# Grady anyone?



## Baconator (Feb 25, 2006)

Gordie/Grady Johnson, formerly of Big Sugar is currently touring Canada with the band Grady. I wasn't the biggest Big Sugar fan, but I do like what I've heard of Grady - really sleazy, heavy country rock. Man, that guy can play. I'm going to try and catch him in Kingston on May 4th.


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

Grady has been on my radar for a while. I was a big Big Sugar fan back in their heyday. Unfortunately there have been numerous issues with drummers with this band. It was the same in Big Sugar though - hopefully this band will go big time now that things seem settled. One thing I heard about Gordie was that he produced the last Black Crows album and they liked him and his playing so much that they asked him to join. He refused, but that would have been interesting I think.

Matt


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

i saw them here in kingston last yr...they opened for priestess...they were better than priestess too...

i never got the oppurtunity to see big sugar...but my god grady is loud...it was an awesome show...
i'm gonna try to see them when they are here next wk too!


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## Steve_F (Feb 15, 2008)

I love grady. They are an absolutely awesome band.


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## Mike Potvin (Apr 30, 2009)

ezcomes said:


> but my god grady is loud...


+1
I saw them last year at the Ottawa Bluesfest and yes, the volume at that show was sufficient that you could literally feel the sound waves hitting you! I was a huge fan of Big Sugar (love Gordie). Its a shame that the Canadian music scene drove him away


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## twoonie2 (Jan 19, 2008)

Saw Big Sugar at Lee's Palace during their final tour.. and boy was it loud!!! Fantastic show.. anxious to checkout a Grady show - own both of their studio albums.


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

I am a huge Big Sugar fan


Grady has disappointed me so far though...I love GJ's playing, but the whole "detuned to mud" thing just results in a slosh of noise all buried in the kick drum/bass gtr/detuned gtr frequencies....they are all competing for the same sonic space so it just sounds like crap IMO. I actually left the last show I was at, it was so bad


I saw the first incarnation of Grady with Big Ben, GJ, and Chris Layton at Grossman's, and it was AMAZING.....I don't get what he's trying to do now...wannabe ZZ Top with a heavy slice of The Ramones, but in a big undefined mudbath of noise


to each his own :rockon2:


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

i would tend to agree with bolero...some stuff does sound horrid b/c its detuned so much...

and to be honest, i've only seen the "new" incarnation...they had just hired the girl drummer two wks before the previously last kingston show...i can't say that i liked the cover of the hip song that they do, and i haven't heard any of their new stuff...but the first disc was great!


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## CocoTone (Jan 22, 2006)

Gordie did some production work for The Govnt Mules more recent album,,don't know which one, but he is big on the Tezas scene now. Dropped the Hugo Boss look, for a straw hat and overhauls. All about the look I guess.kqoct

CT.


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## JimiGuy7 (Jan 10, 2008)

I don't think I agree with the fact that it all sounds mashed together. I saw them 2 weeks ago in Ottawa and they were amazing! You could hear everything cleary, dispite the insane volume (sweet). I have been a Gordie fan since I first heard Ride Like Hell and I'm a Ram, just the sweetest tone I have ever heard. The only thing with Grady is the Nina (the drummer). She is solid and holds time very well, she is just not as good as the previous 2 drummers. Her fills are not the best and there is something about the way she hits the high hats when she hits the snare drum, they get louder and it makes her sound like a beginer, IMO. But all in all, it was well worth going to check them out, tone, tone and more tone. He uses so many guitars!

:rockon2:


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## Stevo (Apr 3, 2008)

I really wanted to like Grady but I just can't seem to get into it, for whatever reason. I loved Big Sugar in all it's incarnations, from the earlier Blues stuff like 'Sleep in Late' to the reggae/Marshall thing near the end. I saw Big Sugar in a smallish club where the stage was head level. He had a couple 4x12's blasting full on into people's faces' about 10 feet away. I watched with amazement from a higher deck at the people that could take that kind of punishment. I wonder if they have regained their hearing yet. :rockon2:


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## CocoTone (Jan 22, 2006)

Really though,,whats the point of the crushing volume?? Its juvenile.:wave:

CT.


