Introducing: Palm Ghosts

The complex, genre-pushing post-punk influenced sound of Nashville’s Palm Ghosts has regularly featured on the blog over the last view years. With the release of Another Way Escapes Me, it seemed like a good opportunity to talk music and more with the band.

First up, could you tell us a bit about Palm Ghosts?

Sure, Palm Ghosts started as an indie folk solo studio project in 2014. It continued that way until around 2018 when I decided I wanted to change the direction of the band to the music I grew up hearing. I asked good friend and collaborator, Ben Douglas, if he’d be into collaborating into making it an actual band that performs live, and he agreed. We then found guitarist Jason Springman through on online ad.

Our first record as a full band, Architecture, featured co-lead vocalist Erica Wilkes. She left right before the pandemic to do her own thing and we continued to solidify our sound through another 3 EPs, 2 LPs and a slew of singles during the Covid lockdown. We’re pretty prolific. My old friend and collaborator, drummer Walt Epting, moved down to Nashville about 8 months ago to complete the lineup, and we’ve been hitting the road ever since.

How did you all meet?

I met Walt when I was a teenager and we played in many bands together over the years. I met Ben Douglas as soon as I moved here to Nashville, as we were both songwriters new to town and shared a lot of similar musical interests. Jason moved here a couple years later and answered an online ad for a guitarist when we decided to make Palm Ghosts a “real” band.

What inspires you to write?

I listen to a ton of music, it’s really always been the center of my life, and I listen to and find beauty in so many different types of music.  Really, I guess what inspires me is that I want to write music I’d like to hear in a way that nobody else is doing.

How does the creative process work within the band?

Honestly in many different ways. The most fun way was how we did Lifeboat Candidate. Walt sent me drum files from his house in New Jersey, I added bass and synth parts, building the structure. I sent it off to Jason to add guitars and then finally to Ben to finish with the melodies and lyrics. I would then record the vocals, mix and master it. That way was cool because every time we got the track back, there was a new surprise waiting. That was a 100% full and equal collaboration to the material. It’s not always like that.

Sometimes I come in with a complete song. Sometimes Ben and I co-write. Most times Jason comes to us with a complete idea of his own and I just “produce” it. The one thing that we never do is what I did all my life, just jam in a room together until something comes. I think I did that for so many years, and technology has come so far, that It’s not my preferable way of writing anymore, although there are also merits to doing that. I think the key is to switch it up as much as possible as to not become stale creatively.

What has been the most memorable moment as a band so far?

We just completed a 2-week tour of Canada and almost finished it before all contracting Covid. Up until the sad end of that one, it was the most fun we’ve had as a band on the road. Meeting new people, making new fans, checking out cities we’ve never visited. That’s the best part of being in a band in my mind. Nobody on their deathbed looks back on all of the Netflix series’ they’ve completed. They look back on all the things they’ve seen and the lovely people they’ve met.

If you had to sing at a karaoke bar, what song would you choose?

Depending on my mood, Joy Division’s Day of the Lords or Men at Work’s Overkill, maybe both back-to-back. Now that would be something.

What artist would you love to work with?

Peter Gabriel, without a doubt, would be my number one.

Nashville is often called Music City, USA. Do you find being there helps or hinders the band?

Well, nothing that we do screams Nashville. But the thing Nashville has taught me is that you can be a musician and that’s enough. Nobody asks you or cares what other job you are doing. They just assume you are doing something that pays the bills enough to play music as close to full time as possible. Also, most musicians like a large variety of different music, so we are appreciated by our peers here more than most places, I’d think.

The more different you are from other artists; the more other musicians seem to respect what you are doing. I think that is pretty cool. Nashville is also very friendly and within a short drive to many cities, which makes it a great home base for touring. So, overall, I think being here helps us more than it hinders us.

Was there a specific inspiration behind the lyrics of Another Way Escapes Me?

The gist is to keep doing what you love against all rational thought. Do it because it’s in your blood and don’t give up even though the world tries to make you think you should be doing something “better” with your life. I feel there is a spiritual benefit to knowing what you want to do in life and making sacrifices to do it.

What’s up next after Another Way Escapes Me for Palm Ghosts in terms of upcoming gigs, new music…?

We have a pretty large backlog of songs and are always writing. The plan is to release a new single every month for a little while and then release another full length record this fall. In the meantime, play as many shows as well can and keep doing the thing!

You can also listen to Another Way Escapes Me on Spotify, Deezer, and Apple Music. To keep up with details of upcoming tours and releases by Palm Ghosts, be sure to check out the band on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.