Today, Substream is thrilled to team up with the fast rising electrifying alternative rock band Blame My Youth on their brand new single, “Tokyo Rose.”

“Tokyo Rose” is the third single from Blame My Youth in 2024, following “Running” and “The Break,” with the latter currently climbing into the Top 20 at U.S. alternative radio. 

The release of “Tokyo Rose” today comes alongside a Kenta Takamiya-directed music video, which was shot at Tokyo’s underground Top Beat Club. The video itself features Johnny Pandora, a Japanese artist who has pioneered “Samurai Rock ‘N Roll”, which is inspired by a blend of Japanese culture and western rock music.

Co-starring Blame My Youth lead singer, Sean Van Vleet, the video was shot over the course of four days and explores this electric emerging rock ‘n roll scene in Japan. 

Van Vleet states, “My producer and I found a video of a Japanese Rockabily scene in Tokyo, featuring the front man, Johnny Daigo of the band Johnny Pandora, who was thrashing this ’50s style song in a garage punk way. That is when the inspiration hit. We reached out to Johnny, sent him the song, and weeks later, he was co-starring in the video with me at the Top Beat Club in Tokyo.” 

Watch the new music video below, and continue on to read our exclusive Q&A with Van Vleet regarding the single and what is next for Blame My Youth.

I read that you wrote “Tokyo Rose” after a microdose of mushrooms, but tell me what the song means to you?

I’ve never had a song take me to a country before, so Tokyo Rose is a special one because just the writing of the song and video treatment in one six hour burst made this happen. We daydreamed the idea of filming this in Tokyo and it actually happening makes this a special one for me.

Can you talk about the inspiration musically? Because I think it continues this musical journey of the last few singles but has a bit of a different vibe to it overall.

This song is definitely a switch up for us. We discovered Johnny Pandora on social media and were so inspired by him and the 50s rock and roll that takes place at the Top Beat Club in Tokyo. We were goofing around and having a good time at the studio, getting inspired by that style of music. I ended up playing a swing style 50s kind of riff that I typically would never play, but it felt so right when watching Johnny Pandora’s content. It’s a standalone from anything we’ve done before which also makes it cool because it was such an inspirational time and everything came so easily.

The music video was inspired by Pandora, who ended up being in the video with you. What was that like and even filming it in Tokyo?

Going to Tokyo felt like I took a time machine to the past and future at the same time – I left LA in 2024 and landed in Tokyo in 1961. We were greeted with open arms and it couldn’t have been a better experience. They orchestrated the whole video based off of two Zoom calls we did with them ahead of time – Johnny found a local director and arranged the whole thing. We couldn’t be happier with the product and how it turned out.

“Tokyo Rose” is your third single of the year, after “The Break” and “Running.” Both making some noise on alternative radio. Whats that like to see and have happen?

We can definitely feel the momentum right now, and we’ve been on an amazing ride this year with these three songs. And we’re just getting started!

You’ve got some shows coming up, and I’m sure the music will keep coming. But what’s immediately next for you?

We have so many songs to record, some of our favorites are in the pipeline for the next couple of months. We have our first two headline shows and will be hitting the road to visit radio stations across the country. And hopefully more microdosing studio sessions with Joey because those are life altering experiences.