Fatherhood is a life-defining moment, even more so when it happens to you slightly earlier than planned. Ghosts of Our Former Selves frontman Theo Brehony welcomed his first son into the world recently, five weeks before his due date. Feeling a little redundant as his partner was rushed into surgery for an emergency c-section, Theo asked the doctor how he could help… the doctor's response was to “create a playlist” and that’s exactly what he did.
Months earlier, Brehony had just been putting the finishing touches to his band’s brand-new album, Night Church. The album, a much anticipated follow up to their debut, had started out as the story of a relationship breakup but turned into a record about redemption, love and starting again. The four years between their first and second album is bookended by the loss of fathers and the birth of children. The album was extremely well received, with one reviewer commenting: “Their music allows you to start the day with the energy needed to face adversity and everyday problems.”
The final track on the album, “Golden”, was a bit of a wild card. The band opted to replace their go-to synth and brass sounds with strings… an unusual choice for Brehony but one that ended up paving the way to something really special. Topped with the addition of Baby Sol’s silky vocals on the harmonies and outro, the end of the track builds to a big gospel-rock groove as it finishes.
“We felt that the addition of strings to the song took it to the ‘70s in a way we had not achieved before”, says Brehony. “This is one of the best songs we’ve written, and the strings add to the emotion. By the time it ends we are somewhere between Massive Attack and Elton John!”
The song was written as a band with Sanderson Rocha on guitar, Jonny Wengrowe on keyboards and Fred looking at the song structure. During a particularly raw moment in his life, Theo had written down some lyrics about his upbringing in a Greek community as a single child to a single mother, and the fact that he was considered to be her “golden boy”. Later, and in a heated argument with an old flame, Theo was told he had “golden boy mentality” and that he couldn’t be a “golden man”. Of course, he disagreed. A few years later, and with his first son on the way, he drew inspiration from these words and put pen to paper.
“I met my wife a few years later, and I was about to become a dad”, says Brehony. “I decided to raise him just as my mother had with me. You need to remember those emotions and unfiltered moments and recreate them whenever you can. I’m doing it all again – my son is the golden boy now…”
The impact of fatherhood has been a powerful thing for Ghosts of Our Former Selves, and the release of the Golden EP is a reflection of that, so much so that during a recording session, the band deviated from their own music and started playing an impromptu performance of Paul Simon’s “Mother and Child Reunion”. Realising the connection, the band decided that they had to include their own version of this inspirational song on the new EP, and they have also made an exclusive live video to accompany the release.
The Golden EP is available to buy/stream now on all platforms: https://slinky.to/goofsgolden.
Ghosts of Our Former Selves are singer Theo Brehony, guitarist Sanderson Rocha and producer Fred Ala. In 2021, the London-based band released new music culminating in the release of their second album. These are lazor-written songs addressing everything from a relationship where time is running out, fathers, living like it's your last day, internet dating, Trump, Brexit, Glastonbury and the visions in your head.
Ghosts of Our Former Selves are a force of funk live and have supported Beverley Knight on tour and played Secret Garden festival winning over new fans every night. Last year saw them touring France, and they will be on tour again in support of their new music.
Theo Brehony sang on and co-wrote the worldwide Freestylers hit single, “Push Up”, has supported Beyoncé on tour and counts Elton John as a fan of his soulful voice. Sanderson Rocha hails originally from Sao Paulo, Brazil and is a constant creator of funk, soul and rock guitar and all styles in between. Fred Ala has worked with multiple studio legends including Gus Dudgeon (Elton John, Bowie) and Robin Miller (Sade), and is a master hip-hop beats maker. The band's new EP, Golden, is out now.