Girlfriends’ Travis & Nick’s Nostalgic Neighborhood Return

From Rapper to Rocker: The Genesis of girlfriends

Before forming girlfriends, Travis Mills established himself as the rapper T. Mills, achieving success in the music industry and venturing into acting with roles in shows like Ghosted: Love Gone Missing and Help! I’m in a Secret Relationship!. Nick Gross, meanwhile, honed his musical skills as the drummer for pop-rock band Half the Animal and demonstrated entrepreneurial acumen before a brief stint with Goldfinger.

The collaboration began in 2019 when Mills reached out to Gross on Instagram, recalling a previous performance they shared in 2015. Gross invited Mills to The Noise Nest, his Los Angeles studio (https://thenoisenest.com/), for a creative exchange. “I didn’t go into girlfriends thinking this would be a pop-punk project at all,” Gross explained. “But when we first got in the studio to create songs, that’s when we knew immediately this was going to be a project that was this perfect blend of bands that we grew up listening to.”

The Band Name: A Playful Paradox

The band’s name, “girlfriends,” emerged from a list of five potential options curated by Mills. “We went with the first one because it was the best band name of all time,” Gross declared. Mills added, with a laugh, “I thought about how funny it would be to be on stage in Arizona or wherever and just be like, ‘Hey, what’s up, Arizona? We’re girlfriends, and it’s just two dudes on stage.’”

The band was mindful of existing entities with similar names, including the 1964 one-hit wonder “My One and Only Jimmy Boy” by the all-female group The Girlfriends, and the emo-math rock project by Jerry Joiner. However, the most significant obstacle proved to be an Atlanta nail salon also named “Girlfriends.”

A Death Certificate and Digital Ownership

The dormant @girlfriends Instagram account, inactive since 2013, became the focal point of a peculiar legal and administrative process. After contacting the nail salon, Mills and Gross discovered the previous owner lacked access to the account due to their passing. Meta, the parent company of Instagram, required a letter from the current owner and, remarkably, the deceased former owner’s death certificate to verify the situation.

“It was this whole thing, but we got it,” Mills stated, highlighting the lengths they went to secure their digital identity. This story serves as a cautionary tale for artists and businesses alike, demonstrating the often-unforeseen challenges of establishing an online presence.

There Goes The Neighborhood: A Nostalgic Return

Following the release of their debut album, girlfriends (2020), and (E)motion Sickness (2022), the duo is celebrating their third full-length album, There Goes The Neighborhood, released on October 24th. The album represents a culmination of two and a half years of work, distilling nearly 60 songs down to a focused 16-track collection.

The production of There Goes The Neighborhood benefited from the collaboration with John Feldmann, frontman of Goldfinger and head of A&R for Big Noise Music Group. Feldmann’s extensive experience, having worked with artists like Korn, 311, and Good Charlotte, provided a valuable perspective. “To have that kind of resume and that pedigree…he’s more than a friend, he’s a confidant for our band,” Mills explained. “It’s really cool to not have to sit down in a room with someone who doesn’t know the history.”

The album’s title, conceived before any songs were written, served as a thematic anchor. “The whole theme of the record is the neighborhoods that Nick and I grew up in,” Mills shared. “It’s how we grew up. It’s where we grew up. It’s why we grew up the way that we did.” Songs like “Garbage,” “Landslide,” and “1999” reflect this nostalgic exploration, capturing the essence of youth, self-discovery, and the bittersweet realization that life isn’t always as idyllic as it seems.

Gross emphasized a renewed focus on authenticity in this album, contrasting it with a perceived overthinking during the creation of their second record. “The intention we brought into this record was to get into the studio every day, and whatever comes out of the studio from that day is what we’re going to live with.”

Mills hopes the album will evoke similar memories for listeners, acting as a “time machine” to transport them back to their younger selves. But he also acknowledges the value of growth and perspective. “We can miss these things, but it’s also pretty cool to see how far we’ve come.”

What are your favorite pop-punk bands that evoke a sense of nostalgia? And what’s the most unusual story you’ve heard about securing a band name or online identity?

Frequently Asked Questions About girlfriends

• What is the significance of the name “girlfriends” for a band comprised of two men?

  The band chose the name “girlfriends” for its ironic and humorous quality, recognizing the playful paradox of two male musicians adopting the moniker. They enjoy the reaction it elicits from audiences.

• How did girlfriends overcome the issue with the Atlanta nail salon sharing the same name?

  girlfriends had to provide documentation, including a letter from the current nail salon owner and, surprisingly, the death certificate of the previous owner, to Meta (Instagram’s parent company) to prove ownership of the @girlfriends handle.

• Who produced girlfriends’ latest album, There Goes The Neighborhood?

  There Goes The Neighborhood was produced by John Feldmann, a renowned producer and the head of A&R for Big Noise Music Group, known for his work with bands like Goldfinger, Korn, and Good Charlotte.

• What themes does There Goes The Neighborhood explore?

  The album delves into themes of nostalgia, childhood memories, and the complexities of growing up, reflecting on the neighborhoods where Travis Mills and Nick Gross spent their formative years.

• What were Travis Mills’ previous musical endeavors before forming girlfriends?

  Before girlfriends, Travis Mills was known as the rapper T. Mills and also pursued acting roles in television shows like Ghosted: Love Gone Missing and Help! I’m in a Secret Relationship!