Are you, are you violent? Though the reckless, raucous sound of Chicago duo Grapetooth might suggest otherwise, the band was born out of a mutual love for ‘80s Japanese new wave, the weirdo sentimental pop of Arthur Russell, and a good bottle of cheap wine.
Clay Frankel and Chris Bailoni met in 2012 through mutual friends, but it wasn’t until 2015 when they started making music together that a real friendship formed. Bailoni, a producer releasing music under the moniker Home-Sick, eventually crossed paths with Frankel, the singer & guitarist for rowdy Chicago indie stalwarts Twin Peaks. After a night of drinking red wine, Twin Peaks’ tour manager Peyton Copes bestowed upon Frankel the nickname “Grapetooth” – and as they say, the rest is history.