ghost car band members

Ghost Car are an all female rock-riot band, with sickly sweet voices mixed with haunting keyboard sounds and gritty punk guitars and bass. Please allow us a moment of your time to tune in to this gloriously wild and totally tuneful 45 that’ll sit well next to your Mika Miko and Vivian Girls records. What we have here is a hot and hooky 3 minute cut of bubblegum pop, except the bubblegum here has become stuck to a pair of Doc Martens that have been worn to every wild house show where all of your favourite garage rock bands played through the years. These boots are made for walking as they say and Maeve, Laura, Clara and Maria have committed a seriously catchy and driving powerpop number to record. Echoing the hurtling carefree melodies of JAPANTHER, the bouncey fun of WAVVES and the pop sensibilities of Veruca Salt and Bratmobile. With a drumbeat that don’t quit, an organ that buzzes through your whole body and a chorus you’ll be singing all the way home. Ghost Car have made a big hitter for the punks, the twees, the skaters, the heshers and hipsters. ‘Stuck in The Mud’ is the first record by the band.

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Stuck In The Mud

Greenway Records is an independent record label based out of Brooklyn, NY. Specializing in DIY vinyl record releases.

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Getting To Know: Ghost Car

• Post author: Helen Evans
• Post published: December 14, 2022
• Post category: Getting To Know / Interviews
• Post comments: 0 Comments

Ghost Car, the London-based international punk quartet, recently released their debut album Truly Trash via One Little Independent Records.

The riotous, quick-witted collection of 11 garage-rock bangers provides Ghost Car with a platform to rage against political injustices, as their unified harmonies attack patriarchal inequality, homophobia, racism and toxic relationships. Truly Trash is a call to reclaim autonomy and to revolt against the powers that uphold an archaic nationalist system.

Right out the gate Truly Trash makes its intentions clear. Raw intensity builds toward blistering, riff-heavy noise-outs while frenzied synth drags the sound in a 60’s psych direction. Call-and-response gang vocals permeate the entire record as back-to-back choruses keep energy levels at maximum, boasting huge glam guitars and caustic drums of pure fury.

Originally the album was due to be released by Burger Records, however as accounts of sexual assault and exploitation of women by associates of the label came to light the band pulled out of the planned release. As activists for feminism and members of the LGBTQ+ community, Ghost Car practice what they preach, and aim to spread their mantra of inclusivity and equal rights as loud as possible.

We had a chat with the band all about what they’ve been up to, the making of Truly Trash and more. Read the Q&A below.

Hi guys! How are you? How have the last two years been for you as a band (with the pandemic and shutting down of Burger Records)? This year in particular has seen you gain a lot of momentum. What’s that journey been like?

Cece: “2020 has been the start of everything for me, initially very slowly but I’m glad we had the chance to find our rhythm and our way of writing together before having the pressure of gigging around. It’s been great to have the chance to record our first album together and finally being able to perform it live.”

Clara: “All good! Thank you! Pandemic was scary and frustrating but we managed to write new music and that helped us so much to remember why we are in a band and how much we love playing music. We are over the moon to finally have our debut album in our hands after many years of hard work.”

Maeve: “Regarding Burger, we found it harrowing but sadly not surprising. The punk scene can be very exclusive and abusive, especially for marginalised communities. We’re proud and stand by the people who spoke out, but the one positive to come from this is that it’s starting an honest discussion in order to stamp this abuse out, and make the punk scene a more inclusive space.”

Laura: “The last two years have been amazing and challenging…with lots of time on wasted plans, but we never gave up, and it made us fight harder.. In the last year we had lots of beginnings, we found Ceci, and writing together took time but it was so great Having the band was more important than ever during those times. We then signed to OLI. The past year has been very busy with recording the album/ and creating assets for the campaign. We shot three videos in a month in the end! We did it! We feel very proud!”

For anyone discovering Ghost Car here for the first time, please gave us a brief history on the band, your mission and your influences.

Cece: “I’ll leave the history of the band to the other girls, but to me Ghost Car mission is to create a safe and non judgmental place for everyone in music, where you can just have fun while dealing with important issues. We don’t aim to be the best band in the world, but we hope that we can make the difference for someone that hasn’t seen themselves represented on a stage before.

“We all have different influences, from the 60s rock n’roll to the 90s riot grrrl with a big stop in the 70s and 80s punk and post-punk scene.”

Clara: “Ghost Car started in 2014, I had my keyboard in my room and I asked my best friend who was my housemate that time as well, if she wanted to start a band called Ghost Car. She was in! Bought a bass guitar and the same week, two other friends, Laura and Jessica were in too! Our mission is to change the music industry dominated by men and speak up about life but in particular injustices or things that make us angry, for example dickheads politicians or inequality and one of the most wonderful thing is to hear after a gig people saying we are such an inspiration and they would start their own band and play music.”

Maeve: “For people discovering us for the first time, we’ve been described as anything from garage punk, glam punk to old school style punk to riot girl! Or my personal fav “shouty shit”. We would suggest playing the album loud before a night out!”

You’ve just released your debut LP Truly Trash . What can you tell us about the record? What do you hope fans/listeners take away from it?

Cece: “The album is our way to express what bothers us, from personal interactions to international politics. We wanted to explore different themes in a simple way so that they could be accessible to everyone.”

Clara: “I hope fans can enjoy our album and feel identified with the songs and also have a great time listening to the music.”

Please take us through your songwriting/creative process for Truly Trash . What was your favourite part and what did you find most challenging?

Cece: “Everyone in Ghost Car contributes in equal way, we all write lyrics and our own parts and we put them together giving advices to each other.

“The most challenging part was definitely trying to write during a national lockdown, but we found our way, sending music projects to each other and adding our own layers on top.”

Clara: “My favourite part is to feel the connection we have between us creating the songs together. The most challenging bit is when you ask yourself: Is this good or is it rubbish?”

Finally, what are your plans for 2023?

Cece: “We will start writing again and get ready for a UK and EU tour!”

Clara: “Our plans for 2023 is to start writing the second album and touring.”

