Interview With Grant Garner of The Sherman Neckties
Q: Who are The Sherman Neckties?
“The Sherman Neckties consists of myself (Grant Garner — Vocals/Guitar), Preston Hilliard (Drums), Weston Goodnoe (Guitar), and Josh Wicker (Bass). We are best described as an alternative rock band with a strong punk influence.”
Q: What bands influenced you and helped craft the sound of The Sherman Neckties?
“I grew up on Green Day, My Chemical Romance, Foo Fighters, and Fall Out Boy. These are the main bands that I developed my musical style from. Our drummer grew up in an entirely different world from me, and his gospel/pop/rock style drums make up a large percentage of our sound.”
Q: How did the band form?
“All four of us are from the same town (Sanford, NC). Preston joined the band in the summer of 2015 and we found Weston later that year. Josh didn’t join until April 2018 when we were in need of a bassist for an opening gig at the Fayetteville, NC Dogwood Festival. We spent a lot of time practicing and playing every show we could get. I think that one of the most challenging things when we started, was trying to find a location to rehearse. We ended up practicing outside in a few of our friend’s backyards a few times. The simplest things always seemed to be a struggle.”
Q: What are some of your most memorable shows?
“My personal favorite show was when we opened for The Ataris in Raleigh, NC. They were one of my favorite bands when I was in high school, so I thought it was really cool to share a stage with them. The whole band actually stayed inside the venue, watched our entire set, spoke with everyone who approached them, and ran their own merch table. Most big bands we open for just stay on their tour bus and hide from everyone until it’s time to perform. I have nothing but total respect for The Ataris after that show.”
Q: When can we expect a new release?
“In early December 2019, we are releasing a 3 song EP and music video. We recorded the EP with producer James Paul Wisner back in January 2018, so it’s really exciting for us to finally be able to release it.”
Q: Do you plan on touring in 2020?
“Like anyone else, I would love to tour, but it doesn’t make sense for our band at our current stage. I see a lot of my friends’ bands that are touring, and I hear all of the horror stories of broken-down vans, playing empty rooms, canceled dates, and serious financial situations. Our band will tour when it makes sense to tour, and until then, we will focus on what we can build while we’re in NC to make touring a profitable option in the future.”
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