Video: GRAFTON Live! Columbus rock

Columbus Alive: Local Music - Grafton (2011)

Columbus Alive, May 30th, 2011:

A decade ago, Grafton’s early career as barebones garage punk hellraisers culminated in the self-titled debut Lou Poster had always imagined. 

“This first record, that’s the one I started envisioning from the time I was 19,” said Poster, Grafton’s guitarist, singer and mastermind. 

Two lineup changes and three records later, Poster and drummer Jason McKiernan will reunite with original bassist Donovan Roth on Friday to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the debut, 15 years as a band and Poster’s 35th birthday. 

They’ll play the entire LP on Friday, hearkening to when they were young guns of Columbus rock. 

“It’s more a celebration that we’re still alive,” McKiernan said. 

Poster relocated to Columbus in 1995 and moved in with McKiernan the following year. Soon they were bashing out bluesy punk rock inspired by Columbus duo The Hairy Patt Band. Gaunt’s searing pop-punk, Gibson Bros.′ howlin’ stomp and Monster Truck Five’s churlish noise-mongering were in the mix too. 

“All those bands that we were into were the guys that we were afraid of at the bar,” Poster said.

New Additions: Blind Horse Campaign album by Grafton

Seeing Grafton live back in 2001 or 2002 was a special experience - the band was loud, bluesy, boozy and able to pull off a garage rock sound that dripped Midwestern authenticity. I was 100% on board with their debut at the time but did not give the follow up Blind Horse Campaign, released on Dead Canary Records in 2003, the same consideration. For whatever reason, it didn't snap into my brain the same way the debut did, but having picked it up on vinyl, I can say it definitely hits all the right notes.

Know Yer Band: Grafton

Band: Grafton

Members
Guitars/Vocals - Lou Poster
Bass/Backing Vocals - Donovan Roth/Will Pugh
Drums/Backing Vocals - Jason McKiernan

Releases
2001 - Self-Titled album (Derailleur)
2002 - Sumbitch/Fine, Good, Go! 7" single (Diaphragm Records)
2003 - Blind Horse Campaign album (Dead Canary Records)
2004 - Majesty Shakes 12" single (Dead Canary Records)
2006 - Jumpstart Wire album (Dead Canary Records)

The Lantern: Salt Horse on mission to save rock

Thank goodness The Lantern keeps all their old articles online and available. If a band put out a record over the last few decades, there is a good chance they've covered it, like the 2001 release of Salt Horse's The Best Of Times? Here is a snippet of that:

The best of times are definitely ahead for local Columbus band Salt Horse. The band combines hard-driving rock with an intense amount of energy in their sophomore CD, “The Best of Times?,” which they will release tomorrow evening at Little Brother’s, 1100 N. High St. 

Also appearing will be Grafton, Pretty Mighty Mighty and The Marcy Mays Experience who will join them in their mission of breaking new ground to help save rock. 

“We are the forging sounds of the future – more flavorful than just rock that’s unique in itself,” said Costa Hondroulis, singer and bass guitarist in Salt Horse. 

With a fed-up punk mentality and a raucously hard sound, “The Best of Times?” combines experience, enthusiasm and true rock ‘n’ roll flavor. In “Campus Riot Fight Song,” the band wanted to create a harsh sound like Hondroulis’ former band, Our Flesh Party. 

“We wanted to create a shocking sound like Our Flesh Party because they rocked harder than anybody,” said Milan Karcic, lead vocals and guitar.