Graywave: Relinquishing Full Creative Control
STRAPPING YOUNG LAD. FOO FIGHTERS. NINE INCH NAILS. All bands that began as solo projects started by disillusioned musicians who were tired of the failings brought to them by previous bandmates and an industry that doesn’t particularly like to support up-and-comers. They’ve evolved to include some of the most notable names in the industry, as well as create them. The latest name to add to this list is GRAYWAVE, a musical project by Jess Webberley.
A solo musical venture is never an easy feat to accomplish, yet Webberley has managed to bring GRAYWAVE into fruition and a land of success in a few short years. But if the writing processes of previous EPs Planetary Shift and Rebirth taught them anything, it’s that they needed to involve a lot more people than previously anticipated.
“It become clear pretty early on in the project that the sound was leaning toward being a full band, so I always knew I would need members to allow it to work in a live setting,” says Webberley. “In terms of incorporating these members into the band completely, I realised I didn’t want to close myself off to other perspectives and ideas in the name of keeping total control.”
Relinquishing some of this control has allowed Webberley and GRAYWAVE to harness the full creative potential of being in a band and diversify their sound by utilising all the different outlooks and opinions that each member owns. But while it may benefit the band, giving up entire control of this solo project was not an easy decision to make, regardless of whether it was done in the interest of the music. Webberley’s surrendering of some command makes the entire project more harmonious, both in a musical sense and in that of relationships between the musicians that find themselves a part of it. “I think different perspectives are a good thing and will overall strengthen the outcome.”
While some control may have been surrendered to create the music GRAYWAVE releases, most of the visuals that we see, and experience are produced by Webberley. “I did all of the static visuals for Undone and had fun with the creative control and the ability to relate it to the music. The artwork for our previous release Rebirth was done by a good friend of ours; Skiz,” says Webberley. As with the sonic side of the band, Webberley is willing to put authority aside to enhance the creative outcomes of GRAYWAVE. It’s something that is looked over by many but the readiness to hand over the power you have over these products is something that should be highly commended and is an admirable quality. “As much as I enjoy creating the visuals myself, sometimes I like to get others involved to see how they interpret songs.”
This inclusion of other artists during every part of the creative process has led to a more diverse and varied project. Sonically, there is a very stark difference between GRAYWAVE’s first EP Planetary Shift and latest release Dancing In The Dust, with the band leaning into the darker elements of the shoegaze genre. “I’ve always been into heavier music and when it came to writing Rebirth, those influences came to the fore,” says Webberley, “I think it also came from the fact that even songs from Planetary Shift come across heavier in a live setting just from the way we play them – so it was nice to get that heavier vibe onto a record.”
This heavier shift comes from a need to translate the countless variations of synths and guitar licks of GRAYWAVE’s songs into a live setting. “I think it sounds a bit different, but in a good way,” says Webberley. “I like the fact that there’s differences from the record. There’s so many layers to the songs that go into studio recording, so naturally we have to get a bit creative when it comes to finding a way to transfer that to a live setting.”
The various layers that make up GRAYWAVE’s music translate even further to the visuals that Webberley creates as artwork, with the abstract nature of them reflecting the countless elements that go into creating their music. Somehow, through the visuals we can feel the feelings of yearning for something out of reach that weaves its way through the foundations of Dancing In The Dust.
Webberley’s willingness to give up total control of GRAYWAVE has greatly benefited the band and what they can produce; the music is richer and carries a deeper meaning, along with the visual feasts we are presented with to accompany these tracks. It’s a lesson that many musicians can learn from, showing that relinquishing some control can yield some of the best outcomes.
Dancing In The Dust is out now via Church Road Records.
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