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On the Rise Ghost Car

International punk quartet Ghost Car aren’t letting labels define them within a historically non-inclusive punk scene.

Often diluted down to the synthetic Halloween costume depiction of Joan Jett, the role of women within the punk scene has long been sold as a mutation of the genre.

Although the Riot grrrl movement of the 90s helped solidify the solidarity between the women’s rights movement and its accompanying rage, all-female punk groups are still feeling the effects of tokenism nearly three decades later. But addressing the issue, at least according to Maeve Henry, the guitarist for punk quartet Ghost Car, should start by reframing the concept of “punkettes'' entirely.

“We're trying to move to a time where you’re not referred to as a girl punk band. In a review a while back, they referred to us as ‘punkettes,’ and there’s no reason to gender the term. Whenever there's an ‘other’ to genre or a subculture that’s not the norm, I find that it gets a bit exclusionary, which is what we want to avoid,” she says to the harmonised agreement from her fellow bandmates over Zoom. Ghost Car’s debut album Truly Trash refers to itself as a soapbox to platform against political injustices – namely the patriarchy, homophobia, racism, and toxic relationships. “We’re not a pretentious band, but our lyrics are just legitimately what we go through. We just come in and talk about the shit that we want to talk about,” says Laura Hart, the group's impassioned drummer.

Ghost Car defines itself as a collaborative, international ensemble with a grungy, philanthropic mission to better London’s punk scene. Collectively, each member of the band was able to pinpoint defining moments in their music careers where they understood what it meant to be the ‘other’ in the punk scene; whether it was because of their gender or their sexual identity. “I had to be in my early 20s before I saw a woman playing on stage, but after that point, I realised that I could do it as well. There wasn’t a real female scene [when I first started], and we just want to normalise it,” said Cece Corapi, an Italian transplant and resident bassist.

There’s a powerhouse energy behind Truly Trash that begs to be heard during a live set. While its playback still manages to capture an exhilarating call-to-action, the use of belting choruses and call-and-response vocals evoke the primal urge to scream along at a show. There’s a deeply rooted nostalgia to their sound, which they refer to as an entirely collaborative hodge-podge of culture – band members hailing from Italy, Spain, Ireland, and England. Its lineage in punk is reminiscent of classic groups like The Ronettes and The Runaways, grasping at coarse, layered vocals and 60s synth. “Our sound stems from us all having different backgrounds in music and different tastes. Clara’s [use of keyboard] makes the band sound way different than a standard punk setup,” Maeve explains. “[Clara] brings a more 50s or 60s lo-fi sound. She even has a theremin. Recently, we were referred to as ‘glam-punk,’ which I will happily take.”

There’s a twinge of irony throughout Truly Trash, as the band doesn’t pull any punches when telling you exactly what they’re thinking with each track. The assertive confidence behind “Sushi Addict” is reminiscent of EDM trance with its high-energy repetition against “Clown Town,” which outwardly criticises England’s conservative government and Boris Johnson. Invoking the idea that each bandmate contributes different sounds to their album, Ghost Car taps into Maeve's history in pop punk with “Sex.” The single diverts from the classic, garage rock sound with a single vocalist and forward keys, almost giving it a cleaner sound. Lyrically, the album explores different social grievances with a highlight on government policy and harassment. The track “Basta” – the Spanish word for ‘stop’ – is another keys-forward track, addressing the biphobia and harassment they’ve experienced from men at their gigs. “There’s a constant battle with little things like what you want to wear on stage. You want to look and feel good, and we’re all body-positive feminists. But there’s just gonna be times when you get harassed – it even happened to us a couple of weeks ago at a gig,” Maeve explains. “I know it sounds cheesy, but I think the music lets us feel really empowered, and it’s so important to reinforce that we should feel safe here. But the four of us are always like, ‘f*ck this,’ we aren’t playing for abusive men.” The group’s been fighting an uphill battle against abusive men in the punk scene for years and initially had to pull Truly Trash from Burger Records, a disgraced California-based record label, due to accusations of assault and violence against female associates.

But the contention they face from men in the industry hasn’t stopped the group from making waves in the community and pursuing exactly the kind of music they want to create. “I’ve always loved rock n’ roll, and there’s sort of a strangeness to our sound that's just great. Every time you play, it’s different, and it keeps things exciting. Personally, I want to play things that challenge me,” Hart continues. “We’re making music for ourselves in the hopes that you’ll want to come and see us live. We want to help build a more inclusive space.”

For Ghost Car, who all chimed in agreement while discussing the importance of representation for women and LGBTQ communities within the scene, the biggest compliment has been finding out they’ve inspired others to start playing music. Clara Bleda, nominated by the group to summarise what people should expect from the album, took a few seconds before intimately sharing that Truly Trash wasn’t created to change the history of music, but it was made for people to enjoy. “When you listen to music, come to a gig, it does something special to you. It makes you feel powerful. Life has been so difficult lately, and we want people to come to our shows for a good time,” Bleda passionately shares. “Hopefully our music promotes new ideas. Playing a gig is worth it if even one person is inspired.”

Truly Trash is out 28 October via One Little Independent Records

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Five Favourites: Ghost Car

Posted on January 8, 2023 January 8, 2023

Having released their epic debut album, Truly Trash , towards the end of last year, London band Ghost Car have previously received acclaim from the likes of Skunk Anansie’s Skin and DIY Magazine, as well as sharing stages with legends such as Beth Ditto and Amyl and The Sniffers. Showcasing their quirky, retro energy and trademark whirring soundscapes and honey-sweet vocals, the album is a pure post-punk delight; a whimsical, yet gritty, insight into the world of Ghost Car.

Originally due to be released by Burger Records, the band then pulled out of the planned album release as accounts of sexual assault and exploitation of women by associates of the label came to light. As activists for feminism and members of the LGBTQ+ community, Ghost Car practice what they preach, and aim to spread their mantra of inclusivity and equal rights as loud as possible.

