When I lived in Hollywood in the mid 2000s, studying music and struggling as a songwriter, it seemed like everyone I met had written something about the city. Hollywood is a strange place to live. It’s an odd mix of tourists, movie stars, homeless people, struggling actors, and musicians just hoping to get a gig. It’s a bit like Disneyland…everything is fake except the people who work there, and they’re just trying to make a buck. Despite its shortcomings, I’m proud to have called Hollywood my home. The city, the friends I made, and the knowledge I acquired has shaped me and continues to do so. I thought I’d left those days behind when I moved to Santa Monica and then later Culver City, but last year Hollywood creeped back into my dreams, onto the pages, and into my next album. My Hollywood song ended up being deeply personal. Nothing of the glitz and glamor of the place, but rather the most potent memories of my daily life. The verses are ripped straight from my experiences in my mid twenties as a struggling musician and student. -Mike