Music / The Grates [interview]
by We spoke with Patience, lead singer of Australian band The Grates, about the new album the group are in the process of writing. The debut Grates album — Gravity Won’t Get You High — saw you guys catapulted onto stages across the world. Where could this next one possibly take you? ‘To the moon! Hopefully. Actually, we toured constantly on our last album, and really put everything we had into it, but didn’t get many opportunities to tour outside of USA, UK and Australia. Earlier this year I went on a holiday to Tokyo and fell in love with it. I would love to tour there — and buy toys there!’ The production on the last album was quite sparse. Any clues as to whether the new one will be a lush affair as stripped back as we’ve come to expect? ‘I’ve never thought of our production on GWGYH as being sparse. When I think of sparse sounding albums I’m thinking more about White Stripes, The Gossip, and We Are Scientists. The production on our last album was warm and polite with a little room but no real space. The song Trampoline probably reflect writing style the most because that song really was just guitar, drums and vocals but a lot of the other songs have multiple keyboards & guitars filling out the sound. As for the album we’re writing currently, I expect a more robust, deeper, sincere sounding record. Crunchier, durable but whimsical and feminine all the same time. With no strings!’ After all your travels of the past year, is there anywhere that you’ve been to that beats being back home in Australia? ‘Every place has it’s own charm, and everywhere is so different from Brisbane that only being in Brisbane is like being in Brisbane to me, but being in New York City really does help make not being in Brisbane very easy!’
Listen to The Grates track, 19-20-20.
Tagged: Australian bands, pop music
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A few weeks back we asked Patience, frontwoman of Aussie pop starlets The Grates, to write about a typical day in her ever-hectic life. Today, it’s drummer Alana’s turn: ‘On the menu. I had soup and a sandwich. How very American of me. Actually, I really miss America. I can’t speak on behalf of the other two but I’m really keen to head back for a tour. Today I had quite a few over the phone interviews (in the biz we just call them ‘phoners’. If you are in an up-and-coming band, saying ‘phoners’ will make you appear as though you have done some too) which was heaps better than usual because my flatmates and I all went in for a cordless phone’. Read more
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Listen to The Grates track, Sukkafish.
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YOU'RE SAYING (3)
Jack said | 29 December, 2007
Love Patience, boy she must be fit!
jo said | 1 August, 2008
Yep I wouldn’t get through one song,
they are great fun live.
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Giant Fucking Panda said | 21 December, 2007
These guys are very talented, thanks for the interview. Surprised they disagreed with the sparse comment though; IMO though their album tended more to the pop side of punk/rock, it was still a lot more stripped back than most. Like the strings comment - surely they’re the antithesis of that?
Anyway, nice one