Wheatus/brendan b brown interview (new ‘Just a Dirtbag Christmas’ EP out now via Sony Music/in UK Top 75)

WHEATUS

‘JUST A DIRTBAG CHRISTMAS’ EP

AVAILABLE NOW (VIA SONY MUSIC)

EP INCLUDES FESTIVE REWRITE OF “TEENAGE DIRTBAG” PLUS FOUR MORE NEW TRACKS

WHEATUS CURRENTLY PLAYING AUTUMN 2023 UK & IRISH HEADLINE TOUR

Legacy Recordings, the catalogue division of Sony Music Entertainment, puts a seasonal spin on one of the catchiest rock songs of the early ‘00s with Just a Dirtbag Christmas, the new EP from Wheatus.

The five-track EP is available on all DSPs starting today. Listen to it HERE

Just a Dirtbag Christmas kicks off with “Christmas Dirtbag,” a new Santa-themed version of Wheatus’ mega-hit signature song “Teenage Dirtbag.” It’s backed with three further festive-based tunes (“You Made Me Believe in Christmas,” “Feels Like Christmas,” “Mean Christmas”), as well as a yule log-ready string quartet version of “Teenage Dirtbag.”

Just a Dirtbag Christmas EP tracklisting;

1. Christmas Dirtbag
2. You Made Me Believe in Christmas
3. Feels Like Christmas
4. Mean Christmas
5. Teenage Dirtbag (String Quartet Version)

“We’ve talked about doing a Christmas song for many years, and this seemed like the perfect year to make it happen,” Wheatus founder, frontman and songwriter Brendan B. Brown says. “But after much discussion we couldn’t settle on just one idea, and we wound up with five! So, we figured – why not make it an EP? There’s a big pop rock song, a vintage 1950s number, a dark & heavy one, a classy instrumental, and of course we couldn’t resist a Christmas Dirtbag…we wanted there to be something for everyone!”

Additionally, Wheatus is calling all Christmas Dirtbags out there to help put together a special video with the band! Whether you’re on the naughty or nice list, throw on your Santa hats, sip on some eggnog (ingredients depending on age), and show us what being a Christmas Dirtbag means to you. Submit your video entries HERE for a chance to be included in an upcoming Wheatus video.

More than two decades after its release, the original “Teenage Dirtbag” endures as a relatable high school misfit story and an irresistible singalong wherever karaoke bars are found. With a memorable video featuring the cast of the 2000 teen cult film Loser, “Teenage Dirtbag” became a worldwide smash, reaching the Top 10 of Billboard’s modern rock chart as well as eight Top 10 charts around the world. (It was a particularly sizable hit in Australia, not only reaching No. 1 but becoming the country’s second biggest single of 2000.)

The song has enjoyed renewed popularity in recent years via TikTok, where users set montages of their throwback photos to the song. Brown recently went viral on TikTok duetting with a video of himself singing the song’s falsetto chorus toward the end of the track. The band – lead singer/guitarist Brendan B. Brown, bassist Matthew Milligan, keyboardist Brandon Ticer, drummer KC Marotta and backing vocalists Joey Slater & Gabrielle Sterbenz – continue to perform live all over the globe. They’re making their way across the U.K. and Europe

this autumn – with pre-show VIP packages available on most dates – before returning to their home state of New York for two shows on Thanksgiving weekend. Last few remaining tickets available here

Wheatus – Autumn 2023 Tour Dates

13 October                    Stoke-on-Trent – The Sugarmill

14 October                    Hertford Corn Exchange

15 October                    Bristol Thekla

17 October                    Margate Olby’s Creative Hub

18 October                    Southend Chinnery’s

19 October                    Worthing – The Factory Live

20 October                    London – The Garage

21 October                    Guildford – The Boileroom

22 October                    Swansea – The Bunkhouse

24 October                    Belfast Limelight (VENUE UPGRADED DUE TO DEMAND)

25 October                    Killarney Gleneagle INEC Club

26 October                    Cork Cyprus Avenue

27 October                    Galway Monroe’s

28 October                    Castlederg Townhouse Venue

29 October                    Dublin Whelan’s

31 October                    Lincoln – The Drill

2 November                   Rossendale St Mary’s Chambers

3 November                   Huddersfield Parish

4 November                   Corby – The Clubhouse

5 November                   Cambridge Junction

6 November                   Norwich Epic Studios

7 November                   Royal Tunbridge Wells – The Forum

9 November                   Cardiff Tramshed (VENUE UPGRADED DUE TO DEMAND)

10 November                 Bridgwater – The Palace Theatre

11 November                 Portsmouth Moonshine

12 November                 Leicester Soundhouse

24 November                 Spotlight New York, USA

25 November                 Spotlight New York, USA