The Grates were an Australian indie rock band, which formed in Brisbane, Queensland in 2002 with Patience Hodgson on lead vocals, John Patterson on guitars and backing vocals and Alana Skyring on drums. Their first two albums, Gravity Won't Get You High (2006) and Teeth Lost, Hearts Won (2008), both reached the ARIA Albums Chart top 10. The third studio album, Secret Rituals (2011), peaked at No. 11. Their highest charting singles "Science Is Golden" (2006) and "Burn Bridges" (2008) reached the ARIA top 100. A video album, Til Death Do Us Party: Live at the Forum (2007), peaked in the ARIA Top 40 Music DVDs chart. Hodgson and Patterson married in November 2012 and were proprietors of Southside Tea Room in Morningside from 2012 to 2019. The Grates disbanded in 2020.
History
2002–2004: Formation and "Trampoline"
The Grates were formed in 2002 in Brisbane by Patience Hodgson on lead vocals, John Patterson on guitars and backing vocals and Alana Skyring on drums. Patterson and Skyring had attended Alexandra Hills State High School. Hodgson discovered her singing voice at a karaoke bar, where she performed "A Whole New World" (from Aladdin). They performed under a different name each night – they might trick regular customers into thinking they were a new band instead of the same "shitty" one. Subsequent noise restrictions limited live performances at that venue, Patterson recalled "It's pathetic. Ric's is our favourite place to play in Brisbane... We played our first couple of shows there about a year ago and miss playing there terribly." Musicologist Ian McFarlane added X-Ray Spex as another influence, whereas the group create "one hell of a racket with their... blasts of indie punk rock." They used an 8-track recorder with two cheap microphones in Patterson's shed. The track received high rotation on Triple J. They were signed to Dew Process in 2004 and released a four-track extended play, The Ouch. The Touch. (February 2005). The Ouch. The Touch peaked in the top 100 on the ARIA Singles Chart.
2005–2007: Gravity Won't Get You High
In April 2005 Hodgson explained her song writing style, "My attitude used to be just make up some shit that fits in and we'll be sweet, but now I want to work on the lyrics... I think when Daniel Johns first got some success, he didn't really know about music history, so he studied it, but I don't feel like I need to know. I just pick up stuff as we go along." It was recorded in Chicago with Brian Deck (Holopaw, Iron and Wine, Josh Ritter) producing. Nimmervoll noticed that "Some songs had been with them for a long time, others were wtitten just days before going into the studio." Pitchforks Sean Fennessey felt "electric Hodgson, who sounds like she's riding a jet-fueled pogo on almost every song, is joined by guitarist John Patterson and drummer Alana Skyring, who make a sweet, playful style of basement band music."
The lead single, "19 20 20", was released in March 2006. It was followed by "Science Is Golden", which was released in September 2006 and reached the ARIA Singles Chart top 60. The third single, "Rock Boys", was issued later that year. Four of the album's tracks were listed in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2006: "Lies are Much More Fun" (No. 71), "Inside Outside" (No. 42), "Science is Golden" (No. 17) and "19 20 20" (No. 10). During 2006 they performed at the Big Day Out (Australian leg), headlined a national tour in the first half of the year, supported Sleater-Kinney on their Australian tour, supported the Zutons on their UK tour, supported the Young Knives, and then Arctic Monkeys in their tours of Australia.
2008–2011: Teeth Lost, Hearts Won & Secret Rituals
The Grates' second album, Teeth Lost, Hearts Won, was released on 2 August 2008, which peaked at No. 6. Its lead single, "Burn Bridges", was released in July 2008, which reached the top 100. It was followed by "Aw Yeah" (October 2008). The Grates were listed onto the Triple J Hottest 100, 2008 with three tracks: "Burn Bridges" (No. 34), "Aw Yeah" (No. 80) and "Carve Your Name" (No. 83).
In mid-2009 the Grates travelled to New York where they performed and continued song writing for six months.
thumb|left|Hodgson fronting the band at a performance in [[Perth (July 2011)]]
Local US musician, Ben Marshall, joined the band on drums in New York to finish recording their third album, Secret Rituals (17 June 2011), which peaked at No. 11. The Alphabet Pony's reviewer found the work had "benefited from this increased sensibility, and the time taken to marinate in the creative hub of Brooklyn has done wonders for their revitalised sound... It's classic Grates sound, brought kicking and screaming into 2011 – but it's in the conflict between the old stuff and the new stuff that's the killer." Marshall toured with the band in Australia in June to July on the Secret Rituals tour with auxiliary member, Miranda Freeman on bass guitar and keyboards. Freeman is Hodgson's former high school mate. Their new drummer, Ritchie Daniell, who drummed for Brisbane indie rock band The Trouble with Templeton and currently Hatchie, officially joined The Grates in 2013 to play their live shows.
