As GRID celebrates the 10th anniversary since Dave Cohn (bass/synths), Matt Habina (drums) and Brian Harrigan (guitars/vocals/synths) formed the band, the outfit are preparing to unveil the new album The World Before Us on July 27th 2024. Get the lowdown on GRID, below:
What are the origins of Grid?
Brian: Well, 2024 happens to be our 10 year anniversary! Matt and I were working together back in 2011 and 2012. We became pretty tight with a lot of common interests. He had mentioned that he played drums and wanted to jam. I was a little hesitant because we both had pretty different musical interests and influences. When we finally did get together and jam, in 2013, it clicked right away. I had convinced him to write heavier music with me as long as it was instrumental. Dave and I had previously been in a band and he was the first person that came to mind when I thought of who to ask to join to play bass. We wrote and recorded our first ep The Shadow Moment in my home studio in 2014.
What should people expect when they check the band out? How would you describe Grid?
Dave: I would describe us as a mash of Sludge, Post metal, and some classic Prog rock all mixed together. We’ve always tried to create epic soundscapes and brutal riffs to bring the listener to a place beyond our own world.
Brian: Dave pretty much hit the nail on the head with his description. Long epic songs…or adventures, if you will. I’m always pushing for a heavier sound, but I love our softer moments just as much.
Matt: Each song takes you on a bit of a journey with ups and downs, starts and stops, periods of chaos and periods of calm. Hopefully when a song is over you feel like you’ve experienced something interesting and have at least a hook or two stuck in your head.
How did you feel performing your first gig as a band, and how was it?!
Dave: Our first gig was maybe … 2015? We were still an instrumental three piece at that time, playing a bar that didn’t have a stage so much as a semi-cleared out corner, with maybe a dozen people listening. It was a blast, I love those kinds of gigs, and we felt great bringing these heavy songs to people who enjoyed them.
Matt: Yea like Dave said it was a small bar show, pretty intimate vibe which is always fun. It was the first show I’d played in a few years after playing a lot back in the day so it feels a little like coming home after a long trip for me.
What are you working on at the minute that people can check out?
Dave: Our brand new album, The World Before Us is coming out in July! Right now, people can check out the lead single Architects of Our World on any streaming platform or download it from our bandcamp!
In terms of a similar audience, which band out there at the minute do you feel you would be best suited to open for?
Brian: I pulled a lot of influence from the band SAVER for our new album. They’ve got some killer sludgy, proggy riffs. Those dudes have immense talent. I think that would be a great show.
Excluding yourself, which new band would you like to see break out and become a success?
Dave: Brian and I got to see a great King Buffalo with Sun Voyager and Heavy Temple show at the tail end of 2022. I don’t know if that’s new enough, but all three of those bands are fantastic and deserve a lot of success!
Brian: SAVER, Guiltless, Burner, Glaciers, ATER, DVNE.
Matt: I’ve been on a big kick listening to Origami Angel and Saturdays At Your Place – pretty different vibe from us but great bands that I’d love to see continue to grow their fan bases.
What frustrates you about the music business?
Dave: Live music is getting more and more expensive to see, which is a shame. I don’t think it’s the musicians or the venue’s fault, they need to be able to keep the lights on and the bills paid. It’s just getting harder for people to be able to afford to take chances on seeing new acts because they don’t have access to as much disposable income as before.
Brian: The fact that it’s become more about the business than the music.
Matt: That as recording and getting your music out there is easier than ever, it seems like less and less people are able to make a living in that whole ecosystem.
What are your first musical memories? And what was the lightbulb moment that made you go “I want to do that”?
Dave: As a kid, my parents exposed me to a lot of classical music and jazz, which forms a lot of my early memories with music. As I grew into my teens, I started gravitating towards what was on MTV at the time. Once I got a copy of Californication, I wanted a guitar so I could play like John Frusciante. After my high school best friend and I both got guitars and started a band, we realized we needed a bass player. So, I went out and got a sparkle blue yamaha, and I’ve been playing bass in bands ever since.
Brian: Growing up my parents always had music playing in the house. I have very fond memories of hearing Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here album, or Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1, and even some Moody Blues. I was getting further and further infatuated with music after hearing bands like Alice In Chains, Nine Inch Nails and Pantera, but I think it was when I saw Korn performing at Woodstock ‘99 and the whole crowd going absolutely apeshit really made me want to write and perform music myself.
Matt: My dad is a big fan of 70s rock, so I grew up hearing a lot of The Who, Eagles, Tom Petty, that sort of thing. I remember one time in particular hearing Won’t Get Fooled Again and that primal yell toward the end while Keith Moon is doing his crazy fills just hit me in a different way than it had before and i knew I wanted to play the drums in a band.
What was the last gig that you attended as a fan?
Dave: Early in March I got to see a band I just got into called This is the Kit. They are mostly from Ireland and France, and they had a few tour dates in the U.S. One happened to be a mile away from where I live in Boston. Absolutely incredible show. Other than that, I got to see Parliament and Funkadelic last summer which was definitely a life goal.
Brian: I just saw Cannibal Corpse and Obituary. Amazing show!
Matt: Super different vibe than some of these, but Slaughter Beach, Dog and Erin Rae together at Levon Helm studios. Really cool little folk show and the sound in that venue is unreal.
What current social issue are you particularly passionate about?
Dave: For me climate change is a very big issue and one that I think about constantly.
Brian: The dangers of AI.
Matt: Climate change is a big one for sure, I’m a nature lover and I want my kids to be able to experience nature in a similar way. I’m also very concerned about the weaponization of social media and its ability to sort of build alternate worlds that people get trapped in.
The album that you have in your album collection/Spotify playlist that would surprise most people?
Dave: I bought an album many years ago of a guy named Woody Phillips that records classical music using power tools. You’ve never heard Hall of the Mountain King if you haven’t heard it played on a drill press motor.
Brian: Maybe…Jean Micheal Jarre’s Oxygene. What a beautiful album.
Matt: I have a 45 of Groove Line by Heatwave in my record cabinet and I love that song so much.
Everybody is a fan of something, who or what are you a fan of?
Dave: Natural Phenomena. I have a plan to visit Iceland this year to see the Aurora Borealis, I am very much looking forward to that.
Brian: Music.
Matt: So many things; my family, music, nature, hockey, books are a few of the big ones.
What new music have you been enjoying so far this year?
Dave: Alphawhore’s debut album is incredible and I love it. I also discovered the band Loma this year, and diving into their back catalog has been a joy.
Brian: DVNE’s new album Voidkind is absolutely killer. Ater released an album the same day called Somber which is also in heavy rotation. I’ve also been listening to the Guiltless ep Thorns a whole hell of a lot.
Matt: Why Would I Watch by Hot Mulligan has been one I’ve been listening to a lot. I loved the album before it and was pleasantly surprised that they topped it with a new one.
What does 2024 hold for Grid?
Dave: Adventure? Absolutely. Romance? For sure. Pirate treasure? Fingers crossed.
Brian: The release of our new album The World Before Us! I’m super stoked for this one. We really stepped out of the box here.
Matt: I’m really excited to get our new album out there and finally get this music in front of people – feels like we’ve been working on it forever
How active are you on social media and where can people connect with you?
Brian: I’d say we have a pretty good social media presence. Check us out at:
Bandcamp – gridband.bandcamp.com
Instagram – grid.band
Facebook – www.facebook.com/gridbandofficial