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Semi Precious Weapons – You Love You
Client: Perezcious / Streamline / Cherrytree / Geffen
Release Date: 2010-06-28
Project Manager: Michelle Fleishman
Justin Tranter’s not like everybody else. “Why would you want to be like everybody else?” demands the Semi Precious Weapons front man. “Rock’n’roll is supposed to be rebellious, shocking, ridiculous.” The Brooklyn quartet is all that and more: Soulful, sleazy, celebratory tunes that rock as hard and stylishly as Justin swaggers. It’s not my fault that I look better in her party dress, he shrugs and taunts at the beginning of “Magnetic Baby,” a song that nails the band’s garage-glam to your ears with hooks the likes of which have not been heard since Axl Rose was pretty… read more
“Musically, there’s a little more cock rock and dance groove than what people think of when they think of glam,” says Justin. “It’s raucous, hypersexual, easy-to-sing-along-to rock’n’roll, with my self-indulgent self-empowered lyrics.” Voted “Best Band in New York” by readers of the Village Voice last year, Semi Precious Weapons are a band that’s thrilled to say they got to play all-ages gigs at CBGBs, but wouldn’t necessarily feel out of place at the John Varvatos store (which recently took over the lease from the legendary music club). After all, Justin had a make-up artist before SPW had an A&R guy.
The band’s not-so-dirty secret, and the reason why the songs are as accomplished and concise as they are bloody and bombastic, is that all four members are whip-sharp musicians. Tranter, bassist Cole Whittle and drummer Dan Crean met when studying music at school in Boston. Introduced through a producer friend, the foursome joined up for good after they met guitarist Stevy Pyne. “We heard him play and were blown away,” says Justin.
A classic rock obsessive, Whittle encouraged Justin to make SPW more grandiose. “We wanted to make filthy party hits; bring the party back to rock’n’roll and back to New York City.” Whittle says. “The songs Justin had already written were great songs, but they didn’t have super-catchy choruses. I kind of thought, let’s write songs that should be on the radio.” Whittle’s new riffs allowed the band to play as hard as they wanted and the lyrics to be as over-the-top as Justin wanted.
Live, Semi Precious Weapons are in a class of their own. The band is known for their energy filled, circus-like live shows. LA Weekly describes SPW as “gun-blazing bitch-rock. Weapons are a hybrid of Bowie-esque stage seduction and Sex Pistols-style insolence.” Bass player Cole Whittle thrashes about stage with his ultimate fighting moves, while drummer Dan Crean fiercely pummels the drums. “Every time Justin sings I can’t pay my rent but I’m fucking gorgeous, every face in the crowd lights up,” adds Crean. The band has been engaging fans across the country, recently selling out shows at Canada’s NXNE Music Festival. Not to mention the shows in Paris and London where Kate Moss showed up, and The Guardian newspaper called SPW “the most important band in America.”
Part hedonist and part satirist, Justin’s lyrics are both tongue-in-cheek and a sincere expression of his core philosophy. The sentiment of the aforementioned I can’t pay my rent but I’m fucking gorgeous which he sings at the start of “Semi Precious Weapons” has made such an impact on the band’s followers that they now drown him out at the start of every show. Sometimes I bleed because red is a good color for me, he sings in “Rock’N’Roll Never Looked So Beautiful,” a slow-burn epic on the order of “November Rain” or “Champagne Supernova.” “If you decide you look amazing, then you are,” he says. “If you say you’re the most beautiful, you are.” Don’t let the clothes or make-up fool you – Justin is neither goth nor emo (nor a drag queen), just a guy who gets along well with his inner glamazon. “People get so upset that we like ourselves,” he says. “They want bands to talk about how tortured they are, and how much fun they’re not having.”
Justin also fills that role by making jewelry, a business that he only started ‘cause the band needed some merch to sell at early gigs. "My mom’s an engagement ring designer, so when it was time to get a day job at 18, a jewelry store is where I went," he says. “I knew where I could go in the wholesale fashion district to buy pieces to put stuff together.” His necklaces based on the band’s gun and hearts logo quickly blossomed into Fetty Brooklyn, now a three-tiered line (Fetty, Semi Precious Weapons and Fame) available at Barney’s, Urban Outfitters and Fred Segal, as well as home-base boutique Alter. “We paid for our record with jewelry money,” Justin says. Justin has also branched out into shoes, with a limited edition made for DKNY.
