The Hits
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | SELF
Music
Press
"Vancouver rockers The Hits are about to gain a much larger following with the release of their self titled album. The Hits are lacking a bass player but in no way does this compromise the band’s overall sound or performance. A high energy rock n’ roll very reminiscent of the golden age of rock is what The Hits’ sound is all about. The band cites such bands as The Rolling Stones and The Clash along with punk mastermind Iggy Pop as some of their main influences."
"The Hits’ music is a great throw back to the bands that paved the way in the development of the rock n’ roll scene. The Hits’ album provides us with their own interpretation of rock including all the aspects that made these older bands so appealing to their audiences – it has swinging beats and the purpose is to have a good time. The Hits expand on this formula adding their own touches including a faster edge to the music which creates a sound that is truly their own. The first track, “Wind Me Up,” has some powerful vocals with the lead singer Lou Slip channeling Little Richard with his high pitched yelps and soulful infusions. The vocals are also contrasted nicely with some rocking riffs shaking the listener and demanding their full attention. This album will have you hooked with the first note and singing its praise to all your friends."
"If you’ve got it, flaunt it! The guys of the Hits sure seem to abide by this motto. You can’t help but be taken in by the music as you soar through the tracks. “Sand in My Shoes” makes it hard to believe this three piece has no bass player. When The Hits, consisting of two guitarists and a drummer, are able to achieve such a vibrantly full sound on their own who needs a bass player? “Sand in My Shoes” has a punk-ish feel to the vocals and melds the two genres into an infectiously catchy track. The 50s rock sound that is ever present in the tracks makes The Hits’ album an experience within itself. “Forget All Your Worries” gets you all shook up with the singer channeling a bit of Elvis’ very distinct snarl/twang vocals. All this mixed with the gang shouts in the background and the ripping guitar being shot at you and it’s clear that The Hits have perfected a winning combination of sound that will have the kids clamouring to the show to bop till they drop to the sounds of The Hits!"Shannon Neeley - Punktv.ca
"I have seen the future, and it’s full of The Hits!"
"At 10:30, Vancouver newcomers The Hits took stage in matching tight white T’s, blue denim jeans and Chuck Taylors. The look was distinctive - polished chrome rock and roll; only the absence of a cig pack rolled into a sleeve was missing from the full Jimmy Dean look.From the first chord you knew you were witnessing something special. I’ve seen thousands of new punk bands, new garage bands, new local bands, tribute bands and even all-girl bands. The Hits blew them ALL out of the water."
"The lyrics are fun, original and catchy with real choruses. There’s a very real maturity about these boys. You know they get it. They’re a marketers dream with the look, the energy on stage, the arched back rock and roll poses; they love what they do and do what they love. The Hits are Lou Slips, Kyle Riot and Dusty Shots. You’ll note the absence of a bass player. Their bassist left and they had to play a gig without him, turns out the dynamic interplay between the two guitarists worked a treat, with the energy on stage improving as a result. Hearing them blast out their 3 minute pop tunes at The Plaza, I can tell you the sound gets under your skin. These guys play off each other; the energy, the rhythms and the full-on vocals keep you rolling on wave after wave of nitrogen laced adrenaline."
