Q: Hey, can you tell us a bit about where you come from, and what made you want to start a career in music?
A: Our band grew up in different parts of the country : Ohio ( Michael O’Brien), Virginia (Jackie O’Brien), New York (Christy Calabro) Michael says ,”It was the excitement of performing in the local clubs where I grew up & not having to work a regular job.” Jackie says, “ Music was an escape from the excruciating banality of existence” Christy loves to play guitar and forced a friend to teach him.
Q: And what other artists have you found yourself listening to lately?
A: Ella Woolsey great & unique new solo artist. Michael really likes listening to Chris Stapleton’s vocals.
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences, and why the name ‘Hillbilly Hippies’?
A: Elvis ( of course), Beatles, Bob Dylan, Kings of Leon, Black Crowes. We live in the country & we’ve always been hippies, promoting world peace and love. One day we were driving to the feed store in our ’62 Chevy pick up truck to get hay for our horses, listening to the Kings of Leon song Pickup Truck and we realized, we’re nothin but “Hillbilly Hippies.”
Q: You have just released your new single, ‘Didn’t Say Goodbye’. Is there a story behind it?
A: It sounds like a love song but it’s actually about our keyboard player who crept into our studio in the middle of the night and took his equipment and snuck out without making a sound and we never heard from him again!
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
A: Yes, we have LP coming out at the end of the year. We currently have a second single, a rock anthem, we just released on all platforms called “Raised on Rock”
Q: What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
A: Key elements are vocals and guitar. The sound is modern classic rock sound.
Q: Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more?
A: Well we think that’s true of anything, you always get back what you put into it. Music is fulfilling in and of itself.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: Jackie, who plays rhythm guitar, usually generates the songwriting and together we get the ball rolling. Michael often comes up with the vocal melodies and some lyrics. Christy contributes guitar changes and background vocals and the arrangements.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: Playing while people in the audience are throwing stuff at us! Lol
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: Completing the recording of our upcoming album called “I’ll Stand by You”