Grand Vanity

February 16th 2011 – Los Angeles based Grand Vanity join Ra Ra Riot, Melissa Auf der Maur, Flying Lotus, Hemoptysis, Darrell Scott, Jim Campilongo, Jackson Browne and David Lindley and other self-released and independent label talent as Nominees for The 10th Independent Music Awards (The IMAs), the influential awards program for independent bands and fans.

Representing the broad spectrum of today’s global independent music scene, the more than 300 Nominees in nearly 70 Song, Album, Music Video and Design categories were culled from submissions from North America, South America, Asia, Australia and Europe.

Known for celebrating artists that follow their own muse, The 10th IMA Nominees are an eclectic mix of rising stars including Strawfoot (Alt. Country Song), Hemoptysis (Metal/Hardcore Song), and Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three (Amerciana Album) and established talent including telecaster virtuoso, Jim Campilongo (Instrumental Album), experimental multi-genre artist, Flying Lotus (Music Video and Dance/Electronica Song), and indie rockers, Ra Ra Riot (Pop/Rock Album). Perhaps better known as major label acts, this year’s Nominees strutting their independence include former Hole bassist, Melissa Auf der Maur (Indie/Alt./Hard Rock Album), and songwriting legend Jackson Browne with David Lindley (Live Performance Album).

Winners will be determined by a panel of 62 influential artist and industry judges including Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan, Suzanne Vega, Aimee Mann, Pete Wentz, Bettye LaVette, Seal, Adam Duritz, Ozzy Osbourne, Arturo Sandoval, Martin Atkins, Andrew W. K., Shelby Lynne, Kevin Lyman (Warped Tour), Bill Bragin (Lincoln Center), Anthony DeCurtis (Rolling Stone), Pat McGuire (Filter Magazine) and Evan Schlansky (American Songwriter) and will be announced in mid-March 2011. Music fans have until July 11 to cast their votes at The IMA Vox Pop Jukebox to determine the fan-selected IMA Winners. - Independent Music Awards

Grand Vanity's song "Got A Nerve" was featured on season 4 episode 13 of NBC's show Chuck. The song was heard during the scene where Ellie announces she's going into labor. - Heard on TV

Subterranean's Underground Countdown

The top 98.3 underground rock songs of 2010!

24. "Got a Nerve," Grand Vanity - Subterranean Radio

Encore Coordinator and IAP Faculty Greg Jong to perform at NAMM 2011 with John Lennon Educational Tour Bus

If you plan on attending the 2011 NAMM Show at the Anaheim Convention Center on Saturday, January 15, make sure to stop by the Convention Center "Wanna Play" Stage hosted by the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus at 12:00 PM to catch our Encore Coordinator and IAP Faculty member Greg Jong and his wife as their duo “Grand Vanity” is scheduled to perform a 45-minute set to include around 9 songs.

NAMM is the National Association of Music Merchants, a non-profit association which serves to “unify, lead and strengthen the $17 billion global music products industry.” NAMM is known for their annual trade shows that serve as “a hub for people wanting to seek out the newest innovations in musical products, recording technology, sound and lighting.” The 2011 show will host approximately 85,000 people from 100 countries on January 13th through 16th at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Grand Vanity is scheduled to play the gig at NAMM 2011 because the band is the grand prize winner of a Sonicbids Songwriting Contest hosted by the John Lennon Tour Bus. They will take home an Epiphone John Lennon EJ-160E guitar and a Blackheart BH5H amp with a matching BH112 cab, in addition to playing at the NAMM show.

When asked what thoughts and emotions Greg had about performing at NAMM with the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, Greg remarked:

“We're excited - we actually noticed the stage outside the entrance last year and half-joked that it would be fun to play there, and now we are! So we're definitely looking forward to it.”

The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus in a non-profit mobile audio and HD Digital recording and production facility that has been providing educational programs to students of music since 1998.

Greg says, “The bus has a great mission to encourage people to make music and record it... Very similar to the IAP program I work on. I would hope that anyone inspired by a visit to the bus will pursue a program like IAP to develop their skills in recording.”

If you’re curious of what to expect at the show, Greg describes Grand Vanity as “undeniably retro and influenced by 60’s and 70’s bands such as E.L.O., The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac and Supertramp, but with an aim to make timeless pop/rock.” He says, “Our songs are constructed with as much care as we can muster; written with a healthy fear of cliché, and a love of a well placed twist.”

We are very excited to see Grand Vanity at NAMM 2011 alongside a cause that promotes music education and hope that this gig with the John Lennon Tour Bus is only the first of many more to come for the husband-wife duo who have been playing together since 2009. - Musicians Institute

The Lennon Bus and Sonicbids are excited to announce that Grand Vanity is the grand prize winner of Sonicbind’s contest to play a gig hosted by the Lennon Bus at the 2011 NAMM Show. Grand Vanity will take the stage at NAMM, one of the largest music product trade shows in the world, on Saturday, January 15th at 12:00PM outside the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA. The performance will be open to the public. Grand Vanity will also be taking home an Epiphone John Lennon EJ-160E guitar and a Blackheart BH5H amp with a matching BH112 cab. - The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus

How could I ignore an email with that subject line? It’s either extremely coincidental or extremely specific. But here I am, enjoying a Friday night of rhythm, blues, & soul, updating Born In A Bottle Rocket, when I decide to hop in my email and I find that, or rather, this…

Not too shabby right? Quirky, cute little husband/wife (one’s even from the states and the other ain’t!) teamo. Well, they got an EP up on Bandcamp and, yeah, not too shabby dabby!

Go check ‘em out, then go follow all their linkies and show some love, eh? It ain’t easy being a band these days… - TSURURADIO

if i could post every unsolicited song that comes through my inbox each day, i would. seriously. it's just as important -- probably more so -- to give the up-and-comers some exposure, as it is to post the newest lady gaga remix. the songs that come my way fall into one of three categories: 1) songs that aren't appropriate for the blog; 2) songs that just don't do it for me; or 3) songs that must be posted immediately. meet grand vanity, a husband and wife duo, who obviously falls into the third category. i was so taken with their rock/pop sound on the single, "got a nerve," i bought it on iTunes upon first listen. it's heavy. dig it. you can check out that tune below, as well as the video, and scoop their newly-released ep, ep-a (ever present annoyance), for only $5. - The Pop Sucker