As the frontwoman for Weathered Pines, bassist for Bad News Babysitters and a touring member of No Kids, Marissa Johnson is no stranger to Vancouver's music community. Despite her endlessly busy schedule, however, she found the time to start sugary noise pop trio Dizzy Eyes with friends Alejandro Costanzo and Jordan Gervais early last year. This week, they welcomed their debut seven-inch on Hardly Art.
But it hasn't all been smooth sailing for Dizzy Eyes. After eight months of playing shows, the band were forced into hiatus when Costanzo's Canadian visa ran out and he was forced to return to his hometown of Monterrey, Mexico.
Despite the obvious inability to tour, Hardly Art still insisted on releasing the band's debut single "Let's Break Up the Band," backing the seven-inch with the tracks "Ay!" and "Sugar Cane."
"Hardly Art contacted us last summer after they had heard some good things about our live show from people they knew," Johnson explains to Exclaim! "They asked to hear some songs and so we sent them some. We were not expecting it, but were so delighted they wanted to work with us, and even more so when they still wanted to after we told them Alejandro was moving away. We all have so much gratitude."
Though it's called "Let's Break Up the Band," the single isn't actually about Costanzo's visa issues. Instead, Johnson says, "The song was written long before we knew this would happen. It's mostly about playing in a band when it has stopped being fun and you'd rather go to the beach and drink a beer than go to band practice."
Furthermore, the band haven't actually broken up. "[Alejandro's] been writing a bunch of songs for us to learn, and we continue to have band meetings over Skype," Johnson explains. "Alejandro is only required to be out of Canada until September of this year, when he can reapply for any kind of visa he'd like. So, we will definitely continue as a band when he gets back."
In the meantime, Johnson will be able to put her focus back into her other projects. "Somehow each of the bands I'm in coincidentally go in fits and starts," she explains. "At a time when one band is really busy, the others will happen to be on a less productive track. It's rare that I feel overwhelmed, but if I do I just give my head a shake and ask myself, 'What the hell else is better than being too busy to do anything but rock'n'roll?!'"
The A-side of the "Let's Break Up the Band" single can be streamed here and the record can be ordered here. Dizzy Eyes will be playing three times during SXSW. The shows are available below.
Tour dates:
3/17 Austin, TX - Hardly Art Fag Party at Shangri-La
3/17 Austin, TX - Red Eyed Fly showcase
3/19 Austin, TX - Hardly Art Pizza Party @ End of an Ear
But it hasn't all been smooth sailing for Dizzy Eyes. After eight months of playing shows, the band were forced into hiatus when Costanzo's Canadian visa ran out and he was forced to return to his hometown of Monterrey, Mexico.
Despite the obvious inability to tour, Hardly Art still insisted on releasing the band's debut single "Let's Break Up the Band," backing the seven-inch with the tracks "Ay!" and "Sugar Cane."
"Hardly Art contacted us last summer after they had heard some good things about our live show from people they knew," Johnson explains to Exclaim! "They asked to hear some songs and so we sent them some. We were not expecting it, but were so delighted they wanted to work with us, and even more so when they still wanted to after we told them Alejandro was moving away. We all have so much gratitude."
Though it's called "Let's Break Up the Band," the single isn't actually about Costanzo's visa issues. Instead, Johnson says, "The song was written long before we knew this would happen. It's mostly about playing in a band when it has stopped being fun and you'd rather go to the beach and drink a beer than go to band practice."
Furthermore, the band haven't actually broken up. "[Alejandro's] been writing a bunch of songs for us to learn, and we continue to have band meetings over Skype," Johnson explains. "Alejandro is only required to be out of Canada until September of this year, when he can reapply for any kind of visa he'd like. So, we will definitely continue as a band when he gets back."
In the meantime, Johnson will be able to put her focus back into her other projects. "Somehow each of the bands I'm in coincidentally go in fits and starts," she explains. "At a time when one band is really busy, the others will happen to be on a less productive track. It's rare that I feel overwhelmed, but if I do I just give my head a shake and ask myself, 'What the hell else is better than being too busy to do anything but rock'n'roll?!'"
The A-side of the "Let's Break Up the Band" single can be streamed here and the record can be ordered here. Dizzy Eyes will be playing three times during SXSW. The shows are available below.
Tour dates:
3/17 Austin, TX - Hardly Art Fag Party at Shangri-La
3/17 Austin, TX - Red Eyed Fly showcase
3/19 Austin, TX - Hardly Art Pizza Party @ End of an Ear
