Unlike most bands where theres a very obvious distinction between the front man and the band, The Sad Lives of the Hollywood Lovers doesnt have that problem. With two frontmen who are arguably the heart and soul of the band, Mark Shue and Hunter Christy share the writing of all the material as well as trade off lead vocals. Two front men one band a unified dichotomy that balances itself out beautifully. They decided early on that to have the music be heard as they wanted it to be - they didn't want the songs to come from one point of view they wanted the vocals to be viewed as equals with the music itself.
Flashback: Fall 2002. Our story begins in (and remains largely in) Virginia. Two college students move into a small apartment in Harrisonburg, VA. Mere acquaintances moving through mutual friends. Both had varying artistic interests from film to theatre to art But most importantly of all, they both shared a history of writing and playing music. Mark spent his teenage years fronting a handful of garage, punk, and hardcore bands in Staunton, while Hunter made home recordings of his mellower, dreamy material and played in bands in Fredericksburg. Early on, neither really knew of each others past. But that all changed one day while they were driving around town. A simple conversation steered into a chat about their own "guilty pleasures" of certain pop music, and especially pop music with an often electronic or experimental edge, and later, into their rich musical pasts. Mark, in a life-changing epiphany, exclaimed, We should play sexy music like this! Quasi-convinced, Hunter responded, "Okay." After sleepless nights of soul searching, cigarettes, long drives, and countless philosophical conversations, The Sad Lives of the Hollywood Lovers was born.
At first, the band was a recording experiment, making self-recorded and self-packaged collections of their new material out of their tiny apartment on Main Street in Harrisonburg. By 2003, however, their two man collective had grown to full band status with additional musicians in tow, playing gigs throughout that same state building their empire. The Sad Lives of the Hollywood Lovers spent 2004 playing live gigs, recording, and perfecting their sound, a blend of electronic music with the more traditional rock n' roll.
In 2005, the band rented a small house to live, rehearse, and record in. Dubbed The Gossip Factory, they recorded their debut mini-album, Silencer. Recorded, produced, and mixed for almost no money in the living room of the house (with additional recording done in Hunters grandmothers house not too far away), Silencer is a fascinating mixture of electro synths, rock guitars, and propulsive rhythm section. From the opening blips and bleeps of the dark synthpop of You Make Me Feel Like Im Fifteen, to the heavy indie-rock of Boys to the 80s-leaning New Wave of We Are Neon Lights, Silencer traipses through genres without losing its identity or its edge. With its epic soaring chorus, the single The Scene showcases their delicate balancing act between the rock and electronic worlds, while highlighting their seamless combined vocal prowess. Building a very healthy and robust hometown following in the Southeast region of the U.S., these two Virginians are carefully planning and plotting their takeover
Flashforward: Summer 2006. The Sad Lives of the Hollywood Lovers are no longer a regional band. Focused on building on the foundation theyve created, Hunter and Mark have their sights set on breaking down doors. With healthy extensive tours planned throughout the remainder of the year, their plan seems to be working. Its evidence? Growing audiences are reveling in their exciting sound. You dont need much more proof than that.
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THE SAD LIVES OF THE HOLLYWOOD LOVERS THE SCENE music video! just click the pictue below, and select your connection speed.
