In a revealing sit-down with Skratch N’ Sniff and SNSMix.com, Hollywood Undead co-founder Johnny 3 Tears reflects on a transformative chapter for the band — from dropping their heartfelt new single “Hollywood Forever” to signing with Sumerian Records and embracing a new creative approach.
“Every time we start coming out with new music and, like, a new chapter, you know, it’s always one of those periods where you kind of get excited again. We always try, I think — especially musically — to focus on advancing or progressing to some degree. For me, that little time period when you put out new music is absolutely my favorite time. It’s always fun and it’s always exciting, even when people like it or when people hate it. It’s still always my favorite aspect of being in the band,” Johnny 3 Tears told Skratch N’ Sniff.
For a band that’s always thrived on pushing boundaries, “Hollywood Forever” isn’t just a song — it’s a mission statement. One that honors the past while charging headfirst into the future. After years on major labels, Hollywood Undead chose a different path, signing with the independently minded Sumerian Records.
“You’re only as good as the people who work your label… Ash is a super passionate dude. He believes in the band. And I believed in him,” commented Johnny on why the label was the perfect fit for Hollywood Undead.
He continues, “We’ve been on majors our whole career. We’ve been on Interscope and A&M and then BMG, and there’s a good thing about majors — you get a lot of money, and your budgets are huge, yada yada yada. But there’s also a very impersonal aspect to it. They have massive bands. They’re working Kendrick Lamar the same week they’re working you. You know, we’re a mid-level band, so a lot of times your stuff gets lost in the shuffle — understandably so. So we were kind of tired of the major label system. We started looking at bigger indies, weighing our options and stuff. We met with a bunch of them, talked to a bunch of them — and Ash is really the reason.”
Their recent partnership with Sumerian Records represents more than just a label switch — it’s a creative realignment. Johnny credits label founder Ash Avildsen for reigniting their artistic spirit. This partnership reflects a deeper shift toward creativity over corporate routine — a refreshing change for a veteran band.
Hollywood Undead is also breaking free of traditional album cycles. Rather than focusing on full-length records, the band is releasing songs and videos independently — embracing the speed and flexibility of today’s streaming era.
“We’ve got new songs coming out real shortly, within the next couple of months. As far as a new record-record? I don’t know. I don’t think we’re even planning on it — well, at least as of now. I think those days are numbered, as far as putting out like, ‘Hey, here’s an album with fifteen songs on it.’ I mean, at some point that will happen, but as of now, we’re just releasing songs. We have a bunch lined up. We’ll probably package them with some other songs and put out a record for those who want them. But, you know, dude — cars don’t even have CD players in them anymore. What are we going to release a record for? No one buys them, except for people who like vinyl. Now it’s funny, because outside of the artwork, there’s almost no incentive to make an album anymore. So we’ll see what happens. But as of now, we’re just gonna release songs and videos — all the other stuff — and eventually maybe package it into a record for people who want physical or tangible product. But yeah, as far as releasing an actual album? I have no idea. I don’t even know if anybody’s going to do that anymore.”
Fans can catch Hollywood Undead on the second leg of the Hollywood & N9ne tour with Tech N9ne this spring, followed by a European run in the fall.
Watch the full interview with Johnny 3 Tears from Hollywood Undead at the link below!
