Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Week," bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn't awful? Email their particulars to [email protected].
Have you ever heard of Forlorn Hope? Neither had we until about a week ago, when some of their music found its way to our Artist of the Week inbox. Sometimes we have to be coaxed into picking a band for the slot, one of those "It'll Grow On You" type of situations, like drinking dry red wine or raising children. This, with this particular fivesome, this big yet intimate, exciting yet somber modern-rock thuderstorm, was the opposite of that.
It took hearing all of about 14 seconds of "Blink," a windswept, excessively emotional bit of new-era near-shoegaze, before we knew we'd be contacting them for an interview. And when it was over, that's we did.
Rocks Off: First, tell everyone everything they need to know about Forlorn Hope in exactly six words.
Forlorn Hope: Melodic, Hook-Laden, Rock and Roll.
RO: Next question: Who broke your heart? Because, man, "Leave Me" sounds pretty sincere.
Forlorn Hope, "Leave Me"
FH: Well, I've had my heart broken many times, and you can hear undertones of that in a lot of our songs. But "Leave Me" in particular is about an old friend of mine. We parted ways, it was ugly. I was angry, but in that anger, I still prayed for restoration, over time. That still hasn't happened, but I'm hopeful.
RO: How much longer is it going to be before a video for "Blink" pops up that starts with you, looking all broken and beaten, standing in a kitchen in a muscle shirt, staring out of a window directly above the sink, singing to no one in particular?
FH: Yeah, that sounds like a bad country video. Probably Kenny Chesney or someone pretty like that. No, we haven't had any offers for video's just yet, but I'm sure when we do, we'll shoot for something a little less cliched.
RO: Seriously, "Blink" is a wonderfully emotional song. Surely there is an interesting backstory there. Care to share?
FH: Well thanks. "Blink" is a song written out of fear. I was about to be a dad, and saw my wife going through so much trouble to bring this little girl into the world. It was a cry for direction in being a father, and being responsible for another life. It's a reflection on how my wife and I were led to be together. It's a love song for the romantic. Anyone who's decided to take the plunge knows that love is a choice. For me, the choice was obvious.