Artist Spotlight: Handsome Ghost
Handsome Ghost’s Tim Noyes and Eddie Byun are just the type of artists we like to showcase on Flipagram. This band from Boston incorporates a unique mix of indie and rock electro sounds. The young group started heating up last summer when they signed with Photo Finish Records and released their first EP, “Steps.”
Handsome Ghost has been tremendously successful in building a name for themselves since they began touring last year. They have opened for name acts such as BØRNS, MisterWives, X Ambassadors and Melanie Martinez, and made a guest appearance on Last Call with Carson Daly where they performed “Weight of It All.” Today, and just in time for summer, the band is releasing a new single titled “Eyes Wide” which features Whole Doubts and has an electro vibe.
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Read on for the Q&A with singer/songwriter, Tim Noyes, and follow the band on Flipagram @HandsomestGhost to stay up-to-date on tour/show dates. Click here to create your own Flip using the new song!
With love from Los Angeles,
Describe the one thing you set out to do in life and why.
I don't know if there's one specific thing, but I'd like to end up with as few regrets as possible when it's all said and done, musically and otherwise.
When was it that you discovered your love and passion for music?
I loved listening to music as early as I can remember, but I didn't discover my passion for playing music until I picked up the guitar in my freshman year of college. It started as a way to pass the time in my dorm room, but I realized right away that writing songs was very, very important to me and I haven't stopped since.
How would you describe your music to someone who has never listened to it before?
I like to say that we're a nice blend between acoustic and electronic. The production is big and unique (I hope) but a listener can still hear the song I wrote in my bedroom beneath all the other parts.
What is your favorite tour/show experience to date?
Our tour opening up for Melanie Martinez this past fall was probably my favorite one to date, though we've been a part of some really great tours to this point. That one was special because I feel like the crowds really understood our music and we became really close friends with all of our tour mates over those two plus months.
Releasing our Steps EP. It was our introduction to the world, ha. We wouldn't be playing all of these great shows without it.
Steepest hurdle you’ve had to overcome?
I played in an entirely different sounding band before Handsome Ghost, and when that band came to an end I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep making music or try something different. When I started writing songs for what would become our Steps EP, it was difficult to accept that I was essentially building another band from the ground up. As much as I loved writing with this new project in mind, the idea of a completely new start sounded a little daunting. But we went for it, and I'm so glad we did. I'm lucky to have people around me who believe in my music, that certainly made it much easier to take the plunge.
Best fan compliment ever received?
I love hearing what my songs mean to others and there are a lot of good stories that come to mind. Most recently, a couple told me that they bonded over their love for our song Blood Stutter and that it was going to play at their wedding. That makes me unbelievable happy.
What songs are on a playlist you’d be listening to?
We have a couple good playlists going in the van right now, but my favorite features songs from The Postal Service, Verite, Phoebe Ryan, The 1975…the list goes on it's a long one.
Theme song for your life?
Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down." Is that corny? Whatever, that's what I'm going with.
Where do you see yourselves in 5 years? 10 years?
I hope Handsome Ghost is still rolling along in five years, and hopefully 10 years too. There aren't many bands with that kind of longevity and I hope we're lucky enough to do what we love for many years to come. Outside of music, I want to get to the point where life off the road is a little more stable. We've been touring so much that home really doesn't exist right now. In five years I'm shooting for a house on the ocean and in ten years I want three houses on three different oceans.
Right this second, The 1975: Somebody Else
Elliott Smith stands the test of time for me, I discovered him in college and I still play his records all the time. He's my favorite songwriter.
I haven't seen a movie in a LONG time, unfortunately. I'm going to try and catch up on everything I missed when we finish up this tour. But Good Will Hunting comes to mind first. I watch that at least a few times a year.
Does coffee count? Coffee. If not, anything barbecue related.
Can't say I'm a dessert fan. Too sweet.
New York City. There are so many good ones across the country, but New York is its own planet, I love it.
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