The Daily Grind is a 4-piece alternative rock group from Pittsburgh. Combining traditional alternative sounds with unique vocals, The Daily Grind has been growing in popularity in the alt rock scene and is beginning to branch out from their hometown.

The members of The Daily Grind moved in together last fall and began work on a studio in order to independently record their own album.  The band promoted their album, The Green Plan, in 50 cities in the US over the course of eleven weeks.

The band is on a short tour of the Northeast while planning another major tour. In the meantime, they had some time to answer questions about their success and dedication.

The band has a Tyrone High School connection through Derik Cruz, Tyrone graduate class of 2009 and previous editor for the Eagle Eye.

Cruz, manager for The Daily Grind, got connected with the band through a summer job five years ago, where he met the bass player. After moving to Pittsburgh last year, he was introduced to the rest of the band members and was asked to help produce their first album.

EA: What is it like to record independently and make something that is truly your own?

DG: It’s incredibly gratifying because you have complete control over the creative process. It’s a lot of hard work and I don’t think we found a magic trick yet, but it’s how we’re doing it.

EA: Who would you describe as influences to the band’s current direction?

DG: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Arctic Monkeys, Incubus, Black Keys, J Cole, Biggie…so many influences from so many sources. Our band is really diverse in what we individually listen to.

EA: What are your hopes for the upcoming tour?

DG: Our hopes for this tour is to gain some fans, play some new venues in new cities, and meet new people.

EA: How do you think your music has impacted your hometown and your fans?

DG: That’s hard to answer, because we spend so much time away from the hometown. We’ve been around long enough to know the bands around Pittsburgh, watch them come together, and watch the Pittsburgh music scene grow. Next is just make [the scene] known, and we’re excited to be a part of it.

A big thank you to the Daily Grind for the interview.

A Pittsburgh band with a unique flavor and a sense of stylistic simplicity, keep an eye out for their upcoming EP soon.