The Hollow Party, a dynamic indie-rock band based in Nashville have released their latest single, “Goddess in a Ghost Town.”
The writing process of “Goddess in a Ghost Town” began months ago when band members Andrew, Danny and Quinn crafted the initial demo. Over the following months, Drew added emotional lyrics and a recurrent hook, shaping the vocal part into a reflection about “the one who got away”.
In this interview spotlight, I chat with The Hollow Party about AI in music, dream collabs, and, of course, the latest music.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
This AI thing is getting way out of control. I have students using ChatGPT to write death metal songs about country music…and country songs about being sad. You can feed some Ais a text prompt and create a Hollywood-quality short film. How do you feel about this new wave of technological innovation?
Drew: First of all, I believe the cat’s out of the bag when it comes to AI technology. It’s in the hands of everyone now, and while some abuse its potential out of pure evil or just plain laziness, I still believe it can be a powerful tool for creators and business owners. Whether you’re a booking agent probing for a list of local venues, a songwriter seeking out an elusive rhyme, or a new PR rep agonizing over formatting for a press release, AI language models can save time without sacrificing creativity– when used appropriately. I also believe that tastemakers and casual fans alike generally possess a good radar for sniffing out AI-generated content. This leads me to optimistically believe that quality will continue to overcome quantity in the scope of AI.
Andrew: Like anything with technology, people are always gonna be a little hesitant to embrace a new wave of change and invention. That being said though, you can’t tell me it isn’t hilarious hearing Patrick Star belt Adele’s “Someone Like You” like he’s trying to win American Idol. In all seriousness, when you look at recent artist developments with AI, like Randy Houser using it to reconstruct his one-of-a-kind voice, I think AI has the potential to do some massive things in the industry (as long as people don’t abuse it).
I know it’s hard…but what’s your favorite song and/or favorite artist of all time? If not favorite, in your top 3?
Drew: Yellowcard has been on my radar ever since my sister burned ‘Ocean Avenue’ onto a mix CD for me when I was 5 or 6. I jammed out to ‘Lights and Sounds’ on repeat while playing Burnout Revenge for the PS2 around age 10. It wasn’t until middle school when their lyrics really started to resonate with the capricious adolescent inside of me. I can confidently say Yellowcard got me through high school, and I have been fortunate enough to have lost my voice at many shows over the years. To this day, I never skip a YC song, but always turn up the dial to sing along.
Danny: Ben Gibbard’s projects Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service have both been huge influences on why I want to make music. I’m a huge fan of his storytelling and the band’s compositions as well as his exploration into sound design with both an electronic and alternative rock sound.
Quinn: Nirvana has been a leading influence for my whole life. It mixes all the rock elements I want with nursery rhymes, which makes for a really catchy jam that I chase in songwriting. Kurt Cobain also took heavy influence from Frank Black and The Pixies, which is another huge influence for me, so Nirvana has always been a band that never gets old.
Andrew: I think The Beatles’ “A Day in the Life” is one of the most complete pieces of music that’s ever been written. Talk about having killer arrangement, dynamics, lyrics– you name it. It rivals anthems like “Bohemian Rhapsody” in drama, and “Hey Jude” in emotion, and who doesn’t love an orchestra behind a good classic rock song? It’s a 10/10.
Were you trying to accomplish anything specific or different with this project? What’s the back story?
Goddess in a Ghost Town represents the end of an era for us creatively. The live, raw feel of the recording reflects the decisions we made in the studio to track everything simultaneously. It is a call-back to many of the early 2000s records we grew up with. Now that we’re older and starting to write songs that inspire others, we wanted to release this single as a nod to the bands who inspired us to create for ourselves
What drives you to create? What keeps you going, especially on the bad days?
Drew: As a drummer, I sometimes find my outlets for pure creative expression few and far between. This band gives me the outlet for all of my rawest emotions and deep-seeded convictions. I get out of bed every morning looking forward to our sessions and for what I can do to contribute to our unique and long-standing tradition.
Quinn: I’m addicted to finding and creating ear-worms, so for me, trying to capture that into a song within the rock genre is something I chase. Once I have something I like in my head, I immediately have to jot it down in a voice memo so I can remember it for when I write next. Making a song that you want to naturally dance to is the best feeling in the world, so I don’t think I’ll ever stop.
Danny: I’ve always been looking to try and understand how sound works and the connection between emotions and sound that everyone can connect with. This has always pushed me to try and learn how artists try and do things and also trying new things myself. It has always been there for me as an emotional outlet to try and explore a new sonic world. Trying to bring those visions to life with my friends is my favorite part.
If you could collaborate with anyone – dead or alive, famous or unknown – who would it be and why? Please plug them with a link so readers can check them out.
We would love to work with Paul McCartney. He’s always been admirable and a strong influence to us for pop-rock music. He’s a master songwriter and The Beatles’ journey has been a model for us in band dynamics and chemistry. He also has been working with a lot of current artists we love, so we naturally want to partake because that process would be unforgettable.
Where is the best place to stay connected with You?
The best place to hang out and chat with us is our Discord, and you can stay up to date with our music and antics on Instagram and TikTok. Tune into our Twitch livestreams for interactive jam sessions and sneak peaks at upcoming releases. We’re building an awesome community and can’t wait to meet everyone on tour! Oh, and check out our website for merch and tour dates!
I appreciate Your time. Want to say anything else before we sign off?
Drew: Think about your best friends, and cherish them forever! The four of us have been friends and bandmates for over 15 years, and the journey has grown our friendship into something so much bigger.
Please see our Press Assets for media related to our new single, “Goddess in a Ghost Town.” Thank you so much for having us!
