Featured on the covers of the September and March issues of Bear World Magazine, Homer Marrs, an established figure in the LGBTQ community, is releasing his new single, «This Fantastic Nightmare» today, entering on rotation on major radio stations in the UK and the USA, after a series of successes, with his song «Happy Pride from the End of the World» (#8 on the LGBTQ Music Chart), his cover of Danzig’s «Sistinas» (#1 on the AltQ Radio Top 20 in 2021), and his latest single «Ben» (#1 on the AltQ Radio chart, reaching the top ten of the LGBTQ Music chart, Q32 Music Chart, and Bear World Top 10s of 2021).
«This Fantastic Nightmare» plays like an alt-rock fever dream in which Dave Grohl believes he’s Evan Dando. Jangly and angry, it uses catchy melodies and ever-present harmony to bely its aggressive root.
The song started as a true exercise in sublimation: taking an unpleasant emotion or event and channeling it into a socially acceptable output (sweet, sweet music). But as tends to be the case with artists on their journeys, catharsis gave way to self-reflection and psychic growth, resulting in a song more healing than vitriolic.
It was recorded and engineered by Ray Garrison at Electric Rooster Studios, who worked with Homer on his two previous releases, «Ben» and his acoustic cover of Danzig’s «Sistinas» .The working title was «Ain’t It a Shame», after the Lead Belly song Nirvana once covered.
«I really miss the authenticity of the early ’90s alternative rock movement. I’d love to see more modern examples of that: psychologically exploratory lyrics over organic drum/bass/guitar arrangements that leave you with an impression of a feeling but not an exact transference of one. This song is my attempt at that», says Homer Marrs
Homer Marrs always has his way of surprising us and the artists he surrounds himself with : The new «purple» series of photos that Homer Marrs unveils for the occasion of his new song release was captured by the multi-award-winning photographer Johan Hesselgren (MTV, Rolling Stone Magazine, BBC, Sony Pictures, AMC, Cartoon Network…), also an accomplished creative director, producer and film director.
The artwork for the single was drawn by Sina Grace, an illustrator and writer who has worked with Tegan and Sara, Childish Gambino, Cat Stevens, Jenny Lewis, and Metric, and written for comics including Wonder Woman. His newest book, Rockstar and Softboy, released on Feb. 23 from Image Comics.
Homer Marrs’ quirky, seriocomic lyrics and gay flair also come from other talents of his own : He was a touring comedian who performed sketch and improv comedy with Chicago’s Second City before he became a musician.