The Gruesomes
Encyclopedia
The Gruesomes are a Canadian
Garage Punk
band formed in 1985 from Montreal
, Quebec
, Canada
.
on TV's The Flintstones
, the Gruesomes carefully crafted an image of matching black turtlenecks, Beatle boots
and bowl haircuts and combined it with a snotty punk
musical style. Early shows relied more on the group's energy and humor than actual musical ability, but despite this (or because of it) the Gruesomes became an instant club favorite.
Less than a year after picking up instruments for the first time, the Gruesomes recorded their debut LP for Og Records
, a Montreal independent music label. The result was 1986's Tyrants of Teen Trash, a collection of primitive teen anthems that sold phenomenally in both Europe and North America and dominated the number one position on alternative playlists across the country. The band's follow-up releases on Og, 1987's Gruesomania and 1988's Hey! were also chart toppers and established the band as one of Canada's biggest selling underground acts.
Famous for their smoldering live sets, the Gruesomes toured Canada and the U.S. playing to capacity crowds, often setting attendance records at top clubs. In 1987, Ottawa
's John Knoll replaced Eric on drums, taking away from the punk sound that the band originally had, and leaning more to the early r'n'b sound that they acquired. Always taking an irreverent approach to music, the Gruesomes were known for their humor and goofy stage antics. Their famous Halloween
shows were schlocky tributes to horror themes, incorporating campy props such as coffins and Dracula
capes.
In the late 1980s, the Gruesomes were Canada's best-loved touring band on University campuses and the alternative club scene. The Gruesomes released two videos
, 1987's "Way Down Below" and 1988's Monkees
-inspired "Hey!". Both clips received heavy rotation on Canada's video station MuchMusic
. When the Gruesomes broke up in 1990, they were still at the height of their popularity. The pressures of constant touring and recording had finally caught up to the band. In an era when mainstream commercial success for punk oriented bands was virtually inconceivable, the Gruesomes felt that they had accomplished a great deal.
In Late 1999 The Gruesomes reformed and recorded possibly their best effort to date "Cave-In!". The 14 track album was released on CD in Canada and on 12" vinyl in Germany. A tour to support "Cave-In!" brought the band to Europe for the first time. Gigs in Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and Italy gave European fans their first glimpse of The Tyrants of Teen Trash (by this point only in their mid-30's). The Gruesomes continued to gig in Canada and The USA (including some very memorable performances at Cave-Stomp in NYC) and still perform occasionally.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Garage Punk
Garage punk
Garage punk is a fusion of garage rock and punk rock. It is fast-paced lo-fi music characterized by a dirty, choppy guitar sound—usually played by bands who are on independent record labels or who are unsigned...
band formed in 1985 from Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
History
Bobby Beaton (guitar / vocals), Gerry Alvarez (guitar / vocals), John Davis (bass) and his brother Eric Davis (drums) were all between the ages of 16 and 19 and had absolutely no previous musical experience. Long nights spent in their parents' basement watching bad TV and listening to obscure mid-sixties records was the main inspiration for the band. Taking their name from the scary neighboursThe Gruesomes (fictional characters)
The Gruesomes are a family of fictional characters who appeared on The Flintstones television series. They debuted in 1964 during the show's fifth season...
on TV's The Flintstones
The Flintstones
The Flintstones is an animated, prime-time American television sitcom that screened from September 30, 1960 to April 1, 1966, on ABC. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, The Flintstones was about a working class Stone Age man's life with his family and his next-door neighbor and best friend. It...
, the Gruesomes carefully crafted an image of matching black turtlenecks, Beatle boots
Beatle boots
Beatle boots are a style of boot that have been worn since the 1960s. The boots are tight-fitting, Cuban-heeled, ankle-high boots with a sharp pointed toe, made popular by the English rock group The Beatles, for whom they were originally made. The style can feature either zipped or elastic sides...
and bowl haircuts and combined it with a snotty punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
musical style. Early shows relied more on the group's energy and humor than actual musical ability, but despite this (or because of it) the Gruesomes became an instant club favorite.
Less than a year after picking up instruments for the first time, the Gruesomes recorded their debut LP for Og Records
Og Music
Og Music was a small but influential independent record label based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.The label was established in 1983 by the band members of Deja Voodoo, Gerard van Herk and Tony Dewald. It ceased operations in 1990.-History:...
