grandson Talks New Album 'Inertia' | Interview with Lyndsey Parker (LPtv)

Hello, this is Lindsay Parker for LPTV here at Licorice Pizza Records to celebrate the third album by grandson.

I know. Congratulations, Jordan, if I may call you Jordan.

Yes, of course. Thank you, Lindsay. Appreciate that.

So, the record is called Inertia, but your career is anything but inert.

I like that.

See what I did.

Um, there's a lot to unpack here. I know there's going to be fans waiting for you, so I'm just going to, you know, cut right to the chase. And I have lots of questions for you. So yeah, the your debut album was called Death of an Optimist. Then there was I Love You, I'm Trying, Now Inertia. Is there kind of a theme running through? There's kind of something with all those titles. I think that's sort of similar.

Yeah, I think um I think I explore themes of inevitability a lot. I I engage with the state of the world quite literally and directly. And

in growing up and inheriting the environment that we grow up in, it feels like there are these immovable forces that a lot of people that come to this kind of music feel quite cynical or pessimistic about as I do. Um, and so I

do think we explore themes throughout the record. Even on my second record, which dealt a lot less about um the state of the world and was a little more about my mental health and stuff, there was still a throughine of this feeling of inevitability that I on

good days feel like we can do something about and on bad days feel absolutely crushed by.

Is that why the slogan uh it never it's never enough rest, tomorrow's approaching. I think you even made that a a an internet domain.

Yeah.

Uh tell me the meaning about that sort of teased when you were getting ready to put this.

Yeah. I was on mushrooms and looking for an anagram or an acrostic poem. I was

Is it an anagram?

I I It's not an anagram.

Oh, it spells out inertia. I'm slow. I'm slow.

That's all good. You just got to take more mushrooms in it. Why did you do? No, but okay. Um, but yeah, that that approaching that feeling of something is coming uh whether it looks like uh an awakening, a consciousness uh pushing back against the way that America has become this shell corporation, whether it's uh in response to the pillaging of Gaza,

any of these issues that um our generation is watching unfold like yeah

there there is this feeling that something's going to happen inevitably this thing cannot sustain forever this neverending consumption and greed and whether that looks like uh a positive change or um just the the system collapsing a snake eating its own tail and suffocating on it. Certainly these are themes that I explore in my music and I think a lot of rock and roll historically has been about reflecting the times or some themes of rebellion whether that's teenage angst and rebellion whether that's in adulthood rebelling against conformity um and for me it is inescapable that feeling uh that it's important for me to write about this stuff. So, when you were writing this record, it's September uh 2025 right now. So, Donald Trump's been in office for eight eight months about.

Were you writing it during last year's election, before the election, after he won? When were or or did it kind of

Yeah, it came up actually during the the presidential campaign. And um

did you think he was going to win a second term or were you

I mean, I had no [ __ ] idea, dude. I really felt like whatever was going to happen, these themes would be relevant. Like, and for me, this album was about kind of deepening that um understanding and arming myself with the sort of knowledge of that this country is the way it is, regardless of how power exchanges hands every four to eight years.

um many of the

policies and the um foundations of how we got to this place, whether that's the um issue of mass incarceration, um drone warfare, a lot of those themes were coming up through Clinton and Obama and Biden and obviously what's been going on in in Palestine with so many young progressive motivated people begging for change, making this a singular issue that they could point to as proof of the systemic

ineptitude that led people to being so disillusioned. And in the face of that, while they were on this campaign trail saying that we now was the most important election of our lifetime, now we have to do something or it'll be the end of the world. still these weapon sales were going on, this global imperial conquest was going on. So, I was watching all this unfold. I still in my heart believed that maybe we'd be able to avoid a a Trump presidency and I

was worried about that as it related to my queer and trans friends and fans. um

the aggressive uh attacks on the environment going on right now, you know, like I still hoped for if nobody else those communities that it wouldn't be the case. But here we are and every time Trump has been in power, it has been this feeling like what is the point of being empathetic? What is the point of caring about one another? Like where is our sense of community? It has completely collapsed under these arrogant, cocky, horrible people. And people turn to music and art in that time. And it's important to document it, to

enshrine our sense of um repulsion into music like this and then put it on stage for a thousand people a night has has been something that through the Trump presidency, there was an increase in urgency for me to get the record out and for me to tell these stories, right? But I don't think that whether he was elected or not was the difference between me writing this record or not.

Right. So I commend you for that. Would you would you say that Inertia is like your most overtly political record? Certainly you've never shied away from it from day one, but I feel like this is maybe the most hard-hitting that.

