Honor Choir - Sound In The Signals Interview
I recently had the opportunity to interview Christian Nichols of Honor Choir. We discussed how they started the band, musical influences, recording their debut songs, filming their music video, and more. Check it out below.
First, thanks for the interview.
Of course. Thank you for the opportunity!
Can you tell me how you started the band for those who may be unfamiliar with it? How did you become interested in music?
The four of us have been involved in playing and making music and various projects for several years now. I met Zach (drums) and Ethan (lead guitar) eight years ago when I was on tour with my band Boys Home. Any time we came through OKC I either played with one of their bands or at least linked up with them at the shows.
I moved to Oklahoma City almost two years ago. Prior to Honor Choir I was half of a post-punk/new wave duo. And after years of toying with the idea, I'd decided I wanted to make music that was a little more immediate, something with energy, and I wanted it to be a little more of a return to form. I started hammering out demos not knowing if anything would ever come of them. But it was fulfilling and I loved the songs.
I had initially set out to write what I would imagine a follow-up to the Box Car Racer record would sound like. I sent the first demo to Ethan, who I'd wanted to tap for second guitar. We reconnected and we naturally landed on Zach to play drums with us. After our first show, we met Quinn who voiced some interest in playing bass with us and that's how we got here.
I grew up with a father who both worked in the radio industry and is also a great recording engineer and a mother who has great taste in music as well. They fostered an environment where chasing the music was encouraged. So I have always loved music and wanted to be in bands. My bandmates also come from families where music was a constant in one form or another and I think for all of us it was a means for us to communicate with the world around us our feelings about the world around us. We're all lifers.
You recently released your first two songs. How do you feel about the reception you’ve received so far?
I think we're just grateful anyone has given our songs the time of day. There's so much great music out that it's crazy anyone has time to fit a couple of our tracks into their busy lives. Anytime someone shares their joy in spinning them, I'm struck with awe and gratitude.
I really like the songs and the overall sound of the band. What are some of your biggest sonic influences?
Three of us grew up as blink kids. And I think each of us spent some time trying to hide from that. And if not the other two, I certainly did. At some point, I came to terms with the fact that it led me to everything else I've loved and embraced it.
I'd say we're pulling a lot of inspiration from Box Car, Rival Schools, Far, and Hey Mercedes. And each of us are certainly digging out of our own personal libraries in some regard.
What was the recording process like for the songs?
We officially had the first Honor Choir rehearsal in December 2023. Soon after, we agreed that Animal and Beat Up Foreign Car would be the first two singles. The composition and structure of the tracks are essentially identical to the demos. The differences being in the subtleties of each individual's takes which really elevated the songs in a magical way.
We holed up at The Closet Studios in Tulsa for a weekend with Kendal Osborne and assistant engineer Tristan Wright and knocked the songs out. We had Corey Coffman mix and master them. Everyone brought their A-game and we are so pleased with how they turned out.
Can we expect more new music anytime soon? If so, what can you tell us so far?
You can expect more Honor Choir material in early 2025. I can only say that we're sitting on quite a bit of material and there's more flowing in. It's been really exciting watching things take shape.
Your music video has tons of vintage and current band posters and pictures. How did you choose all those and what were a couple of your favorites that you featured?
Each of us chose a handful that we felt really strongly about. Some of them were recreations of posters I had in my bedroom growing up as well. Zach suggested an A Tribe Called Quest poster, so we went with a Low End Theory design. Quinn suggested the Jealous Sound which is a band we really love. And Ethan and I were both into hiding a smaller Glassjaw poster in there.
Is there any chance that we’ll see a physical release for the new songs such as vinyl, CD, or cassette?
I don't know that there is a physical release for these two songs in the cards just yet. We certainly plan to release the next collection of songs on physical mediums.
Thanks for taking the time to answer the questions. Do you have anything else that you would like to add?
Thank you for giving us a platform to talk about the band. We're just grateful to be here and glad that the songs have resonated in some way.
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