‘I m singin’ in the rain, just singin’ in the raaaiiiin…’ Greta Van Fleet lead vocalist Josh Kiszka, sporting a buzzed undercut and colourful southwestern print shirt, is singin’ in a mock movie-musical voice. And it is raining. Well, actually just sprinkling a bit on this muggy June afternoon. Not enough to make us leave the rooftop terrace at the members-only Soho House in the band’s adopted home town of Nashville, Tennessee. It’s Josh, twin brother guitarist Jake, younger brother bassist/keyboard player Sam and honorary brother drummer Daniel Wagner, all cheekbones and rock-star casual attire, chatty and constantly ribbing each other, the way brothers do.
Before we settle in, Josh tells the story of the happy accident that led to Malcolm McDowell singing Singin’ In The Rain in that memorable scene from the film 1971 film A Clockwork Orange. The Greta guys are serious music and pop-culture nerds, and during our hour-long conversation we’re joined by Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, Eric Idle, Pete Townshend, Peter Sellers, Blind Faith, the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Freddie Mercury and Led Zeppelin.
“It’s all part of ‘The Infisonicosm,’” Jake reveals with a grin. “We’re so nerdy that we’ve invented our own term for the Greta Van Fleet universe.”
“It’s short for infinite sonic cosmos,” Josh clarifies. “It’s kind of based on this Hindu idea of many worlds inside of many worlds.”
This story is from the August 2023 edition of Classic Rock.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 2023 edition of Classic Rock.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Dream Theater
With friends (and bandmates) reunited for the band's 40th anniversary, it'll be a special night for fans at Wembley Arena.
Royal Republic
Livewire, turbo-harmonised, disco-rocking Swedes get ready for upgraded UK and Europe dates.
GOTTA KEEP MOVIN'
In 1968 the MC5's Kick Out The Jams album was a grenade thrown into the music scene. In the decades since, Wayne Kramer acted as guardian of the band's legacy until he died earlier this year, after making one final album.
THE KILLING FLOOR
Now revered as a linchpin moment in the history of the blues, Howlin' Wolf's London sessions in 1970, with a superstar cast that included some of England's rock royalty, came out of a chance encounter several months earlier at a gig in San Francisco.
ROGUE TRADER
Recording almost everything on his latest album himself and putting it out on his own label, Tuk Smith followed the adage that if you want something doing properly, do it yourself.
BILL WYMAN
WW2 evacuee, RAF airman, Rolling Stone, hit solo artist, bandleader, author, restaurateur, archaeologist, cricketer... Even just his time in The Greatest Rock'N'Roll Band In The World is storied, but there's been much, much more to his life than that.
LIFE IS A JOURNEY
For some people, travelling life's road is easy. For lifelong worrier Myles Kennedy it's anything but. But with his brand new solo album The Art Of Letting Go he's learning just what that title says.
ALL ABOUT BEING LOUD
In an exclusive extract from his Fast Eddie biography Make My Day, long-time Motörhead associate Kris Needs looks back at the making of their game-changing Overkill album and the subsequent killing-it UK tour.
Nikki Sixx
The Mötley Crüe bassist on making new music, replacing Mick Mars, work-life balance, learning when to say no...
Bobbie Dazzle
Meet the West Midlands singer bringing back upbeat music, fun and fashion of the 70s.