Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
“Four songs. Ten minutes. This two girl, one boy trio from Brisbane don’t hang about, but the impression they leave is like being punched in the dark. The brilliantly daft lead track, ‘Message’ sounds like the Ramones bouncing off their practice room walls on pogo-sticks, and if the stomping boogie beats of ‘Trampoline’ are any indication, their hard-hitting drummer Alana Skyring was quite obviously a dangerously hyperactive child. Even if they don’t move your soul, they sure as fuck will move your body.” Hardeep Phull, NME, March 2005.
- NME, 2005
“[Interscope A&R executive Martin] Kierszenbaum is falling in love. The object of his affection is a band called The Grates. They’re rough, but Patience, the frontwoman is a supernova. His raves come in pitchman-perfect sound bites: ’Judy Garland fronting Sonic Youth’.” Joan Anderman, The Boston Globe.
- The Boston Globe
“With just guitar, drums, and an ebulliently spry singer, the Brisbane, Australia, trio rocked the house like it was a high school basement party…As Hodgson twists, flails, and giggles her way across the stage in the spirit of high-energy, bop-happy fun, guitarist John Patterson holds it down with no-muss pop minimalism. Meanwhile, drummer Alana Skyring pounds out solid tribal beats that belie her smallish frame.” Gregg Beets, The Austin Chronicle, March 2005
- The Austin Chronicle
“A happily scattered and free-spirited trio playing catchy lo-fi rock pop stamped with Patience’s wonderfully unhinged vocals.” Bronwyn Thompson, Rolling Stone.
- Rolling Stone
“’The Ouch. The Touch’ is a hauntingly beautiful record full of moments that transcends the band’s influences and create something as beguiling as it is mesmerizing. ‘Message’ storms through the starting gates, full of false endings, stuttered energy and splintered melodies. It has the awkward quirkiness of Deerhoof, yet the power and might of The Pixies. ” SubbaCultcha.com
- SubbaCultcha.com
“With ‘The Ouch. The Touch.’, Brisbane three-piece The Grates have put out the first genuinely fresh and exciting release of 2005. Their debut EP brings together four songs that have been JJJ favourites over the last couple of months, four slices of joyously catchy, life-affirming Brassy-esque pop that more than justifies any hype that’s been building around the band of late. And if there’s no hype then let it start here: The Grates are, if you’ll excuse the pun, fucken great.” Tom Hawking, Inpress
- Inpress
“With their raw and frenetic energy, singalong delivery and catchy dynamics, the trio have all of a sudden shot to national radio exposure on the strength of their first two singles, the sexually charged ‘Trampoline’ and the fuzzed-out bliss of ‘Message’.” Rob Moran, The Brag.
- The Brag
‘If The Grates don’t get you dancing, go and seek medical advice because you obviously don’t have a pulse or a soul. Check them out if you feel like shedding the weight of adulthood for a night and dance like it’s your tenth birthday party, dammit.” Aimme-Lee Curran, Drum Media.
- Drum Media
“I don’t think anyone has made me feel like going to confession after watching them perform, but Patience left me tingling inside, images of her hair flailing like a gang of butterflies in the summer breeze endlessly pounding inside my mind. The Grates could be one of the most excitingly refreshing bands to emerge all year.” Rob Moran, The Brag.
- The Brag
“Anyone who’s ever had the pleasure of witnessing Brisbane trio The Grates onstage knows there are few acts that can compete with their unremitting energy.” Adam Curley, Time Off. - Time Off
Discography
'The Ouch. The Touch' EP released in Australia through Dew Process February 2005.
High rotation on Triple J for 'Message', 'Trampoline' and 'Sukkafish'.
'The Ouch. The Touch' EP released in the UK through Dew Process/Captains of Industry in April 2005.
'Message' picked as one of the 'Fresh Meat' picks by Radio 1's Zane Lowe. Played by Steve Lamacq and Huw Lewis on Radio 1, Jon Kennedy on XFM.
7 " 'Message'/'Sukkafish' released through Moshi Moshi in July 2005.
