Georgia pop-punk band Modern Ghosts release “In Honor,” the third single of their year, on Friday, November 13. The band is Ash Miltiades (vocals, guitar), Tristan Crawford (guitar), Craigan Hogeland (bass, vocals), and Josh Smith (drums), with years in the Georgia punk scene behind them in Guff, Burns Like Fire, Killakee House, Heathersett, and Hembree.
Modern Ghosts started, as the band puts it, “in true Struggleville fashion.” Josh and Tristan are brothers, and after some convincing from their wives, the two jammed together after a holiday dinner. Josh had always wanted to play drums in a band, and Tristan figured it was time to dust off the guitar. “We liked what we heard, felt there was some magic there and figured, why the hell not?” the band says. A mutual friend mentioned that Ash was looking to start something, and original bassist Jon helped get the band off the ground before life took him in another direction. Craigan joined after producer Peter Catalano of Casi Infinito Studios helped connect the dots following the band’s last recording session.
“We’re not here to reinvent the wheel or save the world,” the band says. “We’re four guys from Struggleville making chaos into choruses.”
They call the sound Struggleville Pop Punk: “the urgency and grit of ’90s punk, the hooks and melodies of early 2000s pop punk, and a little darker edge thrown in for good measure.” Their touchstones are AFI, Rise Against, Alkaline Trio, and Jimmy Eat World.
The band writes, as it puts it, “from the other side of the scene.” After years of shows and touring, the late nights turned into early mornings, and the tour van turned into the family car. Marriage, kids, and careers now sit in the songs alongside relationships, loss, and friendship. “We’re not writing about sneaking out of the house anymore,” the band says. “We’re writing about trying to get everyone out of the house on time.”
“In Honor” was one of the first songs the band wrote together, and it helped shape what Modern Ghosts wanted to be. It comes from loss, of friends, family, and people who left a mark. “Rather than focus solely on the sadness, we wanted to create something that celebrates the lives they’ve lived and the memories they’ve left behind,” the band says. “Sometimes honoring someone doesn’t require a grand gesture. It can be as simple as raising a glass with old friends, sharing a story, or remembering someone who’s no longer here but never really gone.”
It follows “Pass the Torch,” about recognizing the next generation and keeping the scene alive, and “One More Time,” about getting back up and taking another swing. “‘In Honor’ takes a more personal and reflective turn,” the band says. All three were recorded at Casi Infinito Studios with Peter Catalano, who the band credits with helping them find their sound. He is also, they add, “incredibly patient with four guys who occasionally have opinions about everything.”
Next, the band is focused on finishing its LP and getting more music and videos out, along with festivals and a few weekends on the road with friends. Live, they promise “high energy, catchy hooks, and harmonies that hit.”
Listen to “In Honor” streaming on all platforms Friday, November 13 — and catch Modern Ghosts live at Flicker Bar in Athens on Saturday, December 5 with Cactus Jackson, Burns Like Fire, and The Carolyn.