The Gruesomes are a Canadian
garage punk
A garage is a covered structure built for the purpose of parking, storing, protecting, maintaining, and/or repairing vehicles. Specific applications include:
*Garage (residential), a building or part of a building for storing one or more vehicl ...
band from
Montreal
Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
,
Quebec
Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
, Canada, that formed in 1985.
The band gained recognition following the 1986 release of their debut album, ''Tyrants of Teen Trash'' (
Og Music), which led to an "
underground" following in
Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
, the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
(US) and Canada. Subsequent releases increased their
fan base and, after periods of
touring, the band established itself within the global garage music scene.
History
With no previous musical experience, Bobby Beaton (guitar and vocals),
Gerry Alvarez (guitar and vocals), John Davis (bass) and Davis' brother, Eric Davis (drums), were all between the ages of 16 and 19 when they began playing music together. The four teenagers were primarily inspired by long nights spent in their parents' basement watching TV and listening to obscure mid-60s records. Taking their name from the
scary neighbours on TV's ''
The Flintstones
''The Flintstones'' is an American animated sitcom produced by Hanna-Barbera, Hanna-Barbera Productions, which takes place in a romanticized Stone Age setting and follows the titular family, the Flintstones, and their next-door neighbors, the R ...
'', the Gruesomes developed an image of matching black turtlenecks,
Beatle boots
A Beatle boot or Cuban boot is a style of boot that has been worn since the late 1950s but made popular by the English rock group the Beatles in the 1960s. The boots are a variant of the Chelsea boot: they are tight-fitting, Cuban-heeled, an ...
and bowl haircuts, combining it with a "snotty"
punk
Punk or punks may refer to:
Genres, subculture, and related aspects
* Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres
* Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
musical style. Early live shows relied more on the group's energy and humour than actual musical ability; however, the Gruesomes proceeded to become a popular club act, despite their inexperience.
Og records
Within a year of forming, the Gruesomes recorded their debut
LP for Og Records, an
independent music label
An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represente ...
based in Montreal. In 1986, ''Tyrants of Teen Trash'', a collection of primitive teen
anthems
An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to short s ...
, was released and fared well in the European and North American markets. In their home country of Canada, the album was often in the number one position on
alternative
Alternative or alternate may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* Alternative (Kamen Rider), Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki''
* Alternative comics, or independent comics are an altern ...
playlists. The band's follow-up releases, also on Og, 1987's ''Gruesomania'' and 1988's ''Hey!'', were also well-received and established the band as one of Canada's biggest selling underground acts.
Live shows
Famous for their wild stage presence, the Gruesomes toured Canada and the US accompanied by a reputation for legendary live shows. Always taking an
irreverent approach to music, the Gruesomes were known for their humor and
goofy
Goofy is a cartoon character created by the Walt Disney Company. He is a tall, Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic dog who typically wears a turtle neck and vest, with pants, shoes, white gloves, and a tall hat originally designed as a rumpled fe ...
stage antics. Their famous
Halloween
Halloween, or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve), is a celebration geography of Halloween, observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christianity, Western Christian f ...
shows were
schlock tributes to horror themes, incorporating
camp
Camp may refer to:
Areas of confinement, imprisonment, or for execution
* Concentration camp, an internment camp for political prisoners or politically targeted demographics, such as members of national or minority ethnic groups
* Extermination ...
props such as coffins and
Dracula
''Dracula'' is an 1897 Gothic fiction, Gothic horror fiction, horror novel by Irish author Bram Stoker. The narrative is Epistolary novel, related through letters, diary entries, and newspaper articles. It has no single protagonist and opens ...
capes. In 1987, following the release of ''Gruesomania'',
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...
's John Knoll replaced Eric Davis on drums and the band subsequently developed a harder, more polished Garage Punk sound.
Music videos
The Gruesomes released two
music video
A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...
s: 1987's "Way Down Below" and 1988's
Monkees
The Monkees were an American pop rock band formed in Los Angeles in the mid-1960s. The band consisted of Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork. Spurred by the success of ''The Monkees'' television series, they were one o ...
-inspired, "Hey!". Both clips received
heavy rotation on Canada's video station
MuchMusic
Much is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by BCE Inc. through its Bell Media subsidiary that airs programming aimed at teenagers and young adults. It is headquartered at 299 Queen Street West in what was o ...