Yeah, I think that my music has been political s from my early 20s for for the last five, six years or whatever. I think in this one I tried to take a little bit of a backseat and I think in a lot of time I would take those political opinions and generally synthesize them through my own reflections my own how they affect me and my hope you know this idea of optimism versus cynicism. A lot of that is ultimately personal and I felt on this record I wanted to get a little more out of the way of the people that are um leading the charge as it relates to um activism and resistance and and more just kind of try to document and be a little um more on the sidelines of the narrative and and let the guitar speak as well. Yeah, it's like kind it's your most rocking record, I think. Or maybe I forget what review was, but one said it was your first rock record. I don't know if you agree.

That's cool. That's cool. I do I think that it's uh a record that people have kind of wanted from me. I think it I've I we found a really really cool pocket where it's different and it pushes the sound forward but in a way that people are going finally. I didn't take this uh

relationship with my fans and expect people to come with me on a journey that was unfamiliar. It's different, but it's definitely the energy from my live show most importantly. And I I do think it was the one we most embraced uh that new

school of political rock music. Well, it's interesting you just said a minute ago like people turn to music during these tough times and but not I mean I don't want to I'm not shady other artists out there. Not everything has to be political. You can have escapist pop as well. But I kind of thought like in the last five years since 2020, since COVID, since uh the first, you know, or maybe actually since 2016 when Trump was first in office, I thought we'd be hearing more music like this. I thought there'd be more grandsons, more Rage Against the Machines. Like I thought like, okay, this is the time. Times are tough, politics are effed, like everyone's going to be putting out really outspoken music. And I I mean, of course, some have, but a lot of them are afraid to even speak out on social media about Palestine or about really anything. I think they're afraid of getting cancelled or I mean I know this is an old reference but they're afraid of having the Dixie Chicks or Chicks thing happen to them. So like do you have any Well, I guess it's a two-part question. One, do you have any theories as to why that is? Do you agree with my observation why? And also like is that a concern you have? Maybe not you but people on your team that are like whoa tone it down you're going to get cancelled.

Yeah, I mean people are not talking about these issues. some of whom have opinions and are scared of that backlash, some of whom just [ __ ] don't care. You know, ultimately, I've learned that whether you can sing well or use social

media convincingly is this [ __ ] that we do is not a meritocracy. You're not going to get people who necessarily are any more empathetic just because they have a platform. And so part of doing this work is letting go of some of the expectation that anyone else is going to follow your lead or that it's going to change anything. I do it because it feels like it gives me purpose and it feels morally appropriate for the times. But other artists are entitled to do whatever the [ __ ] they want, I guess. And we as a society continue to care more about who somebody's that, you know, [ __ ] than the planet burning. So, and that's that is what it is. You know, I also don't blame people for being in conditions that they need to use art to escape and they don't want to sit there and be reminded when their life feels [ __ ] up enough as is. I also think there's a ton of intimidation and censorship going on right now. like you you know you mentioned the chicks but you you look at what's going on with kneecap um my friends Bob Villain who were supposed to open for me across America on tour just had their visas revoked British rappers on stage having opinions about the Middle East about about an a foreign country's military somehow gets them banned in America and so what message does that send to a young band just looking to get their start or to a develop artist who feels like they have everything to lose. Um, but in my experience, being at this long enough,

many of the very institutions that I am

being threatened to not have a seat at the table at, didn't have a seat for me anyways, and aren't [ __ ] worth anything anymore. Like, the Grammys are an absolute sham, especially in rock music. Like, you I got to stand there and clap while [ __ ] You know, Pearl Jam gets the new best new artist. Like, what are we talking about? You know, like the rock category not getting a rock album, you know, for Glow On. It's like

were they nominated?

Uh, I don't even remember, dude. Like, for best metal performance, what even what are we even doing other than letting these oligarchs who control the media companies and who control the record companies jerk each other off ultimately? Whether that's through the Grammys, whether that's through terrestrial radio, like these are the institutions I'm I'm worried about being blacklisted from. Like they don't they're not relevant to young people today. They're not relevant to me. Like that's not where I go to consume art.

That's not the artists I look up to. So for me ultimately, I just had to surrender to this is the new media landscape. This is the new relationship that artists have to cultivate with their fans. This is why I went independent for this release. Like

I was literally that was Yeah. This is about me and the people that have followed me on this journey and the people that consume rock music that falls somewhere in between a million genres. Like come buy a ticket. We're going to have some cool t-shirts and some vinyl for you to buy if you if you [ __ ] with it. It helps keep the lights on and and funds the operation that I'm doing. But, you know, this is a long- winded way of just saying there's plenty of reasons why there aren't more artists speaking up. But there are also a lot more artists now than ever any other time that I've been doing this who have been taking that platform. even if it's not necessarily in the music, I think there are plenty of people who are using that moment on stage to have opinions, you know, and and there is a lot of of fear about getting it wrong to have an opinion about what's going on in the world. If you're Olivia Rodrigo using your Instagram story to talk about what's going on, like that means something. That means something to young people. It's becoming cool to have an opinion. And that wouldn't be possible without the many artists who in the face of all that intimidation and that censorship are doing so anyways, which is really really cool. And I [ __ ] with it. I I'm somebody who who writes it into my music, but there are plenty of people that take their microphone at the show or use their social media um and

and are are doing something important.

