Stiff Little Fingers drummer Steve Grantley on his tribute to Cramps guitarist Poison Ivy

Stiff Little Fingers drummer Steve Grantley is back in the spotlight with his latest musical project, Steve Grantley and the Zed Hedz. Steve shares the creative process behind their new EP, “Poison Ivy Where Did You Go?”.

Why did you dedicate your new EP to Poison Ivy of The Cramps?

I have for many years been a fan of The Cramps and have admired them as one of the few genuine rock n roll bands of our time. For me Poison Ivy is a true feminist rock n roll icon who although she played guitar in the band, co-wrote all their original music, often played bass on tracks and produced the band as well, she has never been recognised for her considerable contribution. I have no idea why this has occurred, perhaps ignorance or oversight but whatever it is, it’s a travesty. As far as i’m concerned, if Elvis is the King of Rock n Roll, Ivy is The Queen. Why aren’t The Cramps in the rock n roll hall of fame? Where’s Ivy’s accolades and awards? If you want to talk about ‘Girl Power’ and real talent Poison Ivy is the prime candidate, she’s your gal.

After the untimely and tragic death of her band mate and husband of 37 years Lux Interior she left the public eye and we in no way want to disrespect her wish to privacy. I felt this being her 70th year that I wanted to say thank you to her for all the great music she has given us. It’s our personal thank you to her.

What was it like working with John Magner on guitar and Jamie Alleyne on bass? How did their contributions impact the overall sound?

We’ve worked together a lot over the years and they were members of RT-Zed for the last album ZedNation. They’re both hugely influential on the group. John Magner, our guitar player has a unique sound, the ‘Zed’ sound we call it, which is a very slow chorus that is at any one time mixed with fuzz, distortion or tremolo. I suppose you could say we have a leftfield approach to the classic building blocks of rock n roll. Jamie is the grooviest bass player I’ve ever worked with and together we endeavour to make a huge rock n roll noise – a 21st Century Psychobilly Voodoo.

Could you tell us about the creative process behind the EP and how it differs from your previous work with RT-Zed?

The way we worked did differ from the RT-Zed material. For a start the recording process was a lot more lighthearted and fun plus we recorded much faster than usual. I wrote the songs at home on the guitar, John and I recorded rough demos and then Jamie added his bass. I laid down the drums and vocals in the studio but the guitars from the demos were kept for the final recording because there was a spontaneity and a blast of energy in the tracks that really suited the songs. RT-Zed always had energy but these Zed Hed tunes were recorded with a big smile on all our faces.

The journey of RT-Zed has seen its share of challenges, including the destruction of master tapes and the collapse of a record company. How have these experiences influenced your approach to the the music industry?

It means that we pretty much do everything ourselves, we record, produce, manufacture CD’s and Vinyl and propagate the digital tracks ourselves through social media, Big Cartel and Band Camp. We don’t have any contact with ‘the music business’ apart from our publishers Wipeout Music. We can’t see the point until we need a distribution deal, also; is there a ‘music industry’ any more for a band like us? At present we think not.

Being the drummer for Stiff Little Fingers and having worked with various artists, how did those experiences shape the sound and style of Steve Grantley and the Zed Hedz?

These experiences with other artists have brought me back full circle to my roots and what it is that I truly love to play which is old school R&B and true rock n roll. It’s taught me to keep things distilled down to their basic elements and to keep it simple and direct. I realised there were certain styles of music I like to listen to but don’t wish to play. In my time I’ve played jazz, pop and funk stuff but my heart lies with rock n roll.

Considering your diverse collaborations with artists like Billy Duffy, Glen Matlock and others, how did those experiences contribute to your growth as a musician and influence your current project?

I don’t think they’ve directly influenced the Zed Hedz but they have definitely informed me and helped me build my confidence as a player. Billy once told me that he “never took his eye off the ball musically or second guessed himself.” I have since used that philosophy with my playing by consolidating my ideas and executing them with conviction.

Are there any upcoming live performances or tour plans for Steve Grantley and the Zed Hedz?

We are doing a secret gig in a small club to showcase the EP for fan club members only and for them to see the band as a trio. We see this very much as a ‘live’ band and we plan to do as many shows in 2024 as possible. Support slots with appropriate bands are being discussed now as well as festival dates in the summer.

Do you have any future projects in the works that we can look forward to?

Yes, after we have promoted the Poison Ivy EP we’ll be back in the studio to record a new album in the same psychobilly voodoo style. I’m writing songs now and we think it’s coming together well so, all being well there’ll be a new Steve Grantley and the Zed Hedz album in 2024. The response to the EP has been incredible with offers coming in, amazing reviews and a lot of radio play. We’re inspired by the enthusiasm for the band and intend to maintain the momentum as much as possible.