We think one of the best ways to get to know a band is by asking what music inspires them. So, to celebrate the release of Truly Trash, we caught up with Ghost Car to ask about the music that has inspired them the most. See below for their choice of five favourite albums!

Sweeping Promises – Hunger For A Way Out

Cece: This masterpiece came out during lockdown and I immediately became obsessed with it. I always thought that a good lo-fi sound can cut through you way better than overly produced music and this album is proof of it. I haven’t heard something so genuine, direct, and beautiful in a long time. It has all been recorded live, using the “single-mic” technique which creates a perfectly unique and nostalgic sound. Lira’s vocals are incredible and a big inspiration for me, I always keep her style as a reference when I need to push my singing to something less obvious and it’s a good reminder to not detach myself and sing with the heart, not just using my voice.

Du Blonde – Homecoming Clara: We’ve been asked to play with Du Blonde and we didn’t know much about her. When we checked out one of her video clips to check the vibes, I got super excited, and what an album this is! I could feel that same crazy excitement as when you were in your teens and you got a new record. She’s fun, she’s so talented, she’s so sincere! And she wrote, recorded, produced and released this album herself – how amazing. Loving the ‘90s vibes, but also the romantic chords of ‘Take Me Away’ sending me back to a love song from the ‘50s.

Stiff Little Fingers – Inflammable Material Maeve: This is one of the greatest albums ever written in my opinion. I got a lot of my musical understanding from my mum – she was in her 20s during the troubles and told me stories of going to see SLF in Belfast and having punk music as a release for all the political chaos happening around them. The start of ‘Johnny Was’ gives me chills and there’s nothing better than screaming ‘Suspect Device’ with my mum really loud.

Deerhoof – The Magic Laura: I’ve been a fan of this band for a long time, but only bought this album quite recently at the independent label fair – tempted by the white vinyl and the fact it’s released on Upset! The rhythm… It’s brilliant! I really enjoy how it switches tempo and mood often, and you can see the band’s many influences worn on their sleeves! Recorded in 2015, it’s raw and full of experiments – I love the way it takes your hand and leads you through their world. Plus, Satomi’s voice is iconic.

X – Los Angeles Maeve: I only found out about this album from Cece recently when she said “ you need to listen to this album, you’re gonna love it ” and she was right. One of the great things about Ghost Car is that we all have such varying different music tastes – we know each other so well, and are constantly discovering new music together. I love the intensity and grit of this album and it got me really excited to write some new bangers with the girls.

Cece : X was a late discovery for me too and I knew it would quickly escalate to my top 10 after listening to ‘Your Phone’s Off the Hook, But You’re Not’ – a brilliant song where you can see a great example of perfect harmony between male and female vocals. I was also quite amazed to find out that was produced by ex-Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek. X had a huge impact on the ‘80s punk scene and without them we wouldn’t have loads of the great bands that we have today. For example, would Kathy Valentine ever have joined The Go-Go’s if she hadn’t met Charlotte Caffey at the X gig at the Whisky at Go Go in 1980…?

Massive thanks to Ghost Car for sharing their Five Favourites with us! Their debut album Truly Trash is out now via One Little Independent Records. Watch the video for album track ‘Conch Pearl’ below:

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Ghost Car Truly Trash

( One Little Independent )

Words by Tom Critten

If you like succinct slices of ’60s inspired garage-rock psychedelia then keep reading. If you like bands that emit those resonances whilst also rallying against patriarchal inequality, political injustice and multifaceted oppressions then you’re especially in luck. On their debut album Truly Trash , Ghost Car display a deftness in constructing snappy, rage-filled audio fragments that are as poignant as they are magnetic.

Tracks like ‘Selfish, Spoiled’ pair the desert rock couture of synthesised organ drones and driving beats with riot grrl vocal deliveries that amount to a mashup of The Black Angels and The Slits. Elsewhere, three-minute marvel ‘Sex’ displays a penchant for a new-wave stomp with jaunty keyboard stabs and off-kilter basslines, evoking Blondie and The B-52’s. 

These tracks may be musically sprightly, but lyrically the album persists in its political vehemence. Ghost Car’s words draw heavily from their personal experiences, from the individual instances of misogyny and biphobia detailed in ‘Basta’ to the more bludgeoning and palpable condemnations of the state of permacrisis that pervades contemporary British politics in ‘Truly Trash’ and ‘Clown Town’.

Truly Trash stands out as a vital listen, both sonically and thematically. With conviction and charisma, Ghost Car deliver a record of serious moral heft; their ability to do this all on their debut is truly admirable.

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Truly Trash

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Ghost Car UK

Ghost Car, the London-based international punk quartet. Riff-heavy bangers rise in raw intensity as group harmonies build toward garage-rock noise-outs, and frenzied synth drags the sound in a 60’s psych direction. Ghost Car practice what they preach, and aim to spread their mantra of inclusivity and equal rights as loud as possible. ...   more

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• Oct 27 The Dome London, UK
• Jan 05 Butlin's - Bognor Regis Bognor Regis, UK

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Ghost: the definitive guide to every member of their crazy universe

From Papa Emeritus I to IV to Papa Nihil, Sister Imperator and beyond, here's everything you need to know about Ghost's colourful cast of characters

Ghost have long been shrouded in mysterious shenanigans. As well as the largely anonymous Nameless Ghouls that make up the bulk of the band, with each passing album, Ghost mastermind Tobias Forge has introduced a ghastly lead character to front the fold, starting back in 2010 with Papa Emeritus I for debut album Opus Eponymous . After Papas II and III followed for Infestissumam and Meliora respectively, for 2018's Prequelle , there was no numbered Papa to be found – just a Cardinal and another, newly introduced ancient figure known as Papa Nihil. 

The plot has only thickened since then, with Cardinal Copia being upgraded to a Papa all of his own for the Impera era and even more strange and spooky characters being introduced into the Ghost canon. Here's our definitive guide to all of them so far. 

Papa Emeritus I

AKA: The first one. Years Of Service: 2010-2012. Notes: Papa Emeritus I was the OG Ghost frontman and could usually be found stalking back and forth on stages wielding his trusty thurible (that’s that big, swinging incense burner thingy he used to have). The original, certainly, but arguably not the best.

