AN INTRODUCTION TO: GREASE FACE

Loud, in your face, and artery clogging, Grease Face embodies the characteristics of DIY. Originally hailing from the far reaches of Hinesburg, Vermont, Grease Face is comprised of childhood friends Jackson Glover, Brenden Provost, and Liam Thomas. Since Glover and Provost began school at Champlain College in the Fall of 2017, the band has become a fixture of the Burlington music scene. We got to chat with Grease Face about snacks, music, and plans for this year.

hope: We've seen you guys a few times, but for anyone who hasn't, could you tell us who plays which instrument?

Jackson: I play bass and yelp.

Liam: I play geetar.

Brenden: DRUMS.

hope: How long have you been playing together?

Jackson: We're actually coming up on our 10 year friendship anniversary. We've played instruments with and without each other a bunch during that time but Grease Face has been a thing for about a year and a half.

hope: Congrats on 10 years. How'd y'all meet each other?

Jackson: My family moved to Hinesburg VT when I was in 4th grade. Those two were in my homeroom class and we've been friends since.

Liam: The first time I met Brenden was in 2nd grade. He was drawing butt cheeks in his math book.

Brenden: After drawing butts in my math book during class, Liam approached me and we have been friends ever since.

hope: Can you explain how Grease Face came to be? What made the three of you come together to form this specific band?

Jackson: When we were in middle school we started playing together at school but it was mainly just an excuse to dick around. In high school we started to get really into Sabbath & some contemporary garage. Also going to local shows—specifically Apartment 3—was a really big inspiration to us.

Brenden: Junior year of high school I cleaned out my basement and convinced my parents to let us make noise in the house. After a while, we started to play too loud for the house and had to move to my garage. Ever since then we have used my garage to write songs and practice.

hope: Besides Black Sabbath do you have any other musical influences? Do you all share similar influences or do you each have different tastes?

Jackson: Yeah, definitely. We take a lot of inspiration from new-ish garage rock bands Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Black Lips...

Liam: Mudhoney was a pretty big on for me.

Brenden: We look up to the simplicity of old school punk bands.

Jackson: Maybe a lil DEVO, Television, Wire…. We all like similar stuff so its always been pretty natural.

hope: How do you describe Grease Face's sound?

Liam: Like a bus full of kids that are on their way to the petting zoo.

Brenden: Grease Face's sound is the secondary product derived from putting three easily aggravated teenagers with similar interests in music in the same school for years. Grease Face's sound can be described as energetic, fun, fast and slippery.

Jackson: a flock of seagulls wearing cowboy hats trapped in a basement.

hope: Creative, but weirdly fitting… When did Grease Face start playing shows?

Jackson: Our first show was 12-1 on a Sunday night at Radio Bean during a blizzard on the same night that Jonathan Richman was playing in Burlington…. That was December 2016.

hope: Since then, is there a show you've played that stuck out as a favorite?

Brenden: Pretty much any show where our friends come out is a great time.

Liam: Yeah any basement show is always a lot of fun.

Jackson: Yeah. Playing with Apartment 3 before they split was pretty special for us too because they were like our local heroes / dads.

hope: That must've been great. What is it about basement shows that you like so much?

Jackson: I think that’s just what we've been doing primarily this year. I really like sharing the space with the crowd.

Liam: There’s good energy and it’s personal.

Brenden: Basement shows are always so low stress because usually we are good friends with the owner of the house and the kids who come through to see us.

hope: That's a good point. House shows are so personable. Do you have any pre-show rituals?

Liam: We go to Brenden’s, strategically pack the car up and chill.

Jackson: Like a puzzle.

Liam: Sometimes we get food after the shows with our pals.

hope: What kind of puzzles // what kind of food? Anything specific?

Jackson: The puzzle is getting everything into Brendo's car. It’s a process sometimes...

Liam: Usually Jackson and I are under a drum or two.

Brenden: Always Wings Over Burlington.

Jackson: Something GREASY.

hope: That's a nice segway to the next question. What's the story behind your name?

Brenden: We were making our yummy signature meal "Greasy Queso Hot Dogs" when “Mr. Butterfingers” Liam Thomas dropped a pack of hotdogs… The dogs spelled out on the floor the words "Grease Face". We had no choice but to make those words the name of our band.

hope: Could we get that recipe?

Liam: It’s top secret.

Jackson: Absolutely not.

Brenden: U wish.

hope: Fair enough... What albums would you bring if you were stuck on a deserted island?

Brenden: A New World Record by ELO fer sure.

Liam: Electric Warrior by T. Rex.

Jackson: Melted by Ty Segall.

hope: What are Grease Face’s plans for this year? Anything we should keep an eye out for?

Jackson: We are going on our first lil tour this summer—which is exciting. Moving into an apartment together, Working on some new music/recording and playing a lot more around town.

hope: Sweet. Where's this tour headed?

Jackson: The plan is to head down to baltimore and back. An official itinerary will be released soon...

hope: Looking forward to it. Last question: How has music and being in a band impacted other aspects of your lives?

Liam: I went to college an hour away this year, but now I want to be closer. I only spent 2 full weekends at my school—other than that I was back here either for practice or a show. Now I’m moving to Burlington this summer with Brendo and Jackie.

Brendon: Being involved in the music scene here has helped me figure out what I want to do in my life as far as a career goes. If it weren't for the band, I wouldn't be studying Sonic Arts at Champlain. I also never would have met any of the people I call my close friends.

Jackson: Yeah it definitely involves some time commitment, and we definitely made a lot of new friends. For me planning everything and making posters has definitely tied into other interest of mine like design. I think the decision to stay in Burlington for all of us was definitely pretty tied up in the band.

Grease Face play Burlington, VT on Thursday, May 31st with Fleece, Lost Dog, LEAN.TEE & Waste Band at SideBar. Entry to the event is $3 // RSVP to the event here.

- hope all is well

THIS ARTICLE WAS GRACIOUSLY CONTRIBUTED BY:

Ben Demars is a freelance writer based in Vermont with special interest in music, lifestyle, and mid 2000’s reality tv. Read his thoughts on twitter @ive_benjamin