In an evocative interview with A&R Factory, The Grunge Father delves into the soul-stirring depths of his debut album, ‘Demons‘, which unravels as a raw, introspective journey through the labyrinth of personal struggles and the relentless pursuit of clarity amidst life’s chaos.
With a nod to the gritty essence of Seattle’s grunge era, The Grunge Father weaves a tapestry of emotive narratives, each track a chapter in a larger story of battling and acknowledging one’s inner demons. His unique blend of melodic grunge, infused with introspective lyrics and acoustic warmth, offers a fresh perspective on the genre.
As he discusses the creative process, inspirations, and the cathartic experience of bringing ‘Demons’ to life, readers are invited to delve into a world where darkness is met with the resilience of the human spirit, a theme that resonates universally.
The Grunge Father, thanks for sitting down with us to discuss your debut album, Demons, what are the emotional themes which underpin this release?
Thank you for having me. With ‘Demons’ I wanted to create a strong theme throughout the album which all tied together. The album is mostly about my own personal Demons and the life experiences I have had with them. I try to shine some light on the darkness and mazes of life and our constant search for clarity among the chaos.
I am aware that everyone has their own Demons and I hope they can relate in some way. I think anyone of age has gone through some kind of personal struggle with their inner Demons. Whether it be with addiction, low points, vices etc. There will be voices in your head which have conflicting views trying to pull you one way and then the other. The Demon is always there lurking in the shadows but you always have a choice in what to do? Will you give in to the Demon or fight it and battle through? This is how I see life. It is a constant fight against the creatures which live inside you.
I wrote the songs and put them on the album in that specific order to tell the story that I have personally been through and tried to cover all the different angles from which I see life. Although the album is quite dark, I do hope people can take a lot of positivity from it with the main theme being ‘acknowledge that your Demons are there and then do your best to slay them or keep them at bay.
We love how the Seattle sound resounds through your uniquely melodic grungy sonic signature, what is it about the era that continues to inspire you?
Grunge music and the bands which came out of Seattle in the early ’90s had a rawness which instantly resonated with me from the age of 8. I was hooked instantly and listened to cassette tapes on repeat. I don’t know if it’s because I listened to Grunge music so much growing up but whenever I write songs where I am trying to express an emotion through the lyrics, the songs have a gungey vibe and that is completely unconscious. I was in metal bands for years and also have played and written a lot of Jazz and Blues music but I find Grunge is the best way to convey an emotion or tell a story.
For your new listeners, where would you say your sound fits in the grunge genre?
I would like to say I take a unique approach to the genre while keeping the foundations as a baseline. Out of the big grunge bands, my music is definitely more in line with Nirvana and Silverchair than any of the other big Grunge bands. I don’t think I quite fit in with the ‘Post Grunge’ category that much, as I feel the bands which are labelled as this have more of a nu-metal sound.
The acoustic fingerpicked guitars bring swathes of warmth to juxtapose the evocative vocal performance of the lyrics, was this an easy stylistic choice to make?
Yes to refer back to your previous question this is hopefully where my own style cuts through. Especially on this unplugged album where I felt it needed more depth. My approach here was slightly different to other music I have written previously because your standard power chords don’t round out the sound enough and get lost in the mix. There are a lot of fuller and melodic chords used to fill the space where the distorted guitars would normally sit and the guitar picking parts are opened up to interact melodically with vocals.
How long has the LP been in the making?
I spent a bit of time writing the songs with no real set period and just waited until it all came together organically before going into the studio. As I write and play everything myself, it does take a bit of time because the last thing you want to do is rush it. When I finished recording all the parts I took about a month or so to let it sink in and see if there were any parts not working. I then went back into the studio to mix and master it. All in all, it took about a year.
What was the most rewarding part of bringing Demons to fruition?
This is my first unplugged/acoustic album to be released and that within itself is really rewarding to me. It was a challenge and a different recording process, but I feel the hard work has paid off. I am also glad that the story of the inner demons seems to have come through and resonated with people.
What’s next for The Grunge Father?
So for the next few weeks, I will continue to promote the album and my first single ‘Seesaw’ then it will be straight onto the next album which is written with guide tracks ready to go.
While I get things sorted for the next album, I will continue to record some grunge classics. These will go up on my YouTube and social media platforms. I will also start to document and film more behind-the-scenes footage from the writing and recording process.
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Stream Demons (Unplugged) on Spotify now.
Interview by Amelia Vandergast