Today, Bad Wires releases their latest effort, the Kaleidoscope Eyes EP. Bad Wires is an eccentric power trio dabbling in punk, noise rock, prog, metal, general weirdness and sheer volume that blends primal energy with technically proficient musicianship. Based out of the fertile music scene in Louisville, Kentucky, Bad Wires has its origins in bassist Corey Cottrell’s departure from Austin, Texas, in 2016. Cottrell had several songs he had started working up for one of his previous bands,(Bellringer, fronted by Mark Deutrom of the Melvins) which he continued working on after resettling in Louisville.

After a chance meeting of the dedicated and exploratory guitarist Conner Johnson, the original line up was solidified in 2017 with the band’s debut in 2018. Bad Wires fifth, sixth and seventh shows were in Austin during SXSW 2019 as the band looked to start making a name for itself on the road early on, and would return to SXSW in 2022 and 2023.

Andy Cook joined as the band’s third drummer in late 2023 bringing immeasurable talents and abilities to the table as a backing singer, songwriter, and experienced drummer.

 In their short time as a band Bad Wires has opened for Whores, Spotlights, Child Bite, Bongzilla, Human Impact, Wizard Rifle, Kyle Shutt (The Sword) Rifflord, and other such heavy hitters as well as having played Stoner Jam Fest twice. Between two prolonged drummer hunts, a global pandemic shutting everything down, and broken bones with ensuing surgeries forcing several periods of inactivity and rebuilding phases on the band, it feels like they are just getting started. Thankfully they keep coming back stronger than before.

Kaleidoscope Eyes is the sound of a band coming back to life. Having lost their second drummer in 2022 Bad Wires went into a period of limited activity as they began the arduous job of finding a drummer up for the challenge of Bad Wires’ music. After a full year of trying out drummers locally, using fill in drummers for important dates (including a sold-out show opening for Bongzilla during SXSW 2023) and talking to drummers internationally, Bad Wires had two promising drummers to try out in June of 2023.

However, days before the tryouts bassist Corey Cottrell fell off a ladder landing in a push up position and shattering his left wrist. After undergoing a fairly intense surgery installing a metal plate and 10 screws to put his wrist back together, Corey had to wait another 3 months before he was able to fully pick up a bass.

The next four months would be working new drummer Andy Cook up to speed while treating band practice as physical therapy for Corey. Bad Wires finally made a return to the stage in Feb 2024 opening for Child Bite. Wanting to show the direction that Andy Cook was helping take the band they hit the studio in April 2024 to record “Kaleidoscope Eyes,” a barn burner of an original, as well as their interpretation of Tears For Fears’ 1985 hit “Head Over Heels.”

With “Kaleidoscope Eyes” being about unrequited love from someone experiencing a psychotic break, and “Head Over Heels” being a song about romance that “ends up going a bit perverse at the end,” (Rory Orzabel of Tears For Fears) the two songs were a perfect thematic match and a perfect vehicle to show the evolution of Bad Wires’ sound.

Photo courtesy of Bad Wires.