Gripe

Gripe is a new band from Georgia, USA. They released in 2011 Pig servant which was one of the best grindcore record of the year. they also released a demo the same year, the also very good The future doesn't need you. Very fast and angry grindcore. The way it should be. great musicianship, great songs, great band.

If you're into grindcore or into any fast, pissed of and intense music that's a mandatory listen!

here's their bandcamp page : http://gripe.bandcamp.com/album/pig-servant

And here's a long and interesting written interview from the band. All the guys took the time to speak out their mind. So take the time to read them! :

-who are you and what is the history of the band?

Brandon: Thanks for the interview. We are Gripe. We started out as a three piece hardcore band in Athens GA in late 2010. We have since expanded and have a new Front man and bass player ( Jordan Snott and Spencer Dilday) Originally it was Tom, DJ (Our first vocalist)   and me. Our first demo was called The Future Doesn't Need You. It was ten songs of paranoid, negative, and fairly harsh sounding grindviolence. We have since gotten better at this style of music and released a new ep with the new lineup called  Pig Servant. Which I think is head and shoulders better than our first ep. Jordan rips his throat up for your amusement, Tom comes up with the clever drum fills that makes us sound like we know what we are doing, Spencer provides bottom end with authority, and I impersonate someone playing guitar.

-what does hardcore/grindcore means to you? how would you describe it to someone who don't know what it is?

Jordan: Short. Fast. Loud. 

 

Brandon: Short Fast Loud. haha.  It means for me having an outlet for anger that allot of other forms of music simply wont allow. Its funny to me that we live in such a weirdly violent culture but in so many ways its repressed or channeled into other areas of your life.We dont mind the fact that video games now teach kids to literally kill like professional soldiers yet this style of music is still for the most part socially unacceptable yet dub step is not hahaI.I mean I dont want any weird video game censor ships I love fatality's, I dunno just a thought really, I think as a culture we tend to channel violence into like 5 areas- sports, entertainment, porn, foreign polices and law enforcement. Violent sounding music is largely not apart of mainstream thought and I dont know i it should be really. I mean I would never actually want to walk into an outlet mall and hear grindcore playing part of the fun of it is that it is a an act of rebellion against the herd. That being said, there is currently a movement to fancy up the genre and make it more tame and acceptable to try to turn a profit off of it. They will fail. This is not the first time this has happened and it wont be the last. Grind core is not the new grey, it is not supposed to be the flavor of the week, and it is most certainly never meant to be safe.

 

Tom: I've always liked the crushing desperation that a good grind band can convey. I also feel like grindcore is actually a surprisingly varied genre. As far as punk/hardcore in general, I like the idea that everyone should pick up instruments and play music without all the rock star bullshit.

Spencer: something for us. something that those bastards cant capitalize on. as much as they try, they can never grasp the concept of D.I.Y and doing something because we love doing it. not to exploit anyone or make any real monetary gain. unadulterated, uncensored aggression. its a release from everyday bullshit. its a fuck you to moral and social standards.

-do you play (or have played) in other bands? what kind of music?

Jordan: I sang for some hardcore and deathgrind bands in the past. Most notably was a short lived band called Griefa with members of Akkolyte and Noisear. Always heavy with blast beats and shit.

 

Brandon: To many to name and none really worth mentioning because there are no surviving recordings any way so it does not really matter. But they were great learning experiences and as  long as I am alive and have half a functional brain and basic motor skills I will continue to play in various forms of punk and nasty metal bands ( Doom, D beat, Crust, PV, Death, Black, thrash,hardcore, whatever, etc.)

Tom: I used to play in a bunch of bands in Milwaukee, WI. I played guitar in grindcore bands Copeater and Abaddon, the psychedelic thrash band Quest for Fire, and the um "modern hardcore" band Enabler. I've recently started playing guitar in an as-of-yet-unnamed fast thrash band here in Athens.

Spencer: Ive been in bands since i was a kid. Mostly in Michigan. Lots of crust/hardcore bands. Human Means Extinct, Babehammer,Piss Wiggles, the list goes on. Me and Jordan are working on a side project called Leftovers. 

