Hello London spent some time telling us about their music and their writing styles. Let’s see what they have to say!
First off, What’s up with your name? Is there a story behind it?
The name Hello London is a play on the name of a band I used to sing in called Farewell, Manchester. It was the last band I wrote songs for before starting this project.
Tell us about your musical past, would you tell us about your early years?
I grew up taking music lessons and playing instruments and singing in church and school. When I was 10 I started my first band and we played three shows before breaking up. When I was in college I started recording demos on a 4 track recorder. Soon after that I played in bands that started recording in studios.
How would you describe your sound?
Hello London’s sound is somewhere between indie rock and pop punk.
Which artists have the biggest influence on your sound?
Right now I am listening to a lot of Ryan Adams and Mayday Parade. I listened to Elliott Smith, The Smiths and Oasis a lot over the years. Those are five artists I have spent a great amount of time listening to.
What’s the last song you listened to?
SUPERBORED by Gatos de Rua
What’s your source for hearing new music?
Word of mouth usually. I am also finding new artists through Instagram, YouTube and Spotify.
Who is your dream producer?
Ariel Rechtshaid
If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
I would love to have Morrissey write lyrics over the music I write and record.
What led you to music, and what motivates you to keep making it?
I had taken a few years off from music and my brother and a friend encouraged me to get back into it. Eventually I did. I’m motivated by the enjoyment of creating songs and albums and the dream of having them be considered relevant.
Tell us about the songwriting process. How does it all come together?
Often times my songs start with a vocal melody or lyric that I sing into my phone. I will write the rhythm guitar next and then add the rest as I record the song. I try to layer guitars as much as I can. Once in a while the song will start with a guitar riff and go from there.
How do you connect with your audience? What is the easiest way for them to connect with you?
I think lyrics are the easiest way for me to connect with listeners. We all go through similar emotions in life and being able to write lyrics that listeners can relate to is a powerful tool for musicians. I also try to convey the emotions of the lyrics during live performances.
https://hellolondon.bandcamp.com
https://instagram.com/hellolondonmusic
What’s next for you?
I’m working on a new album that will hopefully be released this year or next. In the meantime I hope to continue playing shows in the Western New York area.
Anything else you’d like to add or let us know about?
Check out my latest release, Past Futures, at
https://hellolondon.bandcamp.com
https://instagram.com/hellolondonmusic
Bio:
Hello London is the solo project of singer/songwriter James Froese. Based out of Buffalo, NY, Froese has been writing songs for as long as he can remember. Most of the songs he writes could fit under the “indie rock” umbrella, however there are elements of pop punk and alt country that seep into the music. Froese has taken upon himself the task of playing all the instruments for Hello London, and his live shows are personal acoustic performances. In the studio his ideas become full fledged arrangements. He has played in many bands over the years including stints in The Traditional, Farewell Manchester, and Fazeshift. He has shared the stage with bands such as Sincere Engineer, Covey, The Junior Varsity, O’Brother, and Pentimento. In 2021 he released two EP’s titled ‘At the End of the World’ and ‘Stay That Way.’ 2022 saw the follow up to those releases as a full length album titled ‘Past Futures.’ He is currently working on his next EP to be released in 2023.
