BTD Interview with Greg Walsh’s New Ghosts
Written by Matt Zin on March 10, 2026
BTD Interview with Greg Walsh’s New Ghosts
Greetings Greg, I am looking forward to chatting with you about your awesome song, “(Doing Time) At the High School Dance.” So, let’s get started.
- What inspired you to write a song about one particular school dance, was it one moment that stuck with you, or a whole era?
It was definitely that particular dance because that’s the only one I ever went to, I’m pretty sure. My bandmates and friends went because we knew about the band. They were a few years older than us and basically legends in Marblehead. Their guitarist Tom Neily was a rock god. He had an apartment in the main part of town and if he was practicing, we’d stop on the sidewalk and listen to him crank it up.
- I hear this is a true story, how much of it is real, and how much is songwriting magic, did anyone from back then hear it yet?
One of my friends from that time heard the idea about the song but he didn’t remember things the way I did. And that was bizarre to me because we all definitely went to hear “Neily”s band,” that’s how we all referred to them. The theme of the dance was the Spirit of ’76, which was a huge deal in Marblehead because we have the original painting hanging in town hall. I remembering thinking the whole thing was BS. To me, Marblehead was a stuffy, elitist little town. You didn’t fight for anything, your ancestors did. That’s where the line “What will we do for our American dream” comes in. It’s a little harsh, looking back, we were just kids.
- Do you actually like dancing… or are you more the “stand by the wall and observe” type, what song would get you on the dance floor instantly?
Ha! I The thought of dancing terrified me because I was still relatively new in town and I was teased relentlessly because I was the guy from California with the long, Marc Bolan corkscrew hair. I was called Springhead! I still am to this day by some friends – even my wife! – but now it’s more of a term of endearment. Years later I danced because alcohol was involved and the Boston club scene was second to none. You couldn’t help but jump around with all the great music around us, like New Models, The Neighborhoods and The Outlets. At at my daughter’s wedding, when the DJ played Def Leppard, I got on the dance floor right away!
- How did this song come together, lyrics first, melody first, or did the groove lead the way? Did it change a lot from the first demo to the final version?
The lyrics definitely came first. I had lots of trouble with the music for it. I couldn’t decide if it was a rocker or ballad. Then I had a fall and tore my right rotator cuff. I could still play but it hurt and creatively I was at a standstill. So I put the song aside. After the surgery I had to rehab it for months. Seeing my situation, my son Dylan came to the rescue and gave me a great instrumental demo he recorded, and the lyrics luckily fit like a glove.
- When you were writing it, did you see the “high school dance” like a movie in your head? What details were most important to capture?
There was a show on Nickelodeon during the ’90s called “The Adventures of Pete & Pete,” which was about two brothers, both named Pete, growing up in suburbia. Young Pete’s friends wanted him to go the school dance, but he didn’t want to because he couldn’t dance. To try and get out of it, he ate a full barrel of creamed corn to make himself sick! But he ended up going and the moment of truth came when it was time to dance. Pete’s main antagonist in the episode then said the greatest line ever to him that is so true: “Dancing is so easy. You just go out there and ruin your life!”
- What’s one lyric in the song that you’re most proud of, and why?
“We waited for Free Bird before we flew.” I like doing plays on words. And, of course, every band had to play “Free Bird” back then. It was in the rule book.
- You tried a different recording studio this time around, what made you switch it up? What did the new studio bring out in the sound?
I had been going to Wonka for years for my mastering. No matter where I record, I feel like it’s important to have the mastering done by fresh ears. So I already knew it was a great studio and, still recovering from surgery, I wanted to record closer to home. I also have strange hours at work, and Bob Nash the owner could accommodate that.
- Any favorite gear, tones, or “happy accidents” that happened during the session?
Yes, one huge one. The stems for the demo my son made got lost in his computer. So while I could add drums or other instruments to the song, anything we did in the studio to pump up the initial recording affected the entire mix. That was extremely limiting, as I’m sure you can imagine. But I stumbled upon an AI program that could take recordings and actually create stems. Suddenly we had guitar, bass, drums and keyboard tracks that we could play with. We were off to the races then.
- The mix feels really alive, what did you want the listener to feel when the chorus hits?
Nostalgia. That feeling of being a teenager with all its glory, pitfalls and potential.
- Tell us about the line where the drummer is tuning his drums for “Love Is The Drug.” Where did that come from? Was that an actual memory, or a detail you dropped in to set the era?
