Kevin Gruft
Kevin Gruft | |
|---|---|
 Gruft in 2024 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Thrasher, KThrash |
| Born | May 5, 1988 Albany, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Instruments |
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| Years active | 2005–present |
| Formerly of | The Take Away, Escape the Fate, The Dead Rabbitts, LoveHateHero |
| Children | 2 |
Kevin Gruft or Kevin Thrasher or Kevin "Thrasher" Gruft (born May 5, 1988) is an American guitarist and music producer from Albany, New York, known for being the former lead guitarist of the rock bands Escape the Fate and LoveHateHero. He released two studio albums with LoveHateHero and three studio albums with Escape The Fate since joining the band in late 2013 until his departure in early 2021.
As a music producer and engineer, he has worked with artists such as Machine Gun Kelly,[2] Gwen Stefani,[3] Avril Lavigne[4] and Blink-182.[5]
Biography
Kevin Gruft began playing guitar at the age of 8.[6] At the age of 17, he joined the band LoveHateHero after a tour in New York, as the band was in search of a guitarist. After 5 years with the band and two studio albums, LoveHateHero disbanded in 2011. That year, he joined The Dead Rabbitts, the side-project of Escape The Fate singer, Craig Mabbitt. In late 2013, brothers Monte Money and Michael Money announced their departure from Escape The Fate to focus on their new project. Craig Mabbitt contacted Kevin to help them on the Ungrateful tour, becoming an official member soon after.[7]
Escape the Fate
In early 2015, the band, along with Gruft, entered the studio with producer Howard Benson to record their fifth album titled "Hate Me". The album would release later that year and chart at No. 58 on the Billboard 200. Gruft played a significant role in writing the album,[8] with the band demoing around 40 songs at his apartment in Los Angeles.[9][10] As Max Green had recently left the band, Gruft and fellow guitarist TJ Bell ended up playing bass on the album. After the release of the album, the band embarked on a headlining tour with A Skylit Drive, Sworn In, Sirens and Sailors and Myka Relocate[11] In 2016, they covered the My Chemical Romance song, "Dead!", for a Rock Sound tribute of The Black Parade.[12]
On November 3, 2017, the band released the first single, "Empire", from their new album, I Am Human, which was set to be released on February 16, 2018,[13][14] but later postponed to March 30, 2018.[15] The band's single "Broken Heart" peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart.[16]
On April 16, 2021, the band released Chemical Warfare, which he co-produced with John Feldmann,[17] which would mark the last album before his departure to focus on production work.
Discography
With LoveHateHero
- White Lies (2007)
- America Underwater (2009)
With The Dead Rabbitts
- Edge of Reality (EP) (2012)
With Escape the Fate
- Hate Me (2015)
- I Am Human (2018)
- Chemical Warfare (2021)
With The Take Away
- Sad About Nothing (Single, 2020)
- Catch Me (Single, 2020)
Producer
Gruft started producing albums at a studio in Hollywood called STRZ Enterprises, producing songs with pop artists including Zendaya.[18] He co-produced Escape The Fate's sixth album, I Am Human, as well as their seventh album, Chemical Warfare, with producer John Feldmann.[19] He currently works with Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker as an engineer at his home studio in Calabasas, California. In this studio, he engineered Machine Gun Kelly's critically acclaimed album Tickets To My Downfall along with Barker, which would go on to peak at #1 in the Billboard 200 charts.[20] He would engineer Blink-182 comeback song "Edging" in 2023, playing with Mark Hoppus and Barker on the latest's 'House of Horrors' pay-per-view live broadcast.[21][22][23] Other credits include working with pop artists Gwen Stefani on her song "True Babe",[24] and Avril Lavigne on her albumLove Sux,[25] with whom he played on a performance of "Bite Me" at The Ellen Degeneres Show.[26]
Production discography
| Year | Album | Artist | Credits[a] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Yokai | Dropout Kings | Producer, Engineer |
| New Addiction | The Haunt | Composer, Producer, Engineer | |
| Sunfaded | Gunnar | Producer, Writer "Upside Down", "Dirty Blonde", "Dead of Night", "This Is Now", "2AM", "Bitter" | |
| Cycles | Iann Dior | Producer, Writer, Engineer "Six Feet" | |
| "28 and Dying" | Niki Demar | Writer, Producer | |
| "Pay Up" | justdalt. | ||
| "Therapy" | Deyaz | Engineer | |
| "your name forever" | Machine Gun Kelly | Vocal Producer | |
| "Cupid's a Cowgirl" | Alexandra Kay | Writer | |
