INTERVIEW WITH KURT REIL OF THE GRIP WEEDS FROM TheCelebrityCafe.com ARCHIVES
DM) How did you get started in music?
KR) My brother Rick was the first to bring rock music into the house, and I, being his younger, more impressionable brother, soaked up the influences. He had gotten a drum kit, and I used to play when he wasn't around. I was about 7 years old then. Eventually, I became a good enough drummer for Rick to want to give up drums and switch to guitar, so that we could be in the same band. That was pretty much the start of the Grip Weeds, and because of the group, we have learned to sing, write songs and record ourselves. I had also been playing guitar back then, but it's just one of those things -- one of us had to make the switch, and I was very keen on drumming at the time. I still am!
DM) You said you eventually became a "good enough drummer." How old were you at that time?
KR) Well, I guess I attained some level of proficiency by the time I was about 13, but I consider myself to be still learning and developing my craft. Only now I'm just concentrating on less tangible aspects like groove and feel, which actually are the foundation of drumming!
DM) Do you study? How do you improve your skills?
KR) No, I don't take formal lessons, never really have. Believe it or not, most of my "practicing" goes on in my head -- I think about stuff a lot. In some ways, that can be more valuable than actually playing. I listen to music a lot. Hearing other musicians play, and studying what they do, can inspire a person to try different things, which I would do in practice or when we record.
DM) Have you ever thought of taking lessons? Do you feel it would help?
KR) Not at this point. I'm too far gone! Too far gone down the road of my own making, which is where all musicians should wind up. What I mean by all this is that playing an instrument should become like breathing -- effortless and natural. Then, the mechanics of it falls away and you're able to play what you're thinking and/or feeling, which is something unique. At this point, if I did go for lessons, it would be to learn a whole different style of drumming, or maybe to learn another instrument. I've thought about taking tabla lessons, because Indian music is so different from Western music. I would need someone to show me how to play them properly. I just mess around on them now, because I really don't know how to play them!
DM) What is your favorite piece of your own work?
KR) All the songs I've written have special meaning to me in different ways, because they reflect my thoughts and moods of the period of time that they were conceived. I'd say I am most proud of "Salad Days" off our first album ("House of Vibes"), as it was my first really good song; and "Morning Rain" off the second, because it conveys a mood or message that other people pick up on and identify with.
DM) What has been your fan reaction to that song?
KR) Some people have reacted very strongly to it; one even asked us to perform it at their child's christening! We had fans and visitors to our Web site vote for their favorite song from "The Sounds is in You," and "Morning Rain" was their number one choice.
DM) Did you perform at the christening?
KR) We sure did! Not a dry eye in the house either!
DM) Who would you consider to be your influences?
KR) There are countless influences that affect my work as a vocalist, drummer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer. The thing is, they just sort of come up in the heat of the moment, when you're working on something or thinking about it. I suppose my main influences are the Beatles, the Byrds, The Who, The Moody Blues, Brian Wilson, maybe John Mayall. I'm mostly into rock music and electric blues, but I also really like classical Western and Eastern music and some jazz, but not that fusion stuff!
DM) Where do you see your career going from here?
KR) Hopefully, onward and upward, deeper, stronger, and longer! It's hard to say, because there are so many outside influences that affect your career. I just hope to continue to be in the position to do what I like and not have too many distractions to take me away from music. I hope for the Grip Weeds to build on our audience and maybe even have a hit record! But if it doesn't happen, that won't stop us.
DM) We have various categories of ...what genre would you classify yourself as?
KR) Music!
DM) What else have you done musically outside of the Grip Weeds?
KR) In addition to be a founding member of the Grip Weeds for 10 years, I have been backing up Richard X. Heyman on drums for many years. More recently I started a side project with Smithereens Jim Babjak and Dennis Diken called Buzzed Meg, where I am the "front man" on vocals and rhythm guitar. In order to make our music without depending on labels and other outside forces, we had to take matters into our own hands and become adept at all aspects of making a record. The Grip Weeds are as DIY as you can get! We bought a house and built our own studio, which has become a commercial enterprise. Through House of Vibes Productions we have recorded and produced many artists besides the Grip Weeds, such as Buzzed Meg, Swinging Neckbreakers, Evelyn Forever, and Danny Alderman.
DM) I've heard a lot about this crowd working together! How did this group friendship start?
KR) Well, we've been friendly with The Smithereens for years. In fact, Jim Babjak was partially responsible for our forming the Grip Weeds. We all used to hang out at the video store he owned in New Brunswick, N.J. Over the years, I became friendly with the other members of the Smithereens as well; I've always been an admirer of their music. So when Jim wanted to do some demos of his songs, he came to our studio to record them. Then he asked me to play drums and do the lead vocals on his demos, which I was more than happy to do. He's always been very shy about singing! The demos that we did had a unique sound to them -- they didn't sound like the Grip Weeds or the Smithereens. At the time, the Smithereens were on a hiatus, so Jim wanted to form a side band to record and play his songs. But he wanted me to be the frontman, so he brought in fellow Smithereen Dennis Diken to play drums, and I brought in Vince Grogan on bass. And we've been playing and recording sporadically ever since!
DM) So is the secret to musical success to move to New Jersey?
KR) Absolutely! No, really it's just that I've lived in New Jersey all my life and have built up a lot of musical connections here. Still waiting on success, though!
DM) Who are the Swinging Neckbreakers and Evelyn Forever?
KR) Both bands are from New Jersey. The Swinging Neckbreakers play garage rock music and travel all over the world. We produced their second album, "Shake Break." Evelyn Forever is a power pop group that the Grip Weeds sometimes play with. We are currently working on tracks for their next CD single.