Grandaddy Have Broken Up

Aural Fixation · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 11:22 am

Quote:

Exclusive - Grandaddy split up
But there will be one more album
US indie rockers Grandaddy have split up, NME.COM can exclusively reveal.

Frontman Jason Lytle has confirmed the news today (January 27) -but also said there will be a farewell album from the group. 'Just Like The Fambly Cat', the outfit's fourth full-length album, will be released by V2 later this year. There will be no tour or farewell shows.

He told NME.COM: "It was inevitable. There's a path that we're on...we rode it out for as long as we could. On one hand our stubbornness has paid off, but on the other hand refusing to buy into the way things are traditionally supposed to be done has made things worse for us.

"The realistic part is it hasn't proved to be a huge money-making venture for a lot of guys in the band. We've been doing this for a long time and you have to ask yourself 'Why am I beating myself up like this?'...week after week, month after month, year after year."

He also disclosed that the end came during a fraught band meeting in December, when all grievances were aired - and the five-piece didn't want the evening to end.

He recalled: "We structured a little meeting to make it real. We got together one day in a place downtown where we wouldn't be bothered and had it out not knowing if it was gonna end. There was a lot of frustration in varying degrees, and a lot of it was built up from lack of communication.

"We had the opportunity to get it out into the open and come to terms with the fact that we gave it a pretty good go. We had witnessed the best it could be."

He added: "It's awkward right now...but it was far from throwing blows. It was kind of sad, because we knew it would be the last time we would hang out in that situation, so we dragged it out as long as we could!"

Lytle also admitted that while recording 'Just Like The Fambly Cat' he was aware that it was unlikely the record would be toured. He will now move from Grandaddy's Californian base of Modesto to Montana, where he will continue making music, though he has made no firm plans about his future yet.

Sex, Drugs, and Dave · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 11:27 am

Eh,

good band that I just happened to see way too many times...they were always opening shows I was going to.

Sketch · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 11:29 am

I went to college with a guy named Jason Lytle. No relation.

Like Sumday quite a bit. "Crystal Lake" annoyed the bejesus out of me.

hot. wax. · **Joined:** Mon Jan 24, 2005 11:04 pm **Posts:** 251

I saw them opening for Elliott Smith once, and was completely bored out of my ass.

Elliott: "You guys liked Grandaddy, right?"
Me: "Uh, no."

Dick Meatwood · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 11:37 am

I liked them the one time I saw them.

But they had been getting worse and worse since about 1997.

no guru · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 11:49 am

Well once you have a "fraught band meeting" you might as well pack it in.

Stop Breathin' · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 11:55 am

Drinky Wrote:

But they had been getting worse and worse since about 1997.

Timis · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 11:57 am

yeah i never really cared for these guys all that much.....

and from the sounds of the earlier posts - i guess its a good thing they are done.

neuroboy · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 11:57 am

i really liked them but i will say that i didn't expect anything different out of them. i'll probably get the new album and will like it--they're music really puts me in a good place. sounds like they didn't see themselves breaking any new ground so it was "things stay the same forever" or "we split up and grow" -- sounds like they made the right decision.

The Mayor of Simpleton · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 12:50 pm

Jason Lytle Wrote:

On one hand our stubbornness has paid off, but on the other hand refusing to buy into the way things are traditionally supposed to be done has made things worse for us.

Oh, come on. This is the dumbest excuse for breaking up a band.

DumpJack · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 12:53 pm

I have both of their albums. I've always found them good, but not great. I should probably throw them on again sometime.

fuse · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 12:59 pm

Just was listening yesterday and remarked to myself that they tend to rewrite the same song a few different ways. It's a really good song, though. I would've liked to think that they could have branched out a little more. Guess not now.

Dick Meatwood · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 1:01 pm

DumpJack Wrote:

I have both of their albums. I've always found them good, but not great. I should probably throw them on again sometime.

They have 3.

The first one, Under the Western Freeway, being the best. If that's not one of the ones you have, you might want to track it down.

DumpJack · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 1:23 pm

Drinky Wrote:

DumpJack Wrote:

I have both of their albums. I've always found them good, but not great. I should probably throw them on again sometime.

They have 3.

The first one, Under the Western Freeway, being the best. If that's not one of the ones you have, you might want to track it down.

I knew that after I posted that I should have said 'their last two' as I was dimly aware that they had another one which others, like yourself, have suggested are superior. I will endeavour to find this.

discostu · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 1:23 pm

Too bad... they defined themselves with Sophtware Slump and created a near perfect mix of melancholia and sunny Cali-fueled odes to the simple life on Sumday which was my favorite record of 2003.
Like Drinky said Under the Western Freeway is definitely a keeper and probably my favorite record of theirs behind Sumday.

Sucks, but yeah, they probably didn't have much more to express under the Grandaddy tag if Diary of Todd Zilla is any indication. Pretty weak EP.

I did see them twice. Once in Athens and once in Atlanta opening for Coldplay. Both times the mix was waaay to muddy and they were turned up waaay too loud. Disappointing for one of my favorite bands.

Here's the PITCHFORK breakup article

Dusty Chalk · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 1:31 pm

Dusty Chalk Wrote:

I have all three of their albums. I've always found them good, but not great. I should probably throw them on again sometime.

Mr. Mister · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 1:33 pm

I do like this band, will have to track down their first album. I never got to see them live unfortunately, even though i went to several shows they were opening. I always missed them some how...

KPH · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 1:48 pm

As one of the only other ardent Sumday defenders on my block, I'm pretty bummed about this. I definitely thought the EP portended a creative drop-off, but I tend to hold out hope for a band working things out.

Hopefully Lytle will have something new next year.

HaqDiesel · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 1:51 pm

I'd say it was just about the right time.

two guns holla · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 2:13 pm

I was really into Sophtware Slump my freshman year. They were really good the only time I saw them live, too. But I never got Sumday and haven't been interested in them since that concert. I might give the new one a listen, but whatever.

Cap'n Squirrgle · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 2:28 pm

HaqDiesel Wrote:

I'd say it was just about the right time.

Yep. Having (indirectly) said that, I am a fan of all 3 albums, and they get regular rotation. That coldplay show they opened for in atlanta... soooo pissed off. I wanted to see grandaddy equally as much at the time, so I got there at a decent time, to find a line around the fucking block. Explain this bullshit to me, Tabernacle Club:

- Doors open at 9
- Line stretches around a city block
- Opening band is told to start AT NINE
- People in line who wanted to see said opening band eat up the entire hour of their set waiting in line to get in.

I caught the end of one song. I was fucking livid, no matter what they sounded like... That was half the reason I paid for a ticket, and I had no chance of getting what I paid for. All I remember of them was netback trucker caps.

Kingfish · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 2:39 pm

Never owned their records. Saw them live once opening for Pete Yorn. Pretty decent show but not enough to make me buy the record.

Kit · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 2:47 pm **Posts:** 3052

I saw them twice when they were touring on Sumday, which was one of my top 3 records of 2003. I thought they had a great live sound. Sad to see 'em go.

alongwaltz. · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2006 3:11 pm

I've only got Sophtware Slump and Sumday but I love both.

This news sucks, but not as bad as that Todd Zilla EP.

Kit · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 2:47 pm **Posts:** 3052

dog on wheels Wrote:

I've only got Sophtware Slump and Sumday but I love both.

This news sucks, but not as bad as that Todd Zilla EP.

Yeah I have to admit, I listened to the Todd Zilla EP and didn't feel compelled to buy it. I'm sure I'll get Fambly Cat though.

Grandaddy Have Broken Up

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