Rob Gravelle and John Perinbam have collaborated several times on covers of classic rock songs, starting with Cheap Trick’s Dream Police back in 2010. More recently, the duo produced a blistering rendition of Deep Purple’s Highway Star. The duo also recorded the KNIGHTFALL CD with Annihilator’s Jeff Waters in 2009 in addition to several albums with their band Ivory Knight.
In this interview spotlight, I chat with Rob and John about the latest music, surviving lock downs, technology and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Where are you from and how do You describe your style of music?
Rob: First of all, thanks so much for having us on Indie Music Discovery!
I was born and raised in Ottawa, Canada, and have been playing guitar since my mid-teens. At that time I listened to a mix of classic metal (Maiden, Priest, Metallica) and progressive rock (Rush, Saga, Triumph). I was also very influenced by the virtuoso guitarists of the day, including Rik Emmett, Malmsteen, EVH, Marty Friedman, Jake E. Lee, etc. As a result, my own style evolved into a mix of somewhat intricate rhythms and flashy solos.
I got to write and play in a heavy/progressive style within the context of Ivory Knight (https://ivoryknight.net/). Then, around 2009, I started recording the odd cover song under my own name. I selected classic rock songs that I could mold into my style.
JDP: I’m from Johnstone, Scotland, UK. My style of music is pretty hard to pinpoint as I’ve done everything from classic rock / pop to heavy and progressive metal.
How did you get here? As in, what inspired or motivated you to take on this journey through music and the music biz?
Rob: It all started when my cousin Marc suggested that we learn guitar and start a band when we were 15. I really enjoyed guitar and started coming up with my own ideas right away. I joined Ivory Knight in 2000 and recorded three CDs with them. Nowadays, I split my time between the band and my solo endeavors. These consist of both covers and originals that don’t fit within the classic metal parameters of Ivory Knight.
JDP: I’ve been singing as far back as I can remember – my late father said he remembered me singing in the crib! I don’t remember that, but I do remember singing along to The Beatles probably around age 4 or so. Let’s not go into what year that was LOL!
Besides singing I play bass, guitar, drums, and piano / keyboards.
My first ‘real’ band (that performed publicly) was called Trojan Hammer, and the guitarist was Jeff Waters, who went on to fame as the mastermind behind Canadian thrash legends Annihilator. Shortly after Trojan Hammer broke up I formed Ivory Knight (with drummer Paul Malek, who had played on the early Annihilator demos).
Ivory Knight released 3 critically-acclaimed CDs – Up From The Ashes (2001), Unconscience (2004), and most recently, Unity (2018). Ivory Knight appeared in the Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles article “O Canada, Our Home and Metal Land! The List – Great White Metal A-Z;” in issue #92, among greats such as Rush, Saga, Voivod, Annihilator, Exciter, and Anvil!
In 2009 or so, I released a CD called Knightfall, which was produced, engineered, and mixed by Jeff Waters. Rob plays most of the guitar solos and co-wrote (with Jeff and myself) much of the album. I also create and release my own music (more info: johnperinbam.com) and am the frontman of (Ottawa’s) Enforcer.
How does your latest project compare/contrast with your previous release(s)? Were you setting out to accomplish anything specific, follow a specific theme, or explore different styles of creation?
Rob: The last several songs I’ve recorded were with my long-time band mate and collaborator, John Perinbam. Although not intentional, I found that the last three songs – Suspended Animation by The Monks, Private Life by Oingo Boingo, and Mouse In a Maze by Saga – had a similar feel to them in that they were all very catchy, yet slightly progressive. As such, we dubbed them the Progressive Trilogy. Our renditions of the songs turned out less metal than in previous outings, with the emphasis being more on capturing the essence of each song while staying true to our own style.
JDP: I personally just go wherever the music takes me. Apart from my work with Rob, my last solo release was a 2020 remake of an original rock / pop ballad called Picture on the Wall which I wrote around 1991 or so. That was completely different from anything else I’ve released…but that’s where the music took me. Prior to that, I think my last solo release was the Jeff Waters-produced Knightfall album, which was mainly melodic heavy metal / hard rock.
Name the biggest challenge you faced as a creative during these unprecedented times? How did you adapt? How have you kept the creative fires burning during all this?
Rob: The main effect of the pandemic was that band practice ground to a halt. While live shows were on hold, it gave me a golden opportunity to work on my solo material like never before. That’s why my output ramped up so much recently. It also meant that my fellow musicians, including John, would be available to contribute to the recordings.
JDP: My biggest challenge was, and still is, to try not to get bogged down working on technical aspects of voice and instruments – as opposed to writing. I can’t say I was entirely successful, either. I did manage to release my single Picture on the Wall in 2020, played bass and sang on several of Rob’s cover songs, and wrote lyrics and melodies for some upcoming collaborations, but I don’t think I created as much new material as I would have liked.
What was the last song you listened to?
Rob: It was actually a new original called “Black Veil of Silence”, which I am currently mixing. As part of that process, I’ve probably listened to it about 200 times in the past week! It’s a progressive metal song that really captures my penchant for time changes, solos, and a longish “interlude” section. I’m really looking forward to seeing how people respond to it.
In terms of bands, I’ve been getting into some heavier acts like Slipknot, Avatar, Arch Enemy, and In Flames. Besides those bands, I’ve also been listening to a lot of Ghost, Rammstein, and The Sweet, to balance out the heaviness.
JDP: Hah, the very last song I listened to was another Gravelle – Perinbam collaboration. It’s an original called Black Veil of Silence that we are mixing at the moment! BTW ‘we are mixing’ really means Rob is doing the actual work and I am critiquing and complaining LOL.
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? 8-tracks? Cassettes? CDs? MP3s? Streaming platforms?
Rob: My preference for both my own releases and listening is digital downloads. I found that CDs just piled up and I kept putting them back in the wrong cases. If I had the room for it I would likely collect vinyl like my brother does. Unfortunately, streaming and download platforms produce very little money for artists. I never expected to get rich with my esoteric tastes, but it would be nice to make more than fractions of pennies per stream.
JDP: I prefer the sound of vinyl but must confess that these days most of my listening is via streaming platforms.
Where is the best place to connect with you and follow your journey?
Rob: The best places to get the latest updates are my website at https://robgravelle.com and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RobGravelleOfficial.
My songs are available from all the major digital music platforms, including Amazon Music and iTunes:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Rob+Gravelle&i=digital-music
https://music.apple.com/dm/artist/rob-gravelle/288440853Other relevant sites include:
https://www.youtube.com/c/RobGravelle
https://soundcloud.com/rob-gravelle-450614847/JDP: The best place to connect with me is my website johnperinbam.com. Feel free to visit, check out new music, and sign up for my no-spam mailing list. The website also includes links to all my social media accounts.
I really appreciate Your time. Anything else before we sign off?
Rob: Thanks again for having us!
Look for Black Veil of Silence to be available in early 2022, followed by a new cover of a 60’s song, and a video for Suspended Animation!
JDP: Thanks so much for your support! I wish you all a very happy, healthy, safe, and ROCKIN’ 2022.
