Blues-rock outfit Ghost Hounds recently unveiled the music video for “Last Train To Nowhere,” a track lifted from their latest album, First Last Time. They’ve opened shows for The Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, Bob Seger, and Garth Brooks. Their songs have been streamed millions of times. And they’ve won the support of Gibson, a company with a name synonymous with rock at its purest and most uncompromising.
The beautifully shot video for “Last Train to Nowhere” straddles eras and motifs. It’s simultaneously an Old West adventure, a lethal fantasy of escape, and a tale of alienation in the big city.
In the clip, vocalist Tré Nation plays an exhausted manual labourer underground in New York City. While riding the subway rails, he slips into slumber and dreams he’s a passenger on the glitziest and most velvet-draped conveyance on the frontier. XS Noize spoke with Ghost Hounds to discover more about their gritty blues sound and the inspiration for “Last Train To Nowhere.”
What inspired your new single/music video, “Last Train To Nowhere?”
“Last Train To Nowhere” is a gritty blues rock track with a healthy dose of country twang and angst. Each layer of the lyrics and music paves the way for an introspective story told from the viewpoint of a lifelong loner: he works odd jobs; he’s not a good guy, not a bad guy. He’s just a guy reckoning with the fact that he’s not really made any great relationships in his life or done anything impactful to leave a mark on the world.
Who directed the video, and where was it shot?
Jay Arcansalin directed the music video, and it was shot in and around Pennsylvania. The train scenes were filmed at the Colebrookdale Railroad in Boyertown, which is outside of Philly. That was a great crew and a lot of fun with all the extras – all really great people.
The full band performance shots were filmed at Carrie Furnace in Pittsburgh. That place is such a huge piece of Pittsburgh history, so we were really stoked to shoot there. Lots of movies have been filmed there – of course, now that I say that, I can’t think of one. Haha!
“Last Train To Nowhere” is from your recently released album, First Last Time. Walk us through your mindset as you enter the studio to record the album.
Well, this is our fourth album, so we’ve had three previous to really refine our process and sound. We didn’t approach this one any differently than the previous records, but we did branch out sonically and leaned into a bit more of a country lane on some of the songs, “Last Train” being one of them.
How and when did Ghost Hounds get together as a band?
We’ve been playing as a band since 2019. Everyone has a different story about how they entered the band and the timing of it, but the band itself was Thomas’s idea, and we all found each other along the way.
Who is in Ghost Hound, and which instrument do they play?
Tre Nation is our charismatic frontman on vocals and such an incredible performer. Blaise Lanzetta holds down the drums, Bennett Miller is on bass, Thomas Tull and Tyler Chiarelli are on our guitars, and Kristin Weber recently joined us on fiddle – she is one of the most insane players out there.
Did your sound evolve naturally, or did you deliberately push it in a certain direction?
The sound has evolved naturally as we’ve played for years with each other now. As a band, you grow and change and learn how best to communicate with each other in the studio and that translates through the music. Each person has their strengths, and we really play into those throughout this album.
What can you share about your writing process? Is there a primary songwriter, or does everyone in the band contribute?
Our guitar player, Thomas, is the primary songwriter. His storytelling is what really makes Ghost Hounds what we are. And with a lead singer like Tre delivering those powerful lyrics, it’s really the best combo.
How do you define success?
Success for us is being able to put our songs out and hear an echo back from people who enjoy listening to it. We also just love playing it live for fans. Playing live is the best part of this job, and we’re grateful we get to share those experiences and moments with people who enjoy listening to our music as much as we enjoy playing it.
What can your fans look forward to over the next six months? Music videos? Live gigs?
Live shows are definitely front of mind for us, so be on the lookout for announcements. More music, too. Keep an eye out…
Check out the video for ‘Last Train To Nowhere’ – BELOW:
Follow Ghost Hounds Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify
Be the first to comment