GAY NINETIES – “INTERNET, SEX AND DRUGS”
INDEPENDENT
Vancouver, BC outfit Gay Nineties are sharing “Internet, Sex & Drugs,” a fast-paced, punchy new single that balances romantic tension with sharp observation. Blending indie rock urgency with flashes of new wave and power pop, the track explores emotional disconnection in a hyper-stimulated world, where distraction often replaces intimacy and self-awareness arrives just a little too late.
The song began with a guitar riff written by bandmate Pascal, which quickly sparked the musical foundation for the track. After recording an early instrumental demo in their rehearsal space, the chorus melody arrived long before the lyrics. “After a full week of bashing my head against the wall every day, the chorus fell out of my mouth and the song wrote itself very quickly,” explains lead vocalist/bassist Parker Bossley. Inspired in part by the emotional dynamic of Robert Palmer’s song “Johnny & Mary,” the narrative follows a relationship unfolding in real time where one person reaches for something genuine while the other remains consumed by hollow distractions.
Clocking in at just over two minutes, “Internet, Sex & Drugs” moves with restless momentum, each section introducing new melodic and compositional elements that build toward an ebullient climax. The track nearly didn’t happen at all; an early demo was initially dismissed as too “proggy” before Gay Nineties rediscovered its potential during rehearsal, where a cleaner, chorused guitar tone reframed the idea entirely and set the writing process in motion.
With previous releases earning praise from outlets like Exclaim! and Earshot Magazine, Gay Nineties have built a reputation around independence and unpredictability. Their music embraces contradiction (raw and celebratory, emotional yet playful) anchored by a commitment to following instinct rather than convention.
Recorded independently over three intense days at Phony Studios and later mixed by Bossley at Jam Florist Studios, “Internet, Sex & Drugs” continues that ethos. Drawing together influences ranging from 70s jangle pop to romantic new wave and punchy four-on-the-floor rock and roll, the single previews a forthcoming LP while reaffirming the band’s core belief in the enduring energy of rock music.
On “Internet, Sex & Drugs,” Gay Nineties lean into contradiction (romance and detachment, nostalgia and immediacy) to deliver a track that feels both playful and sharply observed.
ARTIST QUOTE
I was going for something that had a lot of my favourite juicy 80s new wave moments but sounded like 2026. We were trying to make decisions that artists like The Police, Tom Petty, or Kate Bush might make compositionally and performance-wise, but using modern recording equipment and writing from our current cultural moment.
Gay Nineties
[Single]
(Independent)
Release Date: February 13, 2026
Artist Links
Photo Credit: Richard Thompson
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: JULY TALK w/ GAY NINETIES @ THE PALACE THEATRE, CALGARY (AB)
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FUR TRADE – DARK CELEBRATION