 

-does the fact that you play hardcore /grindcore is linked to your political (radical judging by the lyrics) stand, and if so in what way? 

 

Jordan: No. To me music is music. politics is politics. and people are people. You re always gonna write about stuff you think and feel so that expression is there but I don't see hardcore as a political movement. Theres plenty of shitbags in the hardcore scene whos views I vehemently disagree with.  Just like in any "scene" or group of people. To me hardcore is just a way to vent my anger. My political stance wouldn't be any different if I were in any other style of band. And theres allot of bands outside the hardcore scene with radical or anarchist views too. I think allot of times the punk scene tries to project itself as some sort of wonderful Utopian place where people can be themselves and blablabla...but after years in the scene it seems to me like people are just people and that is that. If you wanna meet a real "down to earth" good person in this kind of world you gotta be open to everyone and everything because even in the hardcore scene real good people are hard to come by these days. Not to mention that alot of hardcore kids are just into this shit bc its an image or a new cool thing. If anyone thinks punk/grind/hardcore is any different than any other scene just look at whats happening. Scion car company puts out grind bands. Sony distributes punk music. Anything can be a commodity if people wanna sell it as such. Theres nothing radical about hardcore to me. Its just music. Its what we stand for as individuals that counts.

 

Brandon: I would also say no. If you look at the history of hardcore punk not only are you going to see that not every band is political you are also going to see everything from conservatives to just utter indifference.. ( although I feel  that these views dont belong in punk) that is the reality. Hardcore punk rock is bred from alienation, frustration, and often times isolation and boredom. If you look at some of the best bands and the best scenes there coming from the places that did not previously always have active punk  scenes and often times politcs were hardly the focus like Texas, The Mid West, etc. Punk rock is not a Utopian paradise, it is not supposed to be. That's not the world that we live in I can't make believe that it is. Punk rock is not made up solely of these pseudo- brilliant, idealist, pc, hipsters who think they have all the answers. Its supposed to be an outlet for fucking weirdos, fuck ups, drugged out mutants with no hope, kids from broken homes, outcast, people who exist on the fringes. It gives kids who often times otherwise have nothing, something to believe in. Thats why I like Grindcore it is one of the punkest forms of music  just by the virtue of also being one of the most fuck you styles of music you can possible play. All that dumb shit being said, sometimes politics are unavoidable because you should always address the shit that really pisses you off and not shy away from a topic just cause it might ruffle some feathers. Although I regard what we say as a band as mostly social commentary more so than political. Also I think Hardcore should always come from something of a radical stance just the sound in and of itself is more "radical" than the way most forms of music sound. But a "radical" sound and "Radical" outlook are two totally different things.

Tom: I appreciate the political side of the hardcore scene, but for me its always been more a reflection of my philosophical, rather than political, beliefs.

Spencer: Ive always been a pretty radical person with my politics/lifestyle. lots of anarchist/direct action fun. To me, punk is like a soundtrack to these things. A way to document atrocities and share knowledge . it can also have nothing to do with politics and not have any deeper meaning than getting drunk with good friends and smashin shit.  

 

-is it sometimes a problem for you as a band or as individuals to express these opinions in a state like Georgia (form France we see the "old south" of the US as really conservative)?

 

Jordan: Well.. theres alot about the South that can be improved for sure. (see the lyrics for our song "Southern Dehumanization") But I dont think its much different than anywhere else ultimately. Every place has its different problems. Anti authoritarian views are generally unpopular no matter where you live. The South can also be a beautiful place.(Actually my favorite area in the whole country) The landscape is amazing and the good people here are about as good, "down to earth", and hospitable as they come. So I guess you take the good with the bad. We definitely have a history of racism and stubborn christian and conservative thinking. But I think corruption, greed, and domination is a global problem that manifests itself in different forms in all regions and countries of the world.

