Reykjavík Grapevine - Apr 2021, Page 8

8 The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 04— 2021
A New Chapter In The Open Book Of John Grant
Words: John Pearson Photos: Hör"ur Sveinsson
Tales Of A
Michigan Boy
“I suppose I never really tire of going
back over my life, and trying to figure
out what the fuck happened.”
John Grant—musician of interna-
tional renown and Reykjavík resident
for the last decade—has some stories
to tell while he does that figuring. Drug
and alcohol addictions, past indul-
gences in self-destructive sex and
religiously inspired self-loathing—to
name but three topics—are all reflected
across John’s work.
But his new album, ‘Boy From Mich-
igan’, focuses that storytelling on the
early years, when a young gay man
emerged into an environment where
being himself simply wasn’t an option.
Lockdown baby
“Pandemic-schmandemic, right?” John
quips, his eyes flashing their character-
istic twinkle. While the past year was
one of unprecedented restriction for
most musicians, it supplied John with
a captive crew of collaborators—and
no excuse not to knuckle down and get
creative.
When COVID-19 first blew into
Iceland, John was in Reykjavík with his
close friend and fellow musician Cate
Le Bon. They had assembled a band
to play a few live dates, but with the
gigs cancelled—and routes home for
the international tour party shutting
down—they decided to make the most
of the situation.
“We holed up in the studio for two
months—even though the others
were only supposed to be here for four
weeks—and recorded an album,” John
says. “We thought we might as well just
do it, because we’ll never get this time
again.”
John had to steel himself against
some old familiar foes; the voices of
anxiety, self-doubt and self-loathing.
“When I get up in the morning my
brain is just like ‘Don’t go into the studio,
you fucking gross faggot. You don't have
any business trying. Nobody wants to
hear your fucking voice, because it's
pathetic.’ You know?” John pauses for
a moment, then concludes: “But I just
have to be like, ‘Yeah, I hear you. See
you later!’ And I go.” He finds the voices
usually fall silent once he reaches the
studio, where he’s in his element.