Louisville Punk/Hardcore History
By The Grace Of God

By The Grace Of God

From Louisville Punk/Hardcore History
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By The Grace Of God Stats
BTGOG logo
Record Labels: Three Little Girls, Victory, Initial Records
Started By: Rob Pennington Duncan Barlow
Based In: Louisville
Largest show: 2000+ people
First show: 3-4 originals + some Endpoint covers in between bands at Tewligans in 1995 when Shelter dropped off the show.
"Last show": August 2000 in the small room of The Brycc House. Only announced the day before.
Reunion shows: (Among others:) October 16, 2004 @ Headliners w/ Coliseum & Koala. Adele Collins benefit show/CD release show. At this point let's just say the band is sporadic and never really broke up.
Number of Members: 8

By the Grace of God was easily the most sincere, radical, and politically outspoken band of the straight-edge and hardcore revival scenes of the mid-'90s. Which are two scenes that the band would eventually distance itself from as they became increasingly political and more highly critical of the hardcore scene's turn toward "mainstream" thinking and mass marketing. By the Grace of God began as little more than an excuse for vocalist Rob Pennington and guitarist Duncan Barlow to play uplifting, politically charged, high-energy hardcore together again. The two had cut their teeth fronting the phenomenally emotional Louisville hardcore band Endpoint and had since drifted off into various post-hardcore, metal, and indie-oriented projects -- most notably Barlow with Guilt. By the Grace of God started out playing small shows, quickly amassing a following with their outspoken and passionate performances. The duo had assembled a veritable who's who of the local scene that included Thommy Browne (The Enkindels) on drums, Jay Palumbo (Empathy/Elliott) on guitar, and Jonathan Mobley (Elliott) on bass, all of whom would join in the sloganeering as By the Grace of God shouted their anti-corporate local-business-supporting message at audiences between songs. The five of them quickly inked a deal with Chicago's Victory label, issuing the For the Love Of Indie Rock EP shortly thereafter. The title of the record was a playful jab at some former friends of the band. The "friends" in question were members of an Indianapolis band called Split Lip, who had seemingly abandoned their own hardcore roots. Hardcore roots that By the Grace of God was wearing on their sleeves. Split Lip began to favor a more indie approach after the release of their For the Love of the Wounded LP on Endpoint's former label, Doghouse. By the Grace of God's first record included a cover of a Poison Idea song, in addition to the band's own sing-along ready anthems in waiting. Their next release was the much more polished Perspective LP, produced by Steve Evetts in his New Jersey (Trax East) studios. After playing a large handful of regional shows, Palumbo and Mobley left the band to focus full-time on Elliott. They were replaced by bassist Brian Roundtree and guitarist Robby Scott. The band then embarked upon a national tour supporting Avail, AFI, and Good Riddance before Barlow's increasing dissatisfaction with small but violent right-wing factions within the national hardcore community caused him to announce his "retiring" from the scene altogether, effectively ending By the Grace of God for a time. The band played a couple of "final" shows in Indiana and recorded songs intended for a final EP, though they had severed their connections with the Victory label. After a bit of a hiatus, By the Grace of God re-formed with an Ohio native named George Jesse replacing Browne. They performed with this lineup for a time as their final recordings saw release as the Three Easy Steps to a Better Democracy CD through Louisville-based label Three Little Girls. Barlow decided to move to Colorado so the band decided to disband again, playing another "final" show at Krazy Fest 3 in 2000 with onetime Endpoint drummer Lee Fetzer joining them for an Endpoint cover. A few months later By the Grace of God reunited one last time to see Pennington off to Colorado as well, this time with the lineup of Browne, Palumbo, Scott, and Roundtree. In 2001, Pennington returned to Louisville where he formed the band Black Widows with Browne and members of the National Acrobat. ~ Ryan J. Downey, All Music Guide

Members:

=Original Lineup:

Second Lineup:

Third Lineup:

Last Show Lineup:

Reunion '04 Lineup:

Releases:

Compilations:

Misc:


Shirts/Merch:

  • Navy shirts w/ black/white design of a battlefield on the front with band name small and in red. on back the first pressing of the shirts had a flaming money sign small by the collar with the words for the love of indie rock, second pressing had no text. Front
  • Death Church - black shirts with a crude geometric church in a circle on the front with the text "BTGOG. i will not worship in your death church" Front
  • Perspective - Victory records licensed shirt with band name on front and pictures from the perspective CD cover on the back. victory records logo on sleeve.
  • indie rock - victory records licensed shirt with images from the For The Love Of indie rock CD on the front, image of thommy's hand singing a contract on the back. Victory records logo on the sleeve.
  • Patches/stickers: Circle image w/ dollar sign in center. | Image:Btgog logo.jpg
  • Greed - black shirts w/ a woodcut drawing on front. Text: BTGOG | GREED. Front
  • reunion - black shirts w/ red ink. Band name + a decapitated Uncle Sam on the front, 3 grave stones w/ the date 10.16.04 on the center one with the Louisville hardcore crest. Limited to 50. Front | Back

Interviews/Articles:

Photos:


Video:

Related External Links:

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