Even for a newbie in the Atlanta music scene, the name Greco is as familiar as the infamous straight-up-the-stairs load-in at Smith’s Olde Bar, one of the city’s most iconic haunts (don’t worry, out-of-towners; there’s an elevator now).
The rock quartet, made up of brothers Sebastian (lead vocalist), Josh (guitar), Zach (bass), and Gabriel (drums), is known for their grooving, high-energy rock tracks and riotous live shows. They’re larger than life, putting on stadium-sized shows for a few hundred loyal fans at a time.
As they count down the days to the physical release of their latest digital single, “Magic,” the guys sat down with Audiofemme to talk all things music, brotherhood, and the city we all know and love.
AF: How did you get your start in music? Was Greco your first band, or did you guys play with other groups before starting your own band?
Sebastian and Zach have always played together. We started in a party rock band in Athens, GA with a couple other guys. Four years ago, we decided to do our own music with just our brothers, so we’ve been together a little over three years now.
AF: I’m sure you’re asked this all the time, but what’s it like to play in a band with your brothers?
It has been a fun and wild time. We know each other, so we know the quirks of the band and what really drives us. We have pretty much always lived together and still do. So we know what we like, we have some shared interests, and also know how to piss each other off!
A great extra tidbit; when we tour, we always go out and explore. Museums, parks, bars, monuments, tourist traps, local restaurants, pools, fan houses, parties, you know, the usual stuff. So when we are on the road working, we are also enjoying our time.
AF: Do you all have similar influences, or are there different bands or sounds that inspire each of you guys?
We definitely love some of the same bands – The Stones, Zeppelin, Bowie, Duran Duran – but we’ve all got our own tastes too. Zach loves underground hip hop, Sab loves Americana and K-pop, Gab is an emo kid at heart, and Josh loves Jimmy Page and Keith Richards.
AF: What’s your creative process like? What inspires the music?
We all write music and lyrics. Some of our songs come from a riff idea, others start with some lyrics Sab has, or a cool piece of art someone sees. Then we get together and bang out the song and get a demo down. Once we get the idea down, we start tearing it back apart and arranging and adjusting it. The nice thing about being brothers is we have beat each others’ ego out of existence. So we focus on what sounds best, and what makes the sound.
AF: What do you think sets Greco apart from other modern rock bands? What do you hope your fans take away from listening to your music or catching a show?
We bring the soul of the music out in the studio or live. We don’t play music to put on an act. We love what we write, what we record and what we play, and we bring that same wild stage energy into our recordings. Our mantra is Sing.Dance.Sweat.Sex., and we truly want our music to touch our fans and make them feel alive when they are listening to us on their own or catching us at a live show.
AF: You’re prepping to release your first single of 2019, “Magic.” Can you tell us a little bit about the song?
We write and sing about common experiences that the four of us have experienced. “Magic” is a track that relates to people on a deeper level because they’ve shared a similar experience in their life. Magic is for everyone, life is a journey, and if you get lucky, you find someone or something that makes it magic!
AF: You guys are all over the Atlanta music scene, and gig all the time. Do you prefer making music in the studio or on the stage? Why?
Ooh, tough one. I’d say we all love the stage, but we appreciate and understand that you make the music in the studio and add onto it for the stage show. For instance, we love when the crowd sings along. At our last show, we stopped all the instruments and sang the chorus of “Magic” with our fans for a good thirty seconds before bringing the music back in and finishing the song.
AF: How has the Atlanta music scene impacted you as a band?
Atlanta has helped us grow as a band. The city is a great hub with people coming and going all the time, but there’s a strong rock scene here that has a lot of people behind it, pushing for everyone involved to succeed. We love the support we’ve received and the support we’ve been able to give other bands as we continue to strive forward in the music industry.
AF: What’s next for Greco?
More! The official release of “Magic” is April 13 on all available platforms, and we’ve got some surprises before and after its release pertaining to the track. There’s currently some exclusive content that is scheduled for a future release date to the public, but our Patreon supporters are promised first dibs.
AF: Last one — best place in ATL to catch a live show?
Local bands – Smith’s
Regional bands – Center Stage
National bands – Variety
Keep up with Greco on Facebook, and stay tuned for the official release of “Magic” on April 13th, plus top secret, exclusive content coming soon.
