Check Out Feeding Grizzlies’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Feeding Grizzlies.

Hi Feeding Grizzlies, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Feeding Grizzlies started as a 2 piece passion project around 2012 out of Grandville High School. Jackson Ritter and Grant VanderKallen formed the band after playing many years together in the Grandville Jazz Band. To fill out the rest of the group, we convinced our saxophonist friend, Tom, to buy a bass and learn how to play it. Tom was already a great friend so it made sense to drag him into the mix!

We started out playing at graduation parties for our high school buddies before eventually branching out into the Grand Rapids music scene, performing at any venue that allowed bands under 21 to play. New music was released and our fanbase continued to grow. That led up to an amazing opportunity to open up for rock duo cleopatrick. It was our first gig at the Stache in Grand Rapids and we couldn’t have been more excited. Fast forward, and our bass player Tom moved and the search for a new member began. It was tough to say goodbye to a good friend and a talented bassist who had contributed so much to the Grizzlies’ sound. Our close friend Matt then joined on bass and the Grizzlies continued on. We played more shows and recorded even more music before adding our fourth member and guitarist – Lorenzo Aguayo Jr.

As we’ve learned before, life can change quickly and our bassist Matt recently stepped away from the group. Since then we’ve added Landon Rodenberg, which brings us to the band in its current state. It’s been a real pleasure to create music with everyone who has been involved throughout our 10+ years as a band.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
While Grant and Jackson have always been involved in Feeding Grizzlies, we have also seen our fair share of changes. While we’re still good friends with our former band members, losing a familiar presence in the band is never easy. Adding a new member however does bring in a fresh perspective that alters our music in positive ways. With these changes we try our best to blend the new with the old and never fully lose sight of what our core sound is.

There have been plenty of other factors that have impacted what we’re able to do. We went to three different colleges in three different states, which certainly put a pause on how often we were able to practice and perform together. After that, COVID completely knocked out live performances for a while. Despite all of the obstacles and setbacks, we come back to music because it makes up a big piece of who we are.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
In a broad sense, we’re an alternative rock band with a sound that pulls from many influences such as Arctic Monkeys, Cage the Elephant, and Jack White. While every song we’ve made holds a special place in our hearts, we’re very proud of the way our sound has evolved over time.

We started off as noisy high schoolers, where being loud and ripping guitar solos was our main focus. We’ve since refined our songwriting process over the years to add complexity, depth, and nuance to each track. As musicians, we push ourselves to introduce different instruments or effects in order to provide a variety of interesting sounds to our listeners.

Some of our recent accomplishments include hitting over 100k streams, headlining the Pyramid Scheme this January, and recently opening up for Chicago band Ax and the Hatchetmen. Each milestone adds up and validates our continued dedication to music. Music hasn’t been a full-time career for any of us, but being able to perform and record music is definitely a rewarding process, and something we hope to continue doing for years to come.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
We’ve been really lucky to have parental support through the entirety of the band’s existence. We started playing in the garage at Grant’s parents house before moving the band space to his dad’s photography studio. Our parents have attended essentially every Grizzlies show, cheering us on along the way. We also have to shout out:

All our friends and families – You have supported us no matter how big or small the occasion. You are all amazing and we cherish every one of you.

Producers/Engineers, Jack Emaus and Ben DeWitt – They were instrumental in forming the sound that can be heard on our full length albums – The Wash and Peaceful Dissonance.

Producer/Engineer, Ryan Jamgotch from Electric Moon Studios – An absolute gem in the West Michigan music scene and an amazing mentor to work with. He’s helped us on our most recent singles – Sick & Tired and Rush.

Pyramid Scheme Programming Director, Nate Dorough – A true supporter of us and the local music scene. He has given us the opportunity to perform on multiple occasions with incredible local and national bands.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.feedinggrizzlies.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feedinggrizzlies/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Grizzliesbandpage/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvkjdt1pMb7HID0lrh6TlEA
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Z9utrwtI2Y0bzFASHtfKU