I 100% agree. And you know, I'm going to do this for you. I but I feel like some artists are intimidated just because even on social media if they say the most benign thing like something not even taken aside or whatever like my heart goes out to the children of Palestine and Israel I hope there is peace like not even like that's to me that's not even a political statement that's just saying like people shouldn't get killed people will attack them for that it's like there's kind of no winning but I guess maybe that's not something that keeps you up at night.

Yeah. I mean, if you have an opinion in the world, you will be held to a standard and an expectation that you know what you're talking about. And unfortunately, some of the good that you might be doing to some people will never be enough. Like, what are any of us doing? It is um

a very real thing to reflect on and ask yourself, could I be doing better? Could I be bringing more diversity of opinion? and and where am I getting my information about what's going on in the world? Ultimately, I think doing a net positive and bringing light to a situation um is is valid and important work and

and certainly, yeah, you're not going to get it right all the time, but for a lot of people, that being a non-starter, that being a reason not to have an opinion at all, keeps us stuck in place in a lot of ways. Did you choose to go independent? Maybe so you could be more vocal or this is this is your first album independent?

Totally. It's my first full project independent. Uh, a lot of the time in the past my music videos would get my concepts would get snagged by the legal department or um, you know, I I I'm I'm very grateful for

the opportunity to tell these stories the way that I pictured telling them, to have a team that rocks with me through those ups and downs. Um, and for me, this model of being independent and and telling these stories as I can has uh has been very rewarding and it's been working. I It's a more authentic version of myself than than having to tiptoe around what these songs are really about or what what is it I'm trying to say. So, yeah, that that definitely was part of the decision to to go independent at this time. Obviously, you address a lot of issues and you have an organization. Tell me the name of it again.

Yeah, the XX Resistance Fund.

So, obviously you there's many issues you're concerned about and that you raise funds for, but if you had to say what's like your number one concern for this current generation, your young fans about the future, like the most like emergency issue, what would it be?

I mean like trying to I would say that one theme that I talk a lot about on

this record is the intersectionality. The way that justice for any one person if you begin to give a [ __ ] about any one of these issues will open your mind to being more empathetic and caring about how that issue intersects with another issue. the ways in which things like making the world a more egalitarian and

welcoming place for people of different sexual identities or races will also be good for the environment. You know, like caring about technology and mass surveillance that will seep into everything. And so I

think one of the most important issues that I ultimately try to bring together

people around is community. I think bringing together people, getting people less isolated alone, feeling helpless,

and empowering people to organize with

other like-minded people and not be made to feel alone for caring about the things you care about or believing the things that you believe in will ultimately help cure some of that. insecurity or loneliness that is prayed upon when you're seeing young people radicalized on the internet, especially young men. But, you know, this is what makes these technology companies so much money is keeping your attention because you feel like [ __ ] So, to fix any of the many issues that like I feel this album explores, we begin with building coalitions of people. We begin with building community and bringing this show to people and encouraging people to wear what they want to wear and say what they want to say. And from there, any number of these issues that feel insurmountable suddenly just become doing work with your friends, which ultimately what you want to spend your time doing anyways.

And I was looking because you mentioned community. So like your fans, your community are starting to gather here. Um

are you're from Canada originally?

Yeah. So I was born in America, but I grew up in Canada. That's right. Well, see that's an interesting perspective because everyone's joking these days about moving to Canada. I'm like, "Hey, got a Canadian passport? Want to get married?"

Sure.

Um, so yeah, I guess maybe it's not really so much a question, but a lot of people think that Canada, like you have a perspective of someone who lives outside of America and what the rest of the world thinks about America. And then you're writing an album which isn't necessarily all about America, but I'm kind of assuming, maybe I'm assuming because I'm reading the lyrics as an American. Like, how does your perspective of having spent time in both countries affect kind of your worldview?