 

Brandon:Well I have said before as a native Southerner who has traveled kept an open mind and met people from all over the world that most of the problems we discus in our songs are not exclusive to the south and are world wide problems. Most places outside of The South have what I like to call "Covert Racism" in that they are not as openly racist as The South its much more subliminal but they still harbor and manifest these views. But if it is more socially acceptable to be racist here (and it certainly is in some areas) than that should be an indicator that something in the culture has to die or change That being said Southern Dehumanization is ultimately a pro Southern punk anthem it flaunts the fact that yes we do have to deal with more backwards assholes here, yes we do have to deal with Church and state being directly correlated. We do deal with allot more poverty than certain areas in The USA. But we get by and we dont let them get us down.Its about our toughness and resiliency two qualities that you would find most people not just "punks" have here in the South. But I personally find the word "Conservative" to be as much a big terrible thing as any other from of political dogma. I find it allot worse really. by  nature the very word conservative is in polar opposite to being accepting and open minded. It means to be stuck and set in ones ways opposed to change and improvement. The Southern Conservatives are only against regulations because it gives them unlimited spending power and the ability to exploit who they see fit. They are only against taxation because when you increase that what really happens is your going into their pockets. Honestly I still hate conservatives more than I hate liberals the conservatives always hide behind this banner of morality and patriotism all the while executing their reptilian self serving plans. Sending the young off to die in foreign lands that we have no right to invade to begin with, robbing the poor blind and then having the audacity and the nerve to tell them its their own faults their poor. passing down their hatred steeped in Out dated and dangerous Old testament ideas from generation to generation. The liberals are just as self serving ( albeit in a far less militant and insane way) and have proven their selves to be even  more cowardly The United States government in general  has proven itself as one of the most corrupt and evil on the planet. Its ruled by the wealthy elite they run shit with a iron fist they enforce their rule with misinformation and violence. The media and the military are their greatest assets. They try to keep us pitted against each other black versus white Conservative versus liberal. The media is their first level of defense against the people who they suppress. When they finally do to try to unite and rise against the rich they unleash their military might ( Water boarding. Macing, arrest without probable cause, police brutality in general,) Indefinite detainment and SOPA bills get passed. . So I hate both sides  as well as anything rooted in our government and Constitution which has led to nothing but war, slavery, a genocide of an entire indigenous people, Wal Mart,Tom Cruise movies, The Atomic Bomb, Strip malls, Oil spills and more oil spills, DDT, Prisons as industry industry as prison, The Ackey breaky Heart song, pop up ads, you name it we took the most beautiful continent on the planet turned it into a strip mall and a prison industrial complex! Fuck capitalism and Fuck this government. But yeah the South aint so bad haha

Tom: Um yeah, the south is pretty fucked up compared to many places in America. Yeah, everywhere has fucked up people, but the south has a certain pride in flaunting religious conservativism (for the record, I do think of being "conservative" as a terrible thing), as though it makes us superior. But there are also cool people most everywhere, and our scene is largely insulated from the prevailing bigotry. So, being a grindcore band from Georgia has really had no effect on our ability to express our opinions.

Spencer: Im a native to the Midwest part of the states. Michigan to be exact.and ive noticed that no one will admit it down here.. but.. the south in general is definitly more racist and xenophobic. cops are fucked up everywhere but ive noticed down here they are relentless... lots of ridiculous laws. That being said , the US is pretty much the same anywhere you go and people are people. Theres lots of good things happening down here and a bunch of rad people/communities.

-what do you think about the Occupy movement? does it exists where you live? if so what's going on?

Jordan: It is rumored that it still exists here but it is so incredibly small that it almost seems non existent. This is bc we live in a small town that is seasonally polluted by rich college kids who could care less. A friend and I tried to join the "movement" here the first day but most of the people wanted us to leave because our sign was "too violent". It said "Kill The Rich And Eat Their Babies." Thats okay though. I think people are right when they say the occupy movement doesn't really know what its trying to achieve. To me it seems like a bunch of people with extremely contrasting viewpoints. The only thing they DO seem to all have in common is that theyre all angry at the US Government. That being said...I support it. I think it should get more violent. I think everyone should just go fucking crazy and storm Washington D.C. and hang everyone who was stupid and arrogant enough to become a politician. That would be a nice statement. It will probably never happen...but here's hoping. 

