HAILING from Derry, GRIM is Laurence McDaid; a producer and singer/songwriter renowned for his idiosyncratic lo-fi electro-blues sound. Recently appearing on RTÉ’s Other Voices TV show, he appears on the recently released There Is a Light compilation, which also features The Casanova Wave, The Ambience Affair and O Emperor. We spent 10 minutes with GRIM.....
What are you up to right now?
Procrastinating.
Who are your heroes?
Tom Waits and Grumpy from Snow White.
What’s been the best decade of your life so far and why?
Decade?! Hmm... I’m hoping I haven’t experienced it yet.
What record gets you up when you’re feeling down?
When I’m feeling down I try to get angry because it tends to be more productive. So I listen to heavy rock music.
Ireland should get talking about...?
Mental health because the stigma is only going to make it worse.
What makes you angry?
Money. I’m crap at making it or holding on to it and, yet, it feels like the vast majority of accomplishments are just financial.
What book influenced you most?
The Vampire Lestat, by Anne Rice. Before I read that book it had never really occurred to me that faith might be totally aimless and incorrect.
What was the worst moment of your life?
The worst moments are never the worst moments. When someone is dying or a relationship is breaking down you very rarely have the time or space to feel sorry for yourself or worry about what is happening to you because those big changes usually require a lot of activity.
The WORST moments are when everything is done and you’re alone with your own thoughts and, suddenly, you’re in floods of tears because you put on the wrong socks.
Tom Waits is a hero of GRIM'sWhat is the best lesson life has taught you?
You can’t be happy all the time and until you learn to accept the moments of doubt and sadness, you run the risk of being overwhelmed.
What is your favourite film and why?
High Fidelity. I saw this film when I was about 16 when all art, music and films seemed to be speaking directly to me. I have definitely seen better films since, but nostalgia is a very powerful thing and every time I watch it, I feel a little bit of that intensity that seems to become increasingly rare as I get older.
What do you believe in?
Not a damn lot, I suppose. I believe it’s arrogant to rule anything out or ridicule anyone for their beliefs, but I mostly feel like existence is a mistake and, if anyone was responsible, those involved got bored and moved on a loooooong time ago.
It’s good to talk because...
Someone might actually listen. It can help organise your thoughts. Everyone has something to say. BT said so.
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