GRETA VAN FLEET’S FROM THE FIRES DOUBLE EP IS RELEASED TODAY
10 November 2017 (Toronto, ON) - Breakout rock band of 2017, Greta Van Fleet celebrate the release of their double EP From The Fires today through Lava/Republic Records/Universal Music Canada, the country’s leading music company.
Available digitally and as a physical disc, the eight-song From The Fires combines four new tracks recorded in September at Rust Belt Studios in Detroit - two originals, “Talk on the Street” and “Edge of Darkness,” and two covers, Sam Cooke’s emotional “A Change Is Gonna Come” and “Meet On The Ledge" by the late ‘60s folk rock band Fairport Convention - with the four songs from the band’s debut EP, Black Smoke Rising, released earlier this year. From The Fires was produced by the same duo that helmed their debut EP, Al Sutton and Marlon Young. As Greta Van Fleet vocalist Josh Kiszka said, “These eight songs belong together as they share a theme of basic humanity.”
The four new recordings shine a light on some of the band members’ earliest musical influences, the blues, soul and funk of artists like Muddy Waters, Joe Cocker, Sam & Dave, Howlin’ Wolf and Wilson Pickett. As Screamer Magazine said in it’s review of From The Fires, “These new tunes show how much Greta Van Fleet is really capable of and how deep the talent runs."
According to Josh, "Edge of Darkness” is about "the bravery behind the compassion that we feel for each other. One of the lyrics is ‘I’ve got love in my heart,’ and I think, as a global community, it’s a spiritual thing to share all that we have together. Giving love is giving power."
Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” is one that has special meaning for the band. When Josh and twin brother (guitarist) Jake first heard it, they thought it was a song they’d like to cover, but never did. Fast forward a few years and ironically, co-producer Marlon Young suggested they cover it for this release. “All of us are very affected by oppression of any type,” said Josh, “cultural, racial, sexual. I’ve never experienced what Sam Cooke did so I have to admit, it was a little difficult for me, getting behind the mic, but I did it because singing this song meant a lot to me.” As Icon vs Icon wrote about this track, “This is where the group truly shows they are like no other. This isn’t simply a rock song, or even blues, it’s a gospel ballad that will move even the toughest soul.”
Josh has always connected with folk songs, with their beautiful melodies and harmonies and is a big fan of late ‘60s folk-rock groups like Spyro Gyra, Pentangle and Fairport Convention. “Meet On The Ledge” was composed by Fairport Convention’s Richard Thompson. "I was on a train going to New York,” he recalls, "and on the way, I listened to an entire decade of Fairport Convention’s music. ‘Meet On The Ledge’ was the fourth or fifth track I heard and it caught me by surprise. I was absolutely entranced, the verse and chorus blew my mind.”
About "Talk On The Street,” Josh describes it as "a fun song, full of catchy riffs and dynamic drums, kind of an ambiguous wild ride, a real rock’n’roll song.”
Greta Van Fleet will do some writing and recording this month, take some well-deserved time off for American Thanksgiving. Stay tuned for much more from this band in the new year.
The From The Fires track listing is as follows:
Safari Song
Edge of Darkness
Flower Power
A Change Is Gonna Come
Highway Tune
Meet On The Ledge
Talk On the Street
Black Smoke Rising
ABOUT GRETA VAN FLEET
Greta Van Fleet is four young musicians, brothers Josh (vocals), Jake (guitar) and Sam (bass/keys) Kiszka, and best friend Danny Wagner (drums). Josh and Jake have just turned 21, Danny and Sam are 18. They’re all from the tiny Michigan hamlet of Frankenmuth known for its family-style chicken dinners and the world’s largest Christmas store. All four were raised on their parents’ extensive vinyl collections (shared influences are Muddy Waters, Lightnin’ Hopkins, The Who, Jimi Hendrix), and were encouraged to be creative, daring and innovative. Each band member has killer musical chops and Josh has a voice that is simply jaw dropping. The band is making some of the most exciting, high-energy, sweaty, sexy rock’n’roll heard in a long time, and are bound and determined to bring real rock’n’roll back to the mainstream.
With their debut single “Highway Tune” spending ten consecutive weeks as the #1 track at Mainstream Rock radio, more than 4-million YouTube views for the companion music video, 7.3-million Spotify plays and spectacular praise from the media, Greta Van Fleet is - in just a few months - as hot a developing band as one can be.
-30-