GAVIN Degraw Man Responsible for Upbeat Pop Radio Hits Such As “I Don’T Want Over
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SPOTLIGHT when her publisher introduced her to London-based producer Alex “da Kid” Grant. “When I heard Alex da Kid’s tracks, I knew I had found my partner in crime,” says the Wisconsin native, 26. “My favorite thing about working with him is that he’s not afraid to tell me when he doesn’t like something. Not that he’s always right, but it always pushes me to do my best work. In the past, most people liked everything I did, which didn’t allow me to grow.” Grey, Alex da Kid and Eminem penned the latter’s hit “Love the Way You Lie,” the Chris Crisman best-selling single of 2010. Grey’s own recording of the song was released in January on the EP The Buried Sessions of Skylar Grey, along with her versions of Diddy-Dirty Money and Fiasco hits she DR. DOG co-wrote. “People were constantly asking me if I had full versions of these songs Fresh faces, familiar places and a newfound urge to Dimitri Manos, Eric Slick, without the raps,” says Grey. “These three JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 ISSUE FrankMMUSICMAG.COM McElroy, Scott McMicken, JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM have a good time Zach Miller, Toby Leaman versions already existed, so I thought, ‘Why not record them?’ I didn’t want to make a ON THEIR LAST ALBUM, THE MEMBERS work began on the album last summer, the The results were immediate. On tunes big deal about it. I just put out the EP so P . R of Dr. Dog tried to teach themselves new group was re-energized. “Before the last like “Do the Trick” and “Big Girl,” every guitar . Brown fans could have access.” tricks. They left their familiar Philadelphia record we had hit a wall in terms of what riff, piano lick, cowbell ping and sunny “sha- The upcoming Invinsible embraces practice space and studio, Meth Beach, and we were capable of doing in the studio,” na-na” vocal fell right into place. “Everyone hip-hop beats, a more alternative pop sound enlisted the help of an outside producer. The Leaman says. “But we’d never done a record understood their role immediately and exactly and a fresh approach to the recording result was 2010’s Shame, Shame—an album with these two before.” what needed to happen,” Leaman says of the process. “In the past, I was a bit anti- that, for all its groovy nods to the Beatles Meth Beach itself also got an overhaul, band, formed in Philadelphia 13 years ago. new technology and recorded everything and Beach Boys, was uncharacteristically as the band worked with engineer Nathan “It’s so satisfying when everyone comes up SKYLAR GREY with real instruments on tape. I thought somber. “It was sort of a struggle,” Sabatino to outfit the studio with new with their own parts and it gels—plus it’s a that making music with computers was acknowledges bassist and singer Toby gear. With its setup thus modernized, great time saver.” Although not without its You know her voice from hip-hop hits—now it’s cheating,” Grey says. “But I got over that Leaman. “We ended up gravitating toward Dr. Dog bashed out some 30 songs in dark moments—the first two songs are called time to get to know her once I started hearing people making some song choices that sounded down, because about as many days. Leaman and singer- “Lonesome” and “That Old Black Hole”—Be incredible music with computers.” Casual we were feeling down.” guitarist Scott McMicken handled the bulk the Void may be the first great feel-good rock NOT MANY ARTISTS RACK UP FOUR “Being a songwriter is a great life, but I can’t fans still know Grey’s songs better than For its latest, Be the Void, the band of the songwriting, but the six musicians record of 2012. “We were really psyched Grammy nominations before releasing a imagine ever leaving behind recording,” says they know her name, but she doesn’t regret rediscovered the joys of working from constructed the songs together, coming up to be playing, having the new guys and debut album, but Skylar Grey’s career has Grey. “If I was just a songwriter I would lose her indirect introduction to pop radio. “I am home—especially because there was some with parts as they went. “Previously it would everyone feeling really good,” Leaman says. hardly followed a traditional path. After writing my love for music very quickly, because it very grateful for the success that writing for fresh blood on hand in the form of two new be a couple of us in the studio, and the songs “There’s really no point doing this unless hits and singing hooks for acts like Eminem, would suddenly feel like such a job.” other people has brought me.” She says. members, drummer Eric Slick and multi- would get built that way,” Leaman says. “This you’re having a good time.” Dr. Dre and Lupe Fiasco, Grey is preparing After some frustrating false starts, “But being an artist is what I live for.” instrumentalist Dimitri Manos. By the time time everybody was there from the get-go.” –Kenneth Partridge to release her own debut album, Invinsible. Grey’s solo career began to take shape –Amanda Farah GAVIN DEGRAW man responsible for upbeat pop radio hits such as “I Don’t Want over. It was devastating. You take a lot of time off the road to make to Be” and “Chariot.” In fact, his recovery gave him a renewed an album and sacrifice income. Essentially, I all but disappeared.” Keeping a positive attitude even while sense of purpose a decade into his career. After “I Don’t Want Determined to make a fresh start, he changed his routine taking a beating—literally to Be” became a breakthrough hit in 2004, he found himself on Sweeter. For the first time, DeGraw worked with other writers challenged by success. “It’s an insane amount of work, and it’s including OneRepublic frontman and in-demand producer Ryan “It dIDn’t bREAK MY WILL, BUT IT DID BREAK MY NOSE,” frustrating at times,” he says. “It can be really tough on you, so it Tedder. That artistic experimentation paid off. The first single from cracks Gavin DeGraw about the unwelcome experience of being feels good to see the results. At the time, I didn’t know my song was the album, “Not Over You,” went platinum and returned him to pop assaulted last August in Manhattan. The native New Yorker was everywhere. I just kept showing up to more interviews and started radio. He was also selected as the opening act for the 2011 tour attacked by three men and then hit by a taxi as he stumbled away. noticing more people came to the shows.” by Maroon 5 and Train, and performed with both acts each night. His injuries forced him to cancel tour dates as he readied his new But the forward momentum stalled during the process of It’s that spirit of collaboration that DeGraw, 35, appreciates most album, Sweeter, but he betrays no bitterness. “I had never really recording DeGraw’s self-titled 2008 sophomore album. Problems about the music world. “In pop music, it seems everybody is so been hurt at somebody else’s hand before,” he says. “But I’ve included a songbook that was stolen at a neighborhood restaurant separate from one another,” he says. “In other genres, artists seem to learned there are beautiful people in the world, and then there and delay-causing disagreements with his record label. “That collaborate a lot more. I enjoy working with others. I love the chance to P are some really terrible people.” atrick tremendous hiatus was really aggravating,” DeGraw says. “I had create something and learn from what they do.” F Perhaps the optimistic outlook should be no surprise from the raser nearly completed the second album and was essentially told to start –Blake Boldt 18 19 M mag 17.indd 18 2/26/12 9:56:21 PM M mag 17.indd 19 2/26/12 9:58:19 PM JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 M MUSIC & MUSICIANS MAGAZINE.