On Saturday 26th April, I had the chance to interview Graz, bassist and vocalist from the band Lacey who are currently on tour in the UK supporting Patent Pending and People On Vacation. I'd been watching all week on Facebook and Twitter as their follower numbers climb and read review after positive review. This was going to be good...
As we are climbing into the tour bus, Graz sheepishly apologises for the state of it, explaining that they were a week in and had let their hair down the night before. He needn't have bothered: the tour bus is pretty much immaculate apart from a few of the bunks not having been made and a solitary empty bottle on the table at the back… Hardly the rock'n'roll disaster I was promised!
Graz is relaxed and charming lounging back into the couch and offering me a drink as I am squirrelling around trying to find the Dictaphone and my note pad with hastily drawn up questions, making me feel rather amateur. He has the easy, quiet confidence of a star at the beginning of his journey and as such is able to make me feel comfortable, and the interview becomes a casual conversation instead.
The Punk Archive: Tell me about the tour so far. How have you found it?
Graz: It's been unbelievable! Kids are CRAZY these days! The reaction that we've had has been fantastic. We didn't expect that, we just thought: "We’re opening this tour, no-one's gonna be too concerned…" but no! The kids have been loving it which I guess shows we're kind of doing the right thing!
The Punk Archive: Understandable: you guys have got some fantastic songs! I love Burning Out and Contender. Wonderfully catchy. Do you have a track that you feel is a stand out crowd pleaser at the moment?
Graz: Burning Out definitely! We get them all to sing along. It's crazy hearing them all sing it back when they've heard the song...well I kinda teach them the words before we play it...but to have 300 people sing your song back to you who have never heard it before, it’s just great!
The Punk Archive: It's gotta hit you in the chest, right?
Graz: Yeah, absolutely!
The Punk Archive: Have there been any blunders then, or any embarrassing moments?
Graz: Errrm… I get a bit tongue tied! I get a bit excited and I talk too quickly. Luckily I haven't put my foot in it… I nearly got a city wrong, just as I walked out, but right at the last second I was like shit… OK, we're in Glasgow! Oh my God! Last night, Josh (Guitar, Vox) literally nearly killed Joe from Patent Pending! Joe came out during Burning Out to sing the bridge with us and he wasn't there, so we just assumed he might not have been joining us, and I dunno what Josh did, he just spun around and literally impaled him with the head of his guitar! Nearly killed the guy. Luckily he made it through and played the rest of the show!
The Punk Archive: Was he OK?
Graz: Not initially! He was man-down for a good thirty seconds and then sort of limped up to the microphone and sang the rest of the song with us. I missed it. I just heard everybody gasp! I just saw their faces looking across! Yeah, God we could have broken his ribs but yeah…
The Punk Archive: I’d say that's kind of embarrassing… Headlining band and you’re killing them off one by one.. I guess it's one way to make it to the top of the bill! (laughs) So how long has Lacey been together?
Graz: Three years.
The Punk Archive: So actually, in terms of the industry, this has happened quite quickly for you in the scheme of things. A lot of bands will be milling around for a fair while before they manage to get on a tour like this. You must be doing something right to be here!
Graz: I hope so, I mean we have been playing in bands since we were teenagers.
The Punk Archive: Together? Or in various bands?
Graz: Three of us have been playing together since we were 14 or 15 and we met Dave (the drummer) when we moved to Nottingham so it's almost as though this time around, the stuff that we've learned has made us more efficient these days. We understand as a band more of what to do than perhaps we would have as teenagers. Also, with tours like this you pick up even more things.
The Punk Archive: Are you learning quite a lot from the guys you're touring with?
Graz: Yeah, but I think it's more because tour can be quite strenuous, you know? Day in, day out it's a long day but you know, it's what we wanna do so… You just do it, you know?!
The Punk Archive: OK, so tell me about your band members. Who snores?
Graz: Pete! Although I haven't heard: our bunks are all quite close and I haven't heard Pete snore this tour but he does.
