Anyone who has spent time roaming the campus at West Chester has probably seen a poster or sticker with the words “Your Ghost” scrawled in a haunting text. No pun intended.
Your Ghost is a young, up-and-coming rock band composed of three of West Chester students. Last Monday the three managed to weasel out of a history of rock class to visit West Chester University’s student radio, 91.7FM, The Curve. They also played Friday night at The Note in West Chester.
Your Ghost’s lead vocalist and guitarist, Austin Gray, moved to the West Chester area in 2006 where he met the bass player, Josh Giannone. The two have been playing together since high school under several band names. Gray explained, “We had some songs we wanted to play and really just wanted to play them live and eventually record them.” After four other names failed, Your Ghost was officially formed in 2010. The name originated from a piece of lyrics and, according to Giannone, 10 different people might give 10 different reasons for why the band is called Your Ghost, but in the end, “it just felt right.”
In 2012, Dillon Pierson took over for Matt Karver on drums to complete the trio as it stands today. Pierson recalls, “We just met up and started jamming.”
While the band’s sound has been inspired by bands such as Rush, Soundgarden, and The White Stripes, Gray also cites the influence of Brian Wilson, lead vocals and chief songwriter of The Beach Boys. This pop influence is clear in the band’s catchy melodies which sink into the brain and are not quickly forgotten. However, Your Ghost couples those melodies with edgy, and sometimes even eerie, guitar riffs backed by a fiercely steady energy from the bass and drums to give each song just the right amount of depth. True to the band’s name, Gray’s vocals whisper through even the heaviest of rhythms, creating the unique combination that is Your Ghost.
Unfortunately, Your Ghost’s only EP at this time is from 2011, and does not include Pierson on drums. Giannone describes the five tracks as a “basement EP,” and the band looks forward to releasing a four-song EP within the next two months. The new EP will display the band’s growth into a heavier sound, and the addition of Pierson on drums.
The first single off the new EP, titled “Head in Hands,” debuted for the first time on WCUR and was followed by a live acoustic version performed in the studio. Currently the band is working on shooting a “Wizard of Oz” themed music video which will be followed by a video for every song on the EP. Fans can look forward to the powerful music coupled with a new sense of self-expression in Your Ghost’s videos.
In addition to the promise of a new EP and music videos, the intensity Your Ghost brings in person make them a must-see live. Gray remarks, “A lot of energy, that’s what we’re about.” An East Coast tour this summer is in the planning stage for Your Ghost, with a definite show in Atlantic City in May, just in time to kick back after finals. More shows and news will be released soon on Yourghostofficial.com or the band’s Facebook.
Though Your Ghost has been compared to Nirvanna, the Pixies, and even The White Stripes, their powerful music and untamed vocals make them one of a kind. Perhaps Gray put it best when he simply stated, “It’s rock ‘n’ roll, man. It’s rock ‘n’ roll.”
Joy Wilson is a fourth-year student majoring in communications. She can be reached at JW794401@wcupa.edu.