Interviews: Hold On Hollywood

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Rock 'N' Roll band Hold On Hollywood, from the USA. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or did it just come out like that?

Nick: Ian was running his mouth one time, and he has this perfect little Hollywood smile, because of course, he does, he's the singer. So I told him to just, "Hold on, Hollywood" and we just were like, uhhhhh.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Ian: We didn't want to be pigeon-holed into one genre so to speak when we started. We just play rock n' roll, and whatever we write that sounds good to us is what we play. Slow, fast, heavy, soft, doesn't matter. If it grooves, it grooves. 

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Nick: Devin and I knew each other beforehand for quite a while. We met in 6th grade and started playing music together with the summer between middle and high school going into 9th grade. We played in a band together we started called Series Six for almost 5 years until it disbanded. We met Ian and Corey in like 2014 sometime, and we started jamming at the very end of the year.

4. Each band member's favorite band?

Devin: Blink-182.

Ian: Different bands for different decades. Like the 90's is Fuel, but the 2000's is like Mainstream Alternative bands or 80's is like Whitesnake, etc. Too hard to pick just a single favorite.

Nick: I have a 'Holy Trinity' so to speak of bands. Taking Back Sunday, Brand New and Say Anything. All early 2000's emo/pop-punk bands. As for my other favorite period of music, the 80's, it's Motley Crue.

Corey: Falling In Reverse and Attila

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Nick: For me, I find inspiration mostly in the experiences I've had in my life. Heartbreaks and stuff are really easy for me to create off of. You can see a lot of that in our lyrics.

Ian: Well, I write about my previous or current relationships and its issues, up and downs, or whatever. Music has always consumed my life in the best and worst ways, so I write a lot about how it affects my life. I dive hard in getting my lyrics and melody to snatch someone up and get them lost into the music, endlessly. 

6. Where was your last gig?

Nick: We played with our buddies in Blacktop Mojo and Black Heart Saints in Corpus Christi, TX at the House of Rock on February 29th. We love that place. The pizza is amazing and it's a beautiful town with beautiful beaches.

7. Where would you like to perform?

Devin: Madison Square Garden would be nice, I guess.

Nick: The Starland Ballroom in Jersey. A lot of my favorite bands like I mentioned earlier are from that area and played there a lot. I would like to play it someday. Other than that, anywhere out of the country like the UK or Japan, Australia, etc.

Ian: One of my biggest goals musically is to sell out Madison Square Garden or Wembley Stadium. Yeah, big goals, but go big or go home, this business doesn't have room for backseat drivers.

Corey: Basically what the rest of the band said! Haha!

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

Devin: I guess a Cardi B feature would look nice on the resume.

Nick: There are so many I would like to jam with just to see what would happen. Brendon Urie maybe. I think we could vibe well with him with his Emo roots that have moved into pop now.

Ian: I think it would be dope to have someone like Post Malone or Dave Grohl to feature on a track or two.

Corey: Honestly as long as they are relevant we could make it work! 

9. Whom not?

Nick: I don't know, honestly. Think I'd be open to try a lot of things just to see what would happen. You never know what could be really cool until it happens. 

Ian: I'm not big on talking badly about successful artists, and I don’t really 'HATE' any artist, but I guess it would be someone who doesn't understand our direction, sound, or message and waters it down. Who that is, I'm not sure.

10. Has any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on how to beat that?

Nick: I suffered terribly for the longest while when I was starting out. I still get it before big shows that are really important to me. I'm just afraid something might go wrong really, it gets in the back of my head, and we'll look like fools. Honestly though, that almost never happens and people don't notice most of the time anyways. Just a silly thing in my head. It always goes away within the first few seconds of us playing.

Ian: I can honestly say stage fright has never really been a thing for me. Starting in the music business since I was 7 years old, it’s almost like riding a bike, it’s just second nature. My tips for beginners is be confident in what you are doing. At the end of the day you are no different than a restaurant, a movie theater, or the TV. You are selling something of some sort to people and if you go up there and act like you own that 150%, they will buy it.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Nick: The bands I listed earlier, along with the Velcro Pygmies. I grew up touring around with them, my Dad would drag me along. I learned a lot from them and my life would not be anywhere near the same without what I learned from them.

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

Ian: I had a girl ask me to sign MY underwear and send them to her.

Corey: I probably couldn’t answer that but it involves a group of women...

13. What do you think of your fans?

Nick: Man, we love them. They're just the best. They have stuck with us through the years and been along for the ride. They've pushed and supported us to get to the top and we wouldn't have achieved ANY of what we have without them, hands down. We take all the time we can at shows to hang with them and interact, take photos, sign things, just connect and get to know them, and it's probably the best part of all of this getting to see the family we have built around this band.

14. What do you think of our site?

Nick: I think it's awesome, y'all give chances to artists to be spotlighted like us who aren't some big band, and that’s invaluable to us. Thanks for being so cool. 

15. Something to add?

Ian: Thanks for taking the time to learn a bit more about us. We hope you like what you hear and read, and just check us out. We're always up to something! Follow us on your favorite social medias, just search up Hold On Hollywood. Stream our new EP "Love Stories" and be sure to check out that new video for "Movies", and that's about all I can say!