Golden Gram is a man of many talents developed out of necessity.
Currently, he is playing with Shanna Mahan in Get Better, check out their new EP, Rockford Summer. He's still playing bass on tour with The Album Leaf for the release their new album, A Chorus of Storytellers. He'll be playing live with them all over the world in 2010-11.
Before that he spent the last half of 2009 touring as a multi-instrumentalist with Port O'Brien for the release of their third record, Threadbare.
As a child he sang with his mother, so he learned the basics of piano to
accompany. ?Pianos aren't very portable so he learned the guitar. ?A
friend's band needed a new drummer, so he learned the drums. ?After
bad experiences in recording studios, he learned to record himself.
He got offered DJ shifts, so he learned to do that too.
Nowadays, he can do all of these things reasonably well.
As the saying goes, "A jack of all trades, Master of None."
Master of None was written over the last few years in between touring
and recording with Rogue Wave, which he parted ways with in Spring
2009. It was recorded at Golden Gram's studio, LoveBuildingCompany,
and at 3431 Harlan between 2002 and late 2008, in Oakland.
"I made a $100 bet with a friend to have it finished by the end of
2008. I won that bet."
What does it sound like?
"A mix of the styles that made me a musician. I've struggled and since
given up trying to define a sound. I've decided to embrace the
differences."
"I've written over 200 songs since 2000 and a lot of them aren't that
great, but they were great exercises.
I learned to just get them out and not pass judgment until after the
creation. I was getting caught up worrying if an idea was good or not
instead of actually realizing it. Immersion Composition Society
helped a lot with that. It's like a writer's workshop for musicians.
A group of folks spend a predetermined day writing and recording all
new material, then you get together that evening to share your
results. The idea is to write as many songs as possible in one day.
You learn an awful lot about what your strengths and weaknesses are."
Why 8 years since the first Golden Gram record?
“Since I bought my first 8 track in 1997, I've always made my own
records, it just took a back seat when Rogue Wave started gaining
momentum and that was certainly a wonderful ride." ? ?
Master of None was initially completed as a Christmas gift for family and friends in
2006. Soon after, he felt something about it wasn't quite right. ?
"I needed help to make it feel cohesive. Louie Lino (Nada Surf) basically
saved it. I had finished and since abandoned the record for a good
while. We got to talking while on a European tour in 2008 and I
convinced him to have a listen. He then proceeded to remix and play on
4 songs. His vision and enthusiasm inspired me to finish 2 others.
Next thing I knew, I had what I thought sounded like a real record."
When not working on his own music, Gram plays with as many of his
favorite bands as possible. In the last two years he's played with Dr.
Dog, Spoon, Nada Surf, The Album Leaf, Port O'Brien and The Heavenly States.
When not playing music, he can be found DJing in the Bay area at the Missouri Lounge for Friday Happy Hour, among other fine east bay establshments. He also produces events and records folks at his studio at Lobot Gallery in West Oakland.