-in what are you interested aside from music?

 

Jordan: Self Sufficiency, Self Defense, Hiking, Camping, Exploring, Cooking, Home Brew, Guns, Religious studies....lots of stuff.. 

 

Brandon: The great outdoors, fishing, archery, Basketball, Social work, Chess, Sci fi novels, b horror movies, beer, Anthropology, Ancient cultures, Human rights (Lack there of)  history, lots of stuff

Tom: I'm working on a Phd in mathematics, so that is what I spend the majority of my time on. Also shooting hoops.

Spencer: homebrew, skateboarding, dogs,anarchism, graffiti, riding freight trains/hobo culture.......and of course.. pizza.

-The future doesn't need you was already really good, Pig servant is in my opinion even better, how will you manage to surpass it the next time?

Brandon: Thanks. I never personally want to write the exact same record twice. Its just pointless and selfeating ya know, like becoming a cover band of yourself nothing could be worse than playing grind tributes to yourself..ahaha. I thought there was a different flavor on this one a lil more grindy than the first one I think we will continue to try to expand on our sound without betraying the initial vision just to keep shit from getting stale and boring more so to us more so  than the audience really. I have always admired bands who are relentless and consistent Agaothecles come to mind. I also like when bands develop within the context of what they were already doing Great examples are Discordance Axis, Napalm Death From Scum to FETO so much growth. Black Sabbath Their first album just to Paranoid all the way to like vol 4 or sabbath bloody sabbath! Every record is different but still obviously Black Sabbath when giving the chance to rant about Black Sabbath I always will take it.  But yeah trying different things never hurts to me.

Tom: Brandon and I wrote the majority of the music on the first two records, and I think that we have kind of an ADD approach to it. I think that this fueled the progression between the two records. We have still been writing a lot, but now Spencer and Jordan have been contributing, and I think that our new music is another big leap forward.

-with which band do you dream to tour with?

Jordan: Black Witchery...will never happen. All the other bands I would DREAM to tour with are broken up I think. but Ild LIKE to tour with alot of bands. There's some really good stuff coming out right now. I love Cloud Rat. We played with them once and they are super original and super cool kids...they know whats up. Ild like to tour with them for sure. And my good friends Stefan and Aaron of grind powerhouse Akkolyte. Sweetest kids in the world...practically family.

 

Brandon: Well I dont think you are ever going to see the day when Gripe is on some package tour kinda thing. But that being said, if Gripe were to tour with another band, we would have to share a van with whomever we are touring with because we dont have a van currently. haha So whoever is nice/dumb enough to get in a van with us is probably alright with us. Actually our good pals Grinchfinger stepped up to the plate and we are touring this summer with them in limited dates! So yeah stoked, they are Mince core masters and the best thing to come out of Macon GA since Little Richard! The only other band I can think of who would commit such an atrocity as getting in a van with us would be future fastcore legends Short Walk out of MI 

 

-which good bands from your area should we check? 

 

Jordan: Nuklear Blast Suntan, The Fact, The Skuds, Spewtilator, Shaved Christ.

 

Brandon: Same bands listed above plus Grinchfinger, Bukakee Boys and The Fuzzlers.

-what are the projects for Gripe?

Jordan: Keep writing songs. Plus Tom has a new band with members of American Cheeseburger and Shaved Christ. Me and Spence are starting a new hardcore band too and I believe Brandon is gonna do another band too. More bands, bigger scene in Athens = more fun.

Brandon: Yeah I guess what Jordan said. haha IS this thing done yet? Oh wait we got one more haha. Oh wait also, must mention the upcoming splits with our rebel partners in grind Chulo from Columbia and Diseksa from Singapore! The one with diseksa is entitled Indefinite Detention and will be on pro tape courtesy of Fastdie records limit to 300! The Chulo split is Man Vs cop, limit 50 to Floppy disk! That is not a typeo, floppy disk will be the format!