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MICHALE GRAVES: Music, Truth, and Rock and Roll Freedom

By capitalchaostv on January 18, 2018 • ( 0 )

I’m Michale Graves. I’m a musician, and right now, I’m just two weeks away from finishing an 80+ city tour across America with my band, Michale Graves. The tour is called The Beginning of the End Tour. My claim to fame? I got my start in a legendary punk rock band called The Misfits.

Finding Music

Music was always in the air growing up. My mom had the radio or records playing constantly. I got into rock and roll thanks to my uncle and my older brother. I remember spinning old Rolling Stones and Van Halen albums as a kid. I didn’t choose music—it chose me.

I felt music deep inside me. It moved me. As I got older, that feeling grew stronger—it became a need to express myself through song. I found an old acoustic guitar in my uncle’s closet when I was 11. I strummed it. My mom noticed and bought me strings and a beginner’s book. That’s how it started.

Growing Up in New Jersey

I grew up in a small northeastern New Jersey town. There were local bands, but I always had my own path. Of course, I admired the greats—The Doors, The Ramones, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Danzig, The Police. In the ‘80s, rock stardom was the dream. I chased it hard.

The Album: When Worlds Collide

One of the records I’m promoting on this tour is called When Worlds Collide. I put it together with Hydraulic Entertainment and Chuck Treece—a legendary skateboarder and insanely talented drummer.

It’s a mix of raw rock and roll and punk ethos, inspired by classic sci-fi and horror films. It’s a concept album with punch, spirit, and plenty of edge.

The Changing Music Business

Let’s be real: music sales are dead. Nobody buys albums the way they used to. Streaming services like Spotify and YouTube changed everything. Music is basically free now, and that’s transformed the industry.

You can’t survive off record sales anymore. Not someone like me. You have to become more than just an artist—you need to be a businessperson. You have to find new ways to create income from your art. It’s a whole different game now.

Looking Ahead

This tour is just the beginning. We’re taking the show worldwide. After a short break, we head to Europe for the first leg, then back to the U.S. for an acoustic run, and finally back to Europe to finish.

Along the way, I’m:

Producing a documentary about The Beginning of the End Tour
Writing a feature-length film
Creating music videos
Writing a book
Collaborating with other bands

Oh—and I’m a father too. So I make time for my kids in the middle of all of this.

Firearms and the Outdoors

I come from a family with deep roots in the military and law enforcement, so firearms were just part of life. My dad hunted, and I grew up around it.

I don’t get to hunt much now with my schedule, but I live vicariously through friends. I love shooting—especially long-range marksmanship. I don’t have a specific preference; give me a .308 or .30-06, and I’m happy. For me, it’s about skill, focus, and respect for the craft.

Thoughts on Conspiracies

Let’s talk about chemtrails. Yeah, I think something’s being manipulated. There’s too much evidence—barium salts and other chemicals in the sky. The real question is: why? I don’t know the full story, but I know it’s not natural—and it’s not good. And 9/11? The official story doesn’t add up. Something else happened. We may not know exactly what, but the narrative we’ve been given is not the truth.

The Mandela Effect

During the tour, I kept hearing about the “Mandela Effect.” I still don’t fully understand it, but it has to do with reality shifts, the time-space continuum, AI, and how technology affects our perception of reality. It was a lot to take in at first—but fascinating stuff.

Albums That Shaped Me

First album I ever bought:
H2O – Hall & Oates (on cassette)

Albums I’ve bought more than once:

Slow, Deep and Hard – Type O Negative
Ugly – Life of Agony

Who I Am

Yeah, I’d probably fall into the “deplorable” category for some people. But I’m proud of who I am. Proud of my faith. Proud of how I live. I’m secure in my beliefs, and I make no apologies.

How I Listen

I use iHeartRadio and SiriusXM to stream music. But I still buy CDs. There’s a flea market near where I live, and every Sunday I hunt for records and CDs. If I find a band I like—even if I won’t listen to the CD—I buy it. That’s how my generation does things.

My Top 5 Books

The Holy Bible
Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck
The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton
The Lord of the Rings – J.R.R. Tolkien
Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White

My Top 5 Albums

Pyromania – Def Leppard
Bloody Kisses – Type O Negative
The Joshua Tree – U2
Endgame – Megadeth
Requiem – Lamb of God

Social Media and Real Life

I barely use social media. Maybe an hour a day just checking in on what’s happening with the Michale Graves pages. I like Instagram best. But if all social platforms disappeared tomorrow, I’d be totally fine.

What Rock and Roll Means to Me

Rock and roll means liberation. Freedom. Everything I’ve learned in life, I’ve learned through music—through rock and roll. It’s the doorway that opened everything I needed to see. It’s not just music. It’s the way I understand the world. It’s the path I walk.

Catch Michale Graves on tour and stream wherever you get your music.

Watch the full video interview below