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

dunno if anyone is interested but Gordie is doing a thing at Long and McQuade in Ottawa tonight...


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

more news:

he's at the L&M in Mississauga ( near square one ) doing a clinic saturday 6pm

playing a gig in Burlington sat night

and one in TO on the 11th I think


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

ah, here's a link, much better!!


Grady ~ Calling All My demons » Shows

November 5th Norma Jeans London, ON Opening Act The Motorleague
November 6th The Legendary Red Rooster Burlington, ON Opening Acts: The Motorleague & Betty Shyne
November 6th Long & McQuade Mississauga Mississauga, ON "Guitar Clinic"
November 7th The Blind Dog Windsor, ON Opening Act The Motorleague
November 10th The Mansion Nightclub Barrie, ON Opening Act The Motorleague
November 11th The El Mocambo Toronto, ON Opening Act The Motorleague
November 11th Long & McQuade Bloor Toronto, ON "Guitar Clinic"
November 12th The Legendary Red Dog Peterborough, ON Opening Act The Motorleague
November 13th The Townehouse Tavern Sudbury, ON Opening Act The Motorleague
November 16th The Grand Theatre Sault Ste Marie, ON Opening Act The Motorleague
November 17th The Office (Crock's) Thunder Bay, ON Opening Act The Motorleague
November 18th The Cornerstone Kenora, ON Opening Act: Killer Robots
November 19th The Pyramid Cabaret Winnipeg, MB Opening Act The Motorleague
November 19th Long & McQuade Winnipeg, MB "Guitar Clinic"
November 20th The Distrikt Regina, SK Opening Acts:
The Motorleague
November 21st Amigos Cantina Saskatoon, SK Opening Act The Motorleague
November 23rd Average Joe's Lethbridge, AB 
November 24th Union Hall Edmonton, AB Rock for Santa
Opening Acts:
The Motorleague
November 25th Wild Bill's Banff, Alberta Opening Act The Motorleague
November 26th Long & McQuade Calgary, AB "Guitar Clinic"
November 26th The Palamino Calgary, Alberta Opening Act The Motorleague
November 29th The Vat Red Deer, Alberta Opening Act The Motorleague
December 1st Long & McQuade Vancouver, BC "Guitar Clinic"
December 1st The Venue Nightclub Vancouver, BC The Venue
Opening Act The Motorleague


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## dodgechargerfan (Mar 22, 2006)

I thought Big Sugar got back together. They were on the bill for Canal Days in Port Colborne in the summer. 
I missed the show though. Anyone catch it?


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

there are vids on youtube of the various shows from the "reunion"...i don't think it was to be any more than just some summer shows...it'd be great if we did get some more music from the guys though!


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Hmm, might have to check out that show at the El Mo.


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

__________


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## TubeStack (Jul 16, 2009)

Saw Grady last night at Norma Jean's in London. Killer, killer show! So heavy, just a badass, hard rocking band. They start kicking ass the minute they're on stage and do not let up the entire time, just relentless. Loved it. And the detuned riffing is f*cking wicked, it's like ZZ Top and Black Sabbath got in a car accident, smoking heavy blues rock. 

I loved Big Sugar, back in the day, but Grady is something really special, too. What a blast. I'll go see them any time I can.


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

went to the clinic, was some awesome acoustic slide playing of both Grady & Big Sugar tunes

breaking news: a new Big Sugar album is due out in the new year, apparently they've already recorded all the tracks


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## randall (Dec 9, 2006)

I saw them last spring, great show and the opening band was killer! I wish he could be louder! maybe go to 800 watts? just kidding.


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

thats sweet!! hope it sounds like the old Big Sugar...

anyone seen any vids on youtube from the clinic?


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