Soul Bender is The Grip Weeds’ ninth studio LP since 1994. What are you most proud about this album and why?
I’m proud of all of it – the songwriting, the performances – but I think I’m most proud of our production on this one. We pushed ourselves to unlock the essence of each song and present it in its own way. Each song is its own world within the album.
What is the album’s vinyl and CD bonus material, and why should folks tap into that rather than just stream Soul Bender?
The Soul Bender Deluxe Edition provides the context and illustrates the journey of the making of the album through demos recorded as the songs were written, instrumental mixes of several songs, which allows the listener to hear things that might be overshadowed by the vocals, and, finally, live in-the-studio versions of the songs. We also include one song that didn’t make the album. The demo versions of some songs show the path a song can take from initial conception to final album recording.
The oldest demo on here is “Your Love,” which was the first song I ever wrote. It was demoed way back when the band was just starting, but we could never get it right live or in the studio, so it just faded away as other songs were coming in. During the pandemic, I picked it up again, revised the lyrics and arrangement, and it’s now called “Someone in Love.”
We recorded the live in-the-studio versions of seven songs as we were rehearsing for upcoming shows after the album was done, and it really helped us to quickly prep these songs for the stage. Some are full-on electric, while others are more stripped-down acoustic versions, like we do in vocal rehearsals to tighten up our harmonies. Both configurations strip away the production and present the songs as we play them to a live audience – just two guitars, bass, drums, keyboards, and our voices.
We also include a digital booklet on the making of Soul Bender, which goes into each song – how it was written, who played what, guitars and amps used, all the details you’d ever want to know about how we made the album. The only place to get the Soul Bender Deluxe Edition is from our artist-direct online store.
Which of your songs have been named ‘Coolest Song in the World’ by Little Steven’s Underground Garage, and what albums were they on?
We’ve had at least a dozen Coolest Songs over the last 20 years. “Every Minute” was our first one, which was on The Sound Is in You. “Salad Days” from House of Vibes, “Astral Man” from Giant On The Beach, “Speed Of Life” from Strange Change Machine, “Rainbow Quartz” from How I Won The War, and “Vibrations” from Trip Around The Sun are some. The last one I believe was “All Tomorrow’s Parties,” which was on DiG.
A few of your JEM Records label mates also have been named ‘Coolest Song.’ Why do you think Little Steven’s Underground Garage likes Jem Records so much?
Why wouldn’t they? Many of the bands on JEM are perfect for the format and sound of LSUG. That station really showcases the wide variety of sounds and styles that are ‘garage rock.’ It just so happens that’s pretty much what we like to listen to and create.
What do The Grip Weeds like most about JEM Records?
JEM has become like an extended musical family to all of us. Marty and his wife, Toni, are good, nurturing people, and they allow the bands to create the music they want to make, while stepping here and there to help guide the process.
What does it mean to The Grip Weeds to be a self-contained band and why?
It means we have total control over our music, from writing to final product. It means we are engineering, performing, and producing our albums all at once. I’m usually running around setting up mics and getting sounds, and then I have to quickly become the musician and perform. That can be hard, and you have to be of two minds to make it work, but it’s our statement from start to finish with no filter of an outside producer or engineer. That can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing, and it can lead to a record that could’ve been better had someone from the outside intervened. We made our mistakes over the years and are still learning how to do all this, but it’s our artistic statement, and it’s very pure. It has helped to be a producer-engineer for other artists, as I have a perspective to their music that I might not have on mine, but you can gain that perspective by casual listening with friends or even playing a rough mix after not hearing it for a while. Also, the other band members provide some perspective on songs they didn’t write – you just have to be open to discover what their reactions are and if you can make improvements to the track.
From: https://www.theaquarian.com/2025/06/13/makin-waves-with-the-grip-weeds-extended-musical-family/
