Greta Van Fleet is an American rock band formed inFrankenmuth, Michigan in 2012. The band consists of vocalist Josh Kiszka, guitarist Jake Kiszka, bassist/keyboardist Sam Kiszka, and drummer Danny Wagner. The Kiszkas are brothers, and Josh and Jake Kiszka are twins. Greta Van Fleet was signed toLava Records in March 2017,[2] and a month later they released their debut studioEP,Black Smoke Rising. Their debut single, "Highway Tune", topped theBillboard U.S.Mainstream Rock andActive Rock charts in September 2017 for four weeks in a row.[3] Their second EP,From the Fires, containing the four songs fromBlack Smoke Rising and four new songs, was released on November 10, 2017, alongside a second single, "Safari Song".From the Fires went on to win the 2019Grammy Award for Best Rock Album.[4]
Their debut full-length studio album,Anthem of the Peaceful Army, was released on October 19, 2018, and topped theBillboard Rock Albums chart in the first week after its release. The album's first single, "When the Curtain Falls", was released ahead of it in July 2018 and became the band's third number-one single on the U.S.Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.[5][6][7]Anthem of the Peaceful Army also debuted atop theBillboard Hard Rock charts and reached the number one spot on theBillboard Top Album Sales charts in the first week after its release.[8][9] A second studio album,The Battle at Garden's Gate, was released on April 16, 2021. Their third studio album,Starcatcher, was released on July 21, 2023.
History
Formation and early years (2012–2015)
The band was formed in 2012 inFrankenmuth, Michigan by twin brothers Josh and Jake Kiszka, their younger brother Sam, and Kyle Hauck.[10] Creating a band had always been Jake Kiszka's dream; he joined his high school band to further that goal, where he eventually met Hauck. Practicing music together in the Kiszka's family garage led to recruiting brothers Josh and Sam to play, and later to form the band.[11] The band name was created when Hauck heard a relative mention Gretna Van Fleet, a resident of Frankenmuth; their use of the variation on her name was done with her (subsequent) blessing.[12][13] Van Fleet also stated in a later interview that while the band's music is not her type, she supports the band and thinks they are very talented.[14][15]
With Hauck as drummer, the band recorded three songs: "Cloud Train", "Highway Tune" and "Standing On". Hauck was replaced by the brothers' good friend Danny Wagner in 2013. The initialguitar riff for "Highway Tune" was cited by guitarist Jake Kiszka as being written as early as 2010.[16] The song was released as a single in March 2017.[17][18] On February 28, 2014, a live EP was recorded in one take and released on June 7, 2014.[19] In March 2014, their song "Standing On" was featured in 2014 Chevy Equinox advertisements in the Detroit area.[20][21] "Standing On" is one of several songs, along with "By the Riverside", "Cloud Train", "Down to the River", "Motown Funk No. 4", "Sing in the Rain", "Thunder Stomp", "Occidentali", and "Written in Gold", that were previously released but are currently unavailable.[22][23][24]
Black Smoke Rising andFrom the Fires (2016–2017)
On January 17, 2016, the song "Highway Tune" was featured as a live performance by the band on the Showtime showShameless.[25] On March 31, 2017, the final recorded version of "Highway Tune" was released on iTunes as the band's first official single. On April 2, 2017, iTunes started streaming the song "Highway Tune".[26] On April 18, 2017, the music video for the song "Highway Tune" was released exclusively onLoudwire.[27] The band's debut EP titledBlack Smoke Rising was released April 21, 2017. On April 21, 2017, Apple Music named Greta Van Fleet new artist of the week.[28][non-primary source needed] The band toured withThe Struts during May 2017.[29][30]
In October 2017, the band won Best New Artist at theLoudwire Music Awards.[31] The band released an eight-song double EP titledFrom the Fires on November 10, 2017. In addition to the four tracks fromBlack Smoke Rising,From the Fires features the new recordings "Edge of Darkness" and "Talk on the Street", as well as covers ofSam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" andFairport Convention's "Meet on the Ledge". The four new tracks were recorded in September 2017 at Rustbelt Studios inRoyal Oak, Michigan and produced by Al Sutton and Marlon Young, the same duo that producedBlack Smoke Rising.[32] The band also released "Safari Song" as a single in October 2017.[33] Greta Van Fleet opened for fellow Michigan nativeBob Seger at theDow Event Center inSaginaw, Michigan (just minutes from their hometown) on September 7.[34] In November 2017, the band announced that they would begin recording their first full-length studio album shortly after the release ofFrom the Fires, and that they expected its release by mid-2018.[35]
On January 19, 2019, Greta Van Fleet appeared as a musical guest onSaturday Night Live, and performed the song "Black Smoke Rising" and second single fromAnthem of the Peaceful Army "You're the One".[50][51] A third single, "Lover, Leaver" was later released in May 2019.[52] The band contributed "Always There", an outtake from the album, to the soundtrack of the filmA Million Little Pieces.[53] Jake and Sam Kiszka toldNew Musical Express magazine in an interview in July 2019 that they are working on a new album to put out in the coming year and that their musical style has evolved.[54]