No no, it happened! Like I said, my bandmates and I were there to study and learn. The drummer, his name is Tom Bull who became a neighbor of mine years later, was tuning his tom to give it more of a timpani sound, which he used for the fills before the choruses. It was so clever and it really stood out. The guitar player in my band hit my arm and laughed, as if to say you have to remember this!
- Do you remember the first time you heard “Love Is The Drug”? What did it do to you as a listener?
I remember exactly where I was. I was hanging out at my buddy’s house and his older brother and friend let us hang out with them and listen to music. It was a big deal to us. And believe it or not, the older brother’s friend was Gary Dodd, the bass player of the band we saw at the dance! Small world, but Marblehead is a small town. They pulled out Roxy Music’s “Siren” album, lowered the needle on it, and there was that iconic bass riff. The groove was undeniable and funky, something I wasn’t used to listening to. I felt more musically sophisticated just hearing it. Those guys also introduced me to Be Bop Deluxe, so it was a worthwhile night for sure.
- If you could book any band (past or present) to play a school dance, who would it be?
Oh wow, what a fun question. I’m thinking Cheap Trick because they can rock but also pull off the ballads. But Bun E. Carlos would have to be on drums!
- Did any of your past bands ever play high school dances?
Yes! The band I was in during my early college years actually made some decent pocket money playing college mixers and school dances. All four of us were from Marblehead and one of the dances we played was back at our old high school, the very gym from the “High School Dance” song! It was so surreal being back because we spent a lot of hours in that gym playing floor hockey, dodge ball and even square dancing. We also played some CYO dances for the church in exchange for rehearsal space. The best dance we played, though, was at a junior high a few towns over. It was insane from beginning to end. And what was cool is that we did the Heart, Queen and Aerosmith covers, but they were just as responsive to the originals. We were signing autographs at the end of the night. I honestly felt like a rock star. In the coming years with other bands, some late-night Tuesday gigs in Boston brought me right back down to earth!
- Tell us how the video was created. It’s a 1970s dance concept, but the look feels modern, what was the vision? Were there any movies, old photos, or fashion references behind it?
I tried to track down old photos from dances at the school and there was nothing. All I had was one photo from our gig there, so I thought maybe I’d do a lyric video with that and be done with it. I found an AI program that can transcribe the lyrics, but what was cool is that it also offered up photos and videos that matched the lyrics. And you could play with it and find other videos if it didn’t fit your vision. So that’s how the video was created. You’re right, it’s a modern take on a ’70s dance, so I felt like I was playing with a time machine.
- What was the most fun part of making the video… and what was the hardest part?
It was all fun. It took some work — and money — to sometimes to find the right video or image, but I was having a blast doing it. I’m like that in the studio, too. I can spend endless hours there tweaking parts and sounds, and I never grow tired of it.
- If the video had one “hidden message” or vibe, what do you want people to walk away with?
Maybe there’s a lot more going on at the dance than meets the eye. For one thing, AI generated a mixed-race couple for the main characters of the video, which was something admittedly I wouldn’t have thought of. But when I saw it, I loved it, and never thought of changing it.
- What are you working on now, more singles, an EP, an album, or something totally different?
I just released the official video for my song “Wanderer,” which was also recorded at Wonka Sound. You guys gave the song a detailed, thoughtful review, which I really appreciate. I’ll continue recording and see where it leads. I also finished writing a book and a friend of mine is editing it for me. I think the subject matter is pretty original, but it might be a tough sell to publishers. We’ll see!
- If “(Doing Time)…” is chapter one, what does the next chapter sound like?
“(Doing Time ) At the Bingo Hall?”
- Where can our BTD listeners follow you, stream the music, and keep up with what’s next? Any shout-outs you want to give right now?
I’m on X and Bandcamp and you can find my music on DistroKid, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, all the usual places. Shout-outs to Bob Nash of Wonka Sound, my wife Kelly, my best friend Eric and all the people and bands who inspire me.
- Ok, before we close, I have to ask, what’s the funniest or most awkward thing that ever happened to you at a school dance?
The most awkward is I mention in the song that I felt like this girl and I were making a lot of eye contact, and I remember her smiling at me. But I couldn’t get my feet to walk over to her. The funniest is when my band played one of those CYO dances and we were doing The Who thing kicking over and throwing our instruments. A priest on the side of the stage was in hysterics!
More from Greg Walsh on BTD Radio
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