The New Virtual Supergroup PusherJones Releases 'Count Me Out'

The hologram craze is still upon us, but another trend could become more and more reality: the virtual band.

Velvet Revolver’s guitarist Dave Kushner and The Simpsons’ creative director Dave Warren have made up a new animated band named PusherJones, which are about to release a song, ‘Count Me Out’, featuring on the soundtrack of the upcoming movie ‘The Avengers’.

And who is behind the characters?

The virtual band will release a five-song EP this summer, and there is even hope for the band to play music live, respective schedules permitting. Meanwhile, a PusherJones TV animated series is in the work, as Kushner declared:

‘Dave and I had a mutual love of music and animation and wanted to mash up the two. We asked ourselves, what if the Gorillaz were more like Guns N’ Roses? We took it a step further and merged a real band and music with a fictional storyline and characters that are entertaining, relatable and funny. The music, art and the story has to co-exist in the same world while being able to kick ass on their own.’

He also explained that the storyline will be based on stuff that has happened to them or overheard:

‘It's basically about a big, notorious rock band, and there's a new guy that's coming into the band. You're basically seeing all of the dysfunction and insanity, and the things that make for great rock bands through the eyes of the new guy.’

So far, we only have these dark silhouettes and little is known about what the animated characters will really look like, but haven’t all these bands already been featured in the Simpsons?

Regarding the music, they declared to have been influenced by Zeppelin, Sabbath and newer bands, and 'Count Me Out' is indeed a hard rocking number, all-big-guitar riffs all-screaming vocals with diverse inspirations, but it may sound a little too Bon Jovi-esque in its power chorus for me.

The song will be out May 1, the movie opens May 4, but you can already listen to it via Rolling Stone.