'The Ouch. The Touch' EP released in the USA through Dew Process/Cherry Tree in August 2005.
Spot play on KROQ, spot play on KCRW.
'The Ouch. The Touch.' EP release in Canada through Dew Process/Universal Music Canada in July 2005.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
The Grates
www.thegrates.com
The History of The Grates Part 1
Like all truly great bands, The Grates began as a bit of a joke. John, Alana and Patience had known each other for, well, forever. John had heard Patience do karaoke before, so when she suggested they form a band, he was apprehensive to say the least. Dueting Alladin’s ‘A Whole New World’ just didn’t show her true abilities. But when they started jamming in John’s garden shed, helped amply by his dad cooking a BBQ and bringing fresh beer, the exhilarating, charismatic style that has become The Grates’ signature started to reveal itself.
The Grates were born under the moniker sparked by Patience’s assumption that all ‘The Greats’ came from families with children born eight years apart (like Patience). Then someone gave her a miniature cheese grater on a key ring and the rest is the History of The Grates Part 2.
With John on guitar, Alana hitting out the drums, Patience singing and jumping around a lot and John’s dad on BBQ duties, the band set about laying down demos in John’s shed. The Grates then sent in their rough demo, ‘Trampoline’ to national youth network Triple J’s Robbie Buck. Accompanied by a hand-written bio and press release, the DIY ethic and infectious song caught his attention and ‘Trampoline’ was added to the Triple J playlist. A follow-up thank you note with some more demos with it saw ‘Rock Boys’ added to medium rotation.
The Grates then signed to independent label Dew Process and began work on their forthcoming EP, ‘The Ouch. The Touch’. Meanwhile, The Grates hit the road with some of Australia’s top acts. Touring with The Tremors, Regurgitator, Rocket Science and TISM saw them generate fans across the nation. [Thanks to the handy penmanship of the Tremors, John’s been receiving phone calls from men with dubious intentions everywhere enticed by the back of toilet doors.] ‘Sukkafish’ then became the latest addition to the Triple J songlist, clocking up frequent flier points on medium rotation.
All three singles, ‘Trampoline’, ‘Rock Boys’ and ‘Sukkafish’ have been nominated in the Triple J Hottest 100. A great showing for a band who are yet to officially release an album.
The Grates released their debut EP, ‘The Ouch. The Touch’ in February 2005, with single ‘Message’ jumping straight on to high rotation on Triple J. The EP peaked on the AIR charts at #2. Their EP release tour sold out in most cities, with more than 600 people packing out Brisbane’s The Rev to see the show.
The History of The Grates part 3
The Grates were then invited to play at the world’s largest music conference and festivals at South By South West (SXSW) in Austin, Texas and embarked on a whirlwind world tour to London, New York, Toronto, LA and Texas. They played at some legendary clubs and venues including The Viper Room in LA, The Barfly in London, The Knitting Factory in New York and The Horseshoe in Toronto, picking up legions of fans in media, industry and the public alike.
SXSW saw a raft of industry and media interest in the band. The NME.com hosted a download, with pitchforkmedia.com in the USA keen to follow suit. Zane Lowe picked up the band as one of the Fresh Meat picks of SXSW and has been playing ‘Message’ on his Radio 1 program dedicated to new music. Steve Lamacq has also picked up on the single for his Radio 1 program.
The Grates released ‘The Ouch. The Touch.’ through independent label Captains of Industry in the UK on April 11, 2005. They will also release a 7” through Moshi Moshi in the UK in July.
The History of The Grates Part 4
The Grates will release their EP through Dew Process/Fontana in the USA in August and through Dew Process/Universal in Canada in June.
The Grates are married to the road and Patience even has the ring to prove it. It’s engraved with “infinty love the road”. They’re honeymooning in June through LA, New York, Toronto for NXNE and London and playing shows at the Silverlake Lounge, Pianos and Queens of Noize at the Barfly along the way.
Stay tuned for The History of The Grates Part 5. It’s sure to be an epic adventure.
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