INTERVIEW
The band reflected on how the song transformed over time, with Luke mixing, mastering, and producing its final iterations from his living room.
Under a full Oregon moon, in the middle of a forest clearing, Luke found himself walking toward a tall figure. It wasn’t until they were nearly face to face that he realized it wasn’t one of his buddies from their camping trip…it was a massive elk, with antlers towering under the moonlight. With the same fearless curiosity that led Luke into the woods that night, his longtime friend and bandmate Drew (originally from the East Coast) moved across the country to join Luke on his home turf. Enticed by the opportunity to ignite a new musical chapter together, Drew made this bold leap to the west coast to rekindle their shared love of co-creating hard rock.
Forming the new band “Elk Moon” only last year, guitarist/vocalist Luke Hancock and bassist/vocalist Drew Lucas wrote and released their debut single, “Information Monopoly.” Now, they’re following it up with “Back in Hollywood,” a social narrative that explores the dark side of many people’s paths to “making it.” Or what it means to sell your soul.
Even though the band is new, Luke and Drew are no strangers to music; it's been integrated in their identities from early on. Luke, a guitarist and songwriter raised on the West Coast, grew up surrounded by music on his Mom’s side of the family. Initially hesitant to it because it was always so omnipresent, he eventually found his own path through school choirs and orchestras, which eventually sparked a deeper connection to music as a form of self-expression and recognition.
Drew, the bassist and co-writer, discovered music on a beat up old guitar that was first just a dusty house decoration, but once he started to pluck away his parents were insistent that he take lessons — for their own sanity. As his learning unfolded, one of the first foundational pieces was his experience in a high school band. This early exposure laid the groundwork for everything that followed and helped shape his creative instincts and gave him the confidence to pursue music more seriously.
Fast forward the story, Drew and Luke met while studying at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Drew was looking for a roommate, and fate connected them through a shared love for classic hard rock and philosophy. Years later, Drew made the move out West, where Luke is based, and their creativity alchemized. Their sound is derived from the power of classic and modern hard rock, with influences like Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Audioslave, Muse, and Rage Against the Machine. With roots in the hard rock subculture of L.A. and a touch of pop sensibility, Elk Moon channels a fierce energy that’s both nostalgic and new.
In their latest creation, Drew shares that as someone living in Hollywood, a common experience for him is getting off the 101 freeway and driving in circles till he finds parking. During one of these repetitive loops, the phrase “Back in Hollywood” kept echoing in his head. That cyclical moment inspired the creation of the song. The lyrics call out local references like the bar “Birds,” and the “Scientology headquarters,” a nod to the musicians entangled in Hollywood’s orbit. The lyrics intentionally shine a light on the conflicting nature of Hollywood in a play on words that references the title, saying, “You better watch your back in Hollywood.”
There are so many opportunities that test your values, and so many traps in Hollywood that prey on desperation. It really makes you think about what you're willing to sacrifice to get ahead, and whether it's actually worth it.
As the chorus boldly puts it:
“Would you rather be famous with Baphomet, or nobody with Jehovah?
Because if you don’t sell your soul, you’ve got a snowball’s chance you know… “
The song also serves as a show of solidarity with the common man, those who often don’t get the recognition they deserve, yet continue to do what they love without selling out. There’s a stark separation between those who have made it and those who haven’t, and few people can truly relate to the elite, Drew reflects.
What started out as a repeated phrase and an acoustic melody would eventually be the ingredients that Drew brought to rehearsal where he worked on it with Luke and their drummer Erick Velasques. Luke came up with the Stratocaster guitar parts, drawing inspiration from, and paying homage to, Stevie Ray Vaughan. Once Erick added his dynamics, the song evolved into its layered and edgy state.
The band reflected on how the song transformed over time, with Luke mixing, mastering, and producing its final iterations from his living room. “It was cool to hear it go from a demo to full production,” they shared. “It was like watching it grow up.” With each mix, the track gained more interesting parts and a stronger sense of movement, as the band carefully built in dynamics to propel its energy forward.
Speaking of propelling forward, when asked what’s next, Elk Moon shared: They’re focused on writing more music together, with hopes of putting out a full-length album and touring around L.A. They emphasized the importance of supporting the rock scene by showing up to live shows and rallying for each other, especially in a time when rock isn't considered as mainstream as it once was. Luke adds, “Keep working toward what you love, even if it’s not perfect. Songwriting and performing are just parts of the process, and every step on your trajectory counts.”
Don’t miss their single release show for “Back in Hollywood” on April 25th at Old Towne Pub in Pasadena. Doors open at 7 pm and Elk Moon plays at 8 pm.
Catch “Back in Hollywood,” on all streaming platforms April 25th!
To stay connected as the band rallies the hard rock scene in Cali, follow them here:
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