Hailing from Costa Mesa and comprised of RVCA pro-surfer and singer Alex Knost, guitarist Nolan Hall, bassist Chris Vail, and drummer Andrew Atkinson, the band is known around Southern California for the insane, all-night blowouts they put on as much as for the driving, raucous garage pop they set the partying to. Rather than fight the influence of their surroundings like so many of their So Cal contemporaries, Japanese Motors have channeled it into their music, making tunes every bit as sun-baked and laid-back as their coastal environs and rife with positive imagery.

"Most bands from here are trying to sound like they're from London or New York," Nolan says. "We embrace where we're from." In return for their local pride, the Southern Californian surf community has embraced them right back. Japanese Motors are part of RVCA's Artist Network Program and fellow surfers Emmett and Brendan Malloy (who made three White Stripes videos) directed the video for the band's first single.

On August 19th, Vice Records will release this single, "Single Fins & Safety Pins," which contains the album version and a radio edit of the song, as well as b-side "Coors Lite," another track from their upcoming self-titled full length debut, due in October 2008. Japanese Motors hit the road in August, starting off in NYC, winding their way down the East Coast before heading back home to play with the Black Lips and at LA's Detour Fest

AUGUST

14 Glasslands, Brooklyn, NY

RVCA's Right Coast Surf Tour:

15 5:30pm Spellbinders Surf Shop, 318 Main St, Allenhurst NJ
16 5:30pm Brave New World, 1208 Richmond Ave, Point Pleasant NJ
17 5:30pm Farias Shop 2804 Long Beach Blvd, Ship Bottom NJ. After Party 9pm @ The Marlin Barr 2 South Bay Ave, Beach Haven NJ 08008
18 9pm Le Grande Fromage, 25 Gordons Aly Atlantic City NJ
19 5:30pm Malibu�-s Surf Shop, 8th & Boardwalk Ocean City MD
21 The Attic, Virginia Beach, VA
22 The Taphouse, Norfolk, VA
23 The Jewish Mother, Virginia Beach, VA

SEPTEMBER

Every Monday in September - Detroit Bar, Costa Mesa, CA (residency presented by OC Weekly & KUCI)

OCTOBER