Like so many of us that were re-discovering ourselves through the existential crisis of the pandemic, The Dirty Shirts singer/songwriter Nick Santa Maria was doing the same and found himself diving headfirst into soaring guitars, disco beats, and sequined mod-inspired threads. Having found himself off the road for the first time after years of playing as a sideman for other artists, Nick finally had the time to return to writing songs of his own, constructing what would become the soundtrack to his new reality. The lockdown gave him time & perspective into what he truly wanted to do with his life, and rather than building someone else’s temple, he’d build his own. 

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After reconnecting & writing a handful of songs with childhood friend & fellow studio/touring musician Cameron Moreland and experimenting with a heady spectrum of soundscapes, The Dirty Shirts was born. What arose married the nostalgia of the Warped Tour era of music they grew up playing with the shimmering atmospheres and image of the glam rock and pop music they’d come to love.

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The combined music and aesthetic that The Dirty Shirts have cultivated, dubbed “Dance Floor Rock n Roll”, was a response to the drudgery we universally felt from exhaustive quarantines. Nick writes to remind people of the uninhibited times and badass music of the past, with the hope of debaucherous times to come. Songs that remind us of blaring music with your friends, shouting the lyrics deep into the early hours, and not worrying about the vaccination status of your Uber driver.  

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Proudly wearing influences from The Strokes to Gorillaz, with hints of David Bowie on their sleeves, The Dirty Shirts hit the ground running with live shows throughout their native Texas in March 2021 after the long awaited release of vaccinations. Soon after, they released multiple singles and a music video, and recorded their debut full-length album with Grammy-winning producer Tre Nagella, which dropped on May 6, 2022. With a string of national tour dates planned for 2022, a love for the past, a hopeful eye on the future, and a drink in hand, The Dirty Shirts are bringing their soundtrack for the new normal (if there ever was one) to the masses.

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Written by Cal Quinn