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=> GENERAL DISCUSSION => Topic started by: ratioci nation on January 27, 2006, 10:20:00 am
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Grandaddy Call It Quits
http://pitchforkmedia.com/news/06-01/27.shtml (http://pitchforkmedia.com/news/06-01/27.shtml)
After almost a decade and a half of scruffy indie rock and sprawling space-pop, the California band Grandaddy are headed for the great big rock and roll nursing home in the sky. In an interview with Pitchfork yesterday, frontman Jason Lytle revealed that Just Like the Fambly Cat, due out May 9 on V2, will be the last Grandaddy album, and that the band has no plans to tour.
"We've seen an erosion happening," Lytle said. "I use the word â??erosion' in the most natural way I possibly can. It's not entirely such a bad thing. We have just, throughout the years, always looked at every album coming out as â??Wow we've got another album, now what?' So that's still going on right now, it's just that it's a lot different. We're not jumping on that big rock n roll conveyor belt that happens when the album's done.
"Everybody has been set free to pursue whatever it is they want to pursue, whether it be amateur poker playing, or [becoming] veterinarians, or working in a hot dog stand."
While Lytle will continue making music, he has no plans to use the Grandaddy name for something it's not (see: INXS, Queen, the Doors, etc.) "I think myself and the rest of the band hold that [name] pretty sacred," he said. "It definitely won't be this random assembly of crap shot players. There are plenty of people who are capable of standing up there and executing the songs. But it wouldn't be comfortable for anyone."
He added, "For whoever gives a shit, they can rest assured that it's not necessarily a bad thing. It's no sadder than...I'm likening it to the natural crumbling of canyon walls. It can be sped up or done in by artificial forces. I just think we saw the opportunity to bring it to an end, to do it and still remain friends."
As for Lytle's next step, well, he's not so sure what that will be. "All I'm working on now is regaining a pure appreciation for just playing music, just sitting and playing music. It seems to have been attached to and saddled by a lot of stuff. It's getting fun again.
"I don't intend on ever stopping. I've actually tried to stop a bunch of times, but it's not really possible. Sometimes I hate it so much, because it's something that fatigues me. I'm going to do something, but I have no idea what."
Just Like the Fambly Cat, with its sweeping, fuzzed-out soundscapes and hearty guitar crunch serving as a fitting epitaph for the band. Here's the tracklist:
01 What Happened
02 Jeez Louise
03 Summer... It's Gone
04 Oxygen/Aux Send
05 Rear View Mirror
06 The Animal World
07 Skateboarding Saves Me Twice
08 Where I'm Anymore
09 50%
10 Guide Down Denied
11 Elevate Myself
12 Campershell Dreams
13 Disconnecty
14 This Is How It Always Starts
15 Shangri-La (outro)
In less dramatic Grandaddy news, the band's 1999 Single to Snow Ratio EP is available online for the first time, courtesy of the Rhapsody music service. Comfort yourself with these tracks:
01 Hand Crank Transmitter
02 Jeddy 3's Poem
03 MGM Grand
04 Protected From the Rain
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That's a major bummer. I discovered them when they opened for Elliott Smith and I have to say that they're one of those bands that have always given me kind of a warm and fuzzy feeling. They just wrote good songs and they were fun to see live. That's really a shame, but it's not a shocker...Burtch's post on the web site last year was pretty ominous.
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HOLY SHIT.
and i never got to see them. that REALLY REALLY sucks. i just kept missin em. i guess i'll have to wait til Coachella 2016 to see their re-union tour....
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pity
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glad i saw them open for the fire theft at the club a couple years back ... what's your favorite album?
i'd say sophtware slump or sumday, don't really know the earlier two ...
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Originally posted by HoyaParanoia:
glad i saw them open for the fire theft at the club a couple years back ... what's your favorite album?
i'd say sophtware slump or sumday, don't really know the earlier two ...
I was at that show. I think the Fire Theft was opening for Grandaddy & Saves The Day.
For favorite album, I'd go with Sophtware Slump.
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Originally posted by amnesiac:
I think the Fire Theft was opening for Grandaddy & Saves The Day.
ahh yes, the place was packed for grandaddy and then about 10 kids in hoodies were left for saves the day (or was it taking back sunday?)
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Originally posted by Thom Foolerie:
HOLY SHIT.
and i never got to see them. that REALLY REALLY sucks. i just kept missin em. i guess i'll have to wait til Coachella 2016 to see their re-union tour....
i'm with ya...i love their albums, but never had the chance to see them live.
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i saw them at the metro cafe a long while back and also opening for elliott smith. they were ok, but never did too much for me. i kinda liked their earlier stuff that wasn't as distinctive and sounded like lots of other mid-'90s indie stuff. "crystal lake" on sophtware slump is a pretty great song, tho.
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That Metro show was weird...I think also w/ OK GO and Conor Oberst. Weird group to play together.
Originally posted by BookerT:
i saw them at the metro cafe a long while back and also opening for elliott smith. they were ok, but never did too much for me. i kinda liked their earlier stuff that wasn't as distinctive and sounded like lots of other mid-'90s indie stuff. "crystal lake" on sophtware slump is a pretty great song, tho.
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Originally posted by BookerT:
i saw them at the metro cafe a long while back and also opening for elliott smith.
That's awesome. Wish I had gone to that show. First time I saw Grandaddy was when they opened for Coldplay at Radio City Music Hall for their 'Parachutes' tour. I wasn't that impressed, but I eventually got their CD and saw em a couple years later at 9:30. They definitely improved over that time.
Lots of good songs on 'Sophtware Slump' like "He's Simple, He's Dumb, He's the Pilot" - also one of my favorite song titles.
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yeah, bright eyes was definitely the opener for that show at the metro. can't remember if okgo played as well. i'll always remember that one as "the metro cafe show that people were actually at."
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yeah, okgo was the other band with bright eyes that opened for grandaddy at the metro show.
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Actually, I think it was Bright Eyes, Grandaddy, then Ok Go. I think I remember this because my sister was really into Ok Go and we had to stay for them instead of leaving after Grandaddy. I can't remember. This show would have been weirdest if it was in that order, too.
Originally posted by Venerable Bede:
yeah, okgo was the other band with bright eyes that opened for grandaddy at the metro show.
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i'm positive grandaddy was the headliner and played last that night.
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Levitz is one of rock's most powerfull songs. As for shows, have seen them in different occasions, but the show with Super Furry Animals at the 9:30 was one of the best ones I have ever been to. Sad that we won't be able to see them again.
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Originally posted by joz:
Originally posted by Thom Foolerie:
HOLY SHIT.
and i never got to see them. that REALLY REALLY sucks. i just kept missin em. i guess i'll have to wait til Coachella 2016 to see their re-union tour....
i'm with ya...i love their albums, but never had the chance to see them live. [/b]
SAME, AHHHH.
I am mad in love with Grandaddy, too...I like "Sumday" best.
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I saw a great bill of Granddaddy and Super Furry Animals back in May of '98 at Shepards Bush. That was an inspired pairing if there ever was one. I need to go pull out Under The Western Freeway again.