"They play every song as though they’re about to explode, as though their dad’s will take away their guitars forever in 5 minutes. They were given just 25 minutes on stage and played their set 10% faster to fit all their material in. It was like Eddie Cochran on speed, Jerry Lee Lewis on Red Bull, Stiff Little Fingers on stage with the Sex Pistols with John Belushi as lead singer doing Twist and Shout. Get me? 50s Rock and Roll meets punk, meets grunge… meet The Hits! See them, book them, buy them a pint in a town near you." Neil Biggin - www.10cplay.com
"and the only thing tighter than this bands' Sprinsteen-esque, stone-washed tighty jeans was their set; balls-to-the-wall, blow your f%$ing face off, rock'n'roll. This is a band to look out for and they quite nearly if not completely stole the limelight" Gloria Hole
- The Nerve Magazine
"For 35 minutes a ferocious three-piece from Langley called the Hits held a huge crowd by the scruff of the neck, kicking it in the pants until it got the goddamned point. It was magnificent: a true rock 'n' roll throw-down". "Miraculously, both live and on record, the lack of a bassist doesn't make much of a difference. Hello Everybody, We Are… is a huge-sounding, breathless half-hour of three-chord mayhem. From the opening track 'Wind Me Up' onwards, Slips and Riot bear down in unison to create a wall of guitar, stopping only for Riot's precarious solos or McDonald's sped-up John Bonham-esque drum fills. Even the album cover–a Ramones-style black-and-white portrait of the leather-jacketed threesome with an emphasis on their crotches and a luminous Gretsch hollowbody–posits the Hits as champions of rock 'n' roll fetishism, bass or no bass. In total, the album evokes everything from Elvis Presley to Johnny Thunders to Slips' beloved Social Distortion. And it's Slips who ices the cake with the kind of singing that comes from below the waist. On the standout track 'All Alone', where he sounds like Hasil Adkins with a firecracker in his ass". Adian Mack
- The Georgia Straight
" Recent recording yeilded the amazing record Hello Everybody, We Are... which most certainly lives up to the hype surrounding it... check out kick-ass rock and roll tunes like 'Sand in my Shoes' and Forget all Your Worries'." " A Hits show is fun for everyone! It's pure sweat and passion, and the essence of what makes rock n' roll so f@cking special and dangerous at its inception. They carry the torch." " If you have half a nut, get out to see the Hits. They are fast becoming a fan favorite and I truly believe they are rock 'n' roll down to the bone." " Did I mention they rock?" Boy Howdy
- The Nerve Magazine
" Ever wanted some early Stones with your Ramones? Well the Hits could be your new favorite band. This debut is a collection of garage rock ditties that'll have you cock-strutting your way to oblivion. Warning: Prolonged listening to this album may result in forfeited damage deposits, broken hearts and one night stands, nymphomania, pyromania, kleptomania, cirrhosis of the liver, and sweaty fits of tit-blistering joy. The nerve magazine will, in no way, be held responcible for any harm incurred while listening to this record." Devon Cody
- The Nerve Magazine
Discography
Over Night Success EP 2005
Hello Everybody We Are... LP 2007
Tracks from Hello Everbody We Are... are streaming on the bands myspace page at www.myspace.com/the_hits
Photos
Bio
The Hits is the brain child of Lou Slips and Kyle Riot. Longtime friends they decided to form a band in 2002. After a few name changes they decided on the Hits. The band was a revolving door of bass players and drummers for years, until dusty joined in the summer of 2006. The band quickly matured and got down to the business of writing a new record. During this time the bass player quit 2 days before a booked show and the there decided to play the show with out him. It went so well that they choose to forgo the bass altogether and have never looked back. The bass is rarely missed at a Hits show where the energy of Lou and Kyle is explosive. They dove into the studio for 6 days to produce a raw energetic record that captures the live feel of the band. Since the release of “Hello Everybody We Are�... in 2007(the release party of which had over 350 people in attendance) they have played tons of shows, wowing crowds and press with their "balls to the wall" rock and roll show. They have opened for such great bands as the Briggs, the Donnas and the Hives, C'mon and the CreepShow to name a few. They have played great venues such as the Commodore Ballroom and have headlined venues like Richards on Richards. This summer they where invited to play the Pemberton Festival where they were the only unsigned Vancouver band in attendance. Headlining the beer garden on a Saturday night and playing to a capacity crowd of over 8,000 people they held their own leaving the huge audience screaming and begging for an encore. After dusty decided to leave the Hits due to family obligations and a career opportunity outside of B.C, the Hits took their time looking around for a proper replacement and when brandon carter offered his talents, the Hits quickly took advantage of the situation and bringing him on as the new drummer. From there the Hits quickly wrote four new songs which they quickly recorded. Currently they are looking for the right label to release their next record and are booking shows everywhere so they can to get the message out. Real rock and roll is back baby, and its here to stay!
Band Members
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