Trends, “Drive”

Video by Stephanie Encio and Adrian Valdez

We introduced you to Trends last September, LA's new secret indie weapon, and one woman army of Marina Paiz. Busting out her best Top Gun snap-back and tie-dye, Marina rolls out with her posse, ghost riding in a Church of Latter Day Saints parking lot and touring the greater Los Angeles area. Bookending the video with film clips of Maverick racing jets on his motorcycle, Marina takes us on a lo-fi tour through the city of Angels past murals, passersby, cafes, playgrounds, parks, and wherever she is driven. "Let's go out and ride, the city streets all day and night, and come back really late because I have nothing to do the very next day". The excitement and sporadic nature of Paiz's home recorded music is brought to visual life driving on the busy streets and taken to the people throughout the bustle and hustle of palm trees and roads to everywhere.

In between the freakouts and fun with friends, Marina's plea to keep the keys sets the sights for "Drive" to conquer to both the West and East coasts. Marina creates her own world with Trends, bringing an energy that some folks don't know what to do with [see the look random dude gives Marina at :53 seconds in] but lends the thrill of newness in self-styled sounds and perspectives to her eclectic home in LA. Her chorus sums up both the single and the video well with dedicated statement of: "And when we drive, I feel above it all, pass all the people, and watch them fall into their routine of basic-ness,I never ever wanna be a part of this, so I'll drop out of everything I have to do, and drive all night in the car with you, the 210, the I-5, the 101, I don't really give a fuck, I just wanna have some fun".

Marina talked with us about "Drive", Tom Cruise obsessions, Top Gun versus Days of Thunder, and other short stories.

What is up with your fixation on Tom Cruise, and how and when did it begin?

It's going to be the fifth year anniversary of my admiration, which sounds slightly healthier than fixation. I think it began as a joke. Looking up to a guy like Tom Cruise trips people out. His name has such negative stigma to it. I'm not sure if it's the whole Scientology thing, but he's a babe. I was in high school and I liked to troll, so a lot of my projects included hidden Cruise pictures. After four years of that it became a Stockholm Syndrome type deal. Minus the hostage situation of course. He's got a great smile, if you don't like him you should at least give him some credit for that.

Kinda feel like I should explain more though just because people might just think I'm freaky for liking him. Beyond the aesthetic attraction, the guy is genuinely my role model. From what I've read, he basically built his entire fame. The odds of him making it in the business were totally against him. Raised in Kentucky by a single mom in a mid-sized family, a struggling actor with a self-imposed deadline to make it in the industry within a matter of ten years. He's the real deal. Tom Cruise proves that good work ethic and dedication can put you at the very top. Plus, he does his own stunts.

Top Gun. Greatest movie of all time?

Mixed feelings about this. Loved that movie, dat bootie was even better in IMAX. I appreciate all of his films, but I really enjoyed "Cocktail." He looked great in that; the storyline was entertaining and it had a humble ending. IMDb gave it a 5.6 though, so it could be that I just have shitty taste. Eyes Wide Shut, Vanilla Sky, The Firm, M:I3, and Interview with the Vampire were great as well. I love all my children equally.

Between Tony Scott's Top Gun and Days of Thunder, why do you feel TG gets all the, ahem, thunder? Do you think it's because there is no Goose? Is it because they swapped Nicole Kidman for Kelly McGillis?

Days of Thunder was alright, but it was missing something. The movie is like flat Diet Coke. I love it because it's Diet Coke, but the missing fizz kills it. Top Gun was so dramatic, I think that's why it was such a hit. Everything was overacted and the entire film was super corny, but I ate it up and so did the rest of the US of A. The cheesiest scene was when Maverick and Charlie go out night riding on the motorcycle. Before they makeout Charlie goes, "Maverick, you big stud. Take me to bed and lose me forever." Such a lame thing to say but it stuck. Top Gun is like a co-ed movie. The guys (and girls) probably watched for the action and the ladies (and some fellas) must've stayed for the beach volleyball scene. Let's not rule out any incentives.

Given that the song is called "Drive", why is it that say Gosling doesn't make the cameo cut here?

That was a good movie, yes. Soundtrack was neat too. But why pass up a chance to bring Tom into the picture. I guess I just didn't think about it.. When I hear the name Gosling I automatically think of Murder by Numbers. I recommend that movie if you want a laugh. There should be a drinking game for how many times Sandra Bullock wears a turtleneck in that movie.

That's rad that you and your friends are ghost riding the proverbial whip, is ghost riding popular in LA? It was the raddest thing here in the Bay back in the oughts.

I don't know what's popular in LA, haha. I'm not really fashionable and I'm not up with the current social trends. How ~ironic~. At the time we were just trying to come up with dumb things to do on camera. We filmed that in a Church of Latter Day Saints parking lot. God bless them for not giving a shit.

"Drive" the song operates on it's own meter and gravity. Is it a piece inspired by LA, or the cinematic sides of LA?

Definitely inspired by the city and the adventures I've had here. I recently discovered the beauty and convenience of the modern automobile. I live in suburban LA so to get to the city I used to have to hop the Gold line and then take the Red or Purple to get to my destination. I didn't mind that, except the riding the Red Line past sunset gave me anxiety. Things can get pretty sketchy underground. A few months ago, my best friend started driving. All of a sudden I could stay in the city past sundown. Los Angeles has a lot to offer, but to make the most of it you really do need a car. It's a sad truth but hey, we cope.

Cars give a sense of freedom. Gary Numan said it best. You can go where you want when you want. Except me, I can't go anywhere on my own because believe it or not, I don't have a license.
Buy "Not Really Driving" by Trends t o d a y!!!

The video makes LA seem like the most exciting place on earth. Is this visualization kind of like your own love note to LA?

The video is a love note to my friends; it's a compilation of the good times we've had. I love Los Angeles because of all the memories that have been made here.

People travel thousands of miles to visit this famed city. Some even relocate to chase their dream. And here I am walking around with my friends, bumping into people like Jason Schwartzman and Natalie Portman. I don't mean to sound like a starstruck douchebag, but it can be very surreal to live in a city where the people on the big screens and jumbotrons walk (or drive) on the same streets you do. It's something I'll probably never get used to.

LA winter plans for Trends?

I'm currently attending a music school in Pasadena. Developing my production skills is something I've wanted to do for a long time. I was pretty ignorant, not necessarily in a negative way, to the production process before the recording and release of the Adventures With Linus EP. Hopefully I can continue making more lo-fi music-on purpose this time, as opposed to simply not knowing how to properly mic my amps. I'll maybe have a try at some hip-hop sounding tracks. Who knows, I'm up for trying anything.

Trends is also in search of finding at least one more person to join the project. Playing with pedals and machines is consuming. Having some human interaction would change the feel of things for better, I think.

The new Trends single "Drive" will be available December 3 from Manimal Vinyl.

Listen to more from Trends via Bandcamp.

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