Gripweeds - Kurt Reil
By: Dominick A. Miserandino
DM) How did you get started in music?
KR) My brother Rick was the first to bring rock music into the house, and I,
being his younger, more impressionable brother, soaked up the influences. He
had gotten a drum kit, and I used to play when he wasn't around. I was about
7 years old then. Eventually, I became a good enough drummer for Rick to want
to give up drums and switch to guitar, so that we could be in the same band.
That was pretty much the start of the Grip Weeds, and because of the group,
we have learned to sing, write songs and record ourselves. I had also been
playing guitar back then, but it's just one of those things -- one of us had
to make the switch, and I was very keen on drumming at the time. I still am!
DM) You said you eventually became a "good enough drummer." How old were
you at that time?
KR) Well, I guess I attained some level of proficiency by the time I was
about 13, but I consider myself to be still learning and developing my craft.
Only now I'm just concentrating on less tangible aspects like groove and
feel, which actually are the foundation of drumming!
DM) Do you study? How do you improve your skills?
KR) No, I don't take formal lessons, never really have. Believe it or not,
most of my "practicing" goes on in my head -- I think about stuff a lot. In
some ways, that can be more valuable than actually playing. I listen to
music a lot. Hearing other musicians play, and studying what they do, can
inspire a person to try different things, which I would do in practice or
when we record.
DM) Have you ever thought of taking lessons? Do you feel it would help?
KR) Not at this point. I'm too far gone! Too far gone down the road of my
own making, which is where all musicians should wind up. What I mean by all
this is that playing an instrument should become like breathing -- effortless
and natural. Then, the mechanics of it falls away and you're able to play
what you're thinking and/or feeling, which is something unique. At this
point, if I did go for lessons, it would be to learn a whole different style
of drumming, or maybe to learn another instrument. I've thought about taking
tabla lessons, because Indian music is so different from Western music. I
would need someone to show me how to play them properly. I just mess around
on them now, because I really don't know how to play them!
DM) What is your favorite piece of your own work?
KR) All the songs I've written have special meaning to me in different ways,
because they reflect my thoughts and moods of the period of time that they
were conceived. I'd say I am most proud of "Salad Days" off our first album
("House of Vibes"), as it was my first really good song; and "Morning Rain"
off the second, because it conveys a mood or message that other people pick
up on and identify with.
DM) What has been your fan reaction to that song?
KR) Some people have reacted very strongly to it; one even asked us to
perform it at their child's christening! We had fans and visitors to our
Web site vote for their favorite song from "The Sounds is in You," and
"Morning Rain" was their number one choice.
DM) Did you perform at the christening?
KR) We sure did! Not a dry eye in the house either!
DM) Who would you consider to be your influences?
KR) There are countless influences that affect my work as a vocalist,
drummer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer. The thing is, they just sort
of come up in the heat of the moment, when you're working on something or
thinking about it. I suppose my main influences are the Beatles, the Byrds,
The Who, The Moody Blues, Brian Wilson, maybe John Mayall. I'm mostly into
rock music and electric blues, but I also really like classical Western and
Eastern music and some jazz, but not that fusion stuff!
DM) Where do you see your career going from here?
KR) Hopefully, onward and upward, deeper, stronger, and longer! It's hard
to say, because there are so many outside influences that affect your career.
I just hope to continue to be in the position to do what I like and not have
too many distractions to take me away from music. I hope for the Grip Weeds
to build on our audience and maybe even have a hit record! But if it doesn't
happen, that won't stop us.
DM) We have various categories of ...what genre would you classify yourself as?
KR) Music!
DM) What else have you done musically outside of the Grip Weeds?
KR) In addition to be a founding member of the Grip Weeds for 10 years, I
have been backing up Richard X. Heyman on drums for many years. More
recently I started a side project with Smithereens Jim Babjak and Dennis
Diken called Buzzed Meg, where I am the "front man" on vocals and rhythm
guitar. In order to make our music without depending on labels and other
outside forces, we had to take matters into our own hands and become adept at
all aspects of making a record. The Grip Weeds are as DIY as you can get! We
bought a house and built our own studio, which has become a commercial
enterprise. Through House of Vibes Productions we have recorded and produced
many artists besides the Grip Weeds, such as Buzzed Meg, Swinging
Neckbreakers, Evelyn Forever, and Danny Alderman.
DM) I've heard a lot about this crowd working together! How did this group
friendship start?
KR) Well, we've been friendly with The Smithereens for years. In fact, Jim
Babjak was partially responsible for our forming the Grip Weeds. We all used
to hang out at the video store he owned in New Brunswick, N.J. Over the
years, I became friendly with the other members of the Smithereens as well;
I've always been an admirer of their music. So when Jim wanted to do some
demos of his songs, he came to our studio to record them. Then he asked me to
play drums and do the lead vocals on his demos, which I was more than happy
to do. He's always been very shy about singing! The demos that we did had a
unique sound to them -- they didn't sound like the Grip Weeds or the
Smithereens. At the time, the Smithereens were on a hiatus, so Jim wanted to
form a side band to record and play his songs. But he wanted me to be the
frontman, so he brought in fellow Smithereen Dennis Diken to play drums, and
I brought in Vince Grogan on bass. And we've been playing and recording
sporadically ever since!
DM) So is the secret to musical success to move to New Jersey?
KR) Absolutely! No, really it's just that I've lived in New Jersey all my
life and have built up a lot of musical connections here. Still waiting on
success, though!
DM) Who are the Swinging Neckbreakers and Evelyn Forever?
KR) Both bands are from New Jersey. The Swinging Neckbreakers play garage
rock music and travel all over the world. We produced their second album,
"Shake Break." Evelyn Forever is a power pop group that the Grip Weeds
sometimes play with. We are currently working on tracks for their next CD
single.
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