One week prior to their final show, we have once again teamed up with Vermont powerful melodic hardcore punks GET A GRIP, who have helped reignite their local scene of late. They are retiring from their 6-year tenure and we caught up with their guitarist Nick Grandchamp to ask why, recall some of the finest moments of their endeavour and see what’ in store for their future. After all, good punk bands’ retirements are inevitable kind of human suffering, haha.
GET A GRIP‘s final show takes place at Merchants Hall in Rutland, Vermont on December 8th. GO HERE to RSVP.
So Nick, the time has come, huh? What circumstances have resulted in calling it quits?
It’s kinda crazy when I think about how much has changed in the last seven years just in our personal life’s alone, when we started the band most of us were in our early 20s working dead end jobs and trying to tour as much as we could, now we are in (or closing in) on our thirties, we are all in serous relationship or marriage, we all have full time jobs we can’t really leave too often without issues. I became a homeowner, it’s been extremely hard to find a balance of touring and keeping a job and relationships going healthy without any extra income. We really wanted to end on our terms, The band needed to be on the road more and not all of us can make that happen at this point so we decided to put it to rest and not fade out in our hometown. Lucky we enjoyed a good amount of touring in the earlier years of the band.
Please take us back to the beginning. How do you remember your early days with GET A GRIP?
The early years started in a old beat up shed in a small town in Vermont. Evan and I wanted to start a band that was fast and straight to the point, he was living in Massachusetts at the time but he moved up soon after the band started to be dedicate to the band full-time, Brit and Dave (our original bass player) were in a band together that was breaking up around the same time Evan moved back, I really wanted to work with them so I message them and the rest is history.
Like most things new the band was raw and real for better or worse, we were finding our sound but also growing really close together, it was special, as time went on we kept doing as much as we could to push the band forward.
Personally, what have been your most satisfying moments with the band?
I enjoyed meeting and connecting with all the people that we have on this seven year journey, so many people that have helped us out in so many ways, I can’t even begin to name them all, It’s unreal, We all are very thankful for the support we have all had, The music was always second to the amazing people we meet playing it.
Band wise, if you could go back to one moment over the last 7 years and live it again, what would it be?
Looking over the waterfront in Burlington Vermont as the sunset and hearing Bad Religion play Sorrow, knowing we were going up right after them.
That was pretty unreal.
Is there anything you won’t miss about this endeavour?
I always kinda take everything in life as a whole, with the good and bad attached, both are apart of everything we do in life so I accept it for what it.
How does it feel, saying goodbye to this chapter of your lives?
I think it’s been hard for all of us, this was such a huge part of our life’s for such a longtime, but at the same time I think we all respect the project enough to give it a good end and I think we all know now is the time for that.
So, obviously you have some new projects in the works. Shoot us some details on that.
I am still active in Sink Or Swim and doing some solo work with Nick Grandchamp And The People Watches, Ive been writing music for new band that is set to start after the holidays but nothing super serious as of touring non stop.
Music will definitely be made by all of us in new projects that’s one thing for sure, keep your eyes pealed in the New Years for more news on all our projects.
Lastly, tell us about your final show. Depending on when you answer these questions, you might tease it, or serve a nice post-show review. It’s entirely up to you.
Our last show is detailed below.
Ok Nick, thanks so much for all our GET A GRIP x IDIOTEQ collaborations. Hopefully we’ll produce more features on your future projects. The last words are yours.
Thank you Karol and IDIOTEQ for the years of support and love!
