Legendary 90s indie rock group Heatmiser have released their latest single “Bottle Rocket (‘92 Cassette).” The release comes alongside another live video filmed during a 1993 show in Fort Collins, CO following last month’s release of “Lowlife” from the same show. Check out the new track below.
The track comes from The Music of Heatmiser, a new, 29-song compilation of previously unheard recordings, out October 6th via Third Man Records. The track holds a deep personal meaning within the band’s story; Gust, who had come out to Smith as gay several years prior, was just starting to write songs from a perspective that was true to himself. The song thus serves as an intimate look into his struggles to openly and confidently express his identity: “I’m singing lyrics that are like a private language to myself,” says Gust, “I wish I could go back to that time and talk to my younger self and say, ‘Just be honest about who you are. Don’t be afraid.’”
The upcoming compilation spans the group’s earliest years, including a tour-only demos cassette from 1992 (which also shares this compilation’s namesake), a previously lost-to-time session at Portland radio station KBOO, and a wealth of previously unreleased material that showcases Heatmiser’s true essence as a band. Gust spoke about the upcoming album shortly after announcing it “Tony found a bunch of forgotten recordings and started mixing them and sending them to me. We were struck by the freewheeling energy of the band; you could hear how much fun we were having. In 1992, we could barely afford the studio so it all had to be done really fast. When we put the cassette together, we wanted it to start like a punch in the face.”
The compilation will also feature all six tracks from The Music of Heatmiser with its original artwork.
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