Greta Van Fleet drummer Danny Wagner revealed in a recent Paste interview that fortunately he and his bandmates are not a drug band, which should help them avoid the tragedies their rock royalty predecessors suffered.
Unlike the bands of the ’70s and the debauchery-filled decade against which they are compared, however, Greta is certainly more radio-friendly for younger viewers overall, both on stage and off. They’ve got the sound, sure, but the scandal? For four young guys ranging in age from 19 to 22, they instead have a shocking lack of scandal.
“None of us are into that whole drugs-and-sex scene,” he says. “It’s just literally a different industry now. It’s a different world. Things aren’t the same. Back then, it all happened because there was just a lot of confusion and a lot of people tugging at different ends of the rope, but it was like, just crazy,” said Wagner. “There is a lot going on but… we’re that grounded. I swear. We don’t know what the heck is going on half the time, but I think it’s for the best. I think it’s for the best.”
He also discussed their debut full length album.
“This debut album is kind of a statement, so I think with that idea in mind we were trying to achieve a different type of sound than when we had recorded those EPs,” said Wagner. “We wanted to let it take on it’s own life. We all work much better and more efficiently when we’re away from home and all the distractions. I think it was just in all of our best interests to relocate. We’ve all been camping out in Nashville, because it’s larger and there’s anything and everything you could ever imagine, musically, in that studio. The capabilities seemed endless.”
Greta Van Fleet bassist Sam Kiszka recently discussed the band’s songwriting process with Miami New Times.
“I’ve jammed with other people, but this has been my only commitment to music.” Positive attention came quickly to the Kiszka boys. They were signed to a record deal before Sam and drummer Danny Wagner were out of high school. “Josh and Jake are three years older than us. They had to wait for us to graduate to get going.”
The songwriting process for their early work was a collective effort for the band. “Josh or Daniel might come up with a riff. It can start with a melody, a rhythm, a concept; then we all get our hands on it and start molding it. You can’t put a song through a machine. The soul of every song is different.”
