In the shadowy realm where music bleeds into myth, Aro Rose and Chris Wyse have conjured something more than a single—they’ve cast a spell. Their collaboration on “Heal Me” is no mere track but a gothic invocation: a meditation on demons, darkness, and the fragile beauty of seeking light. With its vampire-kissed imagery and its brooding orchestration anchored by Wyse’s haunting upright bass, the song becomes both confession and exorcism. At its core, “Heal Me” isn’t about perfection—it’s about embracing scars, battling inner vices, and daring to ask for salvation. Shot in Victorian gothic settings with live owls, velvet shadows, and a stage fit for eternal night, the video transforms music into theater, pain into passion, and vulnerability into power. This is not just a release—it’s a cinematic rite of passage, one that leaves listeners marked by its bite long after the final note fades.
On October 11 in Los Angeles, “Heal Me” descends on The Three Clubs—a vintage, old-world haunt reborn as the Sawtooth Theater, with a bigger stage and a gleaming new sound system—perfect for a night steeped in velvet darkness and cinematic spectacle. The red carpet rolls out at 7:15 PM, the open bar flows, and the video premiere unfolds alongside live performances, pulling the crowd into a vampire-kissed dream where rock-and-roll meets contemporary edge. More than a party, it’s an initiation: an immersive ritual of shadow and light where guests are invited to feel, reveal, and leave a little more human than they arrived.
“Heal Me” is such a haunting title—what does the phrase mean to each of you personally, and how does it come alive in the video?
Aro- I would say that “Heal Me” is about recognizing that you have demons. Typically, I think everybody does. I think it’s recognizing that it’s okay to basically be damaged and have demons. It is also recognizing that it is okay to ask for help.
Chris- my experience in life is that sometimes the darkness I have to just push through to get to the light. It has a dark theme, but it is also hopeful.
The vampire theme is woven into this release. Do you see the vampire as a metaphor for passion, eternity, or something else entirely?
Aro- the vampire theme I thought would be cool to represent different types of demons. Different types of vices. Like anger, jealousy, lust. All these things that people battle and deal with. They can be played with for eternity. That’s kind of the whole idea of what the vampires represented.
Chris- also the vampire thing is cool because the demons or negativity that you keep tapping into is the perfect kind of theme. Because a vampire is on the dark side and trying to be alluring. You know how many young people want to be bitten by a vampire? They think it’s all fun and games, but it’s not really. So, to me that’s like overcoming the darkness of the vampire.
Chris, as a core member of Hollywood Vampires, how does working on “Heal Me” with Aro Rose connect or contrast with your work alongside Alice Cooper, Joe Perry, and Johnny Depp?
I have always tapped into a sort of, I guess I try not to play things in the box and yet still compliment. So, it has a uniqueness. That’s what I did when I joined The Hollywood Vampires. I very naturally added my compliment to the band with my style with the upright bass. The track I played on “Heal Me” is upright bass. I did bow and fingers. It has this whole orchestrated classical kind of expression. Which is exactly what I did with the Hollywood Vampires.
Aro, your music often blends vulnerability with strength—how does “Heal Me” carry that duality, and what did you want your audience to feel?
Kind of going back to the everyone has demons part, it’s also about loving someone. When you hear the intro of this song and the whole scene, it’s basically someone talking about what it’s like to love someone that has demons. That could be anybody. Whether it’s a partner, a family member, a parent, or a friend. Sometimes when you do love people with demons you either run from it or you kind of become one yourself. That’s kind of what it is also about. How you deal with people who do suffer from having these vices. Sometimes you become your own worst enemy and you kind of fall into that darkness yourself.
The Three Clubs in Los Angeles has an old-world, gothic atmosphere. How important was the venue’s vibe to setting the stage for this release party?
Aro- I think it’s a very cool club in Hollywood. It is really up and coming now.
Chris- also my next door neighbor Marc Smith owns it. I feel very at home there. It has become the new premier artist club. Rock and roll meets contemporary. He has a collaboration with a music instrument company that has rebuilt the stage and made it bigger with a new sound system. It’s called the Sawtooth Theater. Which my friends own Sawtooth also. It is a great combination of friendships. And even though the club has been around, it is the up and coming contender to all the clubs in town.
What was the most unforgettable moment during the filming of “Heal Me”—either on set or in the creative process?
Aro- so I would say one of the most memorable moments, we had this owl named Archie. It was really cool getting to film with him. He has been in a lot of movies. He was a famous owl.
Chris- he was a union owl. He had insurance and everything. We have Chris Wyse who has been called The Wise Owl and I have had a band called Owl on and off through the years. The owl has sort of been a theme within my world and the gothic side of things. So, Amanda very wisely utilized the owl. And then I was in shock that our last scene was with a living owl who is in the video. Really exciting. But Amanda put together some exciting locations. Victorian Gothic settings. Gorgeous costumes and really great looking actors and actresses that were dancing around me while I was playing upright bass. It was fantastic.
Aro- I would say even in the creative process, when Chris and I first recorded in Manhattan, it was totally what I wasn’t expecting. But it was incredible.
