Header photo credit: Jacob Diehl
Gray Young has always operated slightly outside the typical indie rock timeline. Since forming in 2009, the atmospheric shoegaze band has released five albums, taken a break, reunited, and played countless shows. Most recently, they emerged from the pandemic with Traces, a record that feels simultaneously like a continuation and a completely fresh start.
For guitarist/vocalist Chas McKeown, that balance between experience and rediscovery defines where the band is right now. The local scene has transformed. The venues have new bookers. Shoegaze, once an obscure reference point, is in the midst of an unprecedented revival. And somehow, Gray Young is still meeting every week to write, finding joy in the process and maybe even a little surprised they’re together after all these years.
Oh, and they got Ride‘s Mark Gardener to master their record — a surreal full-circle moment for a band raised on The Unforgettable Fire and pre-Internet musical obsession. Let’s dig into it.
What have you been listening to lately?
Chas: I haven’t had an album hit me in a while. I guess as you get older — I’m 48 now — it’s harder for you to get into newer things. It’s literally like the chemistry in your brain, but I try to defy that as much as I can. Something that really struck me in the past year was a Johnny Marr solo record, Call the Comet. I’ve just been obsessed with it. There are a couple of songs that are very The Smiths, but it’s more rock. Like if they had more of a rocked-out version of them. It’s a great guitar record, and the songwriting is awesome too.
Who is an artist that you first discovered on your own and obsessed over?
Chas: I’ve gotta go with U2. There were earlier things I liked, but I got into them in high school, and it was a lot more of an obsession. I didn’t like them at first. I hated them because I was like, “Where’s the guitar solo? [laughs] But hearing an album like The Unforgettable Fire when you’re that young is like, “What is this?” It was bizarre.
Nowadays, U2 are considered classic rock, but back then, it was very eye-opening to me. I liked it not just on a sonic level, but on an emotional level. Their art really affected me as a person. They were kind of like The Beatles of my era; I would buy books, read about them, and just go down the rabbit hole, pre-Internet.
I feel like putting out five albums since 2009 gives you a unique perspective on being an artist before streaming really took over. How do you think being an artist, promoting your work, and getting people to engage with it has changed over the last two decades?
Chas: It’s a different experience. When we put out our first record, CDs were still the physical copy, and there was no streaming. Then the vinyl revolution happened and it’s still going, but streaming I feel like is a double edged sword. On the one hand, it’s a great way to get your music heard on playlists, but the artist isn’t adequately compensated for those listens.
If I like a band enough, I always try to get a physical copy of the music. But I know I’m probably in the minority. Everything is set up now for the short attention span. So a lot has changed, and I feel like getting someone to invest in a full-length album has become a lot harder. I think live music is still popular, but I’ve been wondering if it’s gotten harder to get people to leave their houses for a show. We are just starting to try and get more active in the local live scene, so we shall see!
I feel like I’m rediscovering what’s going on locally. There are all these local bands now, but the scene is different. Getting press and promotion is harder than it used to be. But I feel like there are a lot more bands that we can play with that make sense for us. Shoegaze has a whole revivalist moment right now. And I remember back in the day I’d be like, “Yeah, I love the band Ride,” and people would be like, “Who’s that?” And now it’s like, “Oh yeah, I know who that is.” There’s just been this resurgence of those kinds of dreamy rock bands.
Image credit: Darin Bibbens
Speaking of Ride, I feel like I need to ask about the Ride connection to your newest record. How did you get Mark Gardener to master it, and what is it like to have him be a part of the project?
Chas: That was a trip. I just wrote him and he said he dug our stuff. He looked us up and saw a live performance and was like, “Yeah, for sure.” And what an honor. I’m not a braggadocious guy, but I grew up listening to Ride. They were a huge influence and had a real impact on me. There’s so much pride in having Mark be a part of it.
You mentioned getting reacquainted with the live scene. How has that gone since releasing the new record last year?
Chas: We’ve kind of flown under the radar. I feel like we literally are starting a new band again because people are like, “Who are you?” even though we’ve put out five records. But that’s where we’re at right now.
We want to play more this year. That’s the goal. And that’s a little tougher when you step out of a context, and then all the people that you remember are gone. Like, “Oh, the guy that booked us at Slims” — or whatever, pick a venue — “is not there anymore.” So we’ve got to make those connections and meet people again, but we’re taking it on.
We’re still writing. We’re still getting together every week on Wednesday. And after so many years, I’m just surprised that we’re even still together and having fun. You gotta be doing it for the right reasons, find people that are fun to play with, and make sure that the music you’re making is enjoyable for everybody. That’s a gift.
Who are some of your favorite local/North Carolina bands?
Chas: We’ve played with this band called Hattricks. They’ve got a nice textural guitar rock sound. We’ve got a show with Candy Coffins coming up, they’re like an atmospheric post-punk band from South Carolina.
Our bassist Dan likes Verity Den. And there’s this band called Lauds from Wilmington. If you’re into Dive, they’re in that realm.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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