The Grays | |
|---|---|
 The Grays c. 1994. Counter-clockwise from left: Buddy Judge, Jason Falkner, Dan McCarroll and Jon Brion. | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1993-1994 |
| Labels | Epic |
| Past members |
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The Grays were a short-lived rock band comprising singer/songwriters/multi-instrumentalists Jon Brion, Jason Falkner, Buddy Judge, and Dan McCarroll. They released only one album, the out-of-print but highly regarded Ro Sham Bo (1994) on Sony/Epic Records.
According to Jason Falkner, Jon Brion initially got into contact with him after listening to a mixtape of the album Odessey and Oracle by the Zombies he had compiled for his then-girlfriend. [1] Brion called Falkner to invite him to an informal jamming session with musicians Buddy Judge and Dan McCarroll. The meeting caught the attention of a music executive and led to a record label bidding war for a supposed band composed of the four musicians. Feeling pressured to join the supposed band, Falkner reluctantly joined and the band signed with Epic Records in 1993. [1] [2]
The intention of the band was to be a democratic collective of musicians, rather than a hierarchical group with a leader and backing musicians. This was due in part to the group's dissatisfaction with being in a band—particularly Falkner who had just come out of a tumultuous period with the band Jellyfish. [3] The band members would often swap instruments depending on the need of the individual song and would contribute to each other's songs. [1] [3]
The band released its first and only album Ro Sham Bo on February 22, 1994, on Epic Records. The album's lead single was the song “Very Best Years”. [4] The song was accompanied by a music video; it was the only song to receive a promotional video. [5] “Very Best Years” received minor radio play and its video received minor airplay on MTV. [6]
Despite glowing reviews from critics, Ro Sham Bo was a commercial disappointment [6] and was the only album released by the band. [3] The album would later go out-of-print. [6] In retrospect, Falkner reflects that the band was not truly a democratic collective as he felt he was the true leader of the group. This was due in part to the fact that the album's producer, Jack Joseph Puig, admitted to enjoying Falkner's tracks the most, giving him one more song than the others on the album. This created animosity amongst the members, specifically Brion, who was the first to leave the group. [1] This coupled with the band's lack of commercial success led to their breakup shortly thereafter. [2]
'Til Tuesday was an American new wave band formed in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The band, consisting of Aimee Mann, Robert Holmes (guitar), Joey Pesce (keyboards), and Michael Hausman (drums), was active from 1982 to 1989. They are best known for their 1985 hit single "Voices Carry".
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Jellyfish was an American rock band that formed in San Francisco in 1989. Led by songwriters Andy Sturmer and Roger Manning, the group was known for their blend of 1960s classic rock and XTC-style power pop. They released two albums, Bellybutton (1990) and Spilt Milk (1993), that proved influential to many subsequent acts in a similar vein.
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Jon Brion is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and composer. He performed with the Excerpts, the Bats, 'Til Tuesday and the Grays before becoming an established producer and film score composer.
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Ro Sham Bo is the first and only studio album by The Grays, released on February 22, 1994 by Epic Records.
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