| 2024 | "Santa Baby" | Kim Kardashian | Engineer |
| "Halo" | Call Me Karizma | Producer, Writer | |
| "Need Me" | Jack Kays | Engineer | |
| "Strut" | Miss Velvet | Guitar, Mixing | |
| "Prisoner" | Yuta | Composer, Producer | |
| The Reset EP | Azra USA | Writer, Producer | |
| "Sobering" | State Champs | Writer, Co-Producer | |
| "Elusive Dreams" | Rain City Drive | Writer | |
| Lollipop Killer EP | Jeffree Star | Co-Writer, Mixing "Hi, How Are Ya?", "Beauty Killer", "Red Lipstick" | |
| "Walking on Sunshine" | Ice Nine Kills | Producer | |
| "Dream On" | Miss Velvet | Mixing | |
| "Shades of Blue" | Chad Tepper | Writer, Producer | |
| When the Music Stops | jxdn | Engineer | |
| "Can People Really Change?" | The Haunt | Producer | |
| "Edge of Tomorrow" | Iann Dior | Writer, Producer | |
| "Over You" | Landon Barker | ||
| Infinity Now | Keith Wallen | Guitar, Composer, Producer | |
| "They Won't Like This" | Lauren Sanderson | Co-Writer, Producer | |
| Do Not Resuscitate EP | The Haunt | Writer, Mixing, Engineer, Producer "Little Like Hell", "I Don't Like the Quiet", "Morally Incompetent" | |
| "Wasted Youth" | Chloe Star | Composer, Producer | |
| Higher Power | Scott Stapp | Writer, Engineer, Producer | |
| Skin | Ho99o9 | Mixing, Engineer | |
| 2023 | "I Think That You’re Pretty" | Kid Prexy | Producer, Mixing, Mastering |
| Blurry Eyes | Gavin Magnus | Writer, Producer "You Don't Mean It", "Nothing Left to Say", "I Need You" | |
| Valkyrie One | Set to Stun | Producer "IV: Death of a Dreamcatcher", "The Holy Mountain", "The Last Adam", "Bodysnatcher Triumphant", "V: Valkyrie One" | |
| "Again & Again" | Gunnar | Producer | |
| "Low Tide" | Iann Dior | Guitar | |
| One More Time... | Blink-182 | Engineer | |
| "My Own Hell" | Jules Is Dead | Writer, Producer | |
| "You Don't Even" | Iann Dior | Engineer | |
| Dead on Arrival EP | The Haunt | Producer, Mixing, Engineer "I'm Done", "More", "I'm Not Yours" | |
| Out of the Shadows | Escape the Fate | Writer | |
| To the Wolves | Stitched Up Heart | Producer, Engineer, Writer, Guitar "To the Wolves", "Taste for Blood" | |
| Blink and You'll Miss It EP | KennyHoopla | Engineer | |
| Enigmasis | Uverworld | Composer "Don’t Think.Sing" | |
| Whitsitt Chapel | Jelly Roll | Bass, Writer, Engineer, Guitar, Keyboards, Producer, Vocals (Background) "She" | |
| "True Babe" | Gwen Stefani | Producer, Engineer | |
| Illenium | Illenium | Writer, Engineer "Eyes Wide Shut", "Lifeline", "Back To You" | |
| "Moonlit" | Chad Tepper | Producer, Engineer | |
| "Girls Don’t Come with Instructions" | VOILÀ | Writer, Producer | |
| "Alone" | Pardyalone | Engineer | |
| "In My Head" | Kid Prexy | Mixing, Producer | |
| Angela EP | Sheyna Gee | Producer | |
| 2022 | Kat Leigh EP | Kat Leigh | Guitar, Drums, Engineer, Producer, Programmer, Composer "Criminal" |
| in loving memory | blackbear | Engineer | |
| "Don’t Let Go" | The Future X | Writer, Producer | |
| It’s Not Easy Being Human | Islander | Composer, Mixing, Producer "It’s Not Easy Being Human", "Lookin’ for Love", "What Do You Gotta Lose?", "Y’all", "The Outsider" | |
| "In My Head" | 24kGoldn | Guitar | |
| Mainstream Sellout | Machine Gun Kelly | Engineer "Maybe", "emo girl", "papercuts" | |
| Untitled Vol. 1 | Caspr | Mixing "Hate Me", "Don't Make Sense" | |
| Love Sux | Avril Lavigne | Engineer "F.U.", "Bois Lie", "Kiss Me like the World Is Ending", "All I Wanted" | |
| Cowboy Tears | Oliver Tree | Engineer "A-Okay", "Suitcase Full of Cash", "Cigarettes" | |
| 2021 | My Favorite Nightmares EP | Jack Kays | Engineer |
| "Had to Let You Go" | Danny Goo | Producer, Writer | |
| "Raindrops" | PhaseOne | Writer | |
| Sad Looks Pretty on Me | RIVALS | Producer, Writer "Why", "Lavenders", "Change Things", "To Dom" | |
| Survivors Guilt: The Mixtape | KennyHoopla | Engineer | |
| Follow Your Nightmares | Daemon Grey | Guitar, Composer, Producer "Whiskey Devil Girl", "Stoned and Alone" | |
| "Love Race" | Machine Gun Kelly | Engineer | |
| Chemical Warfare | Escape the Fate | Engineer, Composer, Producer | |
| "On My Own" | HYDE | Writer | |
| "monsters under my bed" | Mvssie | Writer, Producer | |
| The Good Times and the Bad Ones | Why Don't We | Engineer "Slow Down", "Lotus Inn", "Look at Me" | |
| "Do Ya?" | Scarlet Spencer | Writer | |
| 2020 | Weird! | Yungblud | Engineer "acting like that" |
| Pegasus: Neon Shark vs Pegasus | Trippie Redd | Engineer, Mixing | |
| "Chasing the Fog" | Scarlet Spencer | Writer, Producer | |
| Tickets to My Downfall | Machine Gun Kelly | Engineer, Mixing, Vocals (Background) | |
| Arrested Youth & the Quarantiners EP | Arrested Youth | Producer | |
