Grinderman (album)
Encyclopedia
Grinderman is the eponymous debut studio album by alternative rock
band Grinderman
, a side project of members of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
, released on March 5, 2007 on Mute Records
in Europe and ANTI-
in the United States. Aiming to recreate the more raw, primal sound of all former related projects such as The Birthday Party
, Grindermans lyrical and musical content diverged significantly to Nick Cave
's work with The Bad Seeds, whose last studio album, Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus
(2004), was primarily blues, gospel
and alternative-orientated. Incidentally, the musical direction of Grinderman influenced The Bad Seeds' next studio album, Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
(2008).
According to producer Nick Launay
, the recording sessions for the album only lasted four days, during which time the band also recorded a number of extra material. Some of this material was later featured as b-sides to the album's three singles, "Get It On
," "No Pussy Blues
," and "(I Don't Need You To) Set Me Free
." Upon its release, Grinderman received unanimous critical acclaim and charted internationally, debuting at number one on Billboard Heatseekers in the United States.
, frontman Nick Cave began writing songs on guitar, an instrument he would rarely play. His rudimentary playing gave the new material a rawer feel than much of The Bad Seeds' output. After more experimentation, Grinderman formed and soon entered Metropolis Studios in London to record the original Grinderman demos and it was this material that would eventually become the basis for Grinderman. The album was recorded with long-time friend, producer Nick Launay
in April at the RAK Studios
in London and mixed in October at Metropolis Studios.
Warren Ellis has commented that the album was "meant to be really open liberating thing" and the band decided to experiment during the recording of the album "and push on, relentless." Cave's additional guitar was also noted to have "changed the whole dynamic of the [project]."
. Critical reaction to the album was very positive. Metacritic
's score, based on 33 independent reviews, is 83 indicating "universal acclaim."
in Somerset
the month following the album's release. This was followed by a one-off show at The Forum
in London on 20 June. Three singles were released from the album, "Get It On
" was the first single to be released on 8 January, 2007. "No Pussy Blues
" was released as a single on 19 February, and on 30 April, the band released the final single from the album, "(I Don't Need You To) Set Me Free
."
Grinderman also opened for The White Stripes
at their Madison Square Garden
show on 24 July, 2007, followed by a show in Chicago, and two shows in San Francisco. The band then embarked on a theatre tour of Australia, opening for a Nick Cave 'solo' set, which consisted of the same band members. The band also launched the official Grinderman website in March 2007 in promotion of the album. Amongst other things, the website included The Grinderman Podcast featuring a series of fragments of recordings from the band's writing sessions. These were not complete songs but instead were seen to offer a unique insight into the workings of the band. New episodes were said to appear regularly over the following weeks and months, however, only five recordings have been submitted at this time.
On 11 May, 2007, the band performed "Honey Bee (Let's Fly to Mars)" and "No Pussy Blues" on the BBC television show Later... with Jools Holland and made their US network television debut on the CBS
television show the Late Show With David Letterman
performing "Honey Bee (Let's Fly to Mars)" on 23 July, 2007. Grinderman were one of the headliners at Roskilde Festival
2008 in July, the biggest festival in northern Europe. They joined big names such as Radiohead
, Neil Young
and Jay-Z
at the top of the bill.
Technical personnel
Design personnel
"Honey Bee (Let's Fly to Mars)" also reached #97 on Rolling Stone
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Grinderman
Grinderman
Grinderman is an alternative rock band formed by Nick Cave , Warren Ellis , Martyn P. Casey and Jim Sclavunos in London, United Kingdom in 2006...
, a side project of members of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are an Australian alternative rock band, formed in Melbourne in 1983. The band is fronted by Nick Cave and has featured international personnel throughout their career.-Formation and early releases :...
, released on March 5, 2007 on Mute Records
Mute Records
Mute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
in Europe and ANTI-
ANTI-
ANTI- is an American record label founded in 1999 as a sister label of Epitaph Records.While Epitaph's focus has shifted over the last decade from mostly punk rock, nowadays ANTI- has a more diverse roster, ranging from country , hip hop , reggae , Soul , folk , rap-rock , indie rock...
in the United States. Aiming to recreate the more raw, primal sound of all former related projects such as The Birthday Party
The Birthday Party (band)
The Birthday Party were an Australian rock band, active from 1973 to 1983.Despite being championed by John Peel, The Birthday Party found little commercial success during their career...
, Grindermans lyrical and musical content diverged significantly to Nick Cave
Nick Cave
Nicholas Edward "Nick" Cave is an Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, and occasional film actor.He is best known for his work as a frontman of the critically acclaimed rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, established in 1984, a group known for its eclectic influences and...
