“The biggest problem that art has nowadays is that it doesn’t hurt anymore,” says Ghøstkid vocalist and agent provocateur Sebastian “Sushi” Biesler. “Especially here in Germany, people are so afraid to push boundaries. To make art that makes you think and feel.”
By fall 2021, with the world shutdown seemingly over, Sushi wasn’t content to let his creative yen languish at home in Germany. “Even though we had made it through Covid, I was missing being able to play live, to really function as a band,” says Sushi. “It didn’t feel real to me. I became distanced from the music.” A six-week decampment to Los Angeles became the creative fuel for Ghøstkid’s next steps. The last vestiges of Hollywood sleaze, decaying glamour, personal temptation and the still-vibrant creative vibes of the city became the frontman’s “don’t-look-before-you-leap” inspiration for the gestating Hollywood Suicide.
The album is a perfect snapshot of an artist finding himself, crawling from his own personal wreckage against a crumbling, mythical Californian milieu. “That’s why ’Hollywood Suicide’ is the first track. If you really want to make it, you have to give a lot. You have to be willing to give up everything. It’s kind of like suicide to the person that you’ve been when you become an artist.”
The matching, lush and elaborate art adorning the album was created by Aly Wayne Gacy.
Tracklisting:
"Hollywood Suicide"
"S3x"
"FSU"
"Heavy Rain"
"Valerie"
"Black Cloud"
"Ugly"
"Bløød"
"Murder" (feat. Inhuman)
"Dahlia"
"Helena Drive"
Pre-order / pre-save your copy now at this location. Hollwood Suicide will be out March 22nd, 2024 and available in the following formats:
- Ltd. CD Digipak
- Ltd. transp. red LP
- Ltd. grey LP (300x) available from cmdistro.de & various other retailers
- Ltd. white-black haze LP (500x) available from Ghøstkid
- Ltd. translucent highlighter yellow LP (US version) available in the US
Today also marks the release of the video for Ghøstkid’s latest single, “FSU”.
“‘FSU’ describes the raw and aggressive lifestyle of not giving a sh*t about anything and just do whatever you want,” comments Biesler who directed and edited the video in cooperation with Nils Lesser (Vaultroom Production) and Benjamin Klose. “The track was inspired by the Joker from Batman and the pure chaos and anarchy that the character is representing. Even if the lyrics circle around self-destructive behavior, the song is more about the feeling of freedom by dismissing the rules. It’s a track about being a misfit and taking back your power, about being yourself, getting rid of labels and becoming independent - basically a big f*ck you…”
“Live is where it’s the most real, the most in the moment,” says Sushi. “There’s no sense of boundaries, no sense of gender. I wear what I like as long as it looks cool. Ghøstkid, for me, is how I express my art through the music and my persona. When it comes down to art, you should be free.” Ghøstkid will be bringing their melody and chaos to American stages for the first time in the spring of 2024 opening for Black Veil Brides following a European tour with labelmates Blind Channel.
