Steel Guitar - A Quirky New Spin On Hapa Haole

Mat Rhodes · Post by **Mat Rhodes** » 26 Jan 2013 8:01 am

Our indie-pop-hapa-haole combo, The Grass Skirts, has just finished making our first CD ("The Tropidelic Sounds Of The Grass Skirts"). It features the traditional instrumentation of steel and uke combined with bass and drums. It's not traditional and, out of respect to the Hawaiian peeps, I won't call it "Hawaiian". The link below is to the entire song list.

http://thegrassskirts.bandcamp.com/

James Kerr · Post by **James Kerr** » 27 Jan 2013 2:39 pm

Very refreshing, I liked that a lot and I can see you all getting plenty of work. I don't think the Hawaiians (real or imagined) are going to be offended.

James.

Tony Lombardo · Post by **Tony Lombardo** » 27 Jan 2013 2:55 pm

I love it, and I'm buying it.

Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 27 Jan 2013 11:04 pm

I don't mean to offend and I apologize if it was meant to be a serious song, but I just laughed my butt off listening to "Ha'ina"

This is a great mix of some really cute and clever stuff!

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 28 Jan 2013 1:06 am

My guess is that a people who can handle Jawaiian music will not be too cut up.

Jerome Hawkes · Post by **Jerome Hawkes** » 28 Jan 2013 6:04 am

Matt - i thought the songs and playing were great and clever - we need lots more of this stuff around here. i'm far from a Hawaiian music historian, but i get the feeling a lot of the original Hawaiian tunes were from this same seed.
love the retro LP cover - thats cool - Hula dancing on the moon....that'd be a good tune.

Mat Rhodes · Post by **Mat Rhodes** » 28 Jan 2013 8:42 am

Gentlemen, thank you for the positive responses! This is the first fun project I've been a part of that wasn't intended for commercial success or artistic "integrity".

Tony, big mahalos for the purchase.

Jeff, "Ha'ina" is definitely not a serious song! I think you and maybe two others are likely the only ones who'd get the attempt at the pidgin and occasional single-word "insertions". Glad you enjoyed it.