Papa Emeritus II

AKA: The scary one. Years Of Service: 2013-2015. Notes: With a far ghastlier looking visage than his predecessor, Papa Emeritus II was also the first Papa to ditch the makeup when he fronted a special, three-song Ghost set for an Australian website in 2014. Though we’re still not convinced that was his real face, either.

Papa Emeritus III

AKA: The dandy. Years Of Service: 2015-2017. Notes: Allegedly the younger brother of Papa Emeritus II, Papa Emeritus III brought a new energy to Ghost, shrugging off his Papal robes mid-set for a snazzy suited-and-booted look that came with a host of sexually-charged stage moves. Oooh, the cad. It set a a new precedent for the dynamics of how Ghost shows would usually operate (let's just say the costume change count has only gone up since then). Papa III was eventually and unceremoniously killed off, along with his two predecessors, his decapitated head appearing on the cover of Metal Hammer in 2018. Oh dear.

AKA: The old one. Years Of Service: 1969-2020 alive, 2020-2022 as a spooky spirit Notes: Making his live debut seconds after Papa III was dragged off stage in Sweden in late 2017, Papa 0 looked older than time itself (er, no offense). His role was seemingly to mentor younger Papas and Papas-in-waiting, not least a newly arrived Cardinal who seemed to have more than just professional connections to the old-timer. Papa 0 could also, it would appear, bust out a mean saxophone solo, but that sadly wasn't enough to save him when he was rudely offed live onstage in Mexico in 2020. Then resurrected in 2022 to play sax again. This band's health insurance renewal rates must be through the roof, quite frankly.

Cardinal Copia

AKA: The one that wasn't a Papa (but is now). Years Of Service: 2018-2020. Notes: Providing a combo breaker by eschewing the corpsepaint and having a decidedly less pope-y fashion sense, Cardinal Copia was the lovably daft Papa-in-waiting that brought an extra flash of sass to the Ghost camp. Tobias Forge once suggested to us that, unlike previous Ghost frontmen, Cardi C might actually stick around for a few records - and he was half-right. In March 2020, on stage in Mexico, The Cardinal was surrounded by The Clergy and transformed into Papa Emeritus IV. A new dawn beckoned...

Papa Emeritus IV

AKA: The grandest Papa yet Years Of Service: 2020-present Notes: The upgraded Cardinal is currently serving as the fourth Papa Emeritus, and if Ghost's latest live show is anything to go by, he may be the most extravagant one yet. Packing dazzling robes, a fancy new hat (or three) and a fine array of new stage costumes, he's perfectly set to lead what looks to be Ghost's most over the top and bombastic era ever. But what happens when The Clergy grow tired of him and decide it's time for a freshen-up? Could Ghost's current hero buck the trend and leave the fold with his head and body intact? Could a serving Papa IV become Papa V? Or is he doomed to join his predecessors in death? Only time will tell.

The Nameless Ghouls

AKA: The band. Years Of Service: 2010-Present. Notes: Less individuals and more a mass of souls represented onstage by mysterious, anonymous figures. They seem to grow in number with each passing album cycle, and get their own revamp to go alongside each newly introduced (or upgraded) frontman. Currently, The Nameless Ghouls are rocking a badass steampunk look. We approve.

Sister Imperator

AKA: The matriarch. Years Of Service: 1969-Present (at least) Notes: A figurehead behind the scenes, the mysterious Sister Imperator has appeared in a number of videos put out by Ghost in recent years, and she seems to have a particular (motherly) affinity for The Cardinal/Papa IV. We got to see both Sister Imperator and Papa Nihil in their younger incarnations during Ghost's Kiss The Go-Goat era.

Mr. Saltarian

First introduced in Chapter 10 of Ghost's ongoing video series, Mr. Saltarian is yet another mysterious religious figure with definite but somewhat murky connections to The Clergy. With poor Papa IV's future seemingly up in the air as of Ghost's most recent Chapters, it seems that Mr. Saltarian may have a part to play in the increasingly paranoid frontman's ultimate fate.

AKA: The main event. Years Of Service: 2010-Present. Notes: The mysterious cult from which these strange beings all stepped forth, The Clergy is the centre point for everything that Ghost is, was and shall be. They remain anonymous, omnipotent and powerful. Which is metal as fuck, to be fair.

Father Jim Defroque

AKA: The Bad Boy Priest Years Of Service: [unknown]-Present Notes: Introduced in a half-hour special on YouTube entitled "Jesus Talk With Father Jim Defroque" released on Easter Sunday 2023, at first it appeared the Pastor was the antithesis of our favourite Satanic Swedes and a true man of the cloth as he disapprovingly dissected lyrics from bands including Ministry, Soundgarden and Green Day (all Jesus themed, naturally). 

It wasn't long before Father Defroque's true colours came out, however: suspicious sniffs throughout his YouTube special turned into a full bender during the Jesus He Knows Me video featuring copious amounts of blow, guns and erm, a questionable haircare regimen. How does he fit in with the wider Ghost lore? Well, we guess we'll find out pretty soon... 

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Merlin moved into his role as Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has previously written for the likes of Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He is also probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site. 

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Albums Of The Week: Ghost Car | Truly Trash

The London quartet mix up a killer cocktail of raucous garage-rock, spiky new wave, vintage girl-group and plenty more — then spike it with some pointed political lyrics.

T HE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “ Ghost Car , the London-based international punk quartet, have just released their debut album Truly Trash , a riotous, quick-witted collection of 11 garage-rock bangers.

The album provides Ghost Car with a platform to rage against political injustices, as their unified battle cries attack patriarchal inequality, homophobia, racism and toxic relationships. Truly Trash  is a call to reclaim autonomy and to revolt against the powers that uphold an archaic nationalist system.