In December 2014, The Grates released their fourth studio album, Dream Team, on their own label, Death Valley. Everett True of The Guardian described how it "sounds more 'grown up' – what with the hyper-energetic brat-pop Grates of old switched for something a little more refined, more radio-friendly – there are still enough moments of euphoria to lift it above the mundane." He was disappointed by its "solid, muscly bloke drumming... Not everything has to be treated like it's an anthem." and debuted at #48 on the Australian iTunes chart.
At the 2015 Queensland Music Awards, the band won Best Rock Artist for their song "Holiday Home".
In 2018, Skyring officially rejoined the band. They went on tour that year to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of Teeth Lost, Hearts Won.
The Grates played their final shows as part of the 2020 Hotter Than Hell festival alongside Everclear, Unwritten Law and Frenzal Rhomb.
Other projects
Skyring joined Neil and Sharon Finn's group, Pajama Club in May 2011, for live performances. That group had recorded their self-titled album, which appeared in September 2011. In May 2012 Hodgson and Patterson opened Southside Tea Room, a bar and cafe, located at Morningside. Hodgson and Patterson had been dating for several years before marrying in November 2012. Hodgson and Patterson separated in 2020.
Members
- Patience Hodgson – lead vocals
- John Patterson – guitar, backing vocals, keyboards
- Alana Skyring – drums
- Ritchie Daniell – drums
Touring members
- Conan Thorogood – keyboards
- Dan Condon – keyboards
- Ty Jontz – keyboards
- Miranda Freeman – bass guitar, keyboards
- Ben Marshall – drums
- Jack Richardson – guitar <
- Owen Penglis – bass guitar
- Daniel Hanson – drums
Discography
Albums
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2" style="width:20em;"| Title
! rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Details
! colspan="1"| Peak chart positions
! rowspan="2"| Certifications
|-
! style="width:40px;"| AUS<br/>
|-
! scope="row"| Gravity Won't Get You High
|
- Released: 8 April 2006
- Label: Dew Process
|-
! scope="row"| The Grates
|
- Released: 2003
- Label: The Grates
| 2014
| —
| rowspan="2"| Dream Team
|-
! scope="row"| "Call Me"
| 2015
| —
|-
|}
DVDs
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|+ List of DVDs with Australian chart positions
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:12em;" | Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;" | Album details
! scope="col" colspan="1" | Peak chart<br />positions
|-
! scope="col" style="text-align:center;" | AUS<br />
|-
! scope="row" | Til Death Do Us Party: Live at the Forum
|
- Released: April 2007
- Format: DVD
- Label: Dew Process
| align="center" | 31
|}
Awards and nominations
AIR Awards
The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.
|-
| 2006
|The Ouch. The Touch.
| Best Performing Independent Single / EP
|
|-
APRA Awards
The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters". They commenced in 1982.
!
|-
| 2012
| "Turn Me On" (Patience Hodgson / John Patterson)
| Song of the Year
|
|
|-
ARIA Music Awards
The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. The Grates have been nominated for three awards.
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2006
| rowspan="2"| Gravity Won't Get You High
| Breakthrough Artist – Album
|
|-
| Best Cover Art
|
|-
| 2007
| Til Death Do Us Party
| Best Music DVD
|
|-
Australian Music Prize
The Australian Music Prize is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award.
|-
| 2006
| Gravity Won't Get You High
| Album of the Year
|
|-
J Award
The J Award is an award given by Australian youth radio station Triple J to Australian Album of the Year. It is judged by the music and on-air teams at triple j, Unearthed and Double J.
|-
| 2006
| Gravity Won't Get You High
| Australian Album of the Year
|
|-
| 2008
| Teeth Lost, Hearts Won
| Australian Album of the Year
|
|-
Queensland Music Awards
The Queensland Music Awards (previously known as Q Song Awards) are annual awards celebrating Queensland, Australia's brightest emerging artists and established legends. They commenced in 2006.
<small>(wins only)</small>
|-
| 2007
| "Science is Golden"
| Published song of the Year
|
|-
| 2012
| themselves
| The Courier-Mail People's Choice Award Most Popular Group
|
|-
| 2015
| "Holiday Home"
| Rock Song of the Year
|
|}