Collective Ex: Three Nashville Musicians Turning Real Life Into Music
Nashville is a city built around music, but standing out in Music City takes more than simply knowing how to play an instrument. For Collective Ex, the goal isn’t to chase trends or force success. It’s about creating music that reflects who they are, building a genuine connection with their audience and enjoying the journey along the way.
Three Musicians, One Collective Sound
At the center of Collective Ex are three musicians with different backgrounds and personalities: artist and frontman John Connolly, Patrick Bielmeier, and lead guitarist Jakob Swanson, better known within the group as the “Guitar Wizard.” Together, they have developed a sound and identity rooted in their everyday experiences.
Turning Real Life Into Music
“I feel like all of our songs are just us delivering how we live our lives into the form of music,” Swanson explains. That philosophy captures much of what Collective Ex represents. Rather than trying to manufacture an image, the members allow their real lives, personalities and experiences to influence what they create.
John Connolly: Creating for the Love of the Game
For Connolly, music is ultimately about the love of creating. “I do this shit for the love of the game,” he says. “I try not to force anything and wait to be inspired enough to create something worth hearing.” His approach is centered around authenticity, allowing inspiration to come naturally rather than forcing the creative process.
Leaving the World Better Than He Found It
Connolly’s larger goal extends beyond simply making music. “Just hoping to leave the world a little better than the way I found it,” he says. That mindset gives his work a purpose beyond releasing songs and performing shows.
Patrick Bielmeier: Finding Himself Through Music
Bielmeier brings a different musical background to Collective Ex. He went to school for jazz piano and earned the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award, an accomplishment that remains one of his personal career highlights. “I just really like playing and making music,” Bielmeier says. “I feel like the truest version of myself when I’m working in music.”
More Than a Band — A Brotherhood
For Bielmeier, Collective Ex is about more than simply playing music with other musicians. “Being in a band is like having more brothers, which is always cool.” That sense of brotherhood has become an important part of the group’s experience and the process of building something together.
Making It in Nashville
Moving to Nashville has been one of the band’s biggest challenges. “It’s a bigger pond, so you’ve gotta work harder to be noticeable,” Bielmeier explains. With musicians arriving from around the country, Collective Ex understands that earning attention requires consistency, hard work and a willingness to keep developing.
Memorable Moments Along the Way
The band has already experienced some memorable career moments. Bielmeier points to playing Summerfest in Milwaukee as a surreal experience. Swanson received the John Philip Sousa Award during his high school band years, an early recognition of his musicianship and dedication.
A Marty Schwartz Moment
For Connolly, one of the band’s memorable moments came when legendary guitar instructor and YouTube personality Marty Schwartz attended one of Collective Ex’s gigs. “Marty Schwartz was at one of our gigs. GOAT,” Connolly says.
Keeping the Music Fun
Despite the hard work that comes with building a band, Collective Ex doesn’t take itself too seriously. When asked about the biggest challenge he’s faced, Connolly jokingly answered, “Balancing all the groupies. The music is the easy part.” The humor reflects the personality behind the band and the friendship between its members.
Jakob Swanson: The “Guitar Wizard”
Swanson has developed his own identity within Collective Ex as the group’s lead guitarist and self-described “Guitar Wizard.” One of his biggest challenges has been building a home studio from scratch, giving him another environment to develop his creativity and take greater control over the recording process.
The Story Behind “Hallmark Channel”
Collective Ex is now preparing to release its upcoming single, “Hallmark Channel,” expected in September. The song focuses on the ways people waste their precious time, continuing the band’s habit of transforming everyday experiences and observations into music.
A Song About Time
Connolly connects the song’s theme to a quote attributed to Henry David Thoreau: “There is no way to kill time without injuring eternity.” The idea fits the band’s broader approach to songwriting — taking real-life thoughts and turning them into something listeners can experience through music.
A Return to Their Bread and Butter
According to Bielmeier, “Hallmark Channel” represents a return to Collective Ex’s “bread and butter” with their music. The single is also part of a larger chapter for the band, as Collective Ex currently has an album in the works.
Success on Their Own Terms
Collective Ex isn’t necessarily chasing traditional celebrity or Billboard-level fame. Bielmeier says he doesn’t want to be an ultra-famous Top 100 artist. Instead, he’d rather see Collective Ex play shows, tour and eventually sell out venues.
Building Connections Through Music
For Swanson, meeting more musicians and people through music is one of the most rewarding parts of the journey. Selling out a venue would be another major milestone. For him, the connections created through music are just as important as the accomplishments themselves.
A Big Boat and a Mai Tai
Connolly’s long-term vision is perhaps a little more relaxed: “Hopefully on a big boat somewhere drinking a mai tai.” It’s a humorous answer that perfectly captures the personality behind the frontman while showing that enjoying the journey is just as important as reaching the destination.
The Behind-the-Scenes Story
What makes Collective Ex particularly interesting is that the members aren’t only interested in talking about finished songs and performances. They want people to see the behind-the-scenes side of being in a band — the everyday experiences, friendships, challenges, creative process and personalities that exist outside the spotlight.
What’s Next for Collective Ex
With “Hallmark Channel” coming in September and an album in development, Collective Ex is entering another important stage of its journey. The group continues to build its presence in Nashville while staying focused on creating music that feels genuine to who they are.
Turning Life Into Music
For John Connolly, Patrick Bielmeier and Jakob Swanson, Collective Ex isn’t simply about chasing a career in music. It’s about taking the way they live, the people they meet and the experiences they have and turning those moments into something people can hear. As the band continues to grow, that authenticity may be one of its greatest strengths.
