5 Eight has been an on-again/off-again establishment in Athens, Ga., for nearly 35 years. And whereas business viability has by no means been the band’s sturdy go well with, its mind-bending pop-punk depth and shocking resilience has made 5 Eight a dark-horse scene favourite of everybody from R.E.M. to Drive-By Truckers. Fronted by acknowledged manic depressive Mike Mantione, 5 Eight feeds off the nervous power of its fearless chief’s struggles with psychological sickness, which has led the band down some darkish avenues over time.
On the floor, “Take Me To The Skatepark” seems to be fairly lighthearted—till you notice its narrative is concerning the toll alcoholism can tackle relationships. The hooky mini-anthem relies on a real-life argument between Mantione and his son.
“It’s a dad mocking his child about going skating—the strain of affection wrapped in sarcasm,” says Mantione. “Beneath that, there’s the dream won’t ever occur—a child dreaming of L.A., of skating in Venice Seaside, of driving as removed from Athens as attainable. It’s two minutes and 10 seconds of melody, fury and one thing like understanding.”
“Skatepark” is the primary single from the band’s tenth album, Assist A Sinner. Produced by David Barbe (Drive-By Truckers, Sugar), it’s due out someday subsequent yr. The video was filmed on the Skate Park Of Athens and contains a shock drop-in efficiency from 5 Eight. Enjoyable truth: Mantione’s daughter performs the 12-year-old skateboarder useless set on dragging her alcoholic father to the park.
Subsequent month, 5 Eight is heading to SXSW in Austin for a string of reside exhibits and a screening of a documentary on the band, Weirdo: The Story Of 5 Eight. For now, we’re proud to premiere the “Take Me To The Skate Park” video.
—Hobart Rowland
