Wax Owls
Wax Owls
Wax Owls blend indie, anthemic folk, rock and pop with a singer-songwriter approach that makes the best of lush instrumentation and expansive choral harmonies. Singer and songwriter Gerry Hirschfeld sings with an effortless rasp and a knack for catchy hooks. Drawing comparisons to The Lumineers, Mumford and Sons, Of Monsters and Men, War on Drugs, and Bon Iver, Wax Owls music is both warm and inviting, as well as refreshing and new.
In addition to recently landing spots at major music festivals such as Bonnaroo, Peach Fest, and Pilgrimage, Wax Owls has garnered critical success from publications such as American Songwriter, Ear Milk, BuzzBands LA, Variance, and Atwood Magazine. Their sound is described as holding “a place in the constellation of bands making anthemic indie-folk” combining “jangling acoustics and overdriven electric guitars [that] coalesce around moving vocal harmonies that recall everyone from Keane to U2.” Their music has been featured on tastemaker radio stations such as KCSN and CKJM, the in-store playlist at Starbucks, and in feature films such as What She Said. After releasing their first two singles, Wax Owls attracted the attention of Kevin Griffin (Better Than Ezra) who continues to co-write and collaborate with the band.
Bandmates Gerry and Chris Tsaganeas met through a mutual friend. At the time, Gerry and Chris were both working as lawyers. At first they were reluctant to meet each other (who wants to spend their spare time with a lawyer?), but they ended up hitting it off and decided to start Wax Owls based on their shared love for alternative DIY music.
The timing of their meeting ended up being more impactful than either anticipated. After his professional mentor committed suicide, Gerry realized that life working as a lawyer at a high stress law firm was utterly unsustainable and unfulfilling for him. Yearning to return to his days writing music and touring with acts like Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Leon Russell, and Howie D (Backstreet Boys), Gerry decided to quit his big law job and covert his home office into a makeshift home studio.
“It was a scary move but I don’t want to look back on my life and regret not having the time to pursue the things I love. It felt serendipitous that the same day I put in my two weeks notice, our song “By My Side” was played on my favorite LA station, KCSN, and “Set It Free” was played on the Canadian radio station CKJM. Over the course of the pandemic I spent my time learning to record and produce from home so that Wax Owls could continue to release new music. What really gets me excited with modern recording technology is the relative ease with which someone can create beautiful, rich musical arrangements from home.”
Chris was also at a similar crossroad. He had found himself missing the joys of touring and working as a music director from his days as the drummer of Fancy Reagan (Republic/Universal). Chris too, put aside his job pouring over tedious legal documents and toured as the drummer for Atlantic records’ artist, Forest Blakk. Performing at venues like Red Rocks and The Greek was the catalyst for Chris to want to form his own project, Wax Owls.
Wax Owls’ music blends earnest lyrics with unique and memorable melodies and a wide array of lush musical backdrops. Acoustic guitar, mandolin, synthesizer, trumpet, and slide come together to create a truly unique sound. Capturing the spirit of classic American songwriting sensibilities with an eye toward pushing the soundscape forward, Wax Owls is one of the most exciting new groups to come out of Los Angeles.