“I’d always borrow guitars, but after we signed to this asshole label, one of the guys gave me the Jazzmaster. I’ve never had a reason to get another guitar”: Jason Lytle on Grandaddy’s emotional return and his ’70s Fender devotion

Central Valley, California natives Grandaddy were indie darlings primed for greatness through records like Complex Party Come Along Theories (1994), Under the Western Freeway (1997), and The Sophtware Slump (2000).

The band – led by Jason Lytle in all their indie meets space rock meets psych rock meets lo-fi – were great. They scored an opening slot with Elliott Smith on his Figure 8 tour in 2000, and recorded a memorable cover of The Beatles’ Revolution in 2001 for the I Am Sam soundtrack.

But their efforts garnered little financial reward, leading Lytle to pack it in back in 2006. He then became a successful producer, with Band of Horses’ Why Are You OK (2016) a notable highlight.

Grandaddy reunited in 2012 for sporadic shows and more music, their last record being 2017’s Last Place – before the band parked again when founding bassist Kevin Garcia passed from a stroke in 2017.

Most assumed Grandaddy died with Garcia, but in Lytle tells Guitar World: “I didn’t consciously put anything to bed. I just had to step away from it and process things. I didn’t feel like firing anything back up until I woke up one day and decided it was okay to start working on stuff again. That’s how Blu Wav began.”

The new Grandaddy album arrives on February 16. Asked if the band’s sound has changed much, considering Garcia had been their bassist since he was 15, Lytle says: “I’m not sure. My drummer Aaron Burtch and I haven't been in a room together. I did most of the recordings alone. I struggled being in a room with Aaron because he and Kevin were very close.

“They were great friends – so playing as Grandaddy in a room with Aaron, and having Kevin not be there… it’s still something I dread having to witness. It remains to be seen if I can even do it.”

One might expect touring to be part of the Blu Wav promotional program. “I’m taking it as it comes,” Lytle says. “It’s a total wait-and-see. For now, I’m shooting first and asking questions later.”

Blu Wav is Grandaddy's first record in seven years. What brought you here?

“I started feeling weird. If I go too long without having a project, I get antsy. It’s become a habit for me always to have something to work on, leading me to toy with new ideas for Grandaddy. But I was searching for a particular sound, and finally I could dig in and make sense of the ideas I’d been working on for over a year.”

What did those ideas look like as far as guitars go?

“I wanted slow, romantic bluegrass elements, and to combine them with dense synths for a modern yet vintage feel. I initially thought I’d do that with a mandolin and pedal steel, but then I realized I wouldn’t play pedal steel. I tried to take on the mandolin – I bought one, unaware of the strange tunings and fingerings!”

How did you overcome that?

“I sent it back and bought an 8-string ukulele, which is a ukulele with double strings. It gives a mandolin sound, but the tuning is more like a tenor guitar. I was able to wrap my head around that. There are also a lot of sustained guitars that are dreamy, which is the hallmark of Grandaddy that I achieved with my ‘70s Fender Jazzmaster, which I’ve had forever.”

Did you pair the Jazzmaster with any interesting pedals and amps?

“The Jazzmaster has a very neutral sound – it’s a very moldable canvas. But I’ve been using a Kemper because I’m mainly in the studio, and it’s easier. I found a ton of vintage amp presets and all sorts of spring reverb sounds in there. I even ran my 000-15 Martin acoustic through the Kemper, which sounded otherworldly.”

How did the Jazzmaster end up in your hands?

“All through Grandaddy's early existence, I scraped together guitars while we’d play around our hometown in Modesto, California. We’d play small venues, coffee shops, house parties. It was low-budget, and I’d always borrow guitars. I did once have a small collection, but one day all those guitars got stolen from this shitty studio and I took a huge hit.

“We kept playing shows, and I kept borrowing guitars, but after we were signed to this asshole label who I won't mention [Will Records], one of the guys at that label gave me the Jazzmaster. It’s a Japanese-made Jazzmaster from the ‘70s and it immediately became my guitar. I’ve never had a reason to get another guitar.”

So, aside from the Martin 000-15 and the Jazzmaster, you’re not using any other guitars?

“The Jazzmaster is so stable. I never even had a backup guitar, even though I’d play the shit out of it. I wouldn’t break strings and it would never go out of tune. The Jazzmaster is one of those ‘if it ain't broke, don't fix it’ things.

“I have researched Ernie Ball Music Man, and when I have more money, I might try one. They seem stable and have a neutral, anonymous sound. But I’m happy to play my Jazzmaster forever. I have no reason to switch it up.”

Which tracks on Blu Wav best represent you?

“There’s a song called Watercooler with a nice, relaxed vibe, which is my personality. It’s laid back – but there’s enough thoughtfulness and cleverness that represents me well. It’s a perfect reflection of my work and where I’m at.

“Then there’s On a Train or Bus. I liked how that recording turned out because it’s an example of how I can tap into a certain feeling, add to the multi-track, and keep layering as a musician and producer. Sometimes you get further away, but other times it gets better. With that track, a new layer of magic happened.

“Jukebox App is one where I must admit I was proud of myself! I came up with that while sitting at a bar alone and cooked up this idea of a guy and a girl who broke up. The guy isn’t over it, but the girl is – she gets a new boyfriend. So he’s in the bar at the same time as them, and he sabotages the jukebox via an app on his phone and tries to ruin the time she’s having.”

In the seven years since Grandaddy’s previous record, Last Place, what’s changed most for you?

“Nothing has changed. There’s a lot to be said about being connected, though. Staying connected to what you do as a musician is very important. People talk about how maybe Grandaddy was ‘on the verge of greatness,’ or we ‘could have become something big’ – but I’m more about dipping in and keeping things pure.”

So it’s not a case of “what might have been”?

“No. Not taking what I do too seriously, seeing the purity of my ideas, recording, going through life as a normal person, and having enough skills to get it all on tape is fine. I’m not distracted by perfectionism or trying to impress people. I keep things laid back and keep it real.”

It’s tough for indie bands, though.

“I thank my lucky stars that Grandaddy got to experience a little bit of the industry while it still had some money behind it. Record companies used to have money to shell out for advances and tour support, but not anymore. I’ve been unlucky in many categories in my life, but as far as that goes, I was lucky.”

What’s your outlook as you move ahead?

“I’m injecting as much appreciation and gratitude into my situation as possible. My life could have ended in several unfortunate ways, so I’m okay with making the best of it now.

“I find myself in a fortunate situation. As long as my ears hold up and I’m tolerant of sitting in front of a screen and scrolling through menus, I’ll keep making music.”

• Blu Wav is out on February 16 and available to preorder via Bandcamp.