The members of local grindcore/powerviolence trio Tired want people to know that just because most of their songs are a minute long, it doesn’t mean they aren’t packed with talent, intensity and a lot of heart.
“I feel like it’s one of those styles of music you stumble across as a kid like, ‘What the fuck is this?’” says guitarist Sam Samson. “I always just assumed it’s easy to play because it’s super fast and sounds like nonsense on guitar, but it’s super technical.”
Formed a year ago by Samson (who is also in Stone Sloth), drummer Colby Metzger (of Gloam) and singer Taylor Fish (ex-Moirai), they originally thought the new project would be temporary.
“The idea was to start a three-month grindcore band,” remembers Fish. “But then we kept getting more and more shows within nine months.”
Within those nine months, they played countless shows and recorded two EPs, Ennui (12 songs for a total of eight and a half minutes) and Created Broken (10 songs, also at eight and a half minutes). Unlike other grindcore and powerviolence bands that often take themselves so seriously that it borders on the ridiculous, Tired has never lost its sense of humor. Before landing on Tired, they went through several name changes—even taking up Third Eye Grind, a pun on radio pop band Third Eye Blind. While the name didn’t stick, they still perform “I Wish You Would Jump From That Ledge My Friend,” another reference to the ’90s band.
“We got asked by someone to play a Suicide Prevention show in town,” Metzger says with an ironic chuckle. “We just thought, ‘Dude, bad choice.’”
The band is furiously at work on new songs to record for a Bay Area band compilation, as well as for a split album with Oakland hardcore act Torture Method.
“Past that, the plan is to work on an album,” says Metzger. “Which, you know, will only be 15 to 20 minutes. After all, it is grind.”
INFO: 6 p.m. Monday, May 15. Caffe Pergolesi, 418 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. Free/Donations at door. 426-1775.
“Dude, bad choice.” Lmao only Colby. Great story as always, Mat.