Girls Guns & Glory blends a variety of sonic concoctions under the umbrella of Americana. Their country twang mixed with the genuine sentiment of rock and folk captures the attention of all listeners who can appreciate catchy, yet thoughtful tunes. Girls Guns & Glory formed in Boston, Massachusetts in the winter of 2005 and entered Noise in the Attic Studios just 3 weeks after their formation to begin work on their debut CD “Fireworks and Alcohol.” In 3 short years GG&G has released 3 critically acclaimed full-length albums and have performed in hundreds of shows and festivals all over New England, the East Coast, Midwest and Southwest. They are currently touring behind their third album, “Inverted Valentine.”
Girls Guns & Glory didn’t set out to travel a well worn path or fall in line with what‘s popular at the moment. They set out to break new ground and push Americana/Country music in the forefront of as many people‘s minds as they can reach. While their music draws from the traditional country sounds of Hank Williams and the high energy rock ‘n’ roll of Chuck Berry’s guitar, Girls Guns & Glory has taken their influences and blended them into something entirely original, modern and exciting. When front man Ward Hayden is asked how to compare and describe their sound, with much admiration he states, “Imagine Hank or Jimmy Rodgers in modern times wailing away with a high and lonesome yodel, with Danko and The Band holding the rhythm hard and steady. It’s vital that each tune get christened with the rock ’n’ roll abandon of Chuck‘s licks or the tasteful, subtle textures that Chris Hersch brings to the table. We believe in variety and have been students of many different genres. This group brings all our influences to life in the hodge podge of Americana. We’ll switch from Blues, to Country, to Western Swing, to Rockabilly within the confines of a single performance.” He continues, “Ultimately we’re purveyors of the soul of Rock ‘n’ Roll, which means no limits.”
Since their formation in 2005, GGG has gone on to take home Top Honors at the 2008 Boston Music Awards, winning “Act of the Year,” a first for a band of their genre. Earlier in the year the boys won the legendary WBCN Rock ’n’ Roll Rumble, the only time in the 30 year history of the event an Americana/Country act has done so.
And with provocative lyrics and a crooner’s voice that invokes the shades of Chris Isaak and Lyle Lovett, front man Ward Hayden leads the band with a biting, down home thump and twang. Tunes like the title track, “Temptation,” “Only One Thing,” and “Baby You’re A Dog” reveal a razor’s-edge honesty and wit that suggest Ward slashed a vein more than once to bleed all over this record. The album was the last one made in his hometown before moving on to revel and ramble, and it’s full of the reckless abandon that comes from telling it straight and from the heart.
“These songs came out of a very tumultuous period in my life…questions of life, love, death and everything in between, a lot of it comes from small-town living and the lessons that go along with experiencing the world from a confined environment. Some are about getting out and getting over bad relationships, trying to find ways to a better situation. My best inspiration comes when I’m heartsick, but sifting through the sh*t to find hope is where you find the relief in the songwriting. No matter how broken up you are, it’s all perspective, there’s a way to make things better, and sometimes it just means moving on.”
Currently in the studio working on their fourth album, the band is a don’t-miss Live experience. Their undeniable chemistry and first-rate musicianship inform every note of their show (the Boston Globe dubbed it “a graceful, sturdy set of Buddy Holly-meets-Buck Owens twang ‘n’ roll,”) and suggest they’d be just as much at ease in a 20’s Speakeasy as they would a modern-day dive on Lower Broad. Drawing off of their varied influences, they smoke through tunes with reckless abandon, swirling together swing jams, crazy punk beats, rockabilly stomps, mariachi trumpets, and tons of other elements that shake you out of your chair and onto the dance floor in a way you can’t resist. .
