We wanted to take a sec and introduce you to Jonny Grenier, Holland’s rad new Music Director! He’s filling some big shoes, as Clark Demeritt (who’s been in this role for 5 years and has been a part of Holland since it’s inception), steps down to tour, travel, and go on some adventures, but we already know Jonny’s gonna rule. We got to know him over the last couple years as he attended shows and events, and then started volunteering –manning the door, helping run sound, managing volunteers, coordinating and organizing the library and more. He officially takes over this week, so be sure to say hi and give him a high five and welcome him to his new role!
< < AN INTERVIEW WITH HOLLAND’S NEW MUSIC DIRECTOR: JONNY GRENIER > >
Tell us about yourself. Where did you grow up and what kinds of things were you into as a kid?
I grew up kind of all over New England. Hartford served as my home base most of the time. As a kid I was a big fan of jumping off things not meant to be jumped off (convinced myself I could fly if I jumped off my dad’s shed and flapped my arms fast enough one time. Didn’t end well.) I tried not to spend much time inside so I was out on my bike a lot but when I was inside I would make jazz mix tapes using a playschool tape recorder and microphone. I’ve lived a few places since then but I say this sincerely, Reno is the coolest place I’ve ever lived.
Has music always played an important part of your life?
Definitely. My mom was really into Michael Bolton so she didn’t contribute a whole lot but she did get me into Ace of Base and for that (and many other reasons), I am forever indebted to her. My dad’s taste was all over the place and he was the one that lit the spark for me. I began playing classical music when I was 7 which oddly enough morphed into my affinity for punk music later on.
What makes you want to work for a DIY all-ages space?
Growing up in New England, our all-ages spaces were VFW halls, American Legions, and houses. We definitely didn’t have anything that was such a permanent fixture like Holland. The closest thing we had in Connecticut was the Wallingford American Legion (or WamLeg for those in the know) but a priest lived next door and wasn’t as big a fan of punk as we were so that got shut down. However, I think that forced the New England music scene to always have a DIY ethos. We had to. So we made stuff up as we went along. It’s cool to impart that for kids growing up in the scene now.
What are you looking forward to doing in your new position?
Honestly, the fact that I get to go to shows multiple times each week is still hard for me to believe. To be able to put them on and bring new and exciting music to Northern Nevada is a crazy big honor.
What sorts of things excite you and inspire you?
I like anything with a DIY drive – music, art, local business, anything. I like making something from nothing. From what I can tell Reno embodies that. I think the cool thing about this city is that it allows people to try new things, even if they might fail, and the community rallies around that. That’s really inspiring to me and has encouraged me to try new things myself.
Do you have a favorite show or memory at Holland?
I tell this story a lot but I moved to Reno in July 2013 without knowing a single person. Every weekend, I would wake up and Yelp a new coffee shop. I ended up at the Record Street Bibo. I asked the baristas where the shows were in town and they pretty enthusiastically told me The Holland Project was the spot. They invited me to hit up Forage (the roaming gallery) later that day. I fell in love with Reno and the Holland Project right then and there.
What about a favorite musical memory?
I got to tour England with an orchestra for a month and a half in college and it was the coolest thing ever. I ran a label growing up and releasing my first 7″ is still one of my proudest accomplishments.
What’s something you’re excited about giving more attention or making happen for the first time?
Jeez, I have so many ideas floating around in my head. I think in general, I’m just excited to continue making Holland everyone’s space.
What do you think about living in Reno and putting more roots down here?
To the dismay of family and friends back home, I don’t really ever want to leave. The people here are genuinely nice, everything is wicked cheap, and the music scene is small but mighty. Oh and the weather. When people from out of town talk crap about Reno I don’t correct them because we don’t need that kind of negativity in our lives. As for putting down roots, I’ve never been great at that, but I’ve made some amazing friends here, so there’s that.
Are you afraid you’ll get gray hair like Clark?
Not as worried as the possibility of forever tucking in my shirt.
Speaking of Clark, did he impart any useful lessons or wisdom for you?
Clark took the Mr. Miyagi approach to teaching me. One time, he tried to make me catch a fly with chopsticks, but I felt bad for the fly. For real though, he was really helpful in the transition process. I think the biggest thing Clark taught me was why we do this in the first place. Every once in a while there was a bummer show. It just happens. And Clark would remind me that someone showed up that night and had the time of their lives. That’s what Holland is about.
Are there things coming up you want us to know about?
This summer is going to be a banger. There’s a lot of cool stuff in the works.