Bio:
Last wave punks Virgin Islands have been making waves in their home city of Seattle and beyond since their inception in the fall of 2009. The band releases their debut full-length “Ernie Chambers v. God” on May 10th, 2011 via The Control Group. ECvG is a politically provocative and musically bold rock album, yes – album, with 11 socially charged manifestos that could be the perfect house music for the last party on earth, or the fight songs for your next revolutionary meeting. Arguably post punk and definitely post modern, this record is an intense and sincere statement from a band who’s not afraid to buck the status quo, much like the man Ernie Chambers himself. Virgin Islands usher in the last wave of rock music with conviction and soul.
The band, consisting of lead singer and guitarist Michael Jaworski (formerly of The Cops), drummer Aaron Ball, bassist Charles Keller and guitarist Christopher Meyer, have stumbled upon something rare in this world. They’ve found a channel to create rock music that is exciting, fun and completely relevant in modern times. Virgin Islands stand out in the sea of sameness and passionately carry the torch of politics and punk rock while delivering one sweaty rock show after the next. Ernie Chambers v. God could be party music for the apocalypse, or it may be what we need to lead us out of darkness. Either way, the last wave of rock n’ roll never felt so good.
Ernie Chambers v. God was recorded to tape over 8 days in November of 2010 and was co-produced by the band and Johnny Sangster (Mudhoney, The Briefs, The Cute Lepers, Steve Turner). Virgin Islands will be on the road throughout 2011 in support of the new album.
Press:
Portland Mercury
More than a year after the skull-busting, hip-jerking sons-of-a-gun in the post-mod-punk group Virgin Islands released their debut EP The Age of Anxiety, the band completed their debut full-length Ernie Chambers v. God, to be released later this spring on New York label the Control Group. The straight-ahead, meat-and-potatoes rock of Virgin Islands is rife with angular and cohesive rhythmic dynamics, pitted against former Cops leader Mike Jaworski’s tense political and personal vocal convictions. It’s fitting that the band pays tribute to the former Nebraska state senator who sued God and was considered by some to be “the angriest man in Nebraska” (where Jaworski was born and raised). The music is angry, passionate, and speaks on behalf of a nation ready to hear something that hasn’t already been said. God better have a good defense. TRAVIS RITTER (March 31, 2011)
Soundonthesound Blog
“Virgin Island’s The Age of Anxiety is just about everything I could ever want from a debut punk EP. Clocking in at under 12 minutes, the EP is full of robust rock: barreling bass, pack-a-day washed down with cheap whiskey vocals, insistent drums that drive everything forward with crisp cracks and sharp guitar hooks that feel like a blade pressed against your throat. The songs are straight forward, no bullshit rockers and as solid as they sound on the EP, they really come to life performed live where the studio sheen is replaced by sweat, spit and sneering punk spirit. And of course, its best viewed from a shoving, sweating, smiling pit.” - October 24, 2010
The Stranger
“Composed of singer/guitarist Mike Jaworski (the Cops), drummer Aaron Ball, bassist Chuck Keller, and guitarist Chris Meyer, Virgin Islands make heads-down, meat-and-taters rock and roll that is as immune to music-genre mutations as black Wayfarer horn-rimmed spectacles. A certain sector of the Western world will always need bands like this—music that evokes the Clash, if they recorded for SST in 1986. With this kind of sound, passion, guts, memorable riffs, and vocal conviction are all important, and Virgin Islands possess all these qualities—plus the panache to make them not seem hoary. Their songs aim for a roughly artful combination of masculine tunefulness and stinging noise, and they hit the target more often than not.” – March 12, 2010
Seattle Subsonic Blog
“It’s been said over and over that Virgin Islands are the evolution of ex-punkers, The Cops. Personally I like to think of them more as an evolution of Seattle rock. The band has incredible solidarity, the rhythm drives the songs forward at breakneck speed, the guitar screams alongside the vocals without trampling them and the whole thing comes together with the oneness of a fucking wrecking ball.”
SoundontheSound.com
“Lastly, if you haven’t seen Virgin Islands yet you should remedy that ASAP. The local punk outfit was my favorite discovery of the fest and I’m ashamed I haven’t been in the front row for every single one of their shows. I’ll be remedying that from here on out. There’s been a distinct lack of brazen rock’n’roll in my life lately and Virgin Islands delivered in furious fashion. You can catch the band at The Sunset next weekend on June 26th as part of the Sunset 10 Year Anniversary Celebration” – June 17, 2010
