On September 20, 2022, the British punk band Grade 2 released a new single along with a music video titled "Doing Time". The straightforward thrasher is equipped with a powerful shout-along hook and direct lyrics that criticize the banalities of the nine-to-five work routine. The band draws parallels to a life behind bars and effectively uses rolling lines like "I'm just a number in the system with a lifetime parole...".
The song is the perfect addition to any skate soundtrack and an anthem for punk fans of all generations. It speaks to anyone who can relate to a general disdain for the current corporate world. The band adds: "With a wink, but like a punch to the gut, "Doing Time" is our response to the dead end of the nine-to-five hamster wheel."
The link to the video is as follows:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFtjiCBbldM
Childhood friends Sid Ryan (vocals, bass), Jacob Hull (drums), and Jack Chatfield (guitar, vocals) formed the band at the age of 14 and honed their craft with covers of The Clash and The Jam before refining their own sound and songs. A European tour supporting Stomper 98 brought them the admiration and friendship of Lars Frederiksen from Rancid, which eventually led to the band signing with the legendary Hellcat Records, owned by Rancid's Tim Armstrong, in 2018.
Grade 2 merge the almost mythical musical heritage of their home island, the Isle of Wight, with the grim reality of growing up in a tired coastal town, creating punk music full of passion, fear, humor, and despair. Driven by the desire to be heard but constrained by an ethos that doesn’t fit daytime radio, Grade 2 practice their craft on the streets, playing their songs alongside bands like Dropkick Murphys, The Interrupters, and Social Distortion to enthusiastic audiences around the world. Their unfiltered authenticity, thunderous live performances, and exceptional musical talent are praised by the entire hardcore punk fanbase. Grade 2 is a band you must see.
