Grasping At Laws

Artist Information

Biography

The music of Greg Allen can be heard at
www.graspingatlaws.net/music.

Grasping At Laws - it's a people thing.

Formed in 1997. Greg and Granville played briefly with Granite Ghost before conspiring to create a unique platform for Greg's original style / approach to lyrics and songwriting.

That style, now dubbed "eclectoplasmacoustic folk'n rock" (tm), is rooted mostly in traditional/folk, rock, and pop music - but with an important emphasis on two things:

1 - lyrics that exist (and seem to stand out) for the sake of the story and poetry at hand, and

2 - musicianship that leaves room for the lyrics!

As one listener noted, "When I listen to your songs I listen carefully. The first line or two pulls me in and I find myself paying less attention to what I am doing and more attention to what you are saying - the story you are telling." Braxton agrees, "It's about the lyrics."

While the core of Grasping At Laws has always been the duo, the sound has frequently been complemented - both live and in-studio - over the years by a variety of talented musical friends. Notables include Tom Proutt, Thomas Gunn of "Neuronimo", Julie Goldman, and Jeff Romano (producing and contributing to the upcoming CD). We like to think that says something about the songs and spirit of Grasping At Laws. We have always made room for and encouraged friends to sit in, open our shows and share billing.

The substance of the sound is in understated, roomy rhythm guitar, djembé and vocals, providing an ample foundation for the lyrics at hand while leaving room for instrumentalists to sit in and lend the musical touches they are inspired to.

Greg's influences as a songwriter and performer are wide ranging - from early roles in musicals featuring traditional songs to days on the road with hometown rock bands to vinyl, 8-track, cassette and cd encounters with everything from Gary Puckett to Elvis to Townes Van Zandt. And REM.

Greg began writing songs in 1992 and performing regularly in 1996. Braxton has been drumming since he came down the chute basically, and played with a variety of bands on the Charlottesville scene growing up. Carter Beauford (of the Dave Matthews Band) once responded to an interview question by listing Braxton as one of his early drumming influences. Grasping At Laws met in 1996 when, as previously mentioned, they were invited to work with Granite Ghost. That didn't last, but an important friendship came out of it.

8 plus years later we are going strong, beginning to distribute our music around the world via radio, tv & internet, re-record our originals, invite some of the 'cream of the Charlottesville crop' to sing and play on the upcoming cd, and helping SongSharing chart previously uncharted waters. (see www.SongSharing.org for more on that)

The simple fact that we perform live dozens of hours each month lends a great deal. A paying venue, a senior home, a children's hospital or a juvenile detention center - across a diverse array of venues we're challenged to engage dynamic, attentive audiences in unique ways, week after week. There's something in that... something which has become an important intangible part of Grasping At Laws.

It's about the lyrics, and more importantly, it's about living them...

Instrumentation

Greg Allen is the songwriter, singer, and guitarist
Granville "Buster" Braxton is the percussionist and sings backing vocals.

Discography

Our first studio EP was released in May 2001 and was entitled "01". The CD received local and regional airplay. Guest appearances from BJ Clifford (guitar & vocals), Justin Thisdell (bass) and Julie Goldman (vocals). Several of these tracks can be heard at the MySpace website, or at www.cvilleradio.org.

Our 2nd EP - "Live at Rapunzel's" - was released in June 2003 and recorded live in Lovingston, VA at - of course - Rapunzel's, a bomber coffee shop/bookshop/music mecca. Guest appearances from Thomas Gunn (of Neuronimo) and Tony Horning. This CD was produced as a give-away to build awareness for SongSharing, and was extremely effective.

Our 3rd CD is in process at Greenwood Studios, Greenwood, VA with engineer Jeff Romano. This CD will sell to benefit SongSharing and will feature guests Julie Goldman, Tom Proutt and Jeff Romano - occassional SongSharing volunteers.

Audio

Lyrics

• www.graspingatlaws.net/music for our songs

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Rockstah CD Review of Grasping At Laws: [+ Show ]
  

  Thomas Jefferson reflected the spirit of the times in 1776. Chuck Berry mirrored the American zeitg...Thomas Jefferson reflected the spirit of the times in 1776. Chuck Berry mirrored the American zeitgeist in 1958. While Chuck Berry was locked away in prison in 1963 Bob Dylan and the Beach Boys were the iconographic images of the musical landscape of the times. Time was on their side.
  
  Among the multi-colored mirrors I see and hear today is Greg Allen with Grasping At Laws. Beginning with "contucius: on shoes" the music (from the CD "01") leads us thru the looking glass with it's haunting melody and barefoot lyrics.
  
  "Story of Our Lies, The" is also the story in her eyes. I can see you... you can see me... and then we're gone.
  
  In "What On Earth??" the boys and girls are set to figure out the world. 1, 2, 3, and 4 and then they are out of time.
  
