You can hear the baseline first, melodic and uptempo, backed by a solid drum beat. Then come the vocals, soulful and true. A keyboard lays down some sweet chords, with accents on guitar. The music swells, a horn section chimes in, until the song is in full swing. It’s rocking. It’s fresh. And it’s yet another amazing cover…“The Door,” by Teddy Swims, performed by The Graystones.
The biggest surprise for most people when they see this band is the size of the musicians. In fact, the nine members range in age from 11 to 15 (most of them are 12). To call them a “kid band,” however, might imply a lower quality, which could not be further from the truth. While slight in stature, The Graystones create a big and complex sound that is on par with many great adult bands playing today.
A small stage in the middle of San Jose’s upscale Santana Row has been home for The Graystones over the past few years. This is where they’ve learned to play in front of a live audience, improving their craft, and honing their stage presence. Videos of these performances populate their YouTube channel, which has exploded in popularity over the past 6 months, with over two million subscribers across all of their social platforms. Their cover of “Smooth Operator” by Sade has over 4.5 million views on YouTube alone. “The Logical Song” by Supertramp has 4.7 million views. Thousands of positive comments keep pouring in daily, some by the original artists themselves.
“I did not know how popular we were until my dad told me that our Facebook page had over 300,000 followers (now over one million),” says bass player Max, who cofounded the band with drummer Grayson. For these kids, still awkward and goofy, social media fame was never a goal. They play because they enjoy hanging out and playing music together.
Roughly two times per week, the youngsters meet at Grayson’s house for rehearsals and recording sessions. Everyone squeezes into the living room and side hallways, where hijinks soon ensue. A few parents are on hand to help detangle cords, adjust microphone volumes, and monitor tracks on a digital soundboard.
Grayson’s older sister, Taylor, is the band manager. She helps to choose the songs. “I like to song hunt, keeping in mind the different parts and harmonies that we need. We try to pick songs that everyone enjoys playing while also keeping our listeners happy. A lot of times the band members have never heard the song before.”
Once the band decides on a song, AI software is used to break it down into separate tracks according to instrument, which are then distributed to band members. Sometimes it is up to the musician to figure out their own part. Sax player Phillip, for example, the oldest of the group and honorary “big brother” to them all, sometimes has to arrange music and write out the parts for the horn section on his own. Everyone then goes home and practices their part, listening to the song over and over until they feel confident. It is this work ethic that amazes Tayor. “We’ll give them a song and then we’ll come back together in a few weeks and they sound amazing together!”
One of the biggest challenges for The Graystones has been adapting songs to fit the vocal range of the two vocalists, Izzy and Hope. Says Taylor, “They each have different qualities, so we’ll assign them a song based on the style. Hope has a rock n roll voice (think Stevie Nicks) and Izzy has a more jazzy voice (think Adele).” Oftentimes they need to adjust the pitch of a song, sometimes moving the key up three or four notes, working out any harmonies and adjusting the instrumentation.
It is this attention to detail and creative problem solving that have many admirers amazed and clamoring for more. And while The Graystones seem to have worked out a method to recreate a classic song in an authentic way, it is their pure talent and personalities that take center stage, showing the world that a big heart is the winner every time.
What has being in a band taught these young rock stars?
Grayson (drums): “I have learned that our music makes people happy! Also, that Max is easy to tickle.”
Ishaan (guitar): “I hope to be able to play the Baker Street solo in two years, lol.”
Izzy (vocalist): “It has pushed me to become a better singer.”
Phillip (saxophone): “I’m glad they found me when I was busking. I love the social aspect.”
Evan (trombone): “Don’t be the guy who knocks down the microphone during Take #3 of Creep.”
Hope (vocalist): “I’m looking forward to playing our own music to larger crowds.”
Max (bass): “I’m playing the smallest bass I could find. Really!”
Harin (keyboards): “I like to make goofy faces.”
Kyle (guitar): “My favorite band is The Graystones.”
More more info: thegraystones.com
Upcoming performance: Oct. 5, 1-3pm, St. Mary’s School Country Fair, St. Mary’s School, 30 Lyndon Ave, Los Gatos.