“The cool thing about this band is that everybody is themselves,” says Crean. “Justin wears his high heels every day. It’s not a stage performance choice. It’s what makes him feel good when he gets up in the morning.” Says Justin, “A man in heels and make-up is still quite a shock to most of the world. I think it looks fantastic, some people get angry. Which for rock’n’roll is kind of a perfect combination.” And it turns out Justin is willing to admit that Semi Precious Weapons are like everybody else in one respect. “We’re playing rock’n’roll as good as anybody that’s ever played rock’n’roll,” he says. “We just look better doing it.”.. read less
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News
Semi Precious Weapons: Monster Ball Ticket Giveaway, Afterparties & More!
2010-06-22 07:24pm
Semi Precious Weapons Debut You Love You out 6/29
Stream the full album early, plus Monster Ball ticket giveaways, afterparties and more!
Filthy glamour New York rock stars Semi Precious Weapons are gearing up for the June 29th release of their hotly anticipated Geffen/Perezcious/Streamline/Cherrytree Records debut, You Love You, available for pre-order now on Amazon.com: Click here
Produced by rock world kingpin Jack Joseph Puig (The Rolling Stones, Beck, Green Day), along with Executive Producer Lady Gaga, the album will be streaming in its entirety beginning Saturday June 26th on MySpace
The band stripped down for an intimate set on The Cherrytree House, including a cover of Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen’s legendary “Because The Night,” plus acoustic versions of their own “Put A Diamond In It” and “Look At Me.” Check out the trailer at Click here and watch the full performance June 29th on cherrytreerecords.com
Monster Ball Ticket Giveaways & After Parties!
Semi Precious Weapons resume their opening slot on Lady Gaga’s Monster Ball tour starting June 28th, and they want to see you there! The globetrotting glam rockers are giving a pair of tickets away to every US show on the summer leg of the tour. For more information on how to score tickets to the hottest tour of 2010, follow @preciousweapons on Twitter: http://twitter.com/preciousweapons
The band is also hosting and performing at official Monster Ball afterparties all summer. Check out the first confirmed dates below and stay tuned for more:
Date City Venue
6/28 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
7/01 Boston, MA TD Garden
7/02 Boston, MA TD Garden
7/04 Atlantic City, NJ Broadway Hall
7/06 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
7/07 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
7/09 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
7/11 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
7/11 Toronto, ON Afterparty @ Time Nightclub
7/12 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
7/11 Toronto, ON Afterparty @ The Barn
7/14 Cleveland, OH Quicken Loans Arena
7/15 Indianapolis, IN Conseco Fieldhouse
7/15 Indianapolis, IN Afterparty @ Talbott Street
7/17 St. Louis, MO Scottrade Center
7/20 Oklahoma City, OK Ford Center
7/22 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
7/22 Dallas, TX Afterparty @ Ghostbar (W Hotel)
7/23 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
7/25 Houston, TX Toyota Center
7/26 Houston, TX Toyota Center
7/28 Denver, CO Pepsi Center
7/31 Phoenix, AZ US Airways Center
8/03 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
8/11 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
8/12 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
8/13 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena
8/16 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion
8/16 San Jose, CA Afterparty @ Voodoo Lounge
8/17 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion
8/17 San Jose, CA Afterparty @ Voodoo Lounge
8/19 Portland, OR Rose Garden
8/19 Portland, OR Afterparty @ Refuge
8/21 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall
8/23 Vancouver, BC General Motors Place
8/24 Vancouver, BC General Motors Place
8/24 Vancouver, BC Afterparty @ Fortune Sound Club
8/26 Edmonton, AB Rexall Place
8/26 Edmonton, AB Afterparty @ Oil City
827 Edmonton, AB Rexall Place
827 Edmonton, AB Afterparty @ Vinyl
8/30 Saint Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
8/31 Saint Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
9/02 Milwaukee, WI Bradley Center
9/04 Detroit, MI Palace Of Auburn Hills
9/05 Pittsburgh, PA Consol Energy Center
9/07 Washington, DC Verizon Center
9/08 Charlottesville, VA John Paul Jones Arena
9/14 Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center
9/15 Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center
9/16 Hartford, CT XL CENTER
9/18 Charlotte, NC Time Warner Cable Arena
9/19 Raleigh, NC RBC Center
SEMI PRECIOUS WEAPONS – You Love You – Out 6/29
1. Semi Precious Weapons
2. Put A Diamond In It
3. Magnetic Baby
4. Statues Of Ourselves
5. Sticky With Champagne
6. I Could Die
7. Leave Your Pretty To Me
8. Rock N Roll Never Looked So Beautiful
9. Look At Me
Amazon Pre-order: Click here
Album Artwork: Click here
Track by Track Description, by Semi Precious Weapons:
1. Semi Precious Weapons: Despite being voted best band in NYC by the Village Voice, SPW are some broke ass bitches. When you use all the money you have to get your music out there, paying rent is a motherfucker. To avoid the streets, the band has stayed in (and were later evicted from) an illegal loft above a polish sweatshop, they have shared apartments with abusive, drug-addicted convicts, and banged (mostly) hot chicks across the 5 boroughs who could supply a warm bed to some gorgeous rockers. This track will leave you screaming Stevy, as his blistering guitar solo lights your pants on fire.
