I'm gonna buy it!
"It's like a missing link in my life. When I have that box set in my vinyl collection, I'll feel like, 'Okay, I can finally move on.'"
Bad Astronaut bassist Marko DeSantis stated: "We're still really proud of this music, and enough time has passed that we can go back and listen to it objectively. But it's bittersweet because you get so stoked to think about Bad Astronaut, it brings back so many inside jokes and great feelings and pride, but then it also reminds me that [drummer] Derrick [Plourde] died, and he didn't die in a very sweet way. It's a hard place to return to, but at the same time, you just remind yourself that anything that has Derrick involved in it keeps Derrick alive to some degree."
Cape added, "I felt the same way going through the music for this box set. It was really lovely to hear how Derrick would finish my musical sentences."
As for the band's return with "Wide Awake," the song was written by keyboardist Todd Capps and it came together over Zoom.
"Todd Capps has been doing scoring with virtual instruments forever, so he was able to put forth something that was pretty much done," Cape explained. "I wrote the lyrics, but Todd wrote the melody. I think it came out really cool."
You can get more info on Bad Astronaut - Universe and pre-order it here.
Called Bad Astronaut - Universe, the retrospective vinyl box set is due out on April 23 on Fat Wreck. It will collect all three albums from Cape's more indie-rock-minded project, including 2001's Acrophobe, 2002's Houston: We Have A Drinking Problem and the first-ever vinyl pressing of 2006's Twelve Small Steps, One Giant Disappointment.
"Wide Awake" comes as part of a 7-inch included in the box, with the B-side being a previously unreleased alternate version of Bad Astronaut's "Violet."
Down below, you can stream "Wide Awake" for yourself.
"My favourite thing in the world is when bands make three records, break up and then years later, there's an anthology or a box set," Cape said in a statement. "And you're immediately like, 'Why? But also, 'I'm gonna buy it!
"It's like a missing link in my life. When I have that box set in my vinyl collection, I'll feel like, 'Okay, I can finally move on.'"
Bad Astronaut bassist Marko DeSantis stated: "We're still really proud of this music, and enough time has passed that we can go back and listen to it objectively. But it's bittersweet because you get so stoked to think about Bad Astronaut, it brings back so many inside jokes and great feelings and pride, but then it also reminds me that [drummer] Derrick [Plourde] died, and he didn't die in a very sweet way. It's a hard place to return to, but at the same time, you just remind yourself that anything that has Derrick involved in it keeps Derrick alive to some degree."
Cape added, "I felt the same way going through the music for this box set. It was really lovely to hear how Derrick would finish my musical sentences."
As for the band's return with "Wide Awake," the song was written by keyboardist Todd Capps and it came together over Zoom.
"Todd Capps has been doing scoring with virtual instruments forever, so he was able to put forth something that was pretty much done," Cape explained. "I wrote the lyrics, but Todd wrote the melody. I think it came out really cool."
You can get more info on Bad Astronaut - Universe and pre-order it here.
