Rollo greb could be described as the musical manifestation of one person’s faith in the unpredictable, or simply as a “roots rock” band.
Rollo Greb, established in Murfreesboro, is a lot of things, but NONE of those include boring, predictable, uninspired, or emotionless.
Formed by Brian Dempsey, Rollo Greb has grown to four members: Brian on lead guitar and vocals, his brother Brandon on drums, Harlan Smith on rhythm guitar and background vocals, and Ryan Hauschild on bass.
Brian’s well structured, yet unbridled songwriting serves as the groundwork for RG and illustrates his patience with the erratic flow of life. Until recently, RG was a side project for Harlan, Brandon, and Ryan. They met in the MTSU dorms in 1999 and formed the band Page 80 within one week of meeting. When Brian finally moved to the ’Boro in 2003, RG began to take shape through random practice sessions with Ryan, Harlan, and Brandon. Brian continually wrote songs and played solo shows as Rollo Greb while Page 80 was becoming a choice act among the locals. However, this past July Ryan moved to Utah, which brought Page 80’s time to a close and caused RG to return to a “bare roots rock” sound. Now that Harlan and Brandon have more energy and time to invest in RG, Brian’s personal vision for the band has become more specific.
“I strive for strong songwriting accompanied by ambitious music, but it should also be simple and efficient,” Brian said.
These musicians not only make music, but they also put together their own records. Using personal equipment in their own home, they recorded, mixed and produced a full-length Page 80 album and several Rollo Greb EPs on JakeBrake Records, their private label.
The inspiration for the name Rollo Greb came from Jack Kerouac’s novel “On the Road.” A passage describes the character Rollo Greb as having “excitement [that] blew out of his eyes and stabs of fiendish light.”
I see that same excitement in RG’s music blowing out the music scene in Murfreesboro.
On Friday, Aug. 18, at Wall Street, the new Rollo Greb played their first show. Brian opened for RG’s set by playing four songs solo. His haunting, ambient voice and melodic guitar filled the room. When Harlan and Brandon joined Brian onstage, the intimate setting quickly became electrified. RG closed their 45-minute set strongly with a tune that combined Dylan and Cash songs. In addition, they gave out free copies of a previously recorded four-song EP.
If you’re wondering what’s next for the Greb and what they want you to know, read on, music lover.
Murfreesboro Pulse: Describe Rollo Greb’s sound.
BD#1: Singer/songwriter composition serves as the core of the band’s sound.
BD#2: Young music for old people.
HS: Old music for young people.
MP: How has Ryan’s absence altered Rollo Greb?
BD#1: We’ve had to reinvent the band musically due to his physical absence.
BD#2: Ryan is still a member of the band; we’ll write some music, send it to him, and he’ll send it back with bass lines for us to mix in.
HS: The songs will sound different (live) for a while, but it’s easy for me to write to Brian’s music, whether it’s on guitar or bass.
MP: What are the musical influences of this band?
BD #1: Wilco, both musically and lyrically. Also, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Lucinda Williams, Stones, Jeff Buckley, and our parents.
BD#2: Chili Peppers, Audioslave, Carter Beauford, and our parents, definitely.
HS: Dylan, Radiohead, Doc Watson, Air, Tony Rice, and my Dad.
MP: What are the least enjoyable aspects or writing/playing music and recording?
BD#1: The unforceable winds of inspiration; having faith in the idea that the songs will write themselves.
BD#2: The fact that I’m a perfectionist can make recording and writing stressful, but it’s definitely rewarding in the end.
HS: Missing moments of inspiration by not being able to tell my hands what my mind wants to do with the music.
MP: Is there talk of a full-length album or upcoming shows?
BD#1: We plan to release an album sometime next year.
For future show listings or booking information visit our Myspace page at myspace.com/rollogreb1.
