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Singled Out: Hold Me Hostage's Bender


06-15-2019
Hold Me Hostage

Hold Me Hostage recently released the video for their brand new single "Bender" and to celebrate we asked lead singer/producer Christopher Thomas to tell us about the track. Here is the story:

We are very excited about our new tune Bender. Throughout the tracking process Bender evolved to become such a unique, powerful song. Bender runs the gamet of emotions, from brooding anxiety to somber remorse. It packs a punch, but it also delivers a message warning about the dangers of excess.

Bender started as a demo I built in September of 2018. I always intended for it to be more of a vehicle to convey the frustration and loss I have felt through my own personal struggles as a recovering alcoholic/addict. Most people have either been down the road of addiction or have cared deeply about someone who has. So, right out of the gate, I felt confident in the song's inherent ability to induce an emotional response. You can't deny the fact that drugs ignite passion and creativity and can also serve as a catalyst for a user to feel connection to oneself and/or others, but drugs also claim the lives of those individuals who are unable to moderate their use. For better or for worse, addiction has claimed a large portion of MY life!

The lyrics "What's going up must come down" describe nothing less than the physical law that we can all unquestionably bank on. Without darkness there is no light. The deeper we experience one, to the same degree we most often experience the other as well... It's gravity! Most humans experience extreme highs and lows in their life. I know I have. I wanted to create a song acknowledging my personal conflicts by correlating the extreme contrast between the highs and lows that I myself have experienced... Living through them is an anomaly I feel grateful to have recognized!

After hearing my demo, the band agreed that we should track the song while it's fresh, so we started drilling it in rehearsals. We fine-tuned the arrangement and unleashed our creativity on the rhythms, tones, and textures. Once the band started to take hold of the song, we all found our place within it, which resulted in Bender taking on a life of its own. We decided to work simultaneously on the audio and the video, so the timing of completion for both came together like clock-work. Our friend Tyler Duffus was instrumental in this collaborative process. WE tracked drums in his drum room with his arsenal of mics and SSL console, re-amped our bass and guitar tracks, and then utilized his jedi skills to turn out the monster mix you hear today. Our good friend Kyle Lamar shoots video with a Red camera. Kyle has video editing and color correction chops for days, and he is one of the nicest, most gifted, hard-working guys I know. We had so much fun obsessing over casting, set design, costumes, and the story line. Bender was in the best hands and the final product speaks for itself. There was no shortage of creativity and love that went into this project and it is an accomplishment I will never take lightly.

Bender represents the chapters in my life that I can't do over; all the time, relationships, and resources that I squandered and wasted using drugs and alcohol. However, I have found some redemption. There is a lyrical phrase in this song which serves an ironic, but powerfully well-intended purpose... "Now I've got nothing to show for all this time" - Except now, I at least have THIS SONG... Bender.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself here and learn more about the band right here!


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