Grinding Eyes
Grinding Eyes are an exciting prospect leading the charge to be one of the best garage-infused pysch band’s going around at the minute. The band is hot off the heals of releasing their self-titled debut album which combines Psychedelic, Shoegaze, Drone-Rock and ambient Garage-Punk in a uniquely dark soundscape. Matt Wicks from the band answers a few quick questions about their new release.
How did the band form?
The band came together out of late night impromptu jams and the realisation that the earth was not round…
Where did the name Grinding Eyes come from?
Grinding Eyes is a 1960s Spanish B-grade horror, I saw a poster in a Madrid dive bar.
You’re about to release your debut album, how does it feel to have it out?
Suppernatural / even spiritual..
What made you decide to make the album self titled?
I have always liked self titled album, (no name) just the band name, thats all you get!!
To name a few – Ramones, Black Sabbath, Motorhead, The Clash, Velvet Underground, Suicide, Fever Ray, Steppenwolf, White Stripes, Stone Roses and so on. We are in good company…
Was it hard to pick what made it on the album?
Not really, what ever worked well live and sounded good once recorded.
What made you pick At Night as the album’s single?
Earlier on // radio sort of made that decision for us and our publicist likes to dance to it..
The album was written in San Francisco, recorded in Sydney, mixed in Montpellier, and mastered in Detroit, what inspired this international approach?
Time / access / work scheduling, people we wanted to work with and their locations( and ca$h flow). We gave it all we had, begged / borrowed / stole to get it done!!
You’ll be playing some shows to launch the album, what can fans expect from your show?
The up coming album shows are going to be a total blast, hand picked lineups with some of our fav Australian bands. We are doing the whole thing DIY with help from two truely independent labels (in the meaning of the word) don’t follow trends – do it for real and the right reasons!!
When writing what comes first, the words or the music?
Every song is a little different for us / depends on where you started, rough chords / rough words, melody, concepts!!
Do you ever listen to your own music?
If you have to – mainly after mixing / tie it up / put it in a box – never to listen to it again!!
What (other) music do you listen to?
We get inspiration from many different artists and styles such as Krautrock, afro beat, garage punk, heavy Psych rock..
What do you have planned once the album is out?
A few summer shows, Gizzfest in December / start recording a second record around Christmas (more sleigh bells).
Interview by Rob Lyon
Grinding Eyes Self-titled album is out now through Off The Hip Records. The album will also be issued on vinyl by Tym Records.
