girlfriends’ Travis Mills and Nick Gross Take You Back to the Old Neighborhood

Experience the nostalgic pop-punk vibes as girlfriends blend raw memories and fresh sounds in their new album.

From Death Certificates to Band Names: The Unlikely Birth of girlfriends

Sometimes, the road to creating a band is as wild and unexpected as the music itself. For Travis Mills and Nick Gross, the duo behind the pop-punk project girlfriends, that journey literally involved securing a death certificate. Yes, you read that right.

On a casual video call from Studio City, Travis Mills shared this quirky but real story about acquiring the rights to the band’s social media handle. There was an Atlanta nail salon named “Girlfriends” holding the Instagram handle since 2013, and when the guys reached out to claim it, they ran into a snag: the previous owner had passed away. To officially get control, Meta required proof—a death certificate. It sounds like a plot twist from a comedy, but these hurdles are just part of the ride for these two.

Travis Mills and Nick Gross of girlfriends. (Photo credit: Nathan James)

The Meeting That Sparked Something New

Before girlfriends became the name on everyone’s lips, both musicians had their own journeys. Travis Mills wasn’t just a pop-punk frontman; he had a successful rap career as T. Mills and even dipped his toes into television with shows like Ghosted: Love Gone Missing. Nick Gross, meanwhile, was the drummer for Half the Animal and had joined the punk stalwarts Goldfinger, alongside his ventures as an entrepreneur.

Their paths crossed again in 2019 when Mills slid into Gross’s Instagram DMs with a simple question: want to start a band? Gross, remembering a show they had played together years earlier, invited Mills over to his Los Angeles studio, The Noise Nest, to jam and brainstorm. The fusion of influences clicked immediately.

“I didn’t even think girlfriends would be a pop-punk band at first,” Gross admits from his hometown of Laguna Beach. But once they got in the studio, the sounds they were creating screamed nostalgia—a perfect cocktail of the bands they grew up loving.

The Name Game: Why “girlfriends” Stuck

Naming a band can be a make-or-break moment. Mills brought five name ideas to the table, with “girlfriends” and “boyfriends” kicking off the list. Gross eagerly picked the first.

“We went with the first one because it was the best band name of all time,” Gross laughs.

Mills chuckled at the image it would paint: two dudes on stage calling themselves girlfriends in front of an Arizona crowd. The irony and humor gave the name a charm that stuck, despite potential confusion with the '60s girl group Girlfriends or the TV show with the same title.

Crafting There Goes The Neighborhood: A Nostalgic Journey

After two albums—girlfriends (2020) and (E)motion Sickness (2022)—and a couple of EPs, the duo dropped their third album, There Goes The Neighborhood, on October 24. This record is their pride and joy, the culmination of three years of personal storytelling and sonic exploration.

Working alongside John Feldmann, the legendary Goldfinger frontman and producer behind iconic albums for bands like Korn and Good Charlotte, brought the project together beautifully. Feldmann’s familiarity with the duo’s influences made the studio sessions feel like a family reunion of sorts.

Nearly 60 songs were recorded before the 16 best tracks made the cut—a testament to the sweat, tears, and fun poured into There Goes The Neighborhood.

The Heart of the Record: Memories, Growth, and Real Talk

If there’s one thing that shines through this album, it’s authenticity. Mills explains the title frames the record’s vibe—a heartfelt nod to the neighborhoods where they grew up, the lessons learned, and the bittersweet moments that shaped them.

“It’s about the firsts—the first love, first heartbreak, realizing parents aren’t superheroes, and the harsh truths about life not being like the movies,” Mills shares.

Songs like the anthemic “Garbage,” the guitar-driven “Landslide,” and the nostalgic “1999” echo that sentiment, inviting listeners to reminisce without drowning in melancholy.

Gross emphasizes their creative process was more organic this time around. Unlike their second album, which suffered from overthinking, There Goes The Neighborhood was about embracing whatever came out in the moment—there's a beautiful rawness to it.

Looking Back, Moving Forward

When listening to this album, Mills hopes fans will feel like they're traveling back in time, reliving those formative years but with an adult’s appreciation.

“It’s pretty cool to see how far we’ve come. I dreamed about this stuff in my bedroom, and now I get to live it. That’s pretty rad.”

The album isn’t a downer about nostalgia; it’s a celebration of growth, friendship, and the messy, wonderful journey of life.

Final Thoughts

girlfriends have crafted an album that’s both a love letter to their youth and a bold statement of who they are today. If you’ve ever yearned for music that blends energetic pop-punk with thoughtful storytelling, There Goes The Neighborhood might be your next favorite listen.

FAQ

• What inspired the band name girlfriends?
  The name was chosen because it was the funniest and most memorable on their shortlist, with the ironic twist of two guys calling themselves girlfriends.
• Who produced There Goes The Neighborhood?
  John Feldmann, longtime friend and producer known for his work with Goldfinger, Korn, and Good Charlotte.
• How many songs did they record for the new album?
  Nearly 60 songs were worked on before selecting the 16 that made the final album cut.
• What themes are explored in There Goes The Neighborhood?
  Nostalgia for youth, first loves, heartbreaks, growing up, and confronting life’s realities beyond the idealized versions seen in media.
• Did the band face any challenges in naming or branding?
  Yes, they had to navigate existing businesses and social media accounts with the same name, including securing a death certificate to claim their Instagram handle.

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