Style speaks

to local punk rock band Grade 2

With a freshly released self-titled album, we spoke to Sid Ryan, frontman of Rydebased punk rock band Grade 2. Since starting out over ten years ago, the band has gained a strong continental following and their new release promises to ‘rattle your bones, stir your heart and have you singing till you’re hoarse’. So with that, we thought it was ideal timing to get to know them better with a Style Speaks interview.

How did the band come about? And where does the name come from?

The band formed in 2013 during lunch breaks in Ryde Academy’s music room. As for the name, that was also coined in high school by a close friend of ours. The original idea was “Grade 8” which came from music grades. However, none of us actually have that. So, my haircut, which was a straight Grade 2 at the time, was the next best option.

Why punk? And which artists are your biggest inspirations?

Punk was introduced to the band by me. Jack and Jacob had already been playing a lot of heavier influenced guitar music, but together we delved into the world of Punk when we put together our first list of songs to cover. These included the likes of The Stranglers, The Jam, Dropkick Murphys, all of which still have big influences on our music today, but we’ve definitely honed in on our own sound.

Out of all the venues you’ve played at, which has been your favourite?

“Vega” in Copenhagen. We played there last summer with an American band called “Social Distortion”. Aesthetically the venue was unreal, the in-house crew were great and the catering was truly out of this world. It’s one we’ll remember for a long time.

We noticed Ryde features in a lot of your photography and in your recently released music video “Under the Streetlight”. Is that just because it’s home?

The aim with our most recent video was definitely to showcase our hometown as much as possible. We wanted people to see where we grew up and where we’re from. It was also great to include all of our friends and family in the video; it really hit home that community feeling.

The same applies to our photography. There’s a lot of places that have that iconic feel, from the view of Ryde Pier to the old Royal York Hotel. Emma Wilkinson (Sheer Pink Photography), who took the photos, had a natural eye for it all

We’ve seen that you’ve toured everywhere from Germany and France to Latvia and the Czech Republic. Would you say you’ve got a strong following in Europe?

We’ve definitely built a strong following over the years, especially in Germany. It’s one of the first countries we played abroad, and we’ve been going back ever since.

Apparently Sid played a show every day for nearly two months with a fractured arm… any other memorable moments?

I fractured my arm during the last week of our recording session in LA. Our European tour started a week later, and I had no insurance in the states, so I had to fly home and get it checked at A&E in Newport. With the tour about to start I couldn’t wear a cast, so we just had to power through on pure adrenaline each night.

Similarly, on our 2019 USA tour, Jack fell ill with a kidney infection. He was a trooper; we took one day off and carried on for the whole tour.

When you’re not on tour, what are your favourite things to do back on the Island?

Apart from catching up with friends and family, I personally like to run a lot. Running along Ryde Seafront is always a great feeling. In the summer months, hitting the beach for a swim — that always takes the cake!

Your new album came out in February, for those who haven’t heard it, can you tell them what to expect?

If you’re already familiar with the genre of Punk, you’ll notice the sound takes influence from different decades. Whether it’s early ‘77 style like The Clash, or ‘90s style like Rancid. We’ve definitely managed to create a sound that pays tribute to bands like those, but at the same time making something uniquely our own.

With over half a million views on YouTube so far and almost 27,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, you decided to release the new album on vinyl too. Why?

We’ve always released on vinyl. Once you’re actually holding an LP it transforms the record. You’ll read the lyrics as you’re listening, taking in the artwork or insert photos, reading the credits.

And finally, what’s next for Grade 2?

We’re out on the road right now across the UK/Ireland (March), and then we’re heading to mainland Europe for a headline tour (April). We’ve got a ton of shows lined up. We’ll also be playing a hometown gig in aid of the “Help Musicians” charity on June 24th at Strings Bar & Venue in Newport too.