2. Put A Diamond In It: Newsflash: rock music is supposed to be fun. It is not about standing back with your arms folded, watching a fat hipster girl play an accordion and try to sing, When you listen to the ultra catchy hook of the rock n roll smash hit Diamond, you are left with no choice but to jump up and dance. And you know you want Justin’s baby.
3. Magnetic Baby: Justin is the most charismatic individual to walk the planet. Women throw their moist panties at him and straight dudes want to fuck him. He has the magnetic power to draw you into his world of fame and excitement. Ultimately, this can breed jealousy, bitterness, love, lust, loss, and revenge. SPW brings you all the Shakespeare you could want but in a fucking sing along rock anthem.
4. Statues Of Ourselves: Cole Whittle’s haunting bass line invites you into a scene from NYC nightlife the way it should be lived. There is no party like a Lady Starlight party. And when Justin, Darian Darling, Breedlove, and other members of the Precious empire are in attendance, there is no other option but to worship them. They will even build their own statues to idolize. You have to worship yourself before anyone else will.
5. Sticky With Champagne: For Justin’s birthday, we wanted to go see a Sandra Bullock film. But we accidentally got drunk, had an impromptu naked photo shoot, and ended up seeing a hipster film. We snuck champagne into the theater and it exploded. We got sticky. As for the lyrics, they are so dark that I can’t even go there.
6. I Could Die: This song is a perfect example of how the album manages to capture the excitement and energy of a live show. The raw screams of the chorus, along with the rhythmic pounding of Dan’s explosive drum beat mirrors the passionate obsessive love being explored.
7. Leave Your Pretty To Me: Justin has a knack for attracting women who are beautiful, tragic disasters. Homeless, heroin addicted, anorexic, alcoholic cutters who live and breathe for Justin and the band. He has always given too much of himself in trying to heal them. This song captures Justin’s realization that it is not his responsibility to fix them. But it does not stop him from loving them. This ballad will break your fucking heart.
8. Rock n Roll Never Looked So Beautiful: Rock and Roll should be filthy and glamorous. Rock out with your cock out and show your tits.
9. Look at Me: If anyone assumes this is an all show and no substance operation, they can go fuck themselves. There is a gorgeous quiet composition to this song that reveals the true versatility and talent of the band. The message that love is organic, defying explanation or labels is further proof there is more than just flawless stage presence to Semi Precious Weapons.
About Semi Precious Weapons:
Boston Globe declares that “SPW splits the difference between AC/DC and Queen.” Fronted by the fierce Justin Tranter, the visual appeal of the band, who are masterfully thrusting sex, glamour, and loving violence back into the rock & roll spotlight, is undeniable. Tranter easily dominates any stage, with crowd pleasing antics ranging from gravity defying high kicks in his custom made Stuart Weitzman heels to pouring champagne into eager mouths of fans. What may be more shocking then their live show is the bloody, sweaty, reality of the band’s achievements on their road to a major label deal. The level of musicianship of each member of the band is by no means the studio-produced image that dominates the scene. “I mean our damn drummer has a fucking degree in classical composition and I have one in songwriting, whatever that means…” states Tranter, who met drummer Dan Crean, Bassist Cole Whittle, and guitarist Stevy Pyne in Boston while attending the Berklee School of Music. With brash lyrics like: “I can’t pay my rent, but I’m fucking gorgeous,” SPW quickly drew a loyal NYC following and were ultimately voted Best Band in NYC by the Village Voice. During their self-made uprising, SPW asked another NYC based rock ’n roll original, Lady Gaga, to open for them. This invite sparked a friendship that has endured and has culminated in these two uncompromising musical artists to embark together on one of the most talked about world tours this year- “The Monster Ball.” We leave the final words to Justin, "our new record is titled “You Love You” because our not-so-secret mission is hoping that our fans will love themselves and rock ’n roll more than anything else, even me."
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