In the year since we last heard from Brad Milligan and his band, a great many things have changed; none of which particularly include their sound. The band still channels that 70s/80s sound that screams denim as a way of life. What has changed is their lineup and name. Rechristened Arsenal Mills, the band are showcasing their new guitarist and songwriter on a new single, titled “Lovesick & Broke”.
When Griff Arsenault joined the band, it came with a slight shift in dynamic. From that point on the Brad Milligan Band became a songwriting partnership and what that being brought to the table, so did a change in name.
“Honestly, it just didn’t seem right to continue as the ‘Brad Milligan Band’ when this whole thing has been a combined effort,” explains Milligan.
“With that being said, we decided on combining our last names together (Arsenault, Milligan) and eventually we ended up with Arsenal Mills which gave off this really retro vibe. We instantly loved it.”
The single itself was inspired by a true story and while it’s not a happy one, the band thought it’d be great (and maybe just a little bit humorous) to juxtapose it against a far more upbeat melody.
“A friend of mine had just ended a 5-year relationship, he was between jobs and had a slight drinking problem,” explains Mulligan. “He clearly thought he was going to marry this girl, so it was a tough blow. I wrote the lyrics with the hopes that it would be sort of therapeutic for him.
“Griff had just come in with most of the music finished for a song, and it was just this really happy/care-free sounding tune, so I thought that having these dark lyrics on top of overly happy music would make for a great pop-rock song.”
The singe is set to appear on the bands debut EP which will be released early the fall.