Sebastien Alexandre Grainger (born 11 April 1979) is a Canadian singer and musician, best known as drummer and singer of the alternative rock duo Death from Above and the singer and guitarist for his band Sebastien Grainger & the Mountains.[1] He is part owner of Giant Studios in Toronto, Ontario, with Jimmy Shaw of Metric.
Sebastien signed with Saddle Creek Records in the US, Outside Music in Canada and JVC in Japan to release his debut solo album, entitled Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains, which was released on 21 October 2008. It was recorded between Giant Studio in Toronto and Mountain City Studio in Montreal. Grainger wrote and performed nearly all the parts on the record with the exception of a few songs that were recorded as a full band. He is currently[when?] playing shows across North America. When performing live, Grainger is joined by bassist Nick Sewell, drummer Leon Taheny and synthesiser and guitar player Andrew Scott. Together they have toured with Bloc Party, Metric, Hot Hot Heat, and Albert Hammond Jr.
In 2009, Sebastien Grainger took part in an interactive documentary series called City Sonic. The series, which featured 20 Toronto artists, had him discuss his past experiences with the El Mocambo.[2]
Other projects
Death from Above 1979
Grainger is best known to the public for being the singer and drummer in the duo Death from Above 1979, with bassist Jesse F. Keeler. The "1979" on the end of the band's name originated from Grainger's birth year, which he has tattooed on his forearm. Death from Above 1979 broke up in 2006, citing personal and artistic differences between the two members of the band. However, on 5 February 2011, Grainger officially announced that the band had reformed, and they since have been playing shows worldwide.[timeframe?]
The Rhythm Method
The Rhythm Method is Grainger's dance/computer music alias.[3] He has released one double a-side 7" in the UK for the songs "Renegade Silence/When You Go Out" available from 50 Bones Records.[4] An alternate mix of "Renegade Silence" will be available on Grainger's LP Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains labeled as "featuring The Rhythm Method".
Girl on Girl
Grainger has released remixes for Death from Above's "Black History Month" and Metric's "Poster of a Girl" under the alias "Girl on Girl", a collaboration with The Mountains' Leon Taheny. Earlier similar electronic works were once available, under the aliases "The Great White Hype" and "Synsonic Pro-Model", through a dedicated Myspace page, that has since vanished.
Bad †i†s / Deserts
Bad Tits is Sebastien Grainger's band with Joshua Reichmann, formerly of Jewish Legend and Tangiers. The duo began playing shows in early 2010, with Grainger on drums and samplers, Reichmann on guitar and keyboards, and both singing. They released a debut vinyl 7" and digital EP titled Garbage Night on the label Hand Drawn Dracula. On 26 February 2012, Grainger announced on his Twitter account that Bad Tits had changed their name to Deserts.[5] Desert's Twitter account posted about having been recording music shortly after.[5]
He contributed drums to the track "Sunday Morning" by Canadian hip-hop artist k-os. He appears in the song's music video as a homeless man who is recruited as a drummer.
He has collaborated with rising French electronica artist DatA on his debut album Skywriter that released on 28 April 2009.[6]
Grainger played drums both live and on one record for Keeler's pre-Death From Above 1979 solo project Femme Fatale.
Note: Sebastien Grainger has performed on all Death From Above recordings to date. Only studio albums have been listed here, for a more complete list of releases see Death from Above discography.
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