Photogenic: The Grates’ John Patterson and Patience Hodgson.
ERIN PEARSON
HE fell in love with the Big Apple’s easy living and maid service but The Grates guitarist John Patterson still calls Australia home.
After almost two years abroad Patterson and band member Patience Hodgson have returned with their brand new album Secret Rituals.
“I got homesick every now and again, I really missed my friends, but the cool thing was over there I could create a second life,” he said.
“America has 24-hour grocery stores, people to do laundry and practically anything else you need for a really cheap price.
“For me it was really important to have that as my security blanket when trying to work on something creative.
“When it works it really works.”
The Grates dug deep in their adopted homeland to establish the routines, methods and procedures that would become their Secret Rituals.
Patterson said after five years of touring the world with critically acclaimed albums, Gravity Won’t Get You High and Teeth Lost, Hearts Won, The Grates decided to take a different approach to their new record.
And so the pair moved to Brooklyn and waited for inspiration to strike.
Slowly new routines emerged and the pair found themselves trapped in the studio.
“I think we just wanted to make sure it was good no matter what, whether it took a year or three years,” Patterson said.
“It did take a lot longer than expected but we didn’t want to put anything out that wasn’t up to scratch.
“I’m really looking forward to taking what we put into practice and learnt making this album out on the road.”
The Grates will perform at Geelong’s Bended Elbow on November 3 and at Lorne’s Falls Festival in December.