The Battle at Garden's Gate (2020–2022)
On October 9, 2020, the band released a new single, "My Way, Soon", accompanied by a music video that was shot, edited and directed by the band. The song was expected to appear on their upcoming second album, which, according to Wagner, drew on the band's touring over the previous two years, and how it opened their eyes: "We realized that while growing up, we had been shielded by a lot of things, we were unaware of a lot of things".[55] On December 4, 2020, the band announced their second studio album would be titledThe Battle at Garden's Gate.[56][57] A single titled "Age of Machine" was also released alongside the announcement. The album was released on April 16, 2021.[56][57] On February 10, 2021, the band released the third single "Heat Above".[58] On March 19, 2021, the band released the fourth single "Broken Bells".[59] The band then toured extensively throughout 2021 and 2022 on the global "Dreams in Gold" tour.[60] In the July 16–22 tracking period, Greta Van Fleet earned 7.6 million U.S. on-demand streams of its catalog, a boost of 122%, according to MRC Data. Additionally, the rockers racked up 6,000 digital downloads of its songs, up 461%, and 5,000 album sales, up 86%.[61]
Starcatcher (2023–present)
At the final three shows of theirDreams in Gold Tour, the band played five new songs titled "Meeting the Master", "The Falling Sky", "The Indigo Streak", "Sacred the Thread", and "Farewell for Now".[62] The band then announced on Twitter that their new album was titledStarcatcher, and would be released on July 21, 2023.[63][non-primary source needed] On April 9, 2023, the band released their first single from the album titled "Meeting the Master" on digital media, followed by a music video for the song on May 4, 2023.[64][65][66] The band's second single "Sacred the Thread" was released on digital media on May 19, 2023.[67] The band released two more singles, "Farewell for Now" and "The Falling Sky" on June 8, and June 27, 2023. The band released the album on July 21, 2023, where it would sell 46,000 units in its first week and debuted at 8 on the USBillboard 200.[68]
Musical style and influences
Josh Kiszka performing at theMercury Lounge on August 24, 2017
Greta Van Fleet's music has been categorized ashard rock,[69][70][71][72]blues rock,[70][73][74] andprogressive rock.[69][75] They are sometimes considered part of aclassic rock revival.[76] Although all four members bonded overblues, each have their own musical tastes: Jake gravitates towards rock and roll, Sam likesjazz, Danny prefersfolk, and Josh likesworld music.[77] Jake said in an interview, "that all three brothers had listened to their parents' vinyl which included blues and folk music."[78] Sam stated that, "It's not like we set out to be a rock and roll band, it's just that sound that comes out [when] we get together and play."[70] Songwriting is done by the band as a whole after one of the four members finds the concept for a song.[74] Danny stated that a lot of their songs are first written in a "folk set up" before evolving into something else.[70]
Greta Van Fleet is often compared toLed Zeppelin.[79] Jake related that he "... went through a year of really intensely studying what[Jimmy] Page did to the point I knew how he thought." He has also studied other classic rock guitarists in a similar manner, specifically mentioningPete Townshend.[80] Likewise, on his voice being compared toRobert Plant's, Josh said that Plant has certainly been an influence, "though it's not what I was going for."[81] Stating that he did not even know who Led Zeppelin were until high school, he explained that his singing style came out naturally one day while struggling to be heard over the rest of the band.[80] In a March 2018 interview, Plant said of Greta Van Fleet, "they areLed Zeppelin I" and described Josh as "a beautiful little singer."[82]
On April 19, 2024, guitarist Jake Kiszka along with Chris Turpin (of the bandIda Mae), formed a new musical duo calledMirador, featuring Kiszka and Turpin on both guitar, and vocals.[90] In a post to Greta Van Fleet's social media, Mirador is described as "a new collective consisting of our very own" [Jake Kiszka].[91][non-primary source needed] On April 18, 2024, Greta Van Fleet announced Mirador would be opening shows on select dates. Mirador subsequently made their live debut in St. Louis, Missouri atChaifetz Arena on April 27, 2024, to a setlist of songs titled, "Feels Like Gold", "Roving Blade", "Must I Go Bound", "Fortunes Fate", and "Skyway Drifter".[92] Mirador's spring tour with Greta Van Fleet concluded on May 21, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
TheGrammy Awards, or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious and significant awards in the music industry worldwide.
Pollstar Awards stands alone as the only awards focused entirely on excellence in the realm of live performance, as determined by those who make their living in the business.[98]
^abVelez, Jennifer (February 7, 2019)."Greta Van Fleet Wins Best Rock Album". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.Archived from the original on November 21, 2020. RetrievedJune 4, 2022.
^"61st Annual Grammy Awards". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. December 6, 2018. Archived fromthe original on December 7, 2018. RetrievedJune 5, 2022.
