Big Eyed Grieve

Big Eyed Grieve is a progressive three-man band consisting of Francesco Emmanuel on guitar and vocals, Orlando Pyle on Bass, and brother Ricardo Pyle on Drums. The band formed in September 1996 with founding members Francesco and Orlando, initially as a four member line up, but by August 1997 the singer was gone, the additional duty of vocals was given to Francesco Emmanuel. By July 1998, Orlando’s brother Ricardo was brought in as the drummer. It was from this point in time that the band’s sound really took shape.

The band combined odd timing rhythms, heavy guitars and phenomenal bass playing with melodic chords, exotic jazz percussion patterns, and innovative vocals to create what the band likes to call ‘hard tension’. That being said the band’s music can be described as severely musically intense. Songs are an expression of all three members. Writing songs must be a challenge musically for the band, which is sometimes a long, time-consuming effort. Perhaps this is the reason most songs are so intense, a subtle mix of most genres of music with one common thread through it all, solid musicianship. All songs are developed from ideas that are jammed till something concrete is found; this in turn is molded till the final cut is a song that can be stamped with the band’s musical insignia.

The band believes in writing music that thrives on musical technicality, which touches a personal note with the members. Yet from this standpoint, the band’s music has been hailed as one of the most original sounds to be heard from Trinidad and Tobago’s minute original rock scene. This maybe an accomplishment in itself, considering the small size of the local rock market, and the close-minded attitude of most Trinidadians to any form of music other than what is popular (soca, reggae, dancehall, pop).

The band believes that there’s nothing to lose that anything is worth a risk, its better to try and fail than fail to try. What the band stands for and the music that results is something very true and close to the members’ heart. Nothing that comes out is a mistake or lukewarm, but honest, deep, technical, progressive, hard, loud, intense and well orchestrated. This is BIG EYED GRIEVE now and always.