Classic Rock - Motor Head (2019-07)

New York sure spits ’em out. The city has

been a breeding ground for a thousand bands that

matter. And when a green young combo by the

name of Hollis Brown took the stage at Don Hill’s

bar in Greenwich Village a decade ago, all five

punters in attendance surely predicted great things

for them. Singer Mike Montali says that since that

first show they’ve been through the rough and

the smooth. But with the soul-rock R&B of third

album Ozone Park they’re finally catching up with

the giants in their record collection.

They were born in a garage.

Rewind to 2009 and, as rock’n’roll purists, it’s

fitting that Montali and guitarist Jonathan Bonilla

set out in the quintessential grass-roots American

rehearsal space.

“We were just kids wanting a hang out to listen

to music, get stoned and play,” says the singer.

“We painted this garage all different colours, put

up posters of our favourite bands, record covers,

magazine articles, pasted ’em everywhere to give

us inspiration. We still have that primal energy.

That’s something missing now, because everyone’s

trying to say something cute or be witty or dress

it up in some political agenda. We just want to get

out there and fucking rock.”

They took their band name from Bob Dylan.

If Hollis Brown sounds half-familiar, that’s because

it’s lifted from the bleak suicide ballad from Dylan’s

The Times They Are A-Changin’.

“We couldn’t come up with any names,” sighs

Montali. “Everything was terrible. Jon pulled

out a Stones vinyl and said: ‘Well, they got their

name from a Muddy Waters song, so let’s just

pick a Stones song.’ We talked about Mother’s Little

Helper, but then somebody said: ‘What about The

Ballad Of Hollis Brown?’ It’s a depressing song, but

he’s probably the greatest American songwriter. ”

They’re bringing old-school into new-school.

It’s tough to salute the past without becoming

a throwback, but Ozone Park walks the tightrope.

From the pounding soul of Blood From A Stone to

Hollis Brown

So who are these New Yorkers making a blood-spattered journey from the garage to the stars?

Interview: Henry Yates

SHE

RVI

N (^) L
AIN
EZ/
PRE
SS
24 CLASSICROCKMAGAZINE.COM