Luke Mulholland talks about his band and music

Today on our Hot Seat we have Luke Mulholland from Mulholland Drive Band. Let’s have a chat with him.

Twist Online : First of all please introduce yourself to our readers
Luke Mulholland : I am Luke Mulholland . Berklee trained song writer, recording artist and performing artist. I am single and grew up in Toronto and went to school in Boston. I have lived in Los Angeles and Toronto for the past 7 years. During that time I have toured, opening for many icons of classic rock and guitar as well as headlining shows on both the east and west coast. I am a passported Canadian, American and Euro citizen and I am passionate about many different genres of music, guitar driven, sounds scoring film tracks and writing songs for commercials and television.

Twist Online : Who or what inspired you to launch Mulholland Drive Band?
Luke Mulholland : I had been playing and performing at Berklee and on the east coast. I was spending summers in Los Angeles and one day I was driving through the Hollywood Hills and I came across the sign of the same name, while listening to a Tom Petty song of the same name, and having the same last name I felt this must be a sign! And this is just a cool name for a guitar driven, pop rock, blues rock band.

Twist Online : Tell us about your recent release?
Luke Mulholland : The recent 3 song EP was my attempt to take more classic lock songs compositions and add more pop inspired beats, rhythms and harmony. Basically, I would like to expose a whole generation, the millennial, my generation to the coolness of guitar inspired music and creating arrangements that were more pop influenced. This appeared to be the best way to get on the radio and reach the listener given the success of the EP and it’s 30 or more weeks on the charts and climbing, I think I was right.

Twist Online : What kind of response you have received from the release?
Luke Mulholland :  What turned out to be a guess, based upon my female and male millennial peers, that there was a larger segment of young people that were tired of listening to synthesized beats and pop driven harmonies that were not played by musicians. They seeked a for a more authentic guitar based rhythm played by real musicians and this would resonate with the older millennials. The millennials that were now entering the works force and beginning a more traditional family life, than 5 years ago. Even I was surprised by the sustainability of each of the 3 single releases off the EP and their presence in the Billboard Top 40 with virtually no marketing budget and no major label. To me, it shows that there is a significant segment of the millennial music listener that is looking for my style of music to supplement the more EDM of their early 20’s.

Twist Online : What attracts you more, performing on stage or working in studios?
Luke Mulholland : I really enjoy both forms of musical expression. As a Berklee trained song writer and film score subspecialist I enjoy the art of composing and arranging as well as writing for film, television and radio. I have also been touring and playing live (in relative anonymity) but with great enthusiasm since I was 17 years old and I really enjoy the intimacy and the adrenaline surge of playing guitar inspired music live. I have been very fortunate to share the stage with such greats as Dickey Betts of the Almond Brothers, Bon Jovi, Carlos Santana, Blues Traveller and Marshall Tucker Band, Blue Oyster Cult and Pat Travers and my first guitar mentor, Jeff Healy. To see the passion of these older classic legends to such great extent, expired me to create a pop format that will resonate with younger millennials, so I can share the joy and inspiration of live guitar infused pop rock compositions.

Twist Online : What’s your favorite music genre?
Luke Mulholland : I am a fan of several genres including classic rock, some aspects of pop rock, jazz, blues and inspired film scores.

Twist Online : Have you set some target to achieve as a music artist?
Luke Mulholland :  I haven’t set any financial targets or goals, I would just like to have my music heard and be able to continue to write songs for myself, others, television and radio. I would also like to
score for film as well as continue to play live.

Twist Online : Are you currently working on any other project?
Luke Mulholland :  I am currently looking to release another 3 song EP of pop rock compositions, a little less hard driving then the first EP and I will also be scoring an independent film makers movie in the spring. I am also hoping to work with one of the major labels that should further enhance the sales distribution awareness of my songs.