Interview: Greywind - Embracing Darkness, Finding Light in ‘Antidote’
Greywind by Josiah Van Dien
If you had to sum up Greywind in three words, it would be: resilient, authentic and determined. The duo has weathered every storm thrown their way and emerged even stronger. Now, Greywind are gearing up for the release of their first new music in six years, the 5-track EP Antidote, landing tomorrow 15 March via Version III.
Founded by siblings Steph and Paul O’Sullivan, we chatted with the duo about their history and upcoming EP. With a blend of candour and enthusiasm, they recounted the highs and lows that have shaped their musical career.
Greywind’s style can be traced back to their rural youth in the picturesque town of Killarney, where influences from iconic bands like My Chemical Romance, Taking Back Sunday, and Jimmy Eat World planted the seeds of their distinctive sound. "We call ourselves ‘Irish emo’. It's our own genre," Steph explains with a laugh and hint of pride. Yet, situated far from Ireland's musical epicentre, Greywind found themselves as outliers, even within their hometown. "We're like the only two emos in town," Paul jests.
The duo's journey began with a realisation—an epiphany born from tragedy. "When our uncle took his own life, songwriting became our coping mechanism,” shares Paul. “We wrote our first song, and said, it's time to start a band. We booked ourselves into a studio, and we were so nervous because we’d never been in a studio before.”
Stef adds, “We were really just doing it for ourselves. When our uncle took his own life, that scared us. It woke us up. And really makes you realise that we need to be making our lives the best we possibly can and not wasting time on things we hate. It’s now strange that from something so sad, something kind of good came from it.”
Greywind's debut album, Afterthoughts, became their cathartic expression of grief and resilience. But their journey took an unexpected turn facing the sometimes harsh realities of the music industry. Signed to a major label without ever playing a live show, Greywind found themselves thrust into a whirlwind of recording sessions and high expectations.
"It was a rollercoaster," Steph admitted…."I was having panic attacks every day."
“And you feel guilty,” Paul recounts, “because this is your biggest dream coming true. But we were so aware that this album was going to represent us, for possibly our whole lives. We felt a bit like imposters because we were so new. But that album is so personal. It’s 40 minutes of us grieving, and we’re so proud of it. We could not have done any better.”
Despite initial success, including radio play and festival appearances, Greywind's journey took a bleak turn when they were unceremoniously dropped by their label and management. The betrayal stung, leaving them questioning their worth and their future in music. "We felt unloved," Steph confesses.
Yet, in the darkness, a glimmer of hope emerged as they reclaimed ownership of their music and their destiny. Armed with newfound independence and a fiercely loyal fanbase, Greywind embarked on a journey of redemption.
"Our fans saved us in our darkest moments, and might not even realise it," Paul shares. “We were waiting, just waiting to get the rights to our music back, not able to move forward, and we’d get a notification of a fan getting a tattoo or sharing a cover of one of our songs. It means so much. Our newest song, ‘You’re My Medicine’, is dedicated to our fans. Without them, this EP wouldn’t be possible.”
With a set of tracks ready and a vision in mind, the duo ventured into the studio in Los Angeles, guided by joint producers Sam Guaiana and The Wonder Years guitarist Casey Cavaliere. "Casey became our manager, and we immediately clicked,” Paul shares. “He understood our vision and wanted to bring it to life. It was such a relaxing experience recording with Sam and Casey, and also incredible to work with these two legends in the industry. They totally took everything to the next level."
Steph recalls, "Going into LA, it was like a soul-refreshing experience. We poured our hearts into these songs, and seeing them come to life in the studio was incredibly rewarding. Lyrically, we're not afraid to be open and vulnerable. Our songs are a reflection of our lives, you’re literally listening to the past six years poured into these songs.”
Paul adds, "Our songs are a reflection of our experiences. We don't shy away from dark themes because that's our reality. We always have a vision, from the lyrics to the artwork to the music videos, everything interlinks and tells a story." This meticulous attention to detail is evident in their latest EP, where every song is a carefully crafted piece of their narrative.
"We wanted to push boundaries with this EP. Where some of our older songs are a bit more vague, we weren’t afraid to be really bold with our lyrics in this EP,” Steph explains. “One of the songs not yet released, ‘Deathwish’, is definitely one of our heaviest songs to date. It goes really heavy, it’s like a volcano erupting on stage. We’re getting to explore different sides of ourselves and the emo genre.”
Paul adds, "From the rawness of 'Death Wish' to ‘You're My Medicine', which is more inspired by that nostalgic emo we grew up listening to, every song on this EP tells a story. But they’re all really about knowing you can get through dark times. One of the songs not yet released is called ‘Glimmer’, and it’s about feeling like everything has collapsed and looking for that glimmer of hope."
“And I hope”, Steph shares, “that if anyone listening to the EP and the new songs is struggling with any of the kinds of things we talk about, I can tell you firsthand, we’ve been through some of the darkest days. If our music can help anyone in any way, that would be amazing.”
As the release date for Antidote draws near, Greywind are also gearing up for their first American tour supporting Boys of Fall. "Playing in America has always been our goal. We've waited patiently for this moment, and we’re so excited," shares Steph.
“We’ve always been drawn to America,” Paul chimes in. “It’s our favourite place. So many of our fans, and the bands we grew up listening to, are all American. We’re so excited to finally be making a start over there and it's going to be really special.”
As they prepare to take the stage in America, Greywind is poised to captivate audiences with their raw energy and unapologetic storytelling. Keep an eye out for their EP release and upcoming tour dates, because this is just the beginning of the next chapter of Greywind’s story.
Antidote by Greywind is out 15 March via Version III. Pre-save the release and catch Greywind on tour in the USA supporting Boys Of Fall, playing Sounds Rad festival, and supporting 408.