The Punk Archive: Is it like a drain?
Graz: Oh God what's it like… It's quite terrifying actually! Like a chainsaw.
His expression as he tells me this has me in stitches. The guy looks traumatised….
Graz: "but he's been alright so far this time..."
The Punk Archive: No stuff of nightmares in the tour bus? No dramas on the road so far?
Graz: Other than the drama on stage it's been pretty tame…. Should I make something up?
The Punk Archive: No no! Better to not have drama: if it's all gone smoothly that's a good thing! What's your favourite tour date been so far?
Graz: Now that is difficult. People are going to get angry aren't they...
The Punk Archive: Of course not! You've already said you think the whole tour has been awesome! If something has been particularly stand out for you, we want to hear it!
Graz: OK, I'm gonna name a few. We always love Manchester. For some reason they seem to really love Lacey. Then as a combination of the people, the venue and the city, Glasgow was pretty damn good!
The Punk Archive: Yeah? I hear it's a brilliant place for partying after a gig and that they are all pretty mental alcohol wise..
Graz: Well I wouldn't like to stereotype but er…. If you say so… (laughs)
I would like to point here out that I am the one who brought out the drinking stereotype. In no way did Graz agree or disagree with this statement. He was very impartial to my goading....!!
The Punk Archive: Have you, or any of the band had any crazy fan moments?
Graz: We have a fan, and I'm not even kidding, with our faces tattooed on her leg.
The Punk Archive: Really?
Graz: Yeah! We were like, what are you doing?
The Punk Archive: You've got to admit, that’s pretty awesome.
Graz: It's pretty damn cool, yeah! If anyone ever, I dunno, slags me off for anything, well come back and talk to me when someone's got your face tattooed on their leg! We've had a couple of fans get our lyrics tattooed and one got us to sign their arm then went the next day to have our signatures tattooed on...
It’s an incredibly personal thing to do so if these guys are resonating this much with their new fans they are destined for even bigger things.
The Punk Archive: Any other crazy fans?
Graz: Well, there was one lady who invited me round for dinner if ever I am back in the area (I won’t mention the town) and that was fine, but then she was like, but we'll have to make sure my husband is out! Bit of an older lady…
The Punk Archive: You've just played Hit The Deck Festival! That must have been awesome!
Graz: It was awesome! I tell you what was really awesome, was how many people turned up that early on a Sunday to come and watch us play!
The Punk Archive: Have you got any more festivals or anything lined up this summer?
Graz: Not yet.
The Punk Archive: Is that because you have other gigs booked back home once the tour finishes? Or..? Graz: It's because we are recording an album...
You heard it here first kids… An album is on the way!
Graz: This tour has kind of put on hold the album. We've recorded three tracks so far and we are going back in in June to do a few more.
The Punk Archive: So you're going to break for the summer largely to make sure that's done? When are you planning on releasing?
Graz: Hopefully the back end of this year along with another tour.
The Punk Archive: No set date yet then?
Graz: Not yet, because it's not finished and there are other bits and pieces that need to be sorted first. We have however got an album teaser up for download...!
I hope you are all opening a new browser right now to get it…
At this point Graz realises the time and we have to pull the interview to a close. He needs to go and get ready to open the show so kindly takes me back into the venue before disappearing to go and warm up with the rest of the band.
Having listened to and liked Lacey's music so far I am buzzing to find out how this relays live. That calm superstar personality I was talking about? It resonates. The whole band are effortlessly cool, whipping the crowd into a frenzy.
A new band on a tour like this can get lost, ignored, even hated. Lacey had them eating out of the palm of their hands: almost literally. They responded to every call for a clap, wave or sing-a-long and were running to the merch stall to fill their bags with Lacey joy before People on Vacation took to the stage.
Highlight songs are Burning Out, Contender and new single Let It Go. Their EP Outlaws and single Chapters are available from iTunes now. If you’re a fan of Jimmy Eat World, Patent Pending, The Loved Ones, you’ll enjoy these guys.
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