's work with The Bad Seeds, whose last studio album, Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus
Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus
Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus is the 13th studio album released by Australian alternative rock band, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. It is a double CD with 17 tracks – 9 on Abattoir Blues and 8 on The Lyre of Orpheus – which was released on 20 September 2004...
(2004), was primarily blues, gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
and alternative-orientated. Incidentally, the musical direction of Grinderman influenced The Bad Seeds' next studio album, Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! is the fourteenth studio album by Australian alternative rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. The album was recorded in June and July 2007 at The State of the Ark Studios in Richmond, London and mixed by Nick Launay at British Grove Studios in Chiswick, and was released on...
(2008).
According to producer Nick Launay
Nick Launay
Nick Launay is an English record producer and recording engineer. He is currently one of the most sought after producers in the world due to his current success with recent albums by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Arcade Fire, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds...
, the recording sessions for the album only lasted four days, during which time the band also recorded a number of extra material. Some of this material was later featured as b-sides to the album's three singles, "Get It On
Get It On (Grinderman song)
"Get It On" is the first single by alternative rock group Grinderman - a side project of the Australian post-punk group Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - from their self-titled debut album Grinderman...
," "No Pussy Blues
No Pussy Blues
"No Pussy Blues" is the second single by alternative rock group Grinderman from their debut album of the same name. Released on 19 February 2007, the song - like the previous single "Get It On" - received a positive reception from critics. Unlike the previous Grinderman single, this one charted,...
," and "(I Don't Need You To) Set Me Free
(I Don't Need You To) Set Me Free
" Set Me Free" is the third single by alternative rock group Grinderman, and final single from their eponymous debut album, Grinderman...
." Upon its release, Grinderman received unanimous critical acclaim and charted internationally, debuting at number one on Billboard Heatseekers in the United States.
Background and production
After extensive touring throughout 2005 with The Bad Seeds in support of Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of OrpheusAbattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus
Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus is the 13th studio album released by Australian alternative rock band, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. It is a double CD with 17 tracks – 9 on Abattoir Blues and 8 on The Lyre of Orpheus – which was released on 20 September 2004...
, frontman Nick Cave began writing songs on guitar, an instrument he would rarely play. His rudimentary playing gave the new material a rawer feel than much of The Bad Seeds' output. After more experimentation, Grinderman formed and soon entered Metropolis Studios in London to record the original Grinderman demos and it was this material that would eventually become the basis for Grinderman. The album was recorded with long-time friend, producer Nick Launay
Nick Launay
Nick Launay is an English record producer and recording engineer. He is currently one of the most sought after producers in the world due to his current success with recent albums by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Arcade Fire, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds...
in April at the RAK Studios
RAK studios
RAK Studios are located near Regents Park in central London. The Studios were created by Mickie Most in late 1976 and they have been host to the recording of a number of artists for over three decades.- Artists recorded at RAK :All info from artist list....
in London and mixed in October at Metropolis Studios.
Warren Ellis has commented that the album was "meant to be really open liberating thing" and the band decided to experiment during the recording of the album "and push on, relentless." Cave's additional guitar was also noted to have "changed the whole dynamic of the [project]."
Critical reception
Released on March 5, 2007, Grinderman was acclaimed by critics for its raw power, similar to that of Cave's celebrated post-punk project The Birthday PartyThe Birthday Party (band)
The Birthday Party were an Australian rock band, active from 1973 to 1983.Despite being championed by John Peel, The Birthday Party found little commercial success during their career...
. Critical reaction to the album was very positive. Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
's score, based on 33 independent reviews, is 83 indicating "universal acclaim."
Promotion
The band made their live debut at the All Tomorrow's Parties FestivalAll Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)
All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival which takes place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex and Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset, England....
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
the month following the album's release. This was followed by a one-off show at The Forum
London Forum
The London Forum, or sometimes Kentish Town Forum is a well-known venue for concerts in Kentish Town, London, United Kingdom owned by the MAMA Group. The venue was built in 1934 and was originally used as an art deco cinema. After the closure of the cinema, The Town & Country Club was established...
in London on 20 June. Three singles were released from the album, "Get It On
Get It On (Grinderman song)
"Get It On" is the first single by alternative rock group Grinderman - a side project of the Australian post-punk group Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - from their self-titled debut album Grinderman...
" was the first single to be released on 8 January, 2007. "No Pussy Blues
No Pussy Blues
"No Pussy Blues" is the second single by alternative rock group Grinderman from their debut album of the same name. Released on 19 February 2007, the song - like the previous single "Get It On" - received a positive reception from critics. Unlike the previous Grinderman single, this one charted,...