Chris- my first task. In my head I jump on it really quick and once I heard it in my head, I just chased it.
Aro- it was total improv.
Chris, how did you to get together and why did you decide to do this video?
We met at Sue Wong’s. Sue’s place is very inspiring. Very incredible artist and fashion designer. But the special thing was that Amanda is genuine and real. And when she played me the track, I said let me hear it. If I like something, I’ll do it and if I don’t I’ll be honest. It doesn’t mean if I don’t like something it’s not great. But this was great. Amanda wrote a great song. A standout song and she could deliver as a singer. She’s got a great, great voice. And with this climate right now a great song with a great voice is a lot. And you’ve got a left and center kind of artist like me to compliment a vampiric concept. I just went right in and did what I do naturally.
Music videos today are often judged by streaming numbers, but this feels more like an art piece. Do you see “Heal Me” as a cinematic experience as much as a song?
Aro- yes 100%. My whole approach to the song was a cinematic approach. I have a cinematic mindset. I do approach everything I do with the cinematic mindset. A lot of my songs I came up with them because of movies. Most of my songs are actually written on movies and television. I just really wanted to tell a story and I see music as storytelling as much as just music. You are telling me the story. And I want to create a visual that will go along with that story and represent the message I was trying to get across.
Chris- To me it’s theater of the mind. The video is going to enhance that. But when I listen to a song and it takes me away and I picture things, that is what Amanda did. Then I just went in and highlighted what was the concept.
Aro- He completely elevated the song feeling more than I could have imagined.
Chris- Well you said I want spooky. And I thought I know what that means.
Aro- He definitely executed it perfectly.
Chris- Doing a bass solo is a unique thing to be asked to do. It could have been a guitar solo.
Aro- It was. I replaced it.
Chris- Right. Throughout the song I’m playing a supportive role and then when I take my shot to meet a highlight, I don’t try to make it about wowing everyone with a bunch of notes almost like a written orchestrated kind of thing.
Aro- I tell him all the time he should be scoring movies.
Chris- I think that is where I’m headed.
Collaboration often sparks magic—what surprised each of you most about working together on this project?
Chris- the fact that it was so easy. I blinked and it was done.
Aro- it wasn’t difficult at all. I feel like it flowed easy and very well. I am a very open-minded creative. I’m not ever stuck on one thing. I love different approaches. I feel like whatever Chris brought to me I thought it was genius. If fits so well with the song. And complimented them so well.
Chris- that’s my skill. Not just being a bassist, it’s being empathic and providing what people need because I’ve been in so many bands.
If “Heal Me” were a spell cast under a full moon, what would you hope it does to those who hear it?
Aro- I think I would like it to open up people’s minds. Take a different approach to things. I feel like mental health is not talked about enough. I think it is an enticing song and it’s super catchy. I think it will trigger something for people. Recognize something in themselves. That they are damaged, or they need to be healed. So, I think it would open up something in people.
Chris- and getting through the night and the darkness you have to remember the Moon is shining because of the Sun.
Finally, when fans step into the vampire-kissed atmosphere of this release party, what lasting impression do you want them to carry away into the night?
Aro- I’d like them to have the impression that nobody is perfect. And you don’t have to be. I think it is cool that nobody is perfect. It is cool that people do battle different demons because it shows we are all human. It will be an atmosphere where everyone is comfortable with who they are and feel that they could be whoever they want to be.
Chris- there is a certain freedom embracing our flaws but also I want to add this, people are going to walk away remembering an amazing rising star called Aro Rose. And be a great inspiration to all of her peers.
Chris, I want to ask you about some of your solo projects if you don’t mind. Because people should know so that you are not a secret. So shoot.
Chris- I have been doing this Gothic style solo record still using the owl themes. Not to be confused with my band Owl which is songwriting centered. This solo record is me layering bassist without the concern of how do I do it live. I have a song about Jack which is about Jack the Ripper. I have a song called Haunted Bass which sounds like a movie soundtrack. I have a song I’m working on now about Evel Knievel. It’s not out yet but it’s going to be cold Being Evil. I am thinking of shooting for devil’s night which is the night before Halloween. What I’m doing is taking liberties as a creative bassist. Instead of doing a jazz fusion every song has a concept and the non-musician can enjoy it like listening to a movie soundtrack.
Aro- it’s very cool. His song Haunted Bass is insane. It could really be to a movie.
Chris- I think it’s 14 layers of bass. It is so different. I got started because the Hollywood Vampires said can you do one of your owly type pieces for the Rise record. The last Hollywood Vampires record. Johnny, Joe, Tommy Hendrix they all heard it and said this is great. I just did it on my own and submitted it to them. It was so cool that Johnny came up to me at soundcheck one day and he was like I love the bass piece. To get that endorsement from the superstars and Alice Cooper and they put it on the record! That’s what got me started. I was like oh my God maybe I should do this for myself. I think people are learning about me a lot more over the last decade. You still have to serve your master but when your band gives you the respect back and you get some freedom to be yourself that shows how cool the Hollywood Vampires are.