Right out the gate, Truly Trash makes its intentions clear. Riff-heavy ballad Terrible Feelings rises in raw intensity as group harmonies build toward a shoegaze noise-out, while follow-up Selfish, Spoiled uses frenzied synth to drag the sound in a ’60s psych direction. Call-and-response gang vocals permeate the entire record as back-to-back choruses keep energy levels at maximum, evident on Mechanical Soul , which boasts huge glam guitars and caustic drums of pure fury.

Of the eruptive Basta, singer-guitarist Maeve Henry tells us “It was written from the perspective of someone commenting on being a queer woman being happy with her sexuality. We’ve had a lot of men at our gigs in the past sexualising or infantilising us, so this is a massive f*ck you to them”. Singer/bassist Cece Corapi expands: “It felt important to reiterate the fact that your sexuality doesn’t define the type of person you are. There is still a lot of biphobia around, even in certain queer scenes, and a perception that it’s not a valid sexual identity. It’s important to call this out.”

The LP continues with the punchy Riot grrrl sound of Embleton Road and Clown Town , which show the band at their sarcastic best, oozing B-52’s and Delta 5 swagger with jaunty B-movie melodies. The latter makes comment on the circus of errors by the Conservative government, with particular focus on Boris Johnson following Brexit . With band members hailing from England, Ireland, Italy and Spain, Ghost Car are keen advocators for freedom of movement, a belief only strengthened following the events in Ukraine. Cece explains that this “opened our eyes to the consequences of borders even more, when considering a country caught between two opposing powers (Russia and the EU/Nato) and the devastation this leads to. I think it’s important that we become more aware of these issues, but we need to make sure that we don’t stop there and always look at it from a more internationalist point of view. And to consider what that means for everyone.”

Grungy pop-punk anthem and lead single Sex  channels the likes of Stiff Little Fingers and The Undertones , mixing with influences from ’60s girl groups like The Ronettes and The Shangri-Las to the explosive rock ’n’ roll of The Runaways . Conch Pearl and Sushi Addict deal in distorted, jumped-up chaos, and No History is about our reliance on digital technology and a reminder to try to live spontaneously. Album finale Truly Trash is a defiant message seeped in ethereal, doomy layers of ferocity. Singer-keyboardist-Thereminist Clara Bleda ’s closing comment; “F*ck Trump , f*ck Boris , f*ck the right wing”, while Maeve adds; “F*ck the DUP too”.

“This album is our way to express what bothers us, from personal interactions to international politics,” she says. “We wanted to explore different themes in a simple way so that they could be accessible to everyone.”

Ghost Car aim to utilize their diversity to explore different writing styles, while expressing themes of openness and empowerment. They’ve been championed by the likes of Mickey Bradley ( Undertones ), Skin and Du Blonde , and were deeply inspired by the late Lyndell Mansfield . They’ve also grown as performers supporting the likes of Shonen Knife , Amyl and The Sniffers and Beth Ditto , while remaining a London headline mainstay.”

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Ghost are sponsoring a nascar car set to race this weekend in phoenix.

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The post Ghost Are Sponsoring a NASCAR Car Set to Race This Weekend in Phoenix appeared first on Consequence .

Ghost and NASCAR aren’t exactly two peas in a pod, but that isn’t stopping the Swedish metal band from sponsoring a car at the United Rentals 200 race at Phoenix Raceway this Saturday (March 12th).

The car is being driven Bayley Currey , a member of the NASCAR Xfinity Series team JD Motorsports. Appropriately, it’s the No. 4 car, matching up nicely with current Ghost frontman Papa Emeritus IV.

“I’m ready to rock,” said Currey in a press release as he prepares to take the wheel this weekend. “I’m excited about this one, and I know the boys at the shop are excited about this one too, we have a lot of metal fans on our team. Once we heard a deal was imminent, we started working on the cars to Ghost songs. With Ghost on my car, I am ready to take on the world.”

The race takes place one day after the release of Ghost’s fifth album, IMPERA , which arrives this Friday (March 11th). In advance of the LP ( pre-order here ), the band has unveiled the songs “Twenties,” “Call Me Little Sunshine” and “Hunter’s Moon,” while also performing the new tune “Kaisarion” during their recently wrapped US arena tour .

Editor's Pick

Ghost and Volbeat Bring the Fire in the Home of the Devils: Recap + Photos

The No. 4 Chevrolet is adorned with Ghost’s logo on the hood and other parts of the vehicle. If you’d like to see it in action, you can tune in to FS1 this Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET. Watch the official reveal in the video below, and stay tuned for Heavy Consequence ‘s interview with Papa Emeritus IV (aka Ghost mastermind Tobias Forge).

Ghost Are Sponsoring a NASCAR Car Set to Race This Weekend in Phoenix Spencer Kaufman

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Every Member Of Ghost Explained

Ghost is not just a metal band — they are an entire phantasmagoria, haunted by the lore and rumors dreamed up by their lead singer and mastermind, Tobias Forge. 

Forge, who grew up in Linköping, Sweden, took on his brother's obsession with rock and amassed an enviable collection of metal magazines before he was 10 (via Los Angeles Times ). He got into the underground metal scene in his teens. He looks back at that time as having been deeply immersed in death metal and black metal, but those genres were hardly his only inspirations. As Total Guitar says, he was inspired by everything from Black Sabbath to Blue Oyster Cult and even ABBA (they are part of his Swedish heritage, after all).

Ghost started out with an inverse Pope who worshipped the devil and was often surrounded by his Nameless Ghouls. That Pope, Papa Emeritus I, was mysteriously killed off only to be replaced by his successor, Papa Emeritus II. The inevitable happened again: Forge (the only one behind those corpselike faces) buried the Papas for a while and performed as Cardinal Copia, who was eventually anointed as another Satanic Pope. But listen closely, because the lyrics are far from a musical black mass.

"The lyrics are not about God. They're about man," Forge told the Los Angeles Times. "We are, at the end of the day, an occult, pop, satanic sort of rock 'n' roll band meant to entertain a group of people who are already down with that stuff."

Papa Emeritus I (2010-2012)

Papa Emeritus I was the first demonic Pope character of Ghost who emerged with their premiere album "Opus Eponymous." It was the moment church went metal.

