Music
A Hot Lover Gets A One-Way Ticket Home in “Take That Train” by The Nied’s Hotel Band
“Take That Train” is about the hardships of having a romantic relationship when you’re in a great rock band
Who gets the one-way ticket home, your hot lover or your amazing rock band? The Nied’s Hotel Band’s new song “Take That Train” is about a sizzling romance that fizzles due to the hardships of maintaining a relationship while you’re in a band. Listen to the song to find out if he lets the relationship go or if the band plays on without him! The Nied’s Hotel Band is releasing “Take That Train” on Friday, July 15th on MTS Records.
“Take That Train” originated in the early ’90s when guitarist Tim Hadley was working on a project with Ronda Z (who would later be a guest vocalist on NHB’s “Day the Lady Cried”). At that time, they only had a general outline of the song and a title. The band split soon after, but the song stayed with Hadley for over a decade. Inspired by Little Feat and New Orleans mid-tempo, funky grooves, “Take That Train” was resurrected from Hadley’s memory and ignited by The Nied’s Hotel Band.
Featuring a stellar lineup of musicians, the band included Ron Beitle, a powerhouse drummer with Gold Record experience (Wild Cherry – “Play That Funky Music”) and Russ Oblinger, his equally-talented rhythm section partner on bass. The song also features a fleet-fingered, rock n’ roll piano solo by Fred Delu in the bridge section, followed by a wailin’ sax solo by Ed Jonnet.
The lyrics to the song were created by John Vento, singer/leader of NHB, who took the simple phrase ‘take that train’ and crafted a whole scenario revolving around the difficulty of maintaining relationships when playing in a band, ending with him telling her to “take that train” because it’s over.
Once the band had fine-tuned the arrangement, they convened at Klint Macro’s Cobblesound Studio to record the track. Hadley added his Lowell George-inspired slide guitar licks and Jim McCullough laid down some tasty rhythm guitar. The song was featured on NHB’s “One Night Stand” CD release in 2014.
Fast forward to 2022 and the awesome talent that is Jim Pitulski was coerced into creating a cool lyric video for the song as The Nied’s Hotel Band continues on its’ mission to spread good music and good vibes throughout the known universe.
About The Nied’s Hotel Band
The Nied’s Hotel Band, voted Pittsburgh’s “Best Bar Band” in the 2016 Pittsburgh Magazine Readers Poll, is a powerhouse recording and performing rock-n-roll and R&B group from Pittsburgh, PA. (USA). NHB delivers the hardworking, blue collar, muscle that has made Pittsburgh a legendary rock-n-roll city. A recent review by The Pittsburgh City paper proclaimed, “The Nied’s Hotel Band could be called The E-Street Band of Pittsburgh.” In addition, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto has proclaimed July 17th as “Nied’s Hotel Band Day” in honor of the bands impact on the local music scene and their unwavering support of charitable causes.

The band includes some of the best-known and respected players in the region, including singer John Vento (who is, perhaps, the hardest-working front man around), guitarists Tim Hadley and Jim McCullough, plus keyboardist Fred Delu and sax man Ed Jonnet, who last joined forces as members of Pittsburgh’s most beloved rock/soul band – The Rhythm Kings. Newest members Eugene Perry (bass) and Greg McIltrot (drummer/vocalist) complete the stellar lineup. For more information on Nied’s Hotel Band, please visit their website.

Artist Spotlight
“Hell has frozen over” finds Sarina choosing peace over being understood
Sarina’s new track, “Hell has frozen over,” explores the less dramatic, more complicated moment of reaching the end of the road, being gaslit, ignored, rejected, and painfully lonely. It translates the emotional burnout into a rock-pop context that’s easy to understand.
“Hell has frozen over” focuses on the decision to step away, instead of explaining, defending, or seeking understanding from people who refuse to listen. The rock foundation gives it the right weight, the pop influence makes it accessible, and the focus stays on the emotional message.
Sarina’s art is the struggle of loss and being strong in yourself. It’s about understanding that protecting your peace is more important than being understood. And that’s the emotional balance that gives the release its character so that the subject matter has relevance beyond a particular circumstance.
“Hell has frozen over“ is a relief from the burden of carrying on a debate that will never be resolved. Sarina turns an experience of isolation into a statement about boundaries, resilience, and the choice not to get caught in the same cycle. The result is a record that’s at its best when it’s being true to what it feels like to finally be free from whatever has been holding you down.
Photo Credit: Andrea Hunter
Artist Spotlight
Girlhood finds summer warmth and quiet freedom on “Lemon Aid”
“Lemon Aid“ is a warm indie-pop ballad from Girlhood that finds comfort in the ordinary and weaves in a sense of release. This song is about surrendering to the moment, finding space to breathe, and letting a little lightness back in. This reflective core is surprising, given the warm summer-night feel of the track, hinting at a moment of emotional rebalancing.
Singer-songwriter Natalie Holmes has a tender personality and fronts the slow-burning “Lemon Aid.” The production supports that softness, keeping the song’s gentle mood and intimate direction front and center. Beneath the comfort is a thoughtful examination of pressure, transition, and the need to pause.
The song’s link to the streets of Stroud offers yet another layer of art to the work. Familiar places can mean something when life feels uncertain, and the emotional scene involves storefronts, parks, cafes, and leafy, winding streets. “Lemon Aid“ searches for beauty in everyday places and rituals, finding still moments that mean something without getting carried away.
The track is the first release of Girlhood’s forthcoming album, “This Will Make Sense In The End,” a more reflective chapter with hope at its heart. “Lemon Aid” is about softness, conjuring a space where dancing, wandering, and just existing can feel like a cure. It’s an unleashing of small observations and soft emotional movement and a clear indication of the thoughtful direction that Girlhood is heading next.
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