A technicolor alt-rock collaboration for listeners who want brightness without denial
| Joe Normal has released his brand new single “Maybe This Is All Made Up.” The groove-heavy alt-rock track finds Grammy-winning songwriter and filmmaker Scot Sax on the track and comes with a vibrant and colorful lyric video. The track was written and recorded remotely with a spark of creative thinking between the two musicians and is a shared wonder at the state of current events,with a message to “STAY NORMAL.” This partnership has its roots in a cover. After posting a version of John Lennon’s “Oh Yoko,” Joe was sent, unsolicited, an edited version of the video by Scot Sax. Rather than a master plan, what happened next was the exchange of phrases and melodies via the internet, although not necessarily in that order. |
| Listen to “Maybe This Is All Made Up” HERE |
| About the song, Normal says, “I released a cover video of John Lennon’s “Oh Yoko,” recently that songwriter/film maker Scot Sax saw and he totally unprompted sent me a spontaneous edit he did of the video, which I loved. I thought ‘why don’t we collaborate on an original song?’ So we threw a couple phrases and melodies around over the internet and rather subconsciously hit upon something that I think most people are feeling in light of current events. The song is really just an expression of that same disbelief.” “Maybe This Is All Made Up” sounds brighter than its premise suggests. There is a sunlit quality to it, built on loose, groovy rhythms, lo-fi textures, and towering drums that feel classic without feeling dated. Psychedelic riffs run through the song. Joe and Scot share vocal duties in a way that feels very natural, creating a nice call-and-response. The effect is communal. The song never descends into worrying or cynicism. It recognizes the weird noise in the background of modern life, but it also provides a hook that you can sing along to. It is alt-rock, but it is rock with a pulse, and it is optimistic without being naive. The lyric video leans into that tone. Color bleeds across the screen. Letters spin and slide. The whole thing hums with fluorescent energy. It recalls the glow of a skating floor under black lights. It is bright, slightly surreal, and completely in step with the song’s spirit. “Maybe This Is All Made Up” is the result of that kind of friction. It’s the feel of the quiet disbelief that hums in the background of everything, and it’s paired with the hook that is perfect to sing along to in the midst of your friends. It’s the kind of song that sounds as if it were written in the middle of everything and still manages to smile. |
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| About Joe Normal: |
As a founding member of 90’s Sunset Strip glam-pop legends THE ZEROS, Joe Normal® fled the sooty factories of New Jersey for the grimey alleyways of Hollywood. His band signed to Enigma Records and spurred countless copycat bands, ultimately achieving cult status with the release of their 2 albums.
Joe would go on to co-write the title track to Sammy Hagar’s “Not 4 Sale” album, and even recorded with punk icon Stiv Bators & Lords Of The New Church. His latest collaboration, “Hardships,” is an Americana-Rock anthem about friendship and loyalty with guitarist Joe Guese (The Click Five, Linda Perry).
He’s shared stages with rockers and folkers alike. Namely Dramarama, Elliott Smith, Jesse Malin, Guns N’ Roses, L.A. Guns, The Dogs D’Amour, Faster Pussycat, Gene Loves Jezebel, Willie Nile, Tonic, Gin Blossoms, Joe Grushecky, The Smithereens and celebrities Howard Stern, Peter Noone, and Bobby Flay.
Along with these solid Rock credentials, Joe Normal’s now recognized for his own personal style and artistry, writing relatable songs and anthems about working class life, its struggles, its people and themes, with a sense of hope to keep going for your dreams. A regular “Mr. Anytown U.S.A.“
A skilled producer, performer, singer, and guitarist, Joe is an adept showman and storyteller, whether he’s playing acoustically or electrically on his own, in the studio, or in pub-to-stadium-sized fashion with his explosive band Joe Normal & The Anytown’rs.
Often compared to Bruce Springsteen, Paul Westerberg, and Jesse Malin, Joe Normal balances his own blue collar Rock ‘n Roll roots with a genuine storyteller heart that pays a debt to both classic British Pop and American Rock ‘n Roll, while remaining excitingly new and refreshing.
