New Release – Digital Throw-up Parts I & II (album) by Grim17
Grim17 is Laurence McDaid, a Derry-based singer/songwriter and producer renowned for his ecclectic mix of Blues, Electronica, Rock, Jazz and Stomp.
He will release his album ‘Digital Throw-up Parts I & II’ on November 5th. A Bandcamp pre-save is available.
How would you describe the album?
“It’s actually two EPs. I released the first half as an EP called ‘Digital Throw-up’ back in 2013 in the midst of a horrible breakup and period of chaos in my life, that included unemployment, the loss of contact with my daughter and pseudo-homelessness (moving back in with my parents). I had some moderate success, musically, after this with accolades and write-ups and even an appearance on TV, but I was suffering quite severe depression and disappearing further and further into alcohol abuse, i.e. I went drinking for five years.”
“When I started writing and recording again after I, sort of, came out the other end, I found that what I was writing was basically turning into ‘Digital Throw-up Part II’. Around this time Mike from the Lights and Lines label had contacted me about working together and when I told him the above narrative, he offered to release it.”
Do you have a favourite song on the album? Which one and why is it your favourite?
“Well, the one I consider the most musically and sonically accomplished is ‘Read Out Loud’. I like music that makes me say, “Woah! How the fuck did they do that?!” and I think that ‘Read Out Loud’ is the closest to thaton the record. Plus, with some of the growling, shouting, stomping and other weird noises I was making in the shed (it was recorded in a shed out my back) I like to imagine my neighbours incredulous reactions to hearing my lunacy out of context.”
Is there a story behind the art work? Did you make it yourself?
“Yeah, that’s all me. The original EP’s cover was done with whiteboard markers on white tiles in my parents’ shower. I wanted to recreate something similar for this, so I used my son’s chalkboard and chalks this time round. Also, the 1s and 0s in the background should translate as ‘Digital Throw-up Parts I & II’ unless that translation website lied to me.”