Chris Holly has already had quite a career in music and has been releasing music on Spotify as a solo artist since 2008 with an outstanding variety of lush rock sounds and a somewhat personal standpoint from which songs are written.
His latest single "Don't" is no exception as the song feels relatable and boasts a great radio rock style that brings bot alternative 90's and classic rock together in a wonderfully woven and passionately performed track.
The song is lush and full with a hard rock tonality but really gives a little more of a singer songwriter undertone that clearly comes from someplace real.
The song is based on personal experience, and this is a major part of what makes it so addicting. You can hear the heart put into it and it's all done with the feel of a live performance.
This does showcase not only some great sonic presence but also the artists ability to write hooks that have some edge to them and still have that emotional backbone it must have been built from in the first place.
An absolute radio rock powerhouse "Don't" hits that sweet spot that touches on a certain rock nostalgia while showing character as well.
This is not easy to pull off, but Holly does it without a hitch.
With the release of this single, we wanted to have s sit down with Chris Holly to find out where this song actually came from and what may be next for the artist. Here's what happened.
BuzzSlayers: Okay so let's start things off with the "Don't". This song has a great bridge between classic rock and a late 90's radio alternative feel. Where did this track come from?
Chris: “Don’t” stemmed from a co-write project with a former music student that was applying for Berklee School of Music summer songwriting program. We tracked it at the former studio owned by Eric Bass of the band Shinedown. The entire song was tracked in 4 hours. I did 2 vocal takes; it came together very quickly. “Don’t” definitely has my signature grunge, modern rock vibe all over it.
BuzzSlayers: I'm certainly hearing some different rock styles mixed in on this one. Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
Chris: Bob Dylan, Van Halen, Tom Waits, AC/DC, Duran Duran, Tori Amos, Beatles BuzzSlayers: How did this all start for you?
Chris: MTV! when it first started it only had around 100 videos in rotation. When I saw Cheap Trick “She’s Tight” over and over again, I thought I want to do that, and got a cheap acoustic guitar that Christmas when I was 12 never looked back. Moved from Alabama to Hollywood, CA when I was 18…. Welcome to the Jungle, the rest is history.
BuzzSlayers: Do you do any live performances?
Chris: Yes, being a journeyman guitarist (code for old), I’ve toured everywhere with everyone and seen everything. Including being thrown out of Canada, I can go back now ;). I’m planning a solid schedule of dates for 2022 in the USA and UK, Covid permitting.
BuzzSlayers: What kind of things inspire you to write?
Chris: Usually my broken heart, or someone with a broken heart, that feeling of being lost, estranged, confused, lonely. A rudderless heart
It’s therapeutic, a cathartic process, it frees you from the emotional strife you might be in at that moment.
BuzzSlayers: Can we expect any music videos coming from you next year?
Chris: Yes! Live videos, Lyrics video and a few conceptual. There is an excellent music video Director in Los Angeles named Ed Shiers, that was going to direct a video for an artist I managed/produced that didn’t come to fruition but we will work together on one of my songs in 2022. He does amazing outside the box work. BuzzSlayers: How do you write your songs? Is it lyrics first or guitar chords? How does it work for you?
Chris: Usually lyrics first but songs come to you in all forms, sometimes I dream the song it’s like a radio is playing in my head. Strange and hard to explain but very moving when it happens that way. The song writes itself, if you have to labor
over it, most likely it’s not going to work.
BuzzSlayers: What's next for you as an artist? Is there anything new in the works even now?
Chris: I’m very blessed owning a studio with full production. I have 4 songs that are literally being tracked and or mixed all at the same time. Lots of new material, but extremely happy that “Don’t” has connected and is being well received by so many wonderful listeners around this big bouncing ball BuzzSlayers: Who are you listening to right now?
Chris: David Bowie, Rage Against the Machine, Public Enemy and Nicole Dollenganger. Oh, Korn, Blink 182
BuzzSlayers: What are you doing when you're NOT working on music?
Chris: Thinking about music, I honestly don’t do anything but music, music business, and or music related stuff. I stay very busy Blessed and Unstoppable BuzzSlayers: This song feels like a big undertaking. What kind of advice would you have for other up and coming bands out there?
Chris: Play Live! Play Live! Play Live! and give it more than 9 months or make music a hobby nothing wrong with that.
BuzzSlayers: Before we go, what would you like to say to fans of the music?
Chris Add “DON’T” to your favorite playlist! support local live music. Keep an open mind. Peace