It is with great sadness, unfortunate circumstance, and existential relief to announce the disbanding of Death In Graceland.
Kane Kitchen, guitarist and irreplaceable member of this group, decided to leave the fold on Sunday night. It was nothing personal against the other members of the group. His heart just wasn’t in it anymore. Five years is a grind for any situation. That’s half a decade! Rather than drag it out without care or concern, he felt it was time to walk away. His decision is respected to the utmost degree.
I came into this band when I was 18 and still in high school, and I leave it at 23. Death In Graceland was my version of an unwritten John Hughes film. I grew up within the confines of this ensemble. We played the best music that we could, with the talent and resources available to us at a given time and place. I have no regrets. We went out of town a few times, and I got to see parts of this beautiful country that I wouldn’t have gotten to see otherwise. There was also plenty of undeserving asses tossed my way, but that’s neither here nor there. In short, this was the best experience of my life. I am thankful I got to spend it with some of the best people I have ever, and will ever, meet in my life.
Thank you to anyone and everyone who ever gave a shit, came to shows and watched us fuck up our songs, bought records and shirts, and generally made our lives a little bit better. Special Thanks go to Patrick Walkenhorst, Greg Beale, Re-Set Smith, and Tim Elsey for giving it their all in this little band at one point or another. Ryan Thomas is also deserving of a unique thanks. His selfless contributions will never be forgotten. No one would know who the fuck we were if it wasn’t for him. All the bands we played with over the years that have developed into lifelong friendships (past & present): Sadaharu, Junior Revolution/Parker, East Arcadia/Averroist/Arm’s Exploding, Crybaby, Caterpillar Tracks, Brain Banger, Great Depression, Alone At 3AM, Based In Theory, Denial/Turnbull AC’s, The Detachment Kit, thistle./Ampline/The Light Wires, etc. If I left anyone out, forgive me.
Goodbye. We were Death In Graceland: A Rock Band From The Westside Of Cincinnati.
-m.
After surviving tumultuous and unpredictable lives in other Cincinnati rock bands, the members of Death In Graceland found each other in the spring of 2002. The chemistry between the four young men was automatically apparent and lethal. Combining a delicious blend of heartbreak, rock n’ roll, and sass, Death In Graceland immediately began playing shows and recording material after only a brief existence of two months. In October of 2002, the band headed into the studio to record seven songs that would be deemed as the dark-hearted album "Come On, Touch Me", which was later named as the 2003 Record of the Year by CityBeat, the most popular independent publication in Cincinnati.
Death In Graceland has repeatedly toured both the East Coast and Midwest and was honored to be chosen to play the prestigious "North By Northeast" (NXNE) Festival in Toronto, Canada in June 2003. The band has become accustomed to providing for themselves and through that process, have become diligent in making themselves both more prominent and successful as a musical group. With aspirations of touring as much as possible with new material, Death In Graceland recently finished work on its sophomore 11-track album and is currently shopping it to labels in hopes of finding financial backing.
The group has received many accolades within the Cincinnati area which include: twice receiving a Cincinnati Entertainment Award for Best Punk Band in 2004 and 2005, performing at Midpoint Music Festival, the city’s premeire music fest, and being asked to play both Cincinnati’s date of The Vans Warped Tour as well as Jammin’ on Main, which is Cincinnati’s biggest weekend of music that attracts several popular national acts. They were named Best Live Act at the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards in 2006 most recently.
Throughout its history Death In Graceland has shared the stage with: The Bronx, Turing Machine, The Vibrators, Your Enemies Friends, The Pink Spiders, Don Caballero, Communique, Read Yellow, Black Cat Music, Planes Mistaken For Stars, Smoke Or Fire, The Offspring, Bullet Train to Vegas, Letters Organize, Call Me Lightning, The Catheters, Zombi, The Constantines, Panthers.
Death In Graceland consisted of the entities known as: Kane, Matt, Kevin, and Brian.
"Kid Taps Rides Again" (Directed By: Bob McCoy)