The skull-esque makeup, mitre, and robes adorned with upside-down crosses — which all the Papa iterations would wear in one form or another — were the brainchild of lead singer Tobias Forge. The Los Angeles Times observes that Forge had a different approach to occult metal as opposed to the expected chorus of screams and swears and explosive guitar riffs. He delivers the lyrics of a black sermon with a hypnotically melodic voice. Ghost first formed in 2006, and the release of "Opus Eponymous" in 2010 saw the emergence of the first of a line of anti-Popes blessing (or should it be damning?) the stage (via  Ghost Cult Magazine ).

The vestments of Papa Emeritus I are mostly black, crowned with a silver mitre and slashed with red panels glittering with the repeated Cross of Saint Peter. Watch Forge perform as Papa I singing "Death Knell"  at a 2011 concert, and it is clear he goes beyond just throwing on a costume to embodying the character — though the costume is a spectacle in itself. His hand motions appear to be leading a blasphemous mass as he walks solemnly across the stage.

Papa Emeritus II (2013-2015)

As "Opus Eponymous" gave way to the band's second album, "Infestissumam," Papa Emeritus I was overthrown by Papa Emeritus II. The successor to Emeritus I appeared with an even ghastlier face and more elaborate vestments that were almost completely black, with the only flashes of heavenly light coming from his silver mitre and ornamental inverted crosses. According to  Seattle Weekly , "Infestissumam" is an album devoted to the mythical birth of Satan. This disturbed some printers to the point that they actually refused to print the album art for the deluxe edition, which features — among other unholy things — a throwback to the 16th century in the form of a massive Renaissance orgy. It was because of this that the release ended up being delayed.

Forge was still anonymous at this point — as anonymous as the Nameless Ghouls who made up the rest of the band. In the middle of 2014, one of the Ghouls leaked the impending replacement of Papa Emeritus II to Louder  as the "Infestissumam" cycle came to a close and teased possible candidates for the Papacy. The Ghoul in question was referring only to the character and not Forge himself, but remember that Forge still cloaked himself in anonymity during this era. Deepening the mystery was the mention of the band considering candidates when the only ones to be considered were coming into being in Forge's imagination. Blabbermouth.net  gave away that Papa Emeritus II was last seen, appropriately enough, holding up a coffin lid on the cover of Sweden Rock Magazine.

Papa Emeritus III (2015-2017)

Papa Emeritus III is actually supposed to be the younger brother of Emeritus II, born only three months later — how that works out biologically remains a mystery (via  Louder ). This Papa's skull face is more abstract, and his papal robes are slashed with purple, a slightly less nightmarish departure from his predecessor. Metal Insider announced the transformation in 2015 when Ghost supposedly recruited Papa III for their latest album, "Meliora." When Forge still went unidentified, the band wanted fans to believe that each Papa was a new singer rather than a different persona their only lead singer conjured up.

Another Nameless Ghoul told Loudwire that the succession of Papas was not unlike different actors playing the same role. That same Ghoul went on to say that the imagery and music of Ghost are inextricably linked. The band had no visuals when they put out their first EP, but their ghoulish image soon followed. In another Loudwire interview, Forge himself admitted that he had a reason for killing off previous Papas. While they all succeeded, and he never had a favorite, he needed to keep his audience (and himself) engaged somehow. "If we just continued with Papa to Papa to Papa to Papa, that would grow very boring," he said.

The Papa characters vanished temporarily after Papa III's "death" (though they are briefly seen as corpses in the "Chapter Three: Back on the Road" video). In a move that almost seems sacrilegious, the next frontman of the band was a mere cardinal.

Papa Nihil (2017-2020 and 2022-present)

Also known as Papa Emeritus Zero, Papa Nihil is the most ancient Papa character, and he first appeared at a Gothenburg concert and announced, "The Middle Ages begin now."

Papa Nihil has the sunken face of a mummy and the gilded robes of an archangel. He always seems to be on his last breath, shambling onstage with a walking stick in one hand and an oxygen mask over his mouth, according to Kerrang . This Papa is a central character in Ghost's promo videos from his wheezing entrance in "Chapter One: New Blood," where he insists his bloodline goes back generations upon generations, to his remembered '60s youth in "Chapter Eight: Kiss the Go-Goat".

The videos unravel Nihil's backstory, revealing that he was once a rocker in '60s Los Angeles. As Kerrang also remembers, the band supposedly played their first gig — to promote their new EP "Seven Inches of Satanic Panic" (released by Galaxy Recordings) — at the Whiskey-A-Go-Go Bar right on the Sunset Strip. "Seven Inches" was Ghost's actual 2019 vinyl record, which his aging fingers revealed at the end of "Chapter Eight," as he claimed it was time to rerelease the EP that gave his band their big break in 1969. He appears on the cover as a psychedelic nightmare.

Inevitably, Papa Nihil went on to die like the others, but unlike them, he was eventually resurrected. Planet Radio named him as the band's official anointer and saxophonist.

Cardinal Copia (2018-2020)

The poster ghoul for the album "Prequelle" wasn't an undead Pope but a cardinal sans white face paint, though still rocking the look of blackened eye sockets. Cardinal Copia has no relation to the exalted bloodline of the Papas. This is something Papa Nihil keeps endlessly complaining about starting in "Chapter One: New Blood."

As Loudwire observed, the video "Chapter Seven: New World Redro" is an homage to Stephen King's "The Shining." Papa Nihil repeatedly types, "All work and no play makes Papa a bad dad," while Cardinal Copia navigates the clergy headquarters — already a shadowy mausoleum — on a tricycle and runs into the same sorts of terrors Danny Torrance encounters in the movie. Notably, there is a pair of twin girls who walk on either side of Papa Nihil in some of the videos. They channel those creepy twins that beckoned Danny to come play with them by having them materialize in front of the Cardinal and try to get him to join in a ghostly game of Red Rover before they suddenly vanish.

