Meet Sean Shepard | Singer/Guitarist/Songwriter in Antighost

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sean Shepard and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sean, why did you pursue a creative career?
Growing up music was the only constant in my life that made any sense to me. Throughout my entire life, no matter what highs or lows I was experiencing, music was always there. Anything I experienced always played out alongside a soundtrack. Music was how I made sense of everything around me, it was there for me at all times even when people were not. Music has been ever-present throughout my life, it gave me reasons to rejoice in the good times, and it has helped me push through the darker periods in my life. I remember from a very young age feeling that it was the most important thing in the entire world, and if I could create music that made any sort of impact on anyone in the same way it had for me growing up, then there could be nothing greater worth pursuing.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Antighost is a three piece high energy emo/grunge band from Detroit, MI. I started the band while attending film school at Grand Valley State University. After recording and releasing our first EP I met my drummer Dylan Vanderson and after years of touring with a rotating door of bassists, we met Andew Trompeter. I cannot imagine making music without Dylan and Andrew. Aside from being my best friends in the world, they are the most talented musicians I have ever met. I believe we got to where we are today from hard work and constant touring. We play shows all across the United States and it takes a lot of hard work and determination to be able to do that for years on end. I believe we owe a great deal of our success to our dedication to our craft. We always make time to rehearse at least once a week, and I myself am constantly writing new material. I think a big part of the growth we have seen over the years is the result of our live shows. We put everything we have into playing live, and the energy of each show is something you can feel on stage and in the audience. We want to make sure that when people leave a show they remember Antighost played. We play with the same intensity to 5 people as we do 500 and I believe that is a big reason why we have been able to stand out.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
That’s an interesting question, I think I would probably try and show them as much of the metro Detroit area as I can without making it too “touristy.” There are some absolute musts like getting a Detroit style pizza, maybe a wings game if they are playing, or taking them to some of my favorite restaurants around town, but I think most of the itinerary would include my favorite Comic Book Stores, Card Shops, and Music Shops depending on what they are into. I always enjoy checking out second hand stores or vintage record stores, anywhere you can go where what you are looking at tells a story are always the most interesting places to me. We would probably grab coffee and bounce around the various downtown areas of Royal Oak, Ferndale, and Berkley for a while and then I would end the day by taking them to a local show. See if any bands are playing at some of my favorite venues like The Pleasant Underground, The Loving Touch or The Sanctuary; try and introduce them a little to the local scene and encourage them to check out theirs when they return home.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to any and every local artist in the world who is pursuing their passion; writers, storytellers, photographers, musicians, artists, poets, comedians, chefs, filmmakers, painters, fashion designers, podcasters…anyone who is working authentically and honestly to pursue their passion, and to those who go out of their way to support local art. These are the people who inspire me and make being a touring musician possible.

Website: www.antighostmusic.com

Instagram: instagram.com/antighostmusic

Twitter: twitter.com/antighostmusic

Facebook: facebook.com/antighostmusic

Youtube: youtube.com/antighos

Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/27gabewGPzsSHUkXq1woeI https://music.apple.com/us/artist/antighost/1144310802 https://antighostmusic.bandcamp.com/

Image Credits
On instagram: @cheyenne_thomas_ @daddydadlegs @withintheviewfinder @acronymis.jpeg @larsjuveland