" was released as a single on 19 February, and on 30 April, the band released the final single from the album, "(I Don't Need You To) Set Me Free
(I Don't Need You To) Set Me Free
" Set Me Free" is the third single by alternative rock group Grinderman, and final single from their eponymous debut album, Grinderman...
."
Grinderman also opened for The White Stripes
The White Stripes
The White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...
at their Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
show on 24 July, 2007, followed by a show in Chicago, and two shows in San Francisco. The band then embarked on a theatre tour of Australia, opening for a Nick Cave 'solo' set, which consisted of the same band members. The band also launched the official Grinderman website in March 2007 in promotion of the album. Amongst other things, the website included The Grinderman Podcast featuring a series of fragments of recordings from the band's writing sessions. These were not complete songs but instead were seen to offer a unique insight into the workings of the band. New episodes were said to appear regularly over the following weeks and months, however, only five recordings have been submitted at this time.
On 11 May, 2007, the band performed "Honey Bee (Let's Fly to Mars)" and "No Pussy Blues" on the BBC television show Later... with Jools Holland and made their US network television debut on the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
television show the Late Show With David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
performing "Honey Bee (Let's Fly to Mars)" on 23 July, 2007. Grinderman were one of the headliners at Roskilde Festival
Roskilde Festival
Roskilde Festival is a festival held south of Roskilde in Denmark and is one of the six biggest annual music festivals in Europe . It was created in 1971 by two high school students, Mogens Sandfær and Jesper Switzer Møller, and promoter Carl Fischer...
2008 in July, the biggest festival in northern Europe. They joined big names such as Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
, Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
and Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
at the top of the bill.
Track listing
Personnel
Grinderman- Nick CaveNick CaveNicholas Edward "Nick" Cave is an Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, and occasional film actor.He is best known for his work as a frontman of the critically acclaimed rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, established in 1984, a group known for its eclectic influences and...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - Warren EllisWarren Ellis (musician)Warren Ellis is an Australian multi-instrumentalist and composer, best known for his work with Dirty Three, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Grinderman and his soundtrack scores with Nick Cave. He plays violin, piano, bouzouki, guitar, flute, mandolin, and tenor guitar...
– acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, electric mandolinElectric mandolinThe electric mandolin is an instrument tuned and played as the mandolin and amplified in similar fashion to an electric guitar.As with electric guitars, electric mandolins take many forms:...
, violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
, violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, electric bouzoukiBouzoukiThe bouzouki , is a musical instrument with Greek origin in the lute family. A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but...
, backing vocals - Martyn Casey – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, acoustic guitar, backing vocals - Jim SclavunosJim SclavunosJim Sclavunos is an American rock music drummer, percussionist and producer.Sclavunos, a half-Greek and half-Italian from Brooklyn, New York , is well-known for his exceptional height at 6'7". Sclavunos has performed with Sonic Youth, Tav Falco's Panther Burns, Lydia Lunch and was a member of 8...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion, backing vocals
Technical personnel
- Nick LaunayNick LaunayNick Launay is an English record producer and recording engineer. He is currently one of the most sought after producers in the world due to his current success with recent albums by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Arcade Fire, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds...
– producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including... - GrindermanGrindermanGrinderman is an alternative rock band formed by Nick Cave , Warren Ellis , Martyn P. Casey and Jim Sclavunos in London, United Kingdom in 2006...
- additional production - Dom Morley - assistant engineer
- Matt Lawrence - assistant engineer
- James Aparicio - assistant engineer
- Tim YoungTim YoungTimothy or Tim Young may refer to:*Tim Young *Tim Young *Tim Young *Tim Young *Tim Young *Timothy R. Young, U.S. representative from Illinois*Timothy Young , a character in the Saw films...
- masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced... - Rohan Onraet - technican
Design personnel
- Polly Borland - photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
- Tom Hilingston - designDesignDesign as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
Chart positions
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Heatseekers Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
14 |
| New Zealand Charts Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
38 |
| UK Charts UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
23 |
| Swedish Charts Swedish Recording Industry Association Grammofonleverantörernas förening , or the Swedish Recording Industry Association in English, is an organization representing the music recording industry of Sweden... |
46 |
| Swiss Charts Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
49 |
| Austrian Charts Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
14 |
| Dutch Charts Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
35 |
| Belgian Charts Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... |
6 |
"Honey Bee (Let's Fly to Mars)" also reached #97 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...