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True Villains is a new Rock n’ Roll band based out of Nashville, TN. Bandmembers Matt Carter (drums) and Greg Herndon (keys) filled in the blanks on our introduction to the band, as well as sharing some of their own personal musical memories. Connect with True Villains, below…
What are the origins of True Villains? How long have you been playing together?
Matt (drums) and Tim (guitar) met at Musician’s Institute in LA back in 2012 and reconnected years later when they realized they were both in Nashville. They started True Villains in 2015 and the current incarnation of the band has been playing together since 2017.
How did you feel performing your first gig as a band? And how was it?!
It did not go well and prompted us to make some lineup changes. We’ll leave it at that.
What should people expect when they check the band out? How would you describe True Villains?
High energy, loud riffs, catchy hooks, beards, and body odor.
‘Awake At Night’ is the new single, what was it about this one that made you choose it as a single? And what are the lyrical themes behind it?
‘Awake At Night’ was the fourth and final song we cut with producer Nick Raskulinecz and we knew from the time of tracking it that it would be released as a single. The lyrics address a relationship gone stale, and ask the listener to evaluate whether the price paid is worth the company gained, or is the cost enough to keep you awake at night?
What goes through your head in the run-up to releasing new music? Are you excited? Nervous? – Both?!
Both. It’s exciting and nerve-wracking to share something so personal with the world.
Is ‘Awake At Night’ indicative of what a full-length True Villains album will sound like? And, what can you tell us about plans for an album?
Each of the four of the songs we’ve released thus far, although somewhat different from one another, encapsulates the True Villains approach and vibe. We’d love to record a full-length album someday.
How did the relationship with Grammy-winning producer Nick Raskulinecz come about? He is renowned for some of the major acts that he has produced, but not so much with smaller, fledgling acts…
He came to one of our shows and liked us enough to approach us about working together. You’ll have to ask him about that second comment…
In what ways has the band grown over the last few years? For instance, do you see development in songwriting, etc?
We’ve definitely grown as songwriters and have developed a more cohesive sound. Recently, our goals have been to pair some of our catchiest hooks with our heaviest riffs.
How are things in Nashville? When will you expect to make a return to regular live music? And is Grimeys Record Store as cool as it looks?!
Things in Nashville are booming. We’re finally back to regularly playing live music and the capacity restrictions have been lifted. Grimeys is awesome and definitely worth a visit.
In terms of a similar audience: who would be the ideal act for True Villains to support? And, what did you take from the experience of touring with Steel Panther?!
We’d love to open for Ghost, Foo Fighters, Alice In Chains, Royal Blood, Metallica, Aerosmith, and really any big rock act. We like to think our music is accessible to anyone who enjoys rock and roll. Touring with Steel Panther was amazing. They were a ton of fun and were always professional and helpful. We still keep in touch with them.
What are your first musical memories? And what was the lightbulb moment that made you go “I want to do that”?
Matt: My first major concert was Slayer. Seeing the energy of the crowd and the effect that live music has on people made me want to pursue that as a career.
Greg: Growing up listening to Beatles records made me fall in love with the creative process of making music and capturing it in a recorded medium. After starting a band in high school and performing for our friends and family, my passions for writing, performing, and recording music became obsessions.
Personally, who has been the biggest influence on you becoming a musician? Would it be a family member? A teacher? A fellow musician?
Matt: For me, it was my parents. They always had great music playing and have always been very supportive of my musical endeavors.
Greg: Same. My parents and my brother deserve all of the credit.
What was the last gig that you attended as a fan?
Matt: The Midnight performing at Exit/In here in Nashville.
Greg: Ariana Grande performing at Bridgestone Arena.
What current social issue are you particularly passionate about?
Homeless outreach.
What album do you have in your collection/Spotify playlist that would surprise most people? Cher, perhaps? (kick-ass cover of ‘Believe’ on your Facebook by the way!)
We all have very eclectic musical tastes and draw inspiration from all genres. If you like the Cher cover, you’d also dig our cover of ‘A Thousand Miles’ by Vanessa Carlton.
How active are you on social media and where can people connect with you?
We’re quite active on our social media platforms. Our fans mean everything to us and we want to engage with them as much as possible. Our lead singer, Beau, runs our Instagram page and would love to connect with anyone who reaches out. We’re also on Facebook and Tik Tok. (Type in truevillainsnashville and you’ll find us)
