Joyland the topic of band’s new hard rock song – and there are clowns

Now that it’s out, I don’t know how we’ve gone so long without it.

Who knew we needed a hard rock song themed after Joyland, Wichita’s shuttered south-side amusement park?

Apparently no one but Jeff Kirby.

Kirby, lead vocalist of the Dallas-based hard rock band Scepter, released “Joyland” last week as well as an accompanying video featuring himself adorned in clown makeup over grungy, grindhouse-looking footage of an amusement park.

All three members of the band – Kirby, his brother Joe, and drummer Damon Blythe – are from Wichita originally.

“We just sat around and talked about old memories of Joyland ... just laughing, when we said, ‘Let’s write a song,’” Jeff Kirby said Friday. “We want anyone from Wichita to really think back on Joyland and on how wild that place was. It was a big part of our childhood.”

In the video, there are a couple seconds of footage from the actual Joyland park – the rest is made up of of stock footage and shots from a Dallas area theme park.

“We tried to stay as true as we could to Joyland, minus the roller coaster,” he said. “You’re not going to find another wooden roller coaster like Joyland. I’m not sure I’d want to ride it if we did.”

It’s got screamin’ guitar riffs – and gratuitous references to Joyland, of course.

Its lyrics reference the Wacky Shack, Louie the Clown, and how “watching the whole place die ... is a thrill ride.”

Jeff Kirby moved to the Dallas area in 1999, though he’s been playing in a band with his brother since 1986, he said.

He also wants to assure people: No, he doesn’t actually wear clown makeup when performing.

“I was wondering if people were going to think that,” he said with a laugh.

The song is now out on CD Baby, Amazon and iTunes.

This story was originally published August 23, 2017 at 11:35 AM with the headline "Joyland the topic of band’s new hard rock song – and there are clowns."