Interviews

Interviews: Grade

Smother: How would you describe the music Grade creates? What bands would you recommend to a fan interested in hearing other groups with a similar sound?.

Grade creates music driven by passion and emotion. I recommend listening to Mock Orange cause they are my favourite Grade style band at the moment.

Smother: How did the band end up with the name Grade?

It's a Lincoln song "Grade Curve" I believe.

Smother: Was it the band's intention to re-release Grade's older material on Embarrassing Beginnings, or was it just a last minute thing due to so many fans wanting to hear Grade's earlier material?

We were in Europe and Got a call on our Tour Managers cell, so it was very last minute. I guess it was fueled by wanting to re-release the old stuff on Victory which obviously has better distro.

Smother: Prior to Embarrassing Beginnings how many albums have Grade released? What are the album titles?

Grade/Believe (Workshop)

And Such is Progress (Capsule)

Changre (Wheatfield Press)

And such is Progress Re-Release (Second Nature)

Seperate the Magnets (Second Nature)

Triumph and Tragedy (Victory)

Under The Radar (Victory)

Smother: When will Grade be doing a US tour & who would be accompanying you guys on the road?

Well most likely in April. With who we don't know yet. We want to put out our new studio record first.

Smother: What band can you say has been the most enjoyable to play/tour with?

Our friends in Jersey, Groovie Ghoulies, Cave-In, The Explosion, Snapcase, New Found Glory, too many to list.

Smother: When can fans expect a new Grade release with all new songs?

Hopefully by March/April.

Smother: Since replacing your former drummer, has it changed Grade's signature sound? What can the fans expect with the new member on board?

Well If you refering to Chris Danner on "Under the Radar" he's already been replaced. Things werent working out with him. This will be Grade's fourth drummmer in as many albums. The new guy is Charles Monez and he rocks. Much more technical than Chris more like Kevin on the "Seperate the Magnets Album. We're excited. He adds some needed youthfullness to the band.

Smother: Who is the girl in the "A Year in the Past..Forever in the Future" video? Is she an actress or is she dating one of the band members?

No. She was fully supplied by the film crew in California. I don't think anyone evan talked to her.

Smother: With it being the end of the year and all, what was your most memorable moment of 2000?

Playing with Limp Bizkit and the Foo Fighters In Germany at the BizzareFest. That was too surreal.

Smother: Continuing on with the 2000 idea, what would you say were the 10 best albums of 2000, or the 10 albums you found yourself listening to repeatedly this past year?

Well not that many interested me but if I have to narrow it down:

Cradle of Filth - Midian
Modest Mouse - The moon and antartica
Mock Orange - Nines and Sixes
Somehow Hollow - City's Sinking

Smother: Any final thoughts or comments?

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