New York-based band Hollis Brown are an exciting fusion of the classic and contemporary, fuelled by a pool of 60’s and 70’s retro influences. Named after an early Bob Dylan song (The Ballad Of Hollis Brown), school friends Mike Montali and Jon Bonilla founded the band as a quartet in 2009 in Queens, NY. Their output has steadily evolved from the raw immediacy of their early releases into the more expansive, adventurous approach that fuels their bracing new album “3 Shots” (Blue Rose Records).
With their widely acclaimed 2013 album ‘Ride On The Train’ Hollis Brown started the engine running with some first-class American rock’n’roll. The album conveys a deep appreciation and knowledge of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Neil Young, The Band, Tom Petty, Rolling Stones and The Kinks.
‘Hollis Brown Gets Loaded,’ a limited edition vinyl release for US Record Store Day, created a huge buzz in the spring of 2014 with write-ups from Rolling Stone, Spin, American Songwriter, Pulse and others and became an international phenomenon. Paying homage to Lou Reed, Hollis Brown re-recorded Velvet Underground’s 1970’s cult album ‘Loaded’, their way. Demand got so high that they decided to release it as their second album. Extensive touring that bought them to Europe and The Uk for the first time in 2014 helped them hone the material that was to become the basis of their new album ‘3 Shots’. Strengthening their reputation as a tireless and inspired band, after only 14 studio days their album was in the can.
The current line-up consists of band founders Mike Montali and Jon Bonilla, long-time bass player Dillon DeVito, new keyboarder Adam Bock and new drummer Andrew Zehnal. ‘3 Shots’ is a mile marker for Hollis Brown and will be heavily featured as part of an extensive US tour supporting Counting Crows, followed by a headline European tour, including four not to be missed UK dates in October!