Interview with Granny 4 Barrel Matriarch, Granny
By Mick Michaels
COSMICK VIEW: Hello, Granny!
Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank
you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it’s greatly
appreciated.
CV: Granny, “The Matriarch of Metal,” is a rebellious old girl for
sure...she does what she does and makes no bones about it. What do you find
makes her tick?
Granny: Thanks for having me I sure do appreciate it! Yes you could say that for sure!
Granny: Thanks for having me I sure do appreciate it! Yes you could say that for sure!
First and foremost the power and truth of
rock is what makes me tick! Music is powerful...I love being able to express my
emotions and create unique art. I also like to push buttons and give the middle
finger to stereotypes...That makes me tick as well!
CV: Is there any concern about
offending people especially in today’s overly critical, politically correct
society?
Granny: You are certainly right about an
overly critical/politically correct society these days! Folks just want to be
understood and heard and respected…..And because of this sensitivities are
high. I say celebrate your uniqueness and to each his own. However there will
always be someone that doesn’t understand me or what I am doing. But I don’t
let that stop me from expressing myself in the ways that I need to as an
artist. In fact when someone hates on me that just validates my uniqueness!
CV: In your opinion, could Granny 4 Barrel actually represent the
underlying politically incorrect nature of each of us? Is there a little of
Granny in everyone?
Granny recommends that people outta try
to be cooler to each other.
CV: How would you define Granny 4 Barrel's particular sound and
style...it's not all just shtick and shock? Is there a message?
Granny: The
sound has its origins in old-school metal. But it’s also a hybrid of influences
including industrial and electronic sounds. The main thing that you can always
count on is that it will be heavy and the songs will kick ass!
Yes, there is a message...be true to yourself. We’re
talking about music and we’re talking about art here. At all costs it has to be
honest. G4B is about freedom of expression and saying fuck off to stereotypes.
I mean look at the character of Granny, she’s pushing gender buttons, age
discrimination buttons and crushing a myriad of stereotypes on a nightly basis!
CV: How does the band
maintain such an even balance between the high levels of theatrics and the
overall quality of music? Is it difficult?
Granny: It’s
not difficult to maintain. I mean there is the element
of work
and effort that is involved in creating a great show and great
songs… but that’s about holding yourself accountable and raising the bar. The theatrics are part of the show equal with the music.
This is the entertainment business I want to give fans a great experience and
transport them into an otherworldly experience each night.
CV: Is one more important
than the other when balancing the music with public persona? Does one take
precedence or are the two linked so tightly that they are one in the same at
this point?
Granny: We are
a theatrical rock band… Like I answered in the previous question, the visual
aspect of the band is equally important as the music! Absolutely they are
linked tightly together in one complete piece of artistic expression.
CV: The new single "Nitro Sexy" just released.
The song is a riptide of steroid induced horsepower and mayhem... geriatric
style of course. How do you see the new track taking Granny 4 Barrel into the second half of 2019? Is there more to
come?
Granny: That’s
a great description LOL! Yeah she’s a beast of a song!!So far the track is killing it at radio… Sirius XM Octane
is blazing the fuck out of it every day and people are loving it! It’s such a
great feeling to experience this. I’ll have you know that Granny is sitting on
a shit load of killer tracks like this...can’t wait for you to hear it
them!
CV: Do you see the band's
image as a way to initially draw fans in? Or is the music itself looked at as
being the sole draw?
Granny:
Again, the music and the look of the band are equally
linked together into one piece of theatrical sonic art. The idea of a crazy old
woman fronting a heavy metal band is certainly something that hasn’t been done
before...That doesn’t hurt when trying to grab people’s attention. The music is
very strong, our hope is that when people hear the music for the first time
they think that it’s bad ass. And then when they see what the band actually looks
like that’s just a bonus…Vice a versa with the image… The two are equal…neither
can be compromised!
CV: Granny 4 Barrel definitely has its ducks in a row...a grabbing look
and powerful chops to boot. But can an image be a long-term sustainable
prospect alone for any band? Doesn't it sooner or later have to come down to
the punch and power of the music that gives that lasting effect?
Make no mistake, songs have
to be well written and be able to stand on their own. A band can’t get by with
a cool image and shitty songs. But those legendary bands I just mentioned don’t
have that problem. Neither does Granny 4 Barrel… we will always
give our friends and fans our very best!
CV: How would you describe
the band's success in a seemingly over-saturated music market?
Granny: I think
that we offer something unique in that we are a theatrical heavy metal band… We
work very hard to create original art and quality music. What we are doing is
honest, true and powerful....And let’s not forget fun! The rock ‘n’ roll
children totally understand Granny 4 Barrel… they’re crazy like Granny
and they like to have a good time!
CV: In addition to the music,
touring and videos, can you see Granny 4
Barrel's unique blend of art and theatrics branching out into other
mediums...maybe a web TV series, podcasting or even comic books?
Granny: You’ve
been reading my mind! Absolutely think of how much fun a Granny TV show/video
game/comic book would be! LOL
Granny: More touring and writing killer songs! We have been writing with legendary producer David Bendeth (Killswitch, Breaking Benjamin, I Prevail) If the readers don’t know who this guy is go check out his Wikipedia… He is one of the keys to helping create the unique sound that is G4B!
CV: Thank you again Granny for spending some time talking and sharing with our readers.
I wish you all the best and continued success.
Granny: I sure do appreciate you giving the interview and asking cool
questions. It’s nice for a journalist to want to dig into the inner workings of
G4B! Thank YOU!!!
Check out Granny and her boys at:
Official: https://granny4barrel.com/
Facebook:
Check out Granny and her boys at:
Official: https://granny4barrel.com/
Facebook:
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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.
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