Brisbane indie darlings The Grates are getting back together in their original line-up for the 'Reunited & Excited' tour, celebrating ten years of sophomore album 'Teeth Lost, Hearts Won'.
Released in 2008, two years after their debut 'Gravity Won't Get You High', 'Teeth Lost, Hearts Won' was the last recording by The Grates to feature the founding trio of vocalist Patience Hodgson, guitarist John Patterson and drummer Alana Skyring.
“I'm thrilled, I can't wait,” Patience says.
“It's been so long since we've played a show and it's something that I really miss from my life. It's a big part of my life, like a big hole that's been there for ages.
“I get this itch sometimes when I go and see live music and other bands onstage, it's almost like a muscle memory twitch – I see them up onstage playing, and my calf muscles go tense, my mouth, my jaw – I get this thing where I want to do it again and it's been so long since we've played a show.”
After releasing their first two records, Alana departed the band in 2010 to become a chef in New York and was replaced on drums by Ben Marshall for their 2011 third album 'Rituals', with Richard Daniell eventually taking on kit duty for the 'Dream Team' album in 2014.
“It's also really nice to have Alana back doing this again,” Patience says.
“I loved Richie – he's playing with Hatchie now – we love him and we're just like family. It's amazing we've been able to have that relationship with Richard, but then with Alana again... she is totally family, we will always be family I think.
“We had all those years together at the start of the band where we were just living in each others' pockets. It's really cool and fun that we're reconnecting over the band because that's always been the biggest thing for John and Alana, is that they've always been in bands together since they were in high school – that's always been their thing, so it's really awesome in a full-on, nostalgic type of way that they get to do it together again.”
A more involved writing and recording process than their first album, 'Teeth Lost, Hearts Won' yielded two singles 'Burn Bridges' and 'Aw Yeah'. Ten years later, Patience says the songs have survived the test of time, except maybe for one.
“I enjoy [the album] better now ten years on than I did right after we finished writing and recording it,” she says.
“I love all the tunes on it. The only one I still question is 'When You're Scared Of Dogs' – it's the weirdest song, it's such a weird song.”
More than a celebration of a single album, Patience is treating the 'Reunited & Excited' tour as a celebration of the special bond shared between her, John and Alana.
“We want the tour to be a celebration pretty much of all the music we did with Alana off 'Gravity Won't Get You High' and 'Teeth Lost, Hearts Won', and a celebration of being able to have ups and downs in friendships, to overcome things and the way that the path of life takes you... your path in life might go in a few different directions, but the music will always keep us connected.”
The Grates Tour 2018
Sat 24 Nov - The Factory Theatre (Sydney)Fri 7 Dec - The Corner Hotel (Melbourne)
Sat 8 Dec - The Rosemount Hotel (Perth)
Sat 15 Dec - The Tivoli Theatre (Brisbane)
