Eric Albright - Bass Anthony Foltz - Drums and BGVs Craig Glasheen - Guitars and BGVs Michael Slawter - Singer, Guitarist, and Songwriter
Influences
The Beatles, The Byrds, Big Star, Sloan, The Jam, XTC, The Hollies, Nick Lowe, Redd Kross, The Minders, The Knack, The Smithereens, Marshall Crenshaw, Jellyfish, Herman Hermits, The Wondermints, The Jam, Badfinger, The Apples In Stereo, The Replacements, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, The Association, The Zombies, Pavement, Sonic Youth, The Pixies, Yo La Tengo, Guided By Voices, The Beach Boys, The Jayhawks, Golden Smog, Wilco, Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo, Cheap Trick, Matthew Sweet, Paul Westerberg, elvet Crush, Superdrag, U2, Teenage Fanclub, Todd Rundgren, Joe Jackson, The Raspberries, Weezer, ELO, The Posies, Jon Auer, Ken Stringfellow, The Cure, Cotton Mather, The Shazam, Paranoid Lovesick, Fountains Of Wayne, The Eels, Jeff Buckley, R.E.M., Television, Brendan Benson, Weezer, Elliot Smith, You Am I, Gigolo Aunts, The Mayflies USA, Jason Falkner, The Figgs, Myracle Brah, Soul Asylum, Nada Surf, The Creation, The Faces, The Small Faces, The Flamin Groovies, The Plimsouls, The Greenberry Woods, Ash, The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, DM3, The Someloves.
Sounds Like
The Replacements, The dB's, Plimsouls, Cheap Trick, Split Enz, The Records, You Am I, DM3, Orange Humble Band, The Jam
Ready for a crash course in Pop? The Saving Graces are ready to give it to you. Led by singer/songwriter Michael Slawter, this Winston-Salem, N.C.-based combo writes shimmering and brainy tunes in the finest tradition of American power-pop, earning them comparisons to The Plimsouls and The Records.
A veteran of the North Carolina music scene, Slawter last fronted the short-lived pop/punk quartet Neidermeyer. The band's sole recorded offering, "For Those About to Pop" won them 2001 pop-rock album of the year honors from The Winston-Salem Journal. The newspaper praised Slawter for creating tunes as "smart and entertaining as (the band's) name." Slawter soon decided he wanted a band that reflected his own vision. In 2002, the Saving Graces were born.
"I was really happy with the songs I was writing in Neidermeyer but I felt like I had so much other stuff inside me that didn't really fit that band." Slawter recalled.
In the fall of that year the Slawter headed into the studio with respected Australian musician d.Henry Fenton and longtime Winston-Salem scenester Britt "Snuzz" Uzell. The end product, "These Stars Are For You," was released by respected Portland, Oregon indie The Paisley Pop Label to almost unanimous critical acclaim. Over five songs, "These Stars Are For You" effortlessly blended 60s-vintage Britpop ("The Things that Make You Strange"), bouncy New Wave-style rock ("Idiot Proof") and gorgeous balladry ("Sad Golden Waves Goodbye.").
Now, on their first full-length LP, Slawter upped the ante to produce "Outside Guiding Lights." Joined by veteran producer Jamie Hoover (Spongetones, Van Deleckis), the 11-song collection presents a fuller picture of Slawter's songwriting capabilities, veering from the energetic, Buzzcocks-inflected "Giving Up The Ghost," to the lovely sturm und jangle of "Southern Gothic Sound," to the deeply personal meditation that is "Why Don't You Cry."
So set the headphones on loud and the seat on recline, and let yourself be swept away.
Michael, big belated thanks for the add. Great stuff, Count to 10 is brilliant Westerbergian writing, killer! I..ll be introducing you guys at CPF in July, drop me a line if there..s anything specific you..d like me to say. Keep in touch.
Hey guys thanks for letting us borrow Anthony Thursday. We'll try not to break him and have him home before midnight..LOL Cant wait to see ya'll jam again, whens the next Winston Salem show??
check this out michael: here are the emails of winston salem city council members who will be voting on the nightlife ordinance. write them and briefly tell them why you think this ordinance will hurt the music community and do winston salem irreparable harm! leeg@cityofws.org, allenj@cityofws.org, danbesse@danbesse.org, vivianb@cityofws.org, wandam@cityofws.org, nelsonm@cityofws.org, mollyl@cityofws.org, robertc@cityofws.org, joycelyj@cityofws.org and evelynt@cityofws.org.
Hey there, just wanted to let you know that I've been exposed to your music over the years through other local artists and I've listed you on MY TOP 15 Favorite Artists the week and since you are a local VIP, you are top 4! No big win, just my fav this week. Keep rockin! p.s.-I'm a Charlotte native but was born at Baptist in Winston so there is some kind of connection, right? lol take it easy, Tez
Hey guys great to finally see ya'll last night. Good job and we'll definitely get some shows together soon... ( well we may ask you to get a fill in drummer for them I dont know about that Anthony..LOL )