Yeah. Well, I mean, growing up in a place that had even just the most basic level of health care, um, some sort of

social support system, which in and of itself is vulnerable and flawed. And any

country that is a settler colonial country has a past to reconcile with and is susceptible to the same toxicity that America is just like a terminal fast forwarded example of. But certainly like growing up in that kind of environment made me come here and be disgusted by how [ __ ] the average working American person is. how how little support there is in child care here when you become a young family and how [ __ ] you are when you get older, you know? It's like it's so disgusting. And maybe by growing up in a place where that wasn't necessarily the case that like we were paying taxes and we believed even naively, but but believed that the money that you were giving the government was going towards making the country a little bit of a better place. Um, I certainly brought that ethos with me and used that disgust to like become the

source anger for my for my work. Um,

yeah. Are there any people that are like, "Hey, Canadian, go back to Canada. Why are you writing?"

Absolutely. I'm like a scop like I am invented by the liberals, dude. 100%.

It's a blessing. It's a blessing to any

people think you're like like an AI creator.

Yeah, I'm flattered. I I was born in a lab. Um

I mean that would be pretty cool if that was that would be a cool

or I'm part of Big Canada's conspiracy to like let people survive. It's horrible. I know. It's terrible.

Oh my god, that's hilarious. Do you have time to do a lightning round of some specific songs?

Yeah, let's go real quick. Okay, there one these are ones like just lyrically stood out to me. Sure.

Brain rot.

What about it?

All right. So, you mean like just what I associate with it,

dude? I don't know. I just put the [ __ ] out. Uh, it was a good time. Like, I loved it. Like, it's [ __ ] Yeah.

Okay. Self- emulation. What's Cuz that one had a very specific story to it.

Absolutely. Um, yeah. We wrote that around the time that Aaron Bushnell, the American soldier who tragically gave his life, bringing awareness to the American complicity and funding of the genocide in Palestine, uh, I love that song.

Little white lies because that's got the religion hypocrisy.

Yeah, totally. Like, sorry I'm putting you on the spot.

This is like trying to wrap my head around like even say about any of this. I'm working on it. Like, yeah, I think that the whitewashing of American Christianity, the ways that people's faith has been co-opted to ultimately support a conservative agenda. Somewhere along the way, believing in like a god that loves you, whoever you are, has become justification for like the NRA and like

the military. It's like, what the [ __ ] is going on? And like even just fundamentally going, "Okay, so you have this man that supposedly lived 2,000 years ago in this place. Why is he ripped?" Like, why does Jesus have a six-pack? Don't you say like he was 5'4 and doesn't look like the guy on the

Yes. Like like why does he look like an NFL tight end? The more that we begin to ask these kind of questions, you'll find very unexpected places that that kind of curiosity might take you.

All right. Well, I'll ask one. I mean, I could ask I could go track by track, but the last one I'll ask by is autonomous delivery robot because that obviously addresses something.

We're all worried about AI and things like that.

Yeah. Not only are we worried about AI, but it is the delivery robots. Like I was working on the record in Culver City at the time and they were [ __ ] everywhere. Like these little Uber Eatats robots. Do you guys have them here in Studio City, too?

Oh yeah.

Not as much.

They like roll down

West Hollywood everywhere. They just started putting them in East LA where I where where I live. And it's just like

I mean they're kind of cute almost cuz they look that's the problem. That's the problem. We anthropomorphize them and give them little blinking eyes and say, "Hi, I'm Gregory." Like, "No, you're not." Like, "Sorry, I bought it."

It's okay. It's okay. I understand. It's not your fault. But it's like they they [ __ ] impede the sidewalk for people with disabilities. Their data that they're scraping is then used and to advance and proliferate this normalization of these robots which will inevitably be used for policing for military purposes. Like the onslaught of

just get used to a computer in your way.

Is it just where was any one's say about

this between the people that own the company and these bought and paid for politicians? Between them they they make an agreement and it's like in what ways does this impact us? We can't even foresee the consequences of just being like, "Yeah, in, you know, we we just decided that the entire delivery industry is going to be completely gone in the next 15 years." Like, what does that do for the hundreds of thousands of people that have these jobs? It's uh

it's [ __ ] disgusting. And I was like, why isn't there a thrash metal song about this yet? And these songs have been existing and people have been mad about this [ __ ] for a long time. It exists in hardcore music. It exists in punk rock music. I am not the only person talking this kind of [ __ ] I just wanted to do it in a catchy rock sort of way.

And you succeeded. Thank you.

Um, thank you for your service. You are rad. Would you ever run for office?

[ __ ] no, dude. Absolutely not. They'd tear me to shreds.

Grandson for president. I guess you can't cuz you're from Canada.

Exactly. Well, you're making change another way. So, thank you so much. I'm going to let you join your community. They're all ready to have you sign copies of Inertia.

I can't wait. Cheers.

Thanks, everybody.