Q with Tom Power Why electronic band Holy F believes you can make music out of anything
Mar 31, 2026
Graham Walsh, electronic musician and producer who shapes Holy F’s generative, restriction-driven sound, and Brian Borcherdt, experimental maker who builds songs from toys and thrifted gear, talk touring and their new record. They discuss embracing restrictions, resurrecting old jams for Event Beat, happy accidents in sound design, live collective interplay, and worries about AI and volume while touring.
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Restrictions As A Creative Engine
- Brian deliberately imposed creative restrictions to force originality and avoid laptop-driven polish.
- He sought clunky thrift-store toys and limited devices to see what a group with 'hands tied' would produce aesthetically.
Embarrassing Solo Show That Led To Recruiting Bandmates
- Brian Borcherdt bombed his first solo showcase when gear failed and he fled the stage mid-set.
- He hid backstage, peeked to see the audience staring, then left as the curtain finally closed, which convinced him he needed bandmates.
First Jam At Cherry Beach Felt Like A Revelation
- Graham remembers their first jam at Cherry Beach as revelatory and immediately fun.
- That session transformed his solo basement electronics work into a collaborative project where he barely touched guitar afterward.