  "cirkle" is a musical journey through the past from 1765 - waiting for freedom and equality as the pendulum swings over the heads of them all.
  
  "Yugen" evokes (images of) time that stops in the moment when the writer "wonders aloud questions I cannot phrase", then "so thorough your silent reply", and "I don't mind anything you say..."
  
  "ifSOWhat" is the question, as the musical scythe swings around you, it is time for accounting for words and actions - and time is up.
  
  This is some of the best musical representation of our times that I have heard since Tim Buckley said "Goodbye and Hello".
  
  reviewer: Travis Nees
  

• QUESTION OF THE WEEK- What local band is about to make it big? [+ Show ]
  

  Steve Donaldson: "Of groups, I like Grasping at Laws. I'm just blown away by the musical talent in C...Steve Donaldson: "Of groups, I like Grasping at Laws. I'm just blown away by the musical talent in Charlottesville. You never know if the guy serving you coffee will be the next Dave Matthews. Charlottesville is an incubator for artistic talent."
  
  Published July 3, 2003, in issue #0226 of the Hook

• SongSharing Delivers Music [+ Show ]
  

  Greg Allen calls himself a media machine. The singer-songwriter promotes local musicians by provi...Greg Allen calls himself a media machine.
  
  The singer-songwriter promotes local musicians by providing them opportunities to play for live audiences, often for people who couldn’t otherwise attend a show.
  
  He founded SongSharing, which was established as a nonprofit organization in 2002.
  
  SongSharing arranges live music for community agencies, assisted living homes and at Kluge Children’s Rehabilitation Center, among other places.
  
  “It’s not just about playing for seniors, it’s about giving musicians places to play,” said Allen, who plays for the acoustic band Grasping At Laws.
  
  As a longtime local musician, Allen said he quickly realized that performing for older folks, sometimes before playing live shows elsewhere, helped him sharpen his skills in front of audiences who were happy to hear him.
  
  “You’ve got an attentive, enthusiastic audience, and they are listening to you play,” he said earlier this month during a show at Morningside, a local assisted-living facility. “Other nights, people are not there to hear you, and they make that clear by continuing their conversations and turning their backs on you.”
  
  Allen raises money for SongSharing from private donations and cover charges at various concert series he organizes.
  
  Local artists help Allen by playing at some of the weekly concerts for seniors. He, in turn, mentions the musicians in advertisements and on promotional T-shirts.
  
  Acoustic folk musician Alli Collis played during the recent concert at Morningside for a captivated and appreciative audience.
  
  Collis said she enjoyed performing for a group that otherwise might not get to enjoy live music.
  
  “I just thought it was a neat idea,” she said.
  
  Collis is scheduled to play Dec. 11 at 123 E. Water St.
  
  For more information about SongSharing, call (434) 979-SONG.
  
  
  Link to article:
  http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=CDP/MGArticle/CDP_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031779417992

Setlist

Set lists vary depending on the venue, of course. We like to play original music, and the sets are heavy with originals when the venue allows and encourages that. We have some crowd pleasing interpretations of songs like "Transit" and "Are You Happy Now?" by Richard Shindell, "Our Mother the Mountain" by Townes Van Zandt, "The King & I" by Rev. Billy C. Wirtz, "It's the End of the World As We Know It" by R.E.M. and such for the crowds that are more in tune with the music that influences us.

When we play the more "mainstream" venues (where cover songs seem to go better with lots of beer) then we dig deeper into the covers to fill up a night.

Sets are generally 45 to 60 minutes & our shows are usually 2 sets. We have played for over three hours with a few breaks and a repeat or two by request.

Originals (about 30 in active rotation, another 10 or more always close by....) include ifSOWhat - Story of Our Lies, The - What On Earth?? - Like It Was - Yugen - Rub'er the Wrong Way - Life (and how not to live it) - contucius:on shoes - cirkle - Unrequested Song - Tragic Birth of Opportunity - etc

Covers run the gamut from Gershwin to REM to Paul Simon to Gloria Gaynor to Sam Cooke to Meatloaf and Todd Snider - and some spirituals...

(* notes orig songs)

*contucius: on shoes
*dance in the moment
things we said today (beatles)
maps & legends (REM)
*tragic birth of opportunity
Dream Dream (everly bros)
*my heart's content
The King and I (rev billy c wirtz)
*revolving door
*ifsowhat
*life (& how not to live it)
*yugen
I Will Survive (gaynor)
*story of our lies the
the letter (box tops)
*rub'er the wrong way
*unrequested song
end of the world as we know it (REM)

alt's:
*what on earth??
*like it was
*our old school
*anywear
*Life & How Not to Live It
cali dreaming (mama's & papa's)
our mother the mountain (t. van zandt)
star of county down (trad)
wonderful world (sam cooke)

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