NYE Show at the Fox with the Gasoline Lollipops

Shaking off demons and the optimism of punk

Yellow Scene Magazine sat down with Gasoline Lollipops frontman Clay Rose to talk about wrapping the year on NYE at the Fox theater, what’s to come in the new year, and how it’s punk to be optimistic at this point in history. The Gas Pops, consisting of Clay Rose (vocals, guitar), Donny Ambory (lead guitar), Brad Morse (bass), Kevin Matthews (drums), Scott Coulter (keys), are a local band renowned for their eclectic mix of punk-infused Americana music. Spanning over a decade, their genre-defying sound delivers raw yet soul-stirring performances that captivates audiences.

“For the show on New Year’s Eve, the intention is to shake off the demons of the year. Like all the vampiric shit, to shake that off and kind of be reborn again.” Rose’s words encapsulate the band’s ethos, aiming to create an experience, transcending individual struggles to embrace a fresh start. When asked about the magic that happens between the band and the audience, Rose talks about the alchemy between the band, set-list, audience, venue, and mystery of the night that, ultimately, completes the music. He concludes that “the thing that makes me feel the most alive is music and [to be] in a room full of people…together as one.”

Looking ahead, Clay shares that they’re working on a new album set to release in 2024. Listeners at the Fox can look forward to the Gas Pops “debuting a bunch of those on New Year’s Eve.” Next year, we can also expect a third ballet for Wonder Bound with thirty entirely new songs written by Rose. The ballet is the story of Samson and Delilah set in late 70’s East Texas. Taking on so much writing marks a shift in his creative process where, as he put it, he is knocking on inspiration’s door instead of waiting for the knock. “I’ve been writing pop, classic country and some really hardcore punk stuff that I haven’t written since I was like 18. I just keep collecting like a butterfly net.”

When asked about the writing process with the band, all of whom are grads in music while Rose is self-taught, he noted the unique perspective they each bring. “I realized we’re all music scholars. But I went to the school of punk clubs and honky tonks.” Rose also describes the order that comes with collaborating with the band and even an audience, comparing the creative process to the observer effect demonstrated in the “double-slit experiment.” The ideas come together in a way that can be enjoyed by those outside of the landscape of Rose’s mind.

Clay expressed that the new material demands that he “flex [his] optimistic muscles… with young kids now, I’m getting punk rock about being optimistic because I don’t see it anywhere.” While angst and resistance typically come to mind in tandem with punk rock, it’s actually about being anti and embracing the opposite of what’s mainstream. Lately, pessimism and sorrow that can lead to apathy tends to rule our headlines, radicalizing a brighter outlook. This new message of optimism isn’t a rejection of realism though; We can expect rage and catharsis in the new music in clear political stances and raw lyricism, followed up with a path forward. Rose is clear about the intention on the new album by adding “I just want to say up front, before I sing any of these songs, my intention is all inclusive, universal love. And I’m going to be taking a roundabout way of getting there.”

The band also hopes to make up for lost time during the pandemic. “We took such a major hit from the pandemic. It knocked us back a decade and it almost killed the band.” After necessarily taking on a day job, Rose shared that “I’d rather be broke and happy doing what I love than be financially secure and fucking miserable. So, we rallied and we put together a new game plan.”

The Gasoline Lollipops’ music is beyond entertainment; it’s a vessel for transformation, a conduit for catharsis. As they gear up for their NYE show, it’s not just a concert, it’s a collective ritual to shed the past and look toward the promise of a new beginning, all through the power of music. Catch them at the Fox theater with Bonnie & Taylor Sims and Phoebe Hunt at 8:00pm on Dec, 31st.