Forge started rumors that Cardinal Copia could survive for more than one tour, as he told Australia's "The Music" podcast (via Loudwire ) in 2019. "Right now, if everything goes according to plan, we're hoping for Cardi to be strong enough and cool enough to possibly do something that none of the previous ones have done, and that's basically to do two cycles," he explained.

Papa Emeritus IV (2020-present)

Turned out Cardinal Copia escaped the fate of death to be reanointed as Papa Emeritus IV. No wonder he inherited Cardinal Copia's eye makeup.

Though Tobias Forge previously said he wasn't going to create any more Papas, he morphed Cardinal Copia into one. The unholy anointing happened during a 2020 concert in Mexico City, which also marked Forge's 40th birthday (via Revolver ). The transformation is captured in Ghost's "Life Eternal" video, in which a clip of Cardinal Copia somberly walking down the hall of the Clergy's mausoleum headquarters gives way to legions of adoring fans with and without makeup and masks (and sometimes mitres). The video ends in an explosion of smoke and confetti that makes way for the newly mitred Papa.

Papa Emeritus IV is the flashiest Papa character yet, with jewel-encrusted vestments decked out in gold thread. He went from Cardinal to Pope to usher in the era of Ghost's latest album, "Impera", according to Distorted Sound Magazine . Kerrang announced an epic crossover when Iron Maiden made this Papa a character on their "Legacy of the Beast" mobile game. Forge himself is a Maiden fan — something he focused on in a 2018 interview with Loudwire  — and has even toured with them. "There's a lot of cross-pollination between Iron Maiden and Ghost nowadays," he told the outlet. "They have been extremely important for my whole reason wanting to be here and the reason why I've gotten to the place where I am now."

Omega (Martin Persner, 2010-2016)

Ever wonder who those spooky masked figures behind Papa (or Cardinal Copia, depending on the era) are? The Nameless Ghouls of Ghost had their identities set aside for more emphasis on the music and the mythos that Forge created for the Ghost universe. Ghouls have come and gone — but at least some have been revealed.

Guitarist Martin Persner was one iteration of the Nameless Ghoul known as Omega, according to Metal Injection . The former bandmate of Forge's — who played alongside him in Magna Carta Cartel pre-Ghost — was also the first Nameless Ghoul to reveal his human form. Initially, there was skepticism surrounding whether he was telling the truth since his face always remained hidden behind some sort of mask. But the rings he wears in the video announcing his parting ways with the band in 2017 are the same as those Omega wore up until then.

"I wrote some songs [for Ghost], but mostly it was [Tobias's] own songs, and I would come along, maybe, and say, 'Oh, it should be like...' and we would fight — as always," he told GoetiaMedia . Why Persner gave up Ghost may always be a mystery. He gave a cryptic response when asked the question, telling GoetiaMedia that he would rather not talk about it because it was too personal and only let on that "something horrible happened."  Loudwire found out that Persner resurrected Magna Carta Cartel and has been with them since his exit from Ghost.

Aether (Chris Catalyst)

Chris Catalyst is the face behind the Nameless Ghoul, otherwise known as Aether. The former Sisters of Mercy guitarist, who has also played with bands such as Terrorvision, Ugly Kid Joe, and Ginger Wildheart, recently unmasked himself on Twitter after Ghost's European Imperatour (via  Planet Radio ). "Amazing tour with our wonderful Ghost family," he tweeted. "I supposed that's that particular cat out of the bag."

The entire band is unmasked in the group photo he tweeted (along with the members of supporting acts Twin Temple and Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats). If you really zoom in, you can see him flashing a peace sign over Tobias Forge's right shoulder. The face to the left of Forge is thought to be guitarist Per Eriksson, formerly of Katatonia and Bloodbath, whose Ghoul alias would be Fire if he really is one of these creatures. There has been no confession from him yet.

Some ex-Ghouls left the band with a lawsuit, as Blabbermouth reveals. In 2017, four of them sued Forge after being fired because they believed he was breaking a partnership agreement by withholding their share of the profits. It was this lawsuit that gave away Forge's identity after years of going incognito behind heavy stage makeup. Some of the Ghouls in question — Air and Water — eventually formed the cyberpunk band Priest.

When the Colorado Springs Independent (via Blabbermouth ) asked Forge whether he could have dodged that lawsuit by making the Ghouls' identities known, he said he believed so.

The Ghoulettes (2018-present)

The Nameless Ghouls were all male until 2016, when two Ghoulettes were introduced to the band. As MetalSucks remembers, the identity of the first Ghoulette slipped when a finger tattoo identified her as bassist Megan Thomas of all-female Led Zeppelin tribute band Lez Zeppelin, who had also been missing from concerts for no apparent reason. How long she stayed on with Ghost is unknown. As of 2018, the PRP noted that another Ghoulette had joined the lineup because of a telltale mask style.

The Ghouls started out as faceless and genderless beings in hooded black robes. When Papa Emeritus I swapped out his black vestments for ghastly white, the Ghouls did the same, with masks that covered their entire faces except for two eerie eye holes (via Planet Radio ). With the rise of Papa Emeritus II, they were back in black, with black leather masks covering all but their eyes. The Ghouls backing Papa Emeritus III wore mouthless horned demon face masks. It was the shinier versions of these chrome masks that appeared in 2018, which had female versions that featured longer molded "hair."

Ghoulettes now touring with Ghost are thought to be Cirrus and Sunshine — aka Laura Scarbourough of Diamond Kobra — and musical theatre performer Sophie Amelkin  (per  Planet Radio ). Their suspected identities haven't been officially confirmed or denied. Forge's inspiration for the current post-apocalyptic Ghoul masks were the (once again genderless) Tusken Raiders of "Star Wars," as he told Revolver . He was into the dead look.

Sister Imperator (2016-present)

Supposed nun Sister Imperator is the forbidden lover of Papa Nihil in Ghost lore — whatever vows these members of the clergy took evidently did not involve chastity. Sister is the only main character who does not play with the band. Her main role is to build mystery and anticipation in Ghost's music videos and series of promo videos, and according to Revolver , Forge uses her to do just that and still leave fans wondering at the end. She is first seen in "Chapter One: New Blood,"  when she announces to a curmudgeonly Papa Nihil that fresh blood is needed in the Clergy, and that fresh blood later turns out to be Cardinal Copia. Whether he actually belongs there is something they continue arguing about.

