Hollywood Potato Chip

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Hollywood Potato Chip
Hollywood Potato Chip cover
Studio album by The Vandals
Released June 29, 2004
Genre Punk rock
Length 33:24
Label Kung Fu
Producer Warren Fitzgerald
The Vandals chronology
Live at the House of Blues
(2004)		 Hollywood Potato Chip
(2004)		 Shingo Japanese Remix Album
(2005)
Alternate cover
Second cover, with altered lettering as a result of legal controversy
Second cover, with altered lettering as a result of legal controversy

Hollywood Potato Chip is the tenth studio album by the southern California punk rock band The Vandals, released in 2004 by Kung Fu Records. An independent music video starring guitarist/producer Warren Fitzgerald was filmed for the song "Don't Stop Me Now," which is a cover of a song by the English rock band Queen. The album's title is a reference to a vulgar Hollywood term for dried semen on a casting couch.

Much of the album is characterized by the pop-punk music and humorous lyrics for which the band is known. Notably, the album is significantly faster and "harder" than on the band's previous few albums, with an accelerated speed and tempo and vocals which often are yelled or screamed rather than sung in a melodic fashion. Less common are the catchy guitar riffs, power chords and pop-oriented rhythms which had become staples of the band's music over the course of their career.

The original lettering on the album's cover parodied the logo of Variety, resulting in a legal controversy.
The original lettering on the album's cover parodied the logo of Variety, resulting in a legal controversy.

The album's cover was a source of minor legal controversy. A few months after the album's release, entertainment industry magazine Variety issued a cease and desist order against The Vandals over the design of the band's name on the album cover. The design mimicked the logo of the magazine in an intentional parody of the Hollywood entertaiment industry, and the magazine accused the band of trademark infringement.[1] The lawsuit was settled with redesigned lettering which appears on all subsequent pressings of the album.[2]

Contents

[edit] Track listing

All songs written by Warren Fitzgerald except where indicated.

  1. "How They Getcha'" - 2:07
  2. "Don't Stop Me Now" (Freddie Mercury; originally performed by Queen) - 2:51
  3. "My Neck, My Back" - 2:06
  4. "Be a Good Robot" - 2:25
  5. "Manimal" - 2:48
  6. "My Special Moment" - 2:33
  7. "Designed by Satan" (Fitzgerald/Escalante) - 2:32
  8. "Atrocity" (Fitzgerald/Quackenbush) - 2:43
  9. "Dig a Hole" - 1:57
  10. "Don't Make Me Get My Fat, Lazy Ass Off This Couch" - 2:33
  11. "I Guess I'll Take You Back" - 2:32
  12. "Christian or Canadian" (Fitzgerald/Escalante) - 2:27
  13. "I am Crushed" - 3:49

[edit] Performers

[edit] Album information

  • Record label: Kung Fu Records
  • Recorded at SoundCastle Studios in Silverlake, California and at Formula One Studios in Fullerton, California
  • Produced by Warren Fitzgerald
  • Engineered by Greg Koller and Kevin Augunas at SoundCastle Studios with assistance by Jeremy Mackenzie, and by Jon St. James at Formula One Studios
  • Mixed at Cello Studios in Hollywood, California with assistance by Jason Gossman and at Conway Studios in Hollywood with assistance by Seth Waldman
  • Mastered by Brian Gardner at Bernie Grundman Mastering in Hollywood
  • All songs copyright 2004 by Puppety Frenchman Music, SEAC except "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen Music Limited and Beechwood Music, BMI
  • All tracks written by Warren Fitzgerald except "Atrocity" by Warren Fitzgerald and Dave Quackenbush, "Christian or Canadian" and "Designed by Satan" by Warren Fitzgerald and Joe Escalante, and "Don't Stop Me Now" by Freddie Mercury.
  • Album illustrations and art direction by Tony Vitali
  • Band photos by Lisa Johnson

[edit] Song information

All information listed here is derived from song lyrics, album liner notes, and band member interviews and commentary.

  • "How They Getcha" (Warren Fitzgerald)

This song rails against the deceptive methods used by so-called psychics to lure in their customers.

  • "My Neck, My Back" (Warren Fitzgerald)

In this song the singer declares his plan to intentionally injure himself while on the job, so that he can stop working and live off of his workman's compensation benefits.

  • "Be a Good Robot" (Warren Fitzgerald)

The song deals with people who dress and act in a "rebellious" fashion, stating that they are in fact being lulled by society into a false sense of rebellion and are really simply serving the needs of the society against which they imagine they are rebelling.

  • "Manimal" (Warren Fitzgerald)

In this song the singer describes the difficulties of trying to be a polite and civilized man around his girlfriend and to remain faithful to her when all of his hormones and natural instincts constantly compel him to have sex. He absolves himself of responsibility for his behavior and infidelities by stating "God's the one who made me like this / Understand I'm innocent / The drive is stronger than I am."

  • "My Special Moment" (Warren Fitzgerald)

In this song the singer declares that, despite his awful life, this is his moment to be in the spotlight and enjoy attention and acclaim.

  • "Designed by Satan" (Warren Fitzgerald and Joe Escalante)

This song describes the popular Parker Brothers board game Ouija, often used in séances as a means of communicating with otherworldly spirits, as being evil and a sure path to damnation. Other negative influences mentioned in the song include psychic John Edward, magician David Blaine, popular Renaissance Fairs and the band Slayer.

  • "Atrocity" (Warren Fitzgerald and Joe Escalante)

This song flirts with ideas of nihilism, as the singer sees that there are many problems in the world and that everyone will eventually die, so he decides to expedite the process by constructing and detonating a nuclear bomb.

  • "Dig a Hole" (Warren Fitzgerald)

This song addresses the degrading conditions of consumerism and media fascination in mainstream society. It states that things like television, junk food and useless luxury products are continuing to lower standards in society to a disgraceful point.

  • "Don't Make Me Get My Fat, Lazy Ass Off This Couch" (Warren Fitzgerald)

This song addresses people who constantly blame those above them for their problems. The singer claims that authority figures such as his parents, teachers and employers constantly stand in his way and hold him back, that none of his failures are his own fault and that he has decided to stop trying.

  • "I Guess I'll Take You Back" (Warren Fitzgerald)

In this song a depressed man calls his ex-girlfriend of several years past and says that he wants her back. His description of his pathetic life imply that he has been on a downward slope since their breakup, losing his confidence, moving back in with his parents, and constantly obsessing over their past relationship. He believes that his life will turn around if he can get his old girlfriend back.

  • "Christian or Canadian" (Warren Fitzgerald and Joe Escalante)

This song addresses the sad state of music on mainstream radio, claiming that nearly every song being played on the air is by either a Christian or Canadian rock band. Specific examples of "bad" music mentioned in the song include Korn, 311, emo, screamo, and Rick Ocasek.

  • "I am Crushed" (Warren Fitzgerald)

This song deals with depression. The singer is so depressed that he contemplates suicide, but can't quite bring himself to carry it out.

[edit] References

  1. ^ White, Adam (September 29, 2004). Row erupts over new Vandals logo. Punknews.org. Retrieved on 2007-08-05.
  2. ^ Vandals / Daily Variety settle. Punknews.org (November 17, 2004). Retrieved on 2007-08-05.