All new Dirt Radicals hit Baybeats
Last year, The Dirt Radicals chose to celebrate their 10th anniversary here in Singapore, because for the formerly Singapore-based multi-national band, this was home.
They put on a free one-hour show at Hood Bar and Cafe at Bugis Junction on Oct 17 - the last gig the pop-punk group played with the original members.
They officially ended their run as a trio with their EP Duder, released last November.
The Dirt Radicals, which comprised Australian bassist-vocalist Sam Cooper, his brother and drummer Matt and Japanese guitarist Masashi Kimura, met in high school in Singapore.
In 2005, the band, known then as Pug Jelly, were nominated for the Favourite Singapore Artiste award at the MTV Asia Awards while touring with big-name acts such as Avril Lavigne, Sum 41 , Simple Plan and Fall Out Boy.
They later disbanded, but got back together to release an album as The Dirt Radicals in 2010 .
Cooper, 31, told The New Paper: "Last year, after playing for years together, we decided that since everyone was in different countries and I'm the main songwriter and singer, it's better if I could just continue on.
"We were constantly trying to do stuff and it was just too difficult - someone would be getting married or someone would be moving (to another) country but I was always the one that was available."
Cooper has been based in Italy for three years, while Matt moved back to Australia where he works as a recruiter and Kimura is married and living in Japan.
"We basically all sat down and I was like, 'Guys, can I just have the band?' and they said 'Totally, we love you, we love your songs and we want you to do well'."
So fast forward nine months, and The Dirt Radicals are back with a new line-up - they're now a foursome - and ready to rock out at this year's Baybeats Festival.
The band's latest additions are Italians Ale Mari (guitar and vocals) and Nico Ugolini (drums) as well as Englishman Sean Buttigieg (lead guitar).
Said Cooper, who has been playing with the trio since January: "Everything feels good and fresh and new. For us it's not just playing a show, it's about getting the crowd involved in what we're doing. All the new members are great at getting the crowd going."
Their new single, Missed Connection, is about someone finding love in the era of dating app Tinder - which is incidentally how he met his Italian girlfriend of six months.
The title is derived from the Missed Connections section of classified advertisements website Craigslist.
And fans will be able to hear this new song at Baybeats.
Cooper said: "What people in Singapore have really liked about our music is upbeat pop-punk fun stuff, so our Baybeats show will be getting in touch with that."
FYI
WHAT: Baybeats Festival 2016
WHERE: Powerhouse Stage (Esplanade Waterfront Carpark)
WHEN: June 26, 9.50pm
TICKETS: Admission is free
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