.
Dissolution
The Gruesomes ceased operation as a band in 1990 and it is reported that the members believed that they had achieved the highest level of success that was possible for an underground musical act.
Reformation
In late 1999, the Gruesomes reformed to coincide with the release of a new album, ''Cave-In!''. A 14-track CD was released in Canada, whilst the album was sold as a
12" vinyl record in Germany. The tour to support ''Cave-In!'' was primarily driven by popular demand and resulted in the band playing shows in Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Belgium.
The Gruesomes have since played many shows including Cavestomp in New York City (2000), The Funtastic Dracula Carnival in Benidorm, Spain(2017), Wild O'Fest in Mexico City (2018), and the Spider Monkey Festival in San José, Costa Rica in 2019. The Gruesomes are still active performing around the world
Discography
Singles and EPs
* "Jack The Ripper" (1986) (Primitive Records)
** reissued in 2009 by (
Fuzz Overdose Records)
* "Unchained!" (1987) (Primitive Records)
* "Someone Told A Lie/Make Up Your Mind" (2020) (Calico Wally)
* "Not A Chance/Girl In Time" (2024) (Calico Wally)
Albums
* ''
Tyrants of Teen Trash'' (1986) (
Og Music)
** reissued in 2008 by (
Ricochet Sound)
** reissued in 2012 by (
Groovie Records)
* ''
Gruesomania'' (1987) (Og Music)
** reissued in 2008 by (
Ricochet Sound)
* ''
Hey!'' (1988) (Og Music)
** reissued in 2009 by (
Ricochet Sound)
* ''
Cave-in!!'' (2000) (
Tyrant Records
A tyrant (), in the modern English usage of the word, is an absolute ruler who is unrestrained by law, or one who has usurped a legitimate ruler's sovereignty. Often portrayed as cruel, tyrants may defend their positions by resorting to r ...
)
** Issued in 2000 by (
Jaguar Club Records)
** reissued in 2007 by (
Ricochet Sound)
* ''
Gruesomology 1985-89'' (2003) (
Sundazed Music
Sundazed Music is an American independent record label founded and based in Coxsackie, New York. It was initially known as a '60s-centric surf, garage, and psych label. Over time with the additions of imprints such as Modern Harmonic, American ...
)
* ''
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)
Music videos
* ''Way Down Below''
* ''Hey!''
See also
*
Music of Canada
The music of Canada reflects the diverse influences that have History of Canada, shaped the country. Indigenous Peoples, the Irish-Canadians, Irish, British, and the French have all made unique contributions to the musical Culture of Canada, herit ...
*
Music of Quebec
As a cosmopolitan province, Quebec is a home to various genres of music, ranging from folk to hip hop. Music has played an important role in Quebecer culture. In the 1920s and 1930s, singer/songwriter Madam Bolduc performed comedic songs in a ...
*
Canadian rock
Rock music of Canada is a wide and diverse part of the general music of Canada, beginning with American and British style rock and roll in the mid-20th century. Since then Canada has had a considerable impact on the development of the modern po ...
*
List of Canadian musicians
A list is a set of discrete items of information collected and set forth in some format for utility, entertainment, or other purposes. A list may be memorialized in any number of ways, including existing only in the mind of the list-maker, bu ...
*
List of bands from Canada
This is a list of bands from Canada. Only bands appear here; individual musicians are listed at list of Canadian musicians.
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References
External links
Where Are They Now?October 2005 ''
Montreal Mirror
''Montreal Mirror'' or just ''Mirror'' was a free English language alternative newsweekly based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada which was distributed every Thursday. It had a circulation of 70,000 and reached a quarter of a million readers per week. ...
'' interview.
The Gruesomes , Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, VideosThe Gruesomes Myspace website.
"The Ruckus" audio interview with John Davis, Bobby Beaton and Gerry Alvarez from February, 2009
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gruesomes, The
Musical groups established in 1985
Musical groups disestablished in 1990
Musical groups reestablished in 1999
Canadian indie rock groups
Canadian punk rock groups
Canadian garage punk groups
Canadian garage rock groups
Musical groups from Montreal
English-language musical groups from Quebec
1985 establishments in Canada