Rare 1972 Seattle proto-metal recording by Grand Theft gets reissued

Inspired by Led Zep and Sabbath, Seattle's Grand Theft recorded a one-take session in '72 just issued by Ancient Grease Records.

Here's the scoop from Ancient Grease Records...

Grand Theft was a one-shot explosion of heavy rock madness out of Seattle in 1972. What began as a tongue-in-cheek jab at the bombast of bands like Grand Funk Railroad quickly spiraled into something raw, real, and entirely their own. Dave Baroh’s snarling guitar riffs, Kevin Marin’s thunderous bass, and Phil Klitgaard’s primal yet sharp drumming cut through like a cracking whip on a stormy night.

Their sole LP, recorded in a single chaotic session, captures a moment of unfiltered energy. Tracks like “Scream (It’s Eating Me Alive)” and “Closer to Herfy’s” erupted from caffeine-fueled late nights, inside jokes, keen wit, and a new devotion to abrasiveness. With radio DJ/manager Burl Barer steering the mayhem, the album gained regional buzz, a “dream date” promo contest, and even praise from Lester Bangs.

Live performances were rare—spontaneous, earsplitting blitzes—but Grand Theft’s legend grew long after the band dissolved. What began as a fleeting joke became a proto-metal curiosity, a wild card in the deck of early ’70s rock. Grand Theft remains a testament to rock’s untamed spirit and a primal scream in the face of convention.

Get a vinyl reissue of Grand Theft's ultra-rare private press recording – mastered from the original tapes with liner notes by Steven Krakow on black or sunburst scream coloured wax – directly from Ancient Grease right here. 

Listen to a couple of tracks below along with a discussion of the record on the Vinyl Piper podcast.