Sunshine Coast trio The Chats are back with their first new music of 2022. The new single, ‘Struck By Lightning’ arrives just days after The Chats were announced as a support act for the Foo Fighters’ upcoming shows in Perth, Brisbane and Sydney.
‘Struck By Lightning’ is The Chats’ first single since Josh Hardy was confirmed as the band’s new guitarist. Hardy replaced founding member Josh “Pricey” Price, whose departure from the band was announced in December 2020.
“Unfortunately, Pricey is no longer in The Chats,” the band wrote at the time. “He has gone on to do his own thing, and we wish him all the best.” Hardy is a member of fellow Sunshine Coast punk band, The Unknowns.
“The new bloke, Josh – he fucking rips, man,” said vocalist and bass player, Eamon Sandwith, in a statement. “He’s been a good friend of ours for years. His band The Unknowns were the first band that were our age on the Sunny Coast – before we’d even formed The Chats. In the early days, they were a full-on rockabilly band, and he had the quiff. He’d comb his hair back and stuff, and we just thought he was the fucking coolest guy ever.”
Hardy’s buzzsaw guitar playing is all over ‘Struck By Lightning’, which comes with an appropriately goofy music video directed by Matt Weston. Watch it below. The Chats will embark on a tour of Europe and North America starting next week.
