San Diego Reader

Jordan Clark: Guitar (acoustic), Guitar (electric), Vocals | Manny B.: Bass guitar | Christoff Kolek: Guitar (acoustic), Guitar (electric) | Barker: Drums

Genre: Rock

RIYL: My Chemical Romance, Hot Like a Robot

Upcoming Local Shows

Discography

Related Links:

• http://grandtarantula.com/

• Blurt: "Now You Know -- Grand Tarantula" · Oct. 27, 2010

• BandCamp

Synoposis

Influences: Hot Like a Robot, Cuckoo Chaos, Dirty Gold

Background:

Singer-guitarist Jordan Clark moved to San Diego from a small town in Connecticut when he was 16. Inspired by local groups such as Boilermaker, Pinback, No Knife, Tanner, and Drive Like Jehu, Clark and three friends from Serra High School formed Hot Like a Robot. The band began touring right out of high school, with Clark making ends meet working pizza delivery between road trips.

Performing on the Warped Tour, they befriended My Chemical Romance and put out an album through the guitarist’s label, Skeleton Crew. Hot Like a Robot fell apart a short time later.

Clark went on to spin webs with bassist Manny B. and fellow ex-Robots Christoff Kolek and Barker as Grand Tarantula, which played their first show in March, 2010, at the Radio Room.

“We’re trying not to spend too much time overthinking it,” says Clark. “We did that with Hot Like a Robot and let ourselves down a lot. So now we’re at a place where we can just have fun, which is the best part.”

Clark launched the nonprofit Pretty Awesome Records in 2010 with friend Tess Passero. Their vision is to match up bands with artists in order to benefit a charity of their choice. All proceeds from the debut Grand Tarantula seven-inch I’m Not Gonna Let You Go (with sleeve art by local Kelsey Brookes) went toward the Carlsbad-based Keep A Breast Foundation, a breast-cancer-awareness organization.

“It’s cool to have music that is a piece of art that someone can take home and it won’t just end up on their car floor scratched up,” Clark says. “It’s ambitious, but I think if we keep it local we can find something we can have an effect on and see a change.”

Grand Tarantula were nominated Best New Artist at the 2010 San Diego Music Awards. A self-titled EP was released in early 2012.