Distracted

BY: ALLIE RUSSELL

Talking to Sorry Ghost feels less like an interview and more like jumping into a conversation with old friends-complete with inside jokes, playful roasts, and plenty of self-deprecating humor. The Los Angeles-based four-piece, consisting of Matt, Dan, Tate, and Sean, bring an infectious energy, making it impossible to not have a good time while chatting with them. But beneath all the jokes they’re a group deeply committed to their craft, fine-tuning everything they do until it’s exactly right. We caught up with them to talk about the band’s journey, viral success, their upcoming tour, and, of course, their willingness to do whatever it takes for fame (according to them, anyway). 

From the very start, the band’s chemistry was apparent. After some technical difficulties for one member joining the call, the rest were quick to roast their bandmate, joking “We’ve already bonded on a personal level, so you’ll never really have what we have.” The lighthearted energy carried through the entire conversation, making it clear that Sorry Ghost is not just a band – they’re a tight knit group of friends who love making music together. 

The Evolution of Sorry Ghost

When asked about their origins, Matt dubbed it “The Official Sorry Ghost Lore”. He and Dan have been friends since high school, initially cycling through different band iterations in college before landing on their current sound. Things really came together when they met Tate after moving to Los Angeles three years ago and later connected with Sean while touring on the East Coast. Sean moved to Los Angeles to officially join the band, and the lineup has been solid ever since. 

“We’ve been this version of the band for like two years, and it’s definitely the most we’ve felt like we’re in step,” Matt explained. “We’re growing our audience, the music is coming naturally, and we’re writing well as a four piece. This really is the true iteration of Sorry Ghost, despite the years Dan and I failed on our own.”

Dan added “Whenever we reach the ceiling of popularity with this genre, we’ll just switch to emo rap. We don’t have any artistic integrity, basically”. Their manager interjected with mock concern, “I feel like the PR side of me shouldn’t be on this call.” Matt doubled down, laughing, “Sorry Ghost goes on record saying they will do anything for fame.”

New Music & The Writing Process

Sorry Ghost is gearing up for a busy year with new music on the horizon. Their latest release, box breathing, dropped in November, and the song went through a long process of revisions before it reached its final form. “We recorded box breathing at the end of 2023, and it sat for a full year,” they explained. “We knew there was something there, but we kept fine tuning it – re-recording verses, tweaking the bridge- until it finally felt right.”

As for what’s next? “We’ve got three songs in the chamber and two more about to be recorded,” Dan said. “For those bad at math, that’s soon to be five in the chamber.” Their next single, polyester (yes sir), is set to release within the upcoming months, and they’re psyched for fans to hear it.

Their songwriting process is highly collaborative. “A lot of the time, either Dan or Sean will come in with a riff, a chorus idea, or a chord progression, and we’ll just build off that,” Tate explained. “It’s a lot of back-and-forth, figuring out what sounds best for the song.”

Going Viral & Navigating Social Media

If you’ve seen Sorry Ghost pop up on your Instagram feed lately, it’s likely thanks to Sean, the band’s unofficial content mastermind. A recent video featuring box breathing racked up significant attention, and Sean credits that to a mix of strategy and authenticity. 

“We were inspired by other bands with similar content, but our thing was ‘Why don’t we actually play the song?’” he said. “All the audio in the video is actually coming from our rehearsal space.” Matt chimed in, “there’s always a debate in the comments- people saying, ‘I can’t believe they captured this in real time,’ and others saying, ‘obviously this is staged.’ The truth is, it’s both, and you’ll never know which one it is at any given moment.”

Despite the success of their videos, filming everything they rehearse comes with its challenges. “It does add some pressure,” Matt admitted. “Even if you’re not trying to, you act differently when you know you’re being watched.” “And when you tell a really bad joke?” Tate added, “It’s now documented forever.”

Dan summed it up best: “I just watch so much reality TV, and I realized, ‘Wait a minute, there’s so much reality gold out there.’ So we decided we just have to be our own reality TV.” The band collectively joked that their next project should be The Real Housewives of Sorry Ghost. 

Hitting the Road 

With a West Coast-heavy tour on the way, Sorry Ghost is ready to take their show on the road. “We’re super excited because we’re hitting a lot of places we haven’t seen before, Denver, Portland, Boise,” Matt said. 

Dan added, “Contrary to popular belief, we do actually have fans across the country. And when’s the last time you saw an indie band going through Boise, Idaho? That’s us. We’re here to bring the people of Idaho what they want.”

Alongside their upcoming shows, they’re also on the lookout for photographers and videographers in each city- so if you’re interested, shoot them a DM. 

The Faces Behind the Covers

One of the coolest aspects of Sorry Ghost’s releases is their single artwork, which highlights a different band member each time. 

“The idea started with small time fish (big time pond),” Tate explained. “We were brainstorming concepts, and someone suggested putting Sean in a fish costume. That led to a photoshoot where Sean was the focus, and the rest of us were blurred in the background. From there, we decided to do a different member for each cover.”

So far, Sean, Tate, and Matt have all had their moment in the spotlight. With polyester (yes sir), it’s Dan’s turn-sporting a throwback suit in a design inspired by their love for film. 

“For what it’s worth,” Matt added, “the most successful single so far has been the one with me in a tuxedo on the cover. Just an unrelated thought.” Dan responded, “Remember, management told us that if all four of us were on the cover, it would be too hideous to sell.” Matt shot back, “Actually, I was told the opposite. If all four of us were on the cover, the entire music industry infrastructure would collapse. It would be Y2K all over again.”

What’s Next?

Beyond new music, Sorry Ghost has even more in store. They’re planning to release guitar and bass tutorials on their YouTube channel and will be sharing more tour details soon on their Instagram page. 

As the call wrapped up, Dan left us with one final note: “We’re pumped. Ready to hit the road, see the people, deliver the tunes, and go home at a respectable hour and try to get some sleep.”

Something tells me the last part might not go exactly as planned.