San Diego Reader

Timothy Hines: Guitar (acoustic), Guitar (electric), Keyboards, Vocals | Kyle Whatley: Guitar (acoustic), Guitar (electric), Keyboards, Vocals | Chase Elliott: Bass guitar, Keyboards | Ryan Hand: Drums, Percussion

Genre: Alternative, Rock

Sound description: Rock ala robot, mixing hazy 1960s psych-pop with 1980s minimal wave.

RIYL: Lights On, the Stereotypes

Upcoming Local Shows

Discography

Related Links:

• http://www.myspace.com/lightsonband

• Blurt: "Beer in Hell" · Sept. 23, 2009

• BandCamp

Synoposis

Inception: San Diego, 2009

Influences: King Tuff, White Fence, Crystal Antlers, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Times New Viking

Background:

Somewhere in the shadows beneath a consummate sun-drenched pace of life lies hidden occult fantasies sure to keep you up at night, wherein Tropical Popsicle beckons you into their veiled world. Take the jangly melodies of 1960s garage jams and surf rock inspired by Southern California beaches and cast a psychedelic gloom across the whole coastline; Tropical Popsicle brings the doleful feel of the end of summer, over and over again.

Mixing hazy 1960s psych-pop with 1980s minimal wave, the band is fronted by singer-guitarist-keyboardist Timothy Hines (Lights On, the Stereotypes), known around town for successfully placing music on various TV shows in 2009 and 2010. “The music supervisors in Hollywood run a small incestuous circle and take a liking to upcoming bands that are cheap for hire, but, it pays well,” he says. “It just adds another log to the fire of trying to build a buzz in this wacky music market.”

Hines developed Trop Pop from a solo project to a full band with the edition of three members, Kyle Whatley (guitar, organ, backing vox), Chase Elliott (bass and synths), and Ryan Hand (drums & rattles). Their debut concert happened at Soda Bar on June 2, 2011, where they launched their Beach With No Footprints 7-inch.

San Diego label Volar Records re-released the 7-inch in October 2011, along with The Age of Attraction EP. The same month, they played the CMJ music marathon in NYC.