John Grant @ EPIC Studios
+ Big Special
Please note that this is a ‘Norwich Arts Centre presents’ event at EPIC Studios, 112-114 Magdalen St, Norwich NR3 1JD.
With dry wit and unflinching honesty, singer/songwriter John Grant transforms his perspective as a gay man and his struggles with addiction and relationships into music that spans tender ballads and scathing rants. While his literate songwriting and resonant vocals remain constants of his music, his sound evolved over time. His 2010 debut, Queen of Denmark — which featured contributions from his close friends in the band — built on the lush sound of his former band, the alt country-meets-dream pop act . Later, Grant incorporated more of his enduring love for synth pop and industrial music on albums including 2015’s Grey Tickles, Black Pressure and 2021’s Boy from Michigan. On every album, his ability to switch from ironic to heartfelt, and from suave to blunt at a moment’s notice makes Grant a one-of-a-kind artist.
Now he’s back with new album The Art of Life which he started thinking about back in Autumn 2022. Earlier that year, John had been introduced to Ivor Guest, producer and composer at Grace Jones’ Southbank show, the finale of her Meltdown Festival. They began talking about two records Guest had worked on, ‘Hurricane’ for Jones, ‘Prohibition’ for Brigitte Fontaine. “Grace and Brigitte are two very big artists for me,” says Grant. “I love the albums he did for them. ‘Hurricane’ is an indispensable piece of Grace’s catalogue.” An idea was sparked. “I said, I really think you should do this next record with me. He said, I think you’re right.”
A year and a half later, the result is John Grant’s most opulent, cinematic, luxurious album yet: The Art of The Lie. As the title suggests, the lyrical ingenuity counterweighted under all this considered musical largesse is as dark as its production is epic and bold. John Grant has earthed it in deeply felt humanity and pitch-black realism. “The clothing that it’s dressed up in makes it more palatable,” he says. “It helps the bitter pill go down. Music and humour are how I’ve always dealt with the dark side of life. Come to think of it, it’s how I deal with the good side too.”
Big Special
Words are not to be taken for granted. Especially when they’re being bellowed, full blast, by a broad-shouldered poet with the brimstone fire of a preacher and the honesty and wisdom of a layman, over ground-shaking live beats and between anthemic blasts of melody and rousing riffage.
Words matter. History matters. People matter. And Big Special matter.
A duo who are louder than bombs, Big Special write about desperation and struggle, about a Britain in decline, about finding pride in your darkest moments, about how the real class war in the UK is always punching downwards. Theirs are songs of hope, and despair, and more hope, because, ultimately, good people win. Songs that channel that voice you hear when you look in the mirror and see your true self – fight songs for a world gone wrong.
