LATEX GRENADE BAND BIO


Rockers out of San Diego, CA, Latex Grenade, having released four studio albums on iTunes and Amazon, is a band that brings great passion and energy. Attracting the adrenaline seekers in action sports, this power trio inspires the listener through fast upbeat melodies and highly energetic vocals. Their latest album, The Cage, tackles very topical concepts of the day speaking out to what the band believes in with a bold message. FDR Parts I and II, are as motivating as it gets primarily taking on relevant themes such as overcoming adversity and personal struggles, striking a very familiar chord with many through these tough societal times. Upon the release of their album, FDR Part 1 (2013), Latex Grenade took off on their first national tour, playing at SXSW Austin and headlining at the Winter Snow Show with FM94/9 at Bear Mountain. Since then Latex Grenade has embarked upon 3 national tours having played in over 27 states nationwide and 2 international tours including South Africa where they supported The Springbok Nude Girls on their Beautiful Evolution Tour. San Diego Citybeat says, “Latex Grenade’s music is straight forward Pennywise-style punk melodies roughed up with some thrash metal riffs”.

THE BEGINNING

Latex Grenade formed in the fall of 2009 with the original line up comprised of Geoff Davis (guitar/vocals), Ross Garcia (bass) and Chris Munson (drums). With the addition of Chris Munson on the drums in 2009, the band decided to move in a different musical direction than before. Their music, which was once fast and fueled by the punk genre, was slowed down to a heavier Hard Rock/Metal Pulse. With the incorporation of the heavy double bass drums, Latex Grenade found a style that really stuck and is prevalent today. This was especially apparent in their first EP released on September 10th 2010, and the songs that emerged onto, Going Green, in 2012.

In 2011, through creative differences, Ross Garcia had left the band and Daren England took on the bass position. By 2011, months before the recording of their sophomore album, Going Green, Chris Munson was ready to move on from the band. Duke Higgs joined in early 2012 as Latex Grenade recorded Going Green. Shortly after the release of Going green, Daren England was replaced with the present bassist today, Nick Shores. Nick Shores brought back a dynamic and powerful rhythm section to the band, a piece of the band that some felt was missing after the departure of Ross Garcia. After several brief tours in 2012 Latex Grenade went back into the studio to record their most acclaimed album to date, FDR Part 1. Shortly after the release of FDR Part 1, Duke Higgs, who was in the armed forces, was deployed over seas, leaving the band with a tough decision especially as they were set to hit the road on a national tour for their album. Kyle Dern joined the band in 2014 as a temporary replacement who has remained the current drummer to date. Three national tours later throughout the most part of 2015, Latex Grenade went back into the studio to record FDR Part 2, which was released on July 15th, 2016, with their hit single, “Burger Murder”, which the music video was filmed at the downtown San Diego restaurant, The Garage.

In 2017 the band parted ways with drummer Kyle Dern, and in 2018 Latex Grenade took on a bolder path with the release of of The Cage on September 28th 2018. The album-titled single, "The Cage", is a protest to the current issues arising in American culture. The song reflects on how divided the nation has become and calls for people to unite and work together rather than dwell on the things that make them different. The Cage was recorded in Bellville Studios in Cape Town South Africa, recorded and mixed by the mastermind, Theo Crous, of The Springbok Nude Girls.

When asked about Latex Grenade’s most recent album, The Cage, Geoff said the following:

“This is a pivotal time in this country and we decided that it was important to come out and tell the listener how we feel about it. The music industry is so safe right now. Nobody takes risks and every song on the radio right now is a bunch of feel-good vanilla. You simply do not see band's like Rage Against The Machine anymore or any other band who was considered "dangerous" - Dangerous as in they were not afraid to tell the American people about the messed up society we live in. These are dangerous times right now for our country and it is time to not be afraid to speak out about it.”

MEANING OF LATEX GRENADE

Latex Grenade has that hint of sexuality to it, first of all, but when you dig deeper into the meaning, it pertains to something very relevant in today’s culture. The term Latex Grenade refers to our planet. It is a fragile planet that can break so easily if it is squeezed the wrong way; Like a water balloon. This is not just an environmental thought, however. The term fragile planet that we speak of refers to every single way humans affect the planet. Whether it's genocide taking place in Africa, corporate American companies damaging the environment with no restraint ( BP, OPEC, industrial pollution) or the consumer refusing to change his/her ways out of convenience; we are on borrowed time at the rate we are moving. Latex grenade is a term for change, and hopefully will open the eyes of our youth.

DISCOGRAPHY

The EP, Released in September, 2010
Going Green, Released in April, 2012
FDR Part I, Released in October, 2013
FDR Part 2, Released July, 2016
The Cage, Released September, 2018