, a Montreal independent music label. The result was 1986's Tyrants of Teen Trash, a collection of primitive teen anthems that sold phenomenally in both Europe and North America and dominated the number one position on alternative playlists across the country. The band's follow-up releases on Og, 1987's Gruesomania and 1988's Hey! were also chart toppers and established the band as one of Canada's biggest selling underground acts.
Famous for their smoldering live sets, the Gruesomes toured Canada and the U.S. playing to capacity crowds, often setting attendance records at top clubs. In 1987, Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
's John Knoll replaced Eric on drums, taking away from the punk sound that the band originally had, and leaning more to the early r'n'b sound that they acquired. Always taking an irreverent approach to music, the Gruesomes were known for their humor and goofy stage antics. Their famous Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
shows were schlocky tributes to horror themes, incorporating campy props such as coffins and Dracula
Dracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
capes.
In the late 1980s, the Gruesomes were Canada's best-loved touring band on University campuses and the alternative club scene. The Gruesomes released two videos
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
, 1987's "Way Down Below" and 1988's Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
-inspired "Hey!". Both clips received heavy rotation on Canada's video station MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
. When the Gruesomes broke up in 1990, they were still at the height of their popularity. The pressures of constant touring and recording had finally caught up to the band. In an era when mainstream commercial success for punk oriented bands was virtually inconceivable, the Gruesomes felt that they had accomplished a great deal.
In Late 1999 The Gruesomes reformed and recorded possibly their best effort to date "Cave-In!". The 14 track album was released on CD in Canada and on 12" vinyl in Germany. A tour to support "Cave-In!" brought the band to Europe for the first time. Gigs in Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and Italy gave European fans their first glimpse of The Tyrants of Teen Trash (by this point only in their mid-30's). The Gruesomes continued to gig in Canada and The USA (including some very memorable performances at Cave-Stomp in NYC) and still perform occasionally.
Singles and EPs
- "Jack The Ripper" (1986) (Primitive Records)
- reisued in 2009 by (Fuzz Overdose Records)
- "Unchained!" (1987) (Primitive Records)
Albums
- Tyrants of Teen Trash (1986) (Og MusicOg MusicOg Music was a small but influential independent record label based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.The label was established in 1983 by the band members of Deja Voodoo, Gerard van Herk and Tony Dewald. It ceased operations in 1990.-History:...
)- reisued in 2008 by (Ricochet Sound)
- Gruesomania (1987) (Og Music)
- reisued in 2008 by (Ricochet Sound)
- Hey! (1988) (Og Music)
- reisued in 2009 by (Ricochet Sound)
- Cave-in!! (2000) (Tyrant Records)
- reisued in 2007 by (Ricochet Sound)
- Gruesomology 1985-89 (2003) (Sundazed Music)
- Live in Hell (2007) (Ricochet Sound)
Compilations/Gruesomes solo projects
- Gruesomology 1985-89 (2003) (Sundazed Records)
- Fuad and The Feztones - In the Valley of the Kings(7"/EP)(2002) (Ricochet Sound)
- Gerry Alvarez Odyssey - Candy Prankster (2006) (Ricochet Sound)
- Fuad & the Feztones - Beeramid (2008) (Ricochet Sound)
- Gerry Alvarez Odyssey - Omega Tea Time (2010) (Ricochet Sound)
See also
- Music of CanadaMusic of CanadaThe music of Canada has influences that have shaped the country. Aboriginals, the British, and the French have all made unique contributions to the musical heritage of Canada. The music has subsequently been heavily influenced by American culture because of its proximity and migration between...
- Music of QuebecMusic of QuebecBeing a modern cosmopolitan society, today, all types of music can be found in the Canadian province of Quebec. What is specific to Quebec though are traditional songs, a unique variety of Celtic music, legions of excellent jazz musicians, a culture of classical music, and a love of foreign rhythms...
- Canadian rockCanadian rockCanadian rock describes a wide and diverse variety of music produced by Canadians, beginning with American style rock 'n' roll in the mid-20th century. Since then Canada has had a considerable impact on the development of the modern popular music called rock...
- List of Canadian musicians
- List of bands from Canada
- :Category:Canadian musical groups
External links
- Where Are They Now? October, 2005 Montreal MirrorMontreal MirrorMontreal Mirror is a free English language alternative newsweekly based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada with a circulation of 70,000, and reaches a quarter of a million readers per week. It is published by Communications Gratte-Ciel Ltée....
interview - http://www.myspace.com/thegruesomes the band's myspace website
- The Ruckus - Audio Interview with John Davis, Bobby Beaton, and Gerry Alvarez from February 2009