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Hollerado preps 'Born Yesterday' (watch the anti-Trump 'Grief Money' lyric video)

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Toronto’s Hollerado will release their new album, Born Yesterday, on April 14 via Royal Mountain Records (Canadian home to PUP, Alvvays, Mac DeMarco and more). The new single is the decidedly political “Grief Money” which, sonically, goes for a Gang of Four-style angular funk-punk attack. The lyric video, which effectively uses footage from Donald Trump’s campaign and early days in office to underline its message, premieres in this post. You can watch it, and read what the band’s Menno Versteeg has to say about it, below.

Hollerado will be on tour starting this week in Europe with fellow Canadians Sum 41 (who Hollerado have toured with before and covered), followed by Canadian dates this spring. No U.S. shows are currently scheduled — they were here back in the fall — but all dates are listed below.

We wrote this song before Trump was even a candidate. It’s sad that it’s an age-old problem; people who are stronger, wealthier, or more powerful trying to impose their will on others.

It is wrong that rich white men have the power to decide what women can do with their bodies, or who is welcome in a country, or that billions of dollars a year are spent to fight a war on drugs that only serves to further institutionalize racism and further marginalize the poorest segments of our society. There is so much wrong with how the world is being run right now, I don’t know where to begin.

The way our band sees it is that if you want to shoot ecstasy into your eyeballs and pay another consenting adult to ride around on a unicycle while you fuck a jar of mayonnaise, then good for you! As long as you are not hurting anyone then you should be allowed to do and say whatever you want. And also if you are a mayo banger you are not allowed to criticize those folks who prefer to be dead sober and suck off bottles of ketchup while watching Coronation Street. Those two things should be able to co-exist.

It’s easy to feel helpless and frustrated. I feel like rappers are the only ones who are writing protest music these days, almost as if it’s an uncool topic for rock bands. Maybe that’s because it’s futile or maybe because we don’t want to sound like our parents in the sixties. Maybe because if someone has the means to be in a touring band, they probably have mainly first world problems they have to face on a daily basis. But we are now way past the point of worrying about being cheesy in a song. We have to say something whenever we have the chance. It doesn’t even have to be articulate, as long as the intention is true, the message will send. And we have to do the right thing whenever we can. Small acts of kindness and protest WILL make a difference.

This world is a beautiful place and full of perfect creatures of all shapes and sizes. We don’t need to all be best friends but we have to find a way exist on the same planet. For now, it’s the best one we have.

In the words of Bill S. Preston Esq. – ‘Be Excellent to Each Other’

P.S. If you are extremely wealthy, good for you! Hopefully you did or are doing something to earn it. All you have to do now is show empathy and compassion toward your fellow humans and once in a while do something with your money that benefits people less fortunate. If that’s the case, then, CONGRATULATIONS! This song is no longer about you!

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Hollerado – Born Yesterday – tracklist:
Born Yesterday
Don’t Shake
Brick Wall
Grief Money
I Got You
Rollerskater
Sorry You’re Alright
Eloise
Better Than The Cure
Age Of Communiation
If It Is Love

Hollerado – 2017 Tour Dates:
02/28 Glasgow, UK @ Barrowlands *
03/02 London, UK @ Brixton Academy *
03/03 Bristol, UK @ O2 Academy *
03/04 Nottingham, UK @ Rock City *
03/06 Southampton, UK @ Guildhall *
03/08 Brussels, BE @ AB *
03/09 Esch Sur Alzette, LU @ Rockhal *
03/10 Tilburg, NL @ O13 *
03/12 Euralille, FR @ Aeroneuf *
03/13 Hamburg, DE @ Grosse Freiheit *
03/15 Stockholm, SE @ Fryshuset *
03/17 Helsinki, FI @ TAVASTIA
03/19 Moscow, RU @ Stadium Live *
04/19 Toronto, ON @ The Indies at Canadian Music Week, Phoenix Concert Theatre
05/11 Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rossa
05/12 Ottawa, ON @ Zaphod Beeblebrox
05/25 Waterloo, ON @ Starlight
05/26 St. Catharines, ON @ Warehouse
05/27 Hamilton, ON @ Mills Hardware
05/29 Sudbury, ON @ Townhouse
05/31 Thunder Bay, ON @ Crocks
06/01 Winnipeg, MB @ Park Theater
06/02 Saskatoon, SK @ Amigos
06/03 Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room
06/04 Red Deer, AB @ Bo’s Bar
06/07 Kelowna, BC @ Habitat
06/08 Nanaimo, BC @ The Queens
06/09 Victoria, BC @ Sugar
06/10 Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
06/12 Whistler, BC @ Garibaldi Lift Company
06/14 Rossland, BC @ The Flying Steamshovel
06/15 Calgary, AB @ The Marquee
06/17 Regina, SK @ Exchange

* w/ Sum 41