Rival Schools and Blockhead Unite on the Court for '69 Guns' Remix -- Song Premiere

In 2011, Rival Schools released 'Pedals,' their first official album in a decade. '69 Guns,' a track that the band had been playing live since their reunion in 2008, inspired fellow New York musician Tony Simon, aka Blockhead, to lay down a swift reworking.

The Lower East Side beatmaker, best known for his work with Aesop Rock, MURS and his own esoteric downtempo records on the respected Ninja Tune label, took a crack at remixing '69 Guns,' turning a not-so-obvious collaboration into one that goes together like New York and basketball.

"[Rival Schools drummer] Sammy Siegler and I had been playing basketball together for a while," Simon tells Spinner. "We are both from the Village and actually went to the same grade school. We both eventually figured out the other was involved in music and it just grew organically from there."

Listen to '69 Guns (Blockhead Remix)'

"We had an immediate bond," Siegler says. "At first glance, he was a stocky baller with a wicked bank shot. After a few physical games of basketball, I realized he was actually Blockhead who worked on this Aesop Rock track that I really liked."

"No matter how different musicians from NYC can be, I find there is a common bond in how we approach music and we often share a certain common sense when it comes to taste," Simon adds on the collaboration.

Simon's Zen interpretation of '69 Guns' swaps the guitars for sitars and adds a signature Blockhead beat to complement frontman Walter Schreifels' chilling vocals in a Thievery Corporation type of fashion, completely reimagining the song.

"I really like the outcome, kind of 'eastern' kind of funky," Siegler says. "This is new territory for us. It was a fun experience."

The track will be available starting May 3 as a digital EP that also includes remixes from the Beastie Boys' Ad-Rock and Glassjaw's Daryl Palumbo. Rival Schools will head out West for select dates before their appearance at Lollapalooza.

Rival Schools Perform '69 Guns' at SXSW 2010

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