DMCWORLD checks in with the South London outfit as they release their stunning new video…
Could you explain a little bit about the idea behind Little Grim and what it is that you think makes you stand out?
We met when we were in a secondary school jazz band and found we all had this love of quirky and off the wall styled sounds which we would experiment with during lunch time. It felt like a pure expression of ourselves at the time and was something that not many people at school did.
I’ve personally learnt so much from being in the band, having used music as a natural outlet for most of my life. Despite the stresses we face, whether it be during education, working jobs, having relationships with people etc. the band has been the one consistent that has stayed with me throughout. It really feels like a backbone to all the other challenges we each face in life.
It’s also a great way to collaborate with other people, be it through music, art, dance or film. Since then, it’s allowed us to record in professional music studios, perform live around the country, write music with other fantastic artists, create unconventional shows with built in art installations, and explore the world of film through music videos. Without it, I doubt that we would have connection to many of the people we consider friends now.
What makes us stand out is the fact that our music tastes vary widely between the four of us, and we’re always experimenting ways in which to incorporate each element of ourselves within each song. Whether it be funk, hip hop or folk, we’ve found a way to mesh it into something unique.
How do you envision Little Grim in 5 years?
We’ve been working on really getting engaged with our local scene in Peckham and growing the bands from South East London. With each step, we want to see our shows in London selling out consistently and have fans calling us out to new regions of the UK and eventually abroad. Things have been going really well locally so far.
In 5 years’ time, we want to be able to afford a tour van that’s not at risk of falling apart as we travel from venue to venue across the US & Europe. We want to be the big names playing at The Great Escape and SXSW festival.
The subject of your video is one of hot topic in the post-#metoo climate, what made you want to tackle this?
When we first looked at the storyboard, we sat down with the director to discuss in detail how we intended to approach the narrative and who/what was involved with the filming itself.
Collectively, we were very sensitive towards the post-#metoo climate and wanted to ensure it acknowledged the movement in a way that empowered the video’s female lead character to speak out against the harassment she faces. Hearing about different scenarios where people have suffered from this behaviour in the most discreet forms, the message was aimed to highlight the signs – in all their subtly – in an area as commonplace as a train.
What would you say to anyone who wanted to follow in your shoes? What advice would you give?
The best advice I could give would be to make sure you know and trust the band members you’re working with. As things build for the band, your relationships are only going to be tested more and more as you spend most of your time together, usually tired (and in confined spaces).
Having known each other since we were young, there’s not many boundaries we have and it means that we can write and play music together whilst being completely open to suggestion, critique and ideas. Once you let your ego go and let everything said flow through you, you start thinking as a unit rather than individuals.
I’d also say that we’ve always felt empowered by the fact that we don’t fit into many scenes. We’ve really found our feet in our live performances by booking the shows ourselves. It allows us to have complete creative lease over how we want to present the night and helps our fans see us in the way the music is intended. If you don’t feel like there’s a local scene that represents you, then make one.
What plans do you have for the future of your live music events in Peckham?
Running our own shows has been really exciting as we don’t have to worry by all of the restraints we’re given when working with some promoters and can think unconventionally and out of the box. Through booking shows, we’ve come to know some amazing local artists who we’ve been fortunate enough to play with and feel like we are really building a scene amongst.
For the time being, we’re happy creating concepts and running shows that introduce us to great new music and art, and offer a platform for artists to express themselves the best way possible. We will definitely keep it going whilst we still see it’s growing.
Musicians and artists are moving more toward the independent route in terms of releasing music and marketing themselves, how does this work with Little Grim?
Whilst we’ve had some brilliant friends who have helped us along the way, we’ve always been pushing the band hardest ourselves. We delegate the workload between the four of us and have had to organise the marketing and distribution as a band. It’s very humbling to understand how much time you have to dedicate to more admin focussed side of it all, but it makes playing music that much more satisfying.
What is your main goal for the band?
Initially we were aiming for an artistic outlet of expression for ourselves, which is safe to say we’re happy that we’ve achieved and are going to continue pushing. The next step is to find ourselves in a state where the band can support each of our living costs and see us playing music to fans all around the world.
www.facebook.com/littlegrimuk
