The members of Austin, Texas band Fastball have been chugging along for over two decades, and even though the days of their hit 90s tunes “The Way” and “Out Of My Head” have long since passed, they have continued to crank out catchy pop-laden rock tunes. Earlier this year Fastball released their sixth studio album Step Into Light, their first in eight years. The 12-song album, on the band’s own 33 1/3 label, embodies all of the qualities that have endeared Fastball to listeners during the trio’s twenty-year-plus career. Such catchy, compelling new tunes as “We’re On Our Way,” “Behind The Sun,” “Best Friend,” “Love Comes In Waves” and “I Will Never Let You Down” continue the band’s longstanding legacy of infectious songcraft and pointed lyrics, as well as playfully inventive arrangements that lend additional depth and resonance to band’s distinctive songwriting. The landscape of popular radio has changed drastically since the golden days of 90s alternative rock, but Fastball’s ability to create punchy, feel-good songs hasn’t aged a bit.
Today Glide is excited to premiere the new video for “Best Friend”. The video goes from a sunny California beach to a house party filled with eclectic characters where, of course, the members of Fastball are performing. “Best Friend” is a song that brings to mind simpler times when it was possible for bands to write straightforward, feel-good rock tunes. In this case, the band’s upbeat harmonies and jubilant guitars and synths take on an almost power pop sound. The video itself matches the the whimsical positivity of the tune.
“Here’s some interesting Fastball trivia: the big green wall Joey walks past while looking for the party is the back of what used to be known as A&M studios – the studios where Fastball recorded their monster hit ‘The Way.’ When Joey told me that I knew that shot was going into the video come hell or high water,” says director Nigel Dick, best known for directing hugely successful videos for Guns N’Roses, Britney Spears and Sheryl Crow among others.
Reflecting on the inspiration behind the song, Fastball’s Miles Zuniga has this to say:
“Tony and I wrote Best Friend a long time ago in Nashville. We were recording with Adam Sleshinger. We went out and ‘jammed’ a bit on some progression, who knows what the original idea was but then we got the bright idea to loop one bar of the jam in a weird spot. It was sort of like a 3 legged dog. Then we wrote the song over that. Tony wrote the verses and I wrote the choruses. It’s an unusual song for Fastball because there are only three chords in the song and we normally have at least seven or eight.”
WATCH:
Step Into Light is out now. Fastball play their final show of 2017 on December 1st at Antone’s in their hometown of Austin. For more music and info visit fastballtheband.com.
Photo credit: Sandra Dahdah
One Response
The video reminds me of Help! and The Monkees TV show. Fun!