Jeremy Gratton

Artist: Jeremy Gratton
Album Title: Buy One, Get One Free
Release Date: 01.26.2006
Genre: Folk-Rock
Label: Optimism through Pessimism Records

Jeremy Gratton is a songwriter, vocalist, guitarist and poet who has no other choice, but to create. Being an ‘army brat,’ and the product of the divorce crisis in America, Jeremy would come to know several homes while growing up. He was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, but lived in upstate New York, Texas and Manitou Springs, Colorado. Currently, he resides in Phoenix, Arizona.

Jeremy’s musical ability most likely stems from his father’s side of the family. Most of them all played some kind of instrument and/or sang. His mother however, enjoyed writing song lyrics and poetry. Therefore, it is no real surprise that Jeremy would grow up to love all of these things. As a child, he drowned himself in various different books and mischief, but the real passion always came when he was engulfed in words and music.

At the age of 13, he started to play guitar and write poetry. At 17 years of age, he started to play around with piano and keyboards. By 19, he moved from his very beloved city of Manitou Springs, Colorado to Phoenix, Arizona, where he began to play shows with several different projects. During this time, he started taking some classes at Maricopa Community College in Mesa, Arizona. Almost all of the classes were music related. He also took music business courses and it was during this time, he began to truly develop a sense for independence. With the assistance of one of his favorite teachers, Grant Wolf (RIP), he began to understand the way things worked in the world of music. This would lead to his starting his own indie record label, Optimism through Pessimism Records (OTP Records).

In May of 2002, Jeremy released a spoken word cd entitled Big-Hired Assassin, Puissance -1. The cd came across as extremely dark and was mostly misunderstood, as it dealt with some very problematic features of America. As fate would have it at the time, the cd was released shortly after September, 11th 2001, and to define any problems with America during this time was considered un-patriotic and traitorous towards the United States of America. This in itself was a horrible viewpoint, as the project was released celebrating the strength of free speech and the beauty of freedom. Jeremy felt that there was nothing more patriotic than testing the bounds of restraint and celebrating true freedom. However, the album still continues to stir controversy.

“What amazes me the most are the people that tell me, ‘Well, if you don’t like this country, then leave!’ What an absolute preventative and ignorant statement to make. Have we become so stagnant in our evolution that we limit the very idea of freedom and principles that this country is supposed to be based upon. I think that this country was started by people just like me; people who were able to intellectually comprehend that we as human beings can and should be unrestrained. Those people not only said it, they took action and received results. I have no desire to forget them, or what they represent; anyone who does otherwise, in my opinion, is un-American!” - Jeremy Gratton (2005)

On February 29th, 2004, Jeremy’s band, Freedom of Existence (FOE) released their debut album, Desensitize. Before the band had a chance to even play a show or truly promote the album, their drummer and dear friend, Greg Foor (1978-2004) passed away. His death was ruled as a suicide, but there was plenty of confusion and emphasis on the possibility of homicide. Greg’s death would prove to be a very difficult time for the the band, as well as the people around OTP Records.

While FOE searched for a drummer, Jeremy began promoting their current cd and working hard behind the scenes at OTP Records. As always, he found that he was writing a lot and decided to work on an acoustic solo album. He began recording the new album at Leslie’s Recording Studio in Phoenix, Arizona, with his very talented friend, Leslie Stotler engineering the project.

Jeremy wanted the title to the album to make a “mockery of the constant pressure to consume that we unfortunately face everyday via the mass advertising campaigns of many corporations.” He decided to title the album, Buy One, Get One Free.