GUEST COLUMN: The Happy Hollows

Over the next few weeks, you'll see a series of articles on the site written by members of some of the best local bands on topics ranging from how they got started, how they prep for performances, and -- in the case of The Happy Hollows' lead singer/guitarist (and notable solo artist) Sarah Negahdari -- what bands inspire them the most.

I am very lucky because most of my biggest musical mentors and heroes are all my close friends. Everyone who has ever met me knows that Rob and Nick of Death to Anders are my guitar and songwriting heroes. Everyone who knows me knows that The Movies are my musical obsession, and that Andrew Jeffords of Traps, ps. is my musical Idol. All of my brothers in the Central Second Collective, like Christian of The Transmissions, have inspired me to no end, and helped shape my craft. I wouldn't be a fraction of the artist I am today without so many of these incredible men and bands in my life. Although there are so many men I admire, the list of local women who blow my mind is huge, and at the top of that list of female music heroes is Julie of The Pity Party.

I can't say enough good things about The Pity Party. Julie and Marc are total geniuses. I think my feelings can be best summed up if I go on a little rampage of thoughts that run through my mind every time I hear their records or see them play.

Me: "Wow...how is this girl drumming and playing keyboards and belting out an amazing voice at the same time??!! Wow, how the hell do they make music that is so damn catchy and yet unlike anything that has ever been done before?? Wow, I want to make guitar parts like Marc..I hate her she is also so beautiful...ok..I don’t hate her..I just want to be her...How does she make the coolest beats??... How do they make such bizarre yet fantastic harmonies?!....I want to stop thinking and dance dance dance!..ok..I am dancing..this feels so good....I am free...I am in the future...and it is a place of artistic freedom...I am free...I am so inspired...I am so alive...damn how is this even happening!?..this band is the best band ever...I will get to say I knew them way back when...I want to quit making music, this music is just so good and it has reached that level where it cant get better so why try!?...ok...stop... just stop thinking and dance...and feel
dirty...yeow!!!...yay!!!! I am free! I am inspired! this is the coolest band.."

This is exactly what runs through my head every time I see them or hear them! I truly love this band. I think The Pity Party is the Nine Inch Nails of our generation. I think they are like taking a trip to a city that is a perfect combination of New Orleans and Tokyo. It is futuristic and dark there, yet really playful, and sexy, and addicting, and spooky, and bad ass! You want to stay up all night in this city! You want to dress like a hot mess while you play with neon red paint and run from futuristic robots. The Pity Party is simply one of the best and most cool and fresh and forward sounding bands in the world, let alone Los Angeles. We are lucky as hell to have them here.

I think that best sums up my feelings of profound awe and appreciation for The Pity Party and my other biggest music heroes. Thank you for asking, RFSL! Thank you for reading whoever is reading this!

xoxo Love,

Sarah

The Happy Hollows play on Thursday night at The Echo with local legends The Movies.

Photo credit: Sterling Andrews.