It’s our pleasure to introduce you to GRICE.
GRICE:
Grice is a solo artist, but he also plays with a full band, which includes Robert Brian (drums), Al Swainger (bass), and Duncan Chave (programming and Ableton Live), who also play on the albums.
He also plays live with special guests who have contributed to the new releases: Paul Gray, Richard Barber, and David Torn.
Where are you from? South London.
Where are you based now? Exeter.
Musical influences:
South London is a melting pot of musical influences and movements, including the punk movement, reggae, new romantic, pop, etc.
Musical influences include Japan (David Sylvian, Steve Jansen, Richard Barbieri, Mick Karn). I am actually working with Richard on new projects. Richard and Steve were involved in my previous releases (Alexandrine and One Thousand Birds). Richard is also a good friend and mentor.
The power of a song, a good ballad and harmonies are deeply ingrained in me. Musical influences: The Kinks, eccentric English Small Faces (Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake album), David Bowie, John Martin, Americana, CSNY, Steven Stills, Graham Nash, David Crosby (I met all three of them!) and The Beatles of course!
In your own words:
About the latest release:
Mordant Lake is my sixth album, coming out on Friday 5th July this year. The title is a fictional place, somewhere beyond the end of the mountain, somewhere deep in the canyon.…
What inspired the latest release?
Mordant Lake is actually a combined play on words. The word mordent with an E is a musical trill in notation but spelt with an A; mordant is an oxide or compound that combines with a dye or a stain—Lake is a reference to these pigments.
I just like the way these words sounded together, like a peaceful destination with a turbulent history located somewhere over the mountain – it also hints somehow to a gentle Americana Laurel Canyon-type vibe that exists throughout the album (Steven Stills, Manassas, Neil Young etc). There is a reference to the original indigenous Native American Indians and the 5 civilised tribes. (The cover actually depicts in a Hitchcock style Chief ‘Broken Arm’).
Musicians playing on the album: Rob Brian (Goldfrapp, Siouxie Sioux), Al Swainger and myself of course!
Other releases:
This year, I am also working on 2 more releases: POPSTARS featuring Paul Gray on bass (The Damned) and FILTER featuring musical contributions from Richard Barbieri (Porcupine Tree, Japan) and David Torn (David Bowie, k.d. lang, Madonna, Tori Amos, Bill Bruford, Tony Levin, Mick Karn, David Sylvian and more).
Quick fire – Just for Fun
If you’re on the road…
- The absolute essential item for us on tour is…. Ourselves.
- Our most challenging journey for the least payoff led us to…Berlin.
- Keeping fit on the road requires…not being on it.
- The coolest pit stop worldwide is… a vegetarian kebab shop run by Falafel King (dressed as superman) in central Berlin.
- The weirdest gig we’ve ever played happened at…the Culture Container (Berlin) it was an actual container.
- The place with the best bathroom graffiti is… my home.
- Shout out to a local business in your hometown, and why… Sound Gallery Studios, I built the studio in the basement of Exeter Phoenix in 2008. Me and my team work with a number of amazing musicians, bands, young people and the music industry.
