More about: Lana Del ReyRob Grant

When Rob Grant, the father of Lana Del Rey, announced his own musical project, he was quick to claim the nepotism titles before anyone could put it to him. A quick look on his site and you’ll find ‘Nepo Daddy’ t-shirts, poking fun at the title. But long before his daughter was the Lana Del Rey, long before an album could come close to a possibility; the dream was there. Hidden away for years - at 69, Rob Grant is now totally changing direction. 

Previously working a high power job in advertising, grinding away in a corporate life, he’s play piano at home. Watching his daughter blossom into one of this generation’s most influential music, watching his children build beautiful, deeply creative lives for himself, he wanted to finally grant himself permission to do the same. After of the release of his debut album, we talked to Rob about finally fulfilling long-held dreams, and finding the courage to re-route.

GW: Can you fill us in on the Rob Grant story? When did you start making music? How did music exist in your life?

RG: As a young boy I grew up sailing & fishing on the Atlantic ocean in Rhode Island. I would sail from island to island, often alone. My love for the ocean and for nature comes from these early and very magical years. It was also a wonderful period of freedom before I moved to New York City and began a very different high pressured life in advertising. The ocean has always been an inspiration for a lot of my music and for my album Lost At Sea. Throughout those early years. I always played the piano - but only for myself - often improvising and playing for hours. I was self-taught & played by ear. I never had a piano lesson and in many ways I found that extremely liberating. It allowed me to experiment and play the piano without boundaries or rules.

When did the idea of making an album come about?

The idea of creating an album came about after I recorded a beautiful song with my daughter (Lana) called ‘Sweet Carolina’ for her Blue Banisters album. Lana had heard me playing her piano while she was upstairs reading, and she called down to me asking “what is that you’re playing”. I told her I was just improvising and played her the chords again. She came right down and asked me to create a bridge to the chords I had been playing. I did and she began to sing. Within 30 minutes we had composed the entire song. 'Sweet Carolina' is the final track on her album.

"The wonderful thing was how simpatico Jack and I were. He understood my music from the moment he heard it..."

What was the process like? How was it working with Jack Antonoff? 

The process of making my album was fascinating because I would compose songs in the morning on Lana’s baby grand, often with her two Bengal cats walking on top of the piano, and then record these songs on my phone. I would then bring my phone into the recording studio and ask Laura Sisk (Jack Antonoff’s engineer) to record me as I played these songs again on the big Yamaha grand piano in the studio. Later in the day Jack would show up and listen to what I had recorded. Almost immediately he would begin to work on the songs, adding his special magic - synth and strings and horns. The wonderful thing was how simpatico Jack and I were. He understood my music from the moment he heard it. It made the whole recording process so easy. Over the course of 12 months I recorded 16 songs with a number of great producers including Luke Howard, Zach Dawes, Jack Antonoff, Benji, and an old song I had created with Dan Heath.

Lana features on the album - how was it working with her? How did the family dynamic interact with the album?

Working with my daughter Lana was magical. She and I have the same musical instincts. We are drawn to the minor chords and to haunting melodies. Whenever she hears me playing something that she likes, she’ll stop me immediately and ask me to repeat the chords while she begins to improvise lyrics. The process is very intuitive. Our best songs have been written that way, almost impulsively. There's a surge of creativity when you hear certain notes and chords that hit you in just the right way.

What has Lana taught you about making music? How did she encourage/inspire you to take the leap?

The most meaningful thing I've learned from Lana is that there is always another song waiting to be written. You may feel exhausted creatively, but in time you recover and the creativity comes surging back like the tide. That's why she is such a prolific writer and has such a deep catalogue. The other thing I admire is her extraordinary courage. Nothing can stop her. We have an old Scottish family motto that has been handed down through the generations... "Stand Fast".

Can you tell us about the inspirations behind the album? 

The inspirations behind the album come from my many years of sailing and exploring the Atlantic ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. There is really nothing more beautiful or more inspiring than a distant horizon.

And where does it sound best? How would you like people to listen to the album?

I would like people to listen to my music when they are ready to relax and to meditate, and to let go of the fear and anxiety that we all feel inside ourselves. This is why I play the piano for myself. It's almost like self-medicating but with beautiful music.

"What I've learned is that there's an artist in all of us that wants to break out, if you are willing."

The decision to change careers later in life is something a lot of people wouldn’t have the courage to do - do you have any words of advice for people wanting to change direction?

The decision to embark on a whole new journey into music at age of 69 came at an interesting point in my life. I've always held that we all have multiple talents - it could be writing or painting or music - but most of us never get the chance to explore our talents. I think there's a great feeling of regret for a lot of people. You spend your life so busy just trying to make a living and trying to raise a family that by the time you get to my age, you're shot. And the other reason is fear. We all know that feeling. Its why most people give up. What I've learned is that there's an artist in all of us that wants to break out, if you are willing.

So what is next? Do you plan on touring?

What's next? The album drops on June 9th. If all goes well I may experiment with some public performances. I've talked with the band and Lana about performing on stage and what's involved. I also have plans to make more music - either EP's or maybe another album. I have more songs that I've written with Lana (remember there's always another song...) And I'm fascinated by ambient music. I'd love to explore that world in more depth with producers like Luke Howard.

Finally, What is your favourite song on the album?

I have two actually. Both vocal collaborations with Lana.  I love 'Hollywood Bowl' and 'Lost At Sea'. They're both such beautiful melodies. The pure piano compositions are entirely different and affect you on a different level...on a subconscious level in a very peaceful way. The entire album takes you on a journey into a beautiful dreamscape.

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More about: Lana Del ReyRob Grant