Post-hardcore veterans Quicksand and Hot Water Music have each covered one of the other’s songs and contributed a previously unreleased track to a self-titled four-song EP out now from Equal Vision Records. On it, Quicksand covers Hot Water Music’s “Free Radio Gainesville” and the latter puts their own spin on the former’s “Fazer.”
Also featured is Quicksand’s first new song in three years, “Supercollider,” and “Undertow,” a previously unreleased Hot Water Music track from sessions for their 2024 album Vows. The EP arrives just ahead of the two bands’ European tour, which begins Nov. 7 in Munster, Germany.
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“Like many who grew up listening to hardcore and punk rock from early ages on, we were inspired and driven by a lot of work from all the members that make up Quicksand and of course by Quicksand themselves,” says Hot Water Music vocalist/guitarist Chuck Ragan. “Fast forward to 1999 when we had the honor of working with Walter Schreifels as he produced our record No Division. That experience went from surreal and intimidating to completely comforting and empowering. Our respect and admiration grew tenfold until we got the chance to tour with them. We already admired and respected them, now we love them like family. Getting to know Alan [Cage], Walter and Sergio [Vega] on the road and now doing a split together has been an incredible experience, and though we find ourselves in the most normal situations with these salt of the Earth souls, we’re still pinching ourselves from time-to-time.”
Adds Schreifels, “It’s an awesome, full circle moment for me to be a part of this split with Hot Water Music. It wasn’t too long after Quicksand broke up that I got to meet and work with Hot Water Music as producer for their album No Division. It was an absolutely magical experience. We had so much fun, the album came out amazing, and at the very end of the last day of recording, I added a vocal to my fave song ‘Free Radio Gainesville,’ which we covered for the split. I’m beyond grateful that all these years later Quicksand is back doing what we love along with our brothers in HWM, still playing with that same passion that drew us together in the first place. Feels like home.”
In other Hot Water Music news, the group was presented the Key to the City of Gainesville on Oct. 24 by the city’s mayor, Harvey Ward. Fellow musicians Tom Petty and Laura Jane Grace have previously received the honor.
Here are Quicksand/Hot Water Music’s tour dates:
Nov. 7: Munster, Germany (Skater’s Palace)
Nov. 8: Hannover, Germany (Capitol)
Nov. 10: Antwerp (Trix)
Nov. 12: Stuttgart, Germany (LKA Longhorn)
Nov. 13: Munich (Muffathalle)
Nov. 14: Vienna (Simm City)
Nov. 15: Leipzig, Germany (Felsenkeller)
Nov. 16: Berlin (Huxley’s)
Nov. 18: Stockholm (Debaser)
Nov. 19: Gothenburg, Sweden (Musikens Hus)
Nov. 20: Copenhagen (Richter)
Nov. 21: Hamburg, Germany (Grosse Freiheit)
Nov. 22: Wiesbaden, Germany (Schlachthof)
Nov. 23: Cologne, Germany (Palladium)
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