Nihil and Sister argue even through her lengthy stay in the hospital after nearly being crushed in a car accident in "Chapter Four: The Accident,"  in which the hearse she drives is sidetracked and goes up in flames. In "Chapter Five: The Call,"  a completely bandaged Sister makes her best attempt to dial him on a rotary phone, and they proceed to review the "Omen" movies. Alternative Press noticed that Sister was flaunting a stunningly new look after the bandages were removed.

The sexual tension between Nihil and Sister is obvious in the videos they appear in, coming to a climax in a Valentine's Day video clip . ( Metal Hammer  confirms suspicions that they are recreating the infamous "horny pottery" scene from the movie "Ghost.")

The Clergy (2010-present)

Shrouded in mystery, the Clergy are supposed to be the larger (fictional) cult from which Ghost spawned. They are never seen, but always heard on social media. Metal Hammer  describes them as beyond powerful but never actually appearing anywhere. While the Papas, Sister, and Cardinal Copia are regarded as clergy since they are supposed to be nuns and priests, they are still not the Clergy, who are supposedly some higher power. The Clergy surrounded Cardinal Copia when he was reanointed to become Papa Emeritus IV. They can also decide when it is time to kill off the latest Papa — or potentially morph him into something else.

The Clergy members are most visible through their announcements. Ghost's social media posts and YouTube videos often open with "[MESSAGE FROM THE CLERGY]" — and of course, an omnipotent power like them would use all caps to get the importance of the message across. This is always followed by "we wish to inform you" before the announcement is made (via  Twitter ). But who are they? What we do know is that Sister Imperator is the head, according to Revolver . So she is both clergy and Clergy.

Even after all the reveals, Ghost continues to be shrouded in mystery, and there are some things that may never crawl out of the inner sanctum.

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Ghost Reveal Signature ‘Papa 4′ NASCAR

Ghost are cranking their Impera promotion into a new gear! The occult band now sponsors Bailey Curry’s No. 4 Chevrolet, committing a special Impera wrap onto his NASCAR.

The ‘Papa 4’ car will make its debut March 12 during the United Rentals 200 at the Phoenix Raceway.

“I’m ready to rock,” says Bailey Currey, who made his Cup Series debut in 2019. “I’m excited about this one, and I know the boys at the shop are excited about this one too, we have a lot of metal fans on our team. Once we heard a deal was imminent, we started working on the cars to Ghost songs. With Ghost on my car, I am ready to take on the world.”

“I’m a musician myself,” says JD Motorsports VP of Sales & Marketing Tony Priscaro, “So it’s rocked working with Ghost and Loma Vista Recordings on this car. We can’t wait to put the pedal to the metal.”

The partnership is managed by marketing and content creation agency A.E. Engine with promotional support provided by  Out of the Groove , and its host Eric Estepp. The Out of the Groove logo will also be featured on the No. 4 Chevrolet.

“Me and Craig (Baroncelli) at A.E. Engine are both huge fans of Ghost,” says Eric Estepp. “Fans know I love the band and wear Ghost shirts on my show regularly. I’m constantly getting comments on my channel or people coming up to me at the races talking about how much they love the band, too. So we knew this would be really exciting for the fans.”

Estepp helped unveil the Ghost NACAR in a new YouTube video. Check it out below.

Ghost | NASCAR Xfinity Series - Official Reveal

“At A.E. Engine, we’re focused on bringing new partners and audiences to the sport,” says Craig Baroncelli, CEO and Publisher. “Eric actually introduced me to Ghost. We were texting back and forth about the new Ghost song and video – 'Call Me Little Sunshine' – when it was released in January and we quickly realized the new album –  IMPERA  – will be released one day prior to the Xfinity Series race at Phoenix Raceway. At that point it was a no-brainer – we had to pursue this opportunity. I am just thankful Ghost and Loma Vista Recordings were so inspired by the idea. They are the ones that brought this car to life.”

We recently interviewed Ghost mastermind Tobias Forge about Impera , the current war between Russia and Ukraine, Putin’s role in it all and more. Watch here .

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Tobias Forge on GHOST in 2023: "There's going to be a change. Good change."

2022 was a massive year for Ghost — so massive, in fact, that we named the Swedish occult-rock troupe Revolver' s Band of the Year and crowned their latest LP, Impera , the Album of the Year . Which only sets the stage for a very big 2023.

In a new interview with Metal Hammer , Ghost mastermind Tobias Forge teased the band's plans for the year ahead and hinted an unspecified "change" that's about to take place with the group.

First, he laid out a big-picture view of Ghost's touring plans. "We're doing a lot of touring again," Forge said. "On previous album cycles we've done four legs in America and two or three in Europe and repeated. 

"We're going to go into every territory next year, but there's going to be one European tour, one American tour. We are going to do a little bit of everywhere. There'll be a little bit of something up in upper Asia, on the far end there — a very well-established country with a lot of pop cultural fascination, and the home of videogames. And there's going to be something in the Oceania world, and there might be something south of Panama, and there might be something slightly north of Panama. It feels pretty solid."

Exciting stuff, but then Forge dropped the most tantalizing breadcrumb. "We're going to come out with a little bit of change before that — good change," he said, cryptically. "We're not going to go silent. Some things are public, other things not in public view, but there are a lot of things brewing."

Asked of Ghost's next album, he offered, "Everything I'm doing now is for the next record. I have a vague idea what that will be like and a vague idea of the title and the color scheme."

When Revolver spoke to Forge late last year, he confirmed that he was already beginning to map out the follow-up to Impera . "I've already started planning, or at least outlined a few things that I want to do differently," he revealed. "That can also be from a completely practical point of view. It doesn't necessarily mean that, "Oh, I hate this record — now I'm going to write a grindcore record." It's just that there's always something that you want to improve..."

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