1. A band fr… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists that perform under the name:
1. A band from Brisbane, Australia.
2. A small rap group from the US.
1. The Grates are a three-piece band from Brisbane, Australia. Patience Hodgson (vocals), John Patterson (guitar) and Alana Skyring (drums) formed The Grates in 2002, with Skyring eventually departing to peruse her passion for culinary arts and Ritchie Daniell taking her place.
The Grates have been lauded for their catchy songs and enthusiastic and energetic live show (Patience spends much of the show bouncing around, while singing). They are frequently described as fun: "We just wanna have fun and hope other people do too." (Patience). Their sound has been compared to the Ramones, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Be Your Own Pet.
The band has a distinctive style. All members have a background in art and they design their own album artwork, posters, t-shirts and even socks.
The Grates released an array of limited edition recordings (The Grates EP (2002), Black Dog Black Dog (2003), Pyrate Kids (2003) and Crocodile (2003)) before releasing what is referred to as their debut EP, The Ouch. The Touch, in Australia on 14 February 2004. The EP received a United Kingdom release two months later via the Captains Of Industry collective.
In 2005 the buzz surrounding the band only grew, with festival performances at the Big Day Out, Meredith, Falls Festival and Homebake. The Grates performed at the 2006 Big Day Out Australian shows. They also launched their own a national tour in the first half of 2006, after supporting The Go! Team in 2005 and The Zutons on their 2006 UK tour. In March 2006 they played at the South by Southwest trade music fair in Texas.
Their debut album, Gravity Won't Get You High, was released in April 2006. It debuted at #9 in the ARIA charts and reached a peak of #9. It was also slated for release in the UK and the United States (June 2006). The first single off the album, "19-20-20", was released in March as a 7" and iTunes music download.
Their second album, Teeth Lost, Hearts Won, was released in August 2008, with the first single "Burn Bridges" released earlier in July 2008.
The band's drummer, and one of three co-founders, Alan Skyring, left the band in 2011 to study culinary arts in New York. The band continued as a 2-piece, often inviting guest musicians to fill in for Skyring during the live shows.
The band released its third album Secret Rituals in 2011, and then announced they would be parting ways with their label Dew Process.
In 2014, The Grates announced they would be recording a new album to be released through their own own independent label, Death Valley, with Ritchie Daniell officially joining the group on drums. Dream Team was recorded in just 2 weeks, and released the same month, with the band citing they were unsatisfied with the process of "albums collecting 6 months of cerebral dust in our heads, before an audience gets to finally hear it".
In September 2018 they announced a reunion tour with the original lineup for December.
www.thegrates.com
2. The Grates is a Hip-Hop trio based out of the South Chicago suburbs, The Grates are 70s (The Nautz & The Diggity), Scrubz (T.I.M.E.), and YodaRoc (Centric I.E. & Nacrobats). Established in 2020, The Grates bring original Hip-hop with the old school boom bap feel. The Grates are currently working on their 4th studio album and several side projects, coming soon from their label, The Raw Offices.
https://thegratesmusic.bandcamp.com/
Not Today
The Grates Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I might have to change, everything I am.
I'm breaking bread again, lying in bed again, we watch the TV all over the big screen.
I live a life so large, in this old tiny house, I've got all we need, I'm perfect company.
If it's half as good out there, as it is in here, I might have to change, everything I am.
Fuck your today, not going away.
Tiny horse tiny cart, watching ducks heading south,
We're straying two by two, we're here to break the rules.
What you got, you can wear, what you want, it can wait,
Take what you need from me I'm perfect,
But not today, no not today,
Fuck your today, fuck going away.
No, no, no, not today.
If it's half as good out there, as it is in here.
The Grates's song Not Today is a vibrant and uplifting tune that celebrates the joys of domesticity and living a simple life. The opening line, "If it's half as good out there, as it is in here," reflects the contentment the singer feels in their current state, and how they're hesitant to change things up. The lyrics "I might have to change, everything I am" reveal that, despite their reticence, the singer acknowledges the possibility that there may be something equally as fulfilling "out there."
The second verse paints a vivid picture of the singer's everyday life, including mundane activities like "breaking bread again" and "watching the TV all over the big screen." Despite this seemingly unremarkable existence, the singer insists that they have everything they need and don't require anything more. This is summed up in the phrase, "I've got all we need, I'm perfect company."
The chorus of the song is particularly defiant, as the singer declares "not today" to the idea of change or the outside world disrupting their idyllic existence. The repeated refrain of "fuck your today, not going away" is a rallying cry for simplicity and contentment, free from the pressures of modern society.
Overall, Not Today is an anthem for those who value the simple pleasures of life and are content with their current situation. It's a reminder that sometimes the grass isn't always greener on the other side, and that we already have everything we need to be happy.
Line by Line Meaning
If it's half as good out there, as it is in here
I am enjoying my life and surroundings so much right now that if the outside world is even half as good, I might have to change who I am.
I'm breaking bread again, lying in bed again, we watch the TV all over the big screen.
I am enjoying simple pleasures like eating, lounging in bed, and watching TV with my partner/friend.
I live a life so large, in this old tiny house, I've got all we need, I'm perfect company.
I feel satisfied and fulfilled with my life, even though I live in a small space. I am good company for myself and others.
But not today, no not today, Fuck your today, not going away.
I am content with my current situation and do not want to change it today or in the near future. I reject other people's expectations or pressures to do so.
Tiny horse tiny cart, watching ducks heading south, We're straying two by two, we're here to break the rules.
I notice small details around me, like a tiny horse and cart, or ducks flying south. I do not always follow the norm or conform to expectations; I choose to be with someone who supports me in that.
What you got, you can wear, what you want, it can wait, Take what you need from me I'm perfect,
I accept people for who they are, whether they wear something unconventional or prioritize their own desires over societal expectations. I am willing to share what I have and support others.
No, no, no, not today.
I repeat that I do not want to change anything about my current situation or state of mind.
If it's half as good out there, as it is in here.
I reiterate that I am happy and content with my current situation, and that the outside world may not be as good as it seems.
Contributed by Bella M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Anis Dabchy
thank u sooo much. hunted this one down for awhile