Indie quartet Surfer Blood‘s six years of bandhood brim with triumphant crests and cutting troughs. Founded in 2009, their 2010 debut Astro Coast and hook-laden single “Swim” generated an ocean of buzz, propelling the Floridians into the spotlight. It garnered positive reviews (including elusive Pitchfork praise: an 8.2 ranking paired with a “best new music” title), plus earned the band a major label record deal.
Fast forward to 2012 to a widely publicized arrest, then jump to 2013, the year that saw the band dropped by said major label.
Now, just a few weeks post-release of the full-length, self-produced 1000 Palms, Surfer Blood is in a tough spot. Only several weeks before 1000 Palms dropped, the band announced that guitarist Thomas Fekete had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Fekete received a major surgery to remove a sizable tumor, which spread to his lungs and spine. Since December, Fekete has taken a break from the band to focus on treatment.
Support has poured in. A bevy of musicians including Cults, Marnie Stern and We Are Scientists took the stage alongside Surfer Blood for a May 12th benefit show. And, donations are adding up in Fekete’s GoFundMe. Unfortunately, some cash donations collected at the band’s merch table (plus a slew of personal items and show settlements) would be stolen just a few weeks later due to a tour van break-in.
The day of the benefit — also their album release date — Surfer Blood stopped by Brooklyn’s Wreckroom for a Mashable-exclusive live session. Frontman JP Pitts commented, “Our record was coming out today regardless, and it’s something we all worked hard on and something we all lost our minds over. On that hand it’s exciting, but on the other, having Thomas not be here sucks. But you know what, if anyone is going to get through this, it’s Thom. He’s a tough guy, one of the toughest people I know. So far so good, you have to take it day by day, but I think — I know — that Thom’s going to be okay.”
Don’t miss the original videos for “I Can’t Explain” and a trumpet-enhanced rendition of “Feast/Famine” (“We can do cool things like try to use a trumpet in sessions,” says Pitts on major label-free life), both off 1000 Palms.
Video and sound production via Mashable’s Armand Valdes, Phil Nolan and Brian Koerber
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