| Alpha | Whitney Peyton | Producer "Enemy" | |
| 2019 | The Space Between the Shadows | Scott Stapp | Additional Production, Writer "Purpose for Pain" |
| No Sleep Till Tokyo | Miyavi | Composer "Tears on Fire" | |
| On to Better Things | Iann Dior | Writer, Producer "Obvious" | |
| 2018 | "Auld Lang Syne" | Diamante | Producer |
| Iridescent | Whitney Peyton | Guitar, Mixing, Producer "Figured It Out" | |
| Coming In Hot | Diamante | Bass "Haunted" | |
| I Am Human | Escape the Fate | Bass, Programming, Engineer, Producer | |
| 2017 | Stones | Manafest | Guitar "When the Truth Comes Out" |
| This Emptiness | The Dead Rabbitts | Guitar, Composer, Producer, Mixing, Mastering | |
| 2015 | Hate Me | Escape the Fate | Bass, Programming, Engineer |
| 2012 | Nine Lives | Deuce | Guitar |
| 2009 | "Masquerade" | Ashley Tisdale |
References
- ^ Aarons, Ricky (April 21, 2021). "Thrasher – 'Escaping The Fate of Musical Limits And Shaping An Album'". Wall Of Sound. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
- ^ "We are incredibly happy and proud to congratulate our own Kevin Thrasher for generating the opportunities and achieving the success and the results that he truly deserves! With 126,000 units (63,000 p... ⋆ UAC Management". UAC Management. October 5, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ Spanos, Brittany (June 23, 2023). "Gwen Stefani Returns With Romantic Bop 'True Babe'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ "Love Sux - Avril Lavigne | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^ "blink-182 - Edging". October 14, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ "Kevin 'Thrasher' Gruft - Escape The Fate". www.astonmics.com.
- ^ "Escape The Fate's Monte Money steps away from tour | Under the Gun Review". Under the Gun Review. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
- ^ Crane, Matt (August 21, 2015). "In the studio with Escape The Fate: Craig Mabbitt talks 'Hate Me'". Alternative Press Magazine. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
- ^ "ESCAPE THE FATE To Release 'Hate Me' Album In October". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. August 18, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
- ^ Wendowski, Andrew (December 13, 2015). "Thrasher Talks Escape The Fate, New Album HATE ME, And The Meaning of "Just A Memory"". Music Mayhem Magazine. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
- ^ Zadrozny, Anya (August 18, 2015). "Escape the Fate Announce New Album 'Hate Me' + Fall Tour". Loudwire. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
- ^ "Introducing… 'Rock Sound Presents: The Black Parade'". Rock Sound. August 8, 2016. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
- ^ "Escape the Fate announce new album". Alternative Press. November 2, 2017. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
- ^ "Escape The Fate Build an 'Empire' on New Song, Announce Album". Loudwire. November 2, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
- ^ "Escape The Fate's New Album "I Am Human" Delayed To March". February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 8, 2018.
- ^ "Escape the Fate Chart History". Billboard.
- ^ "ESCAPE THE FATE unleash explosive new album CHEMICAL WARFARE & new music video -". Amnplify. April 27, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
- ^ "Kevin 'Thrasher' Gruft - Escape The Fate". www.astonmics.com. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
- ^ "Escape The Fate release new album 'Chemical Warfare' and video for 'Lightning Strike'". Music-News.com. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
- ^ Caulfield, Keith (October 4, 2020). "Machine Gun Kelly Earns First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'Tickets to My Downfall'". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
- ^ "EDGING".
- ^ Krol, Charlotte (November 1, 2021). "Watch Mark Hoppus perform Blink-182 songs for first time since cancer battle". NME.
- ^ Brooks, Dave (October 30, 2021). "Travis Barker Rocks With Avril Lavigne, Machine Gun Kelly & Mark Hoppus at Star-Studded House of Horrors Concert". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
- ^ Spanos, Brittany (June 23, 2023). "Gwen Stefani Returns With Romantic Bop 'True Babe'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
- ^ "Love Sux - Avril Lavigne | Credits | AllMusic". Retrieved July 16, 2023.
- ^ "Avril Lavigne performs her new single "Bite Me" with Travis Barker on 'Ellen'". HOLA. November 30, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
Notes
- ^ For albums, it indicates the credit for at least one song. "Engineer" also refers to related credits such as "Additional engineering", etc.