Gren was an American

power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a subgenre of rock music and form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, ...

trio from

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, consisting of Brett White (vocals, guitar), Marcus Gonzales (bass) and John "Possum" Hill (drums).

Joel Whitburn Joel Carver Whitburn (November 29, 1939 – June 14, 2022) was an American author and music historian, responsible for setting up the Record Research, Inc. series of books on record chart placings. Early life Joel Carver Whitburn was born in W ...

, ''Rock Tracks 1981-2008''.

Billboard Books ''Billboard'' (stylized in lowercase since 2013) is an American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation. The magazine provides music charts, news, video, opinion, reviews, events and styles related to the ...

, 2008, p. 109. They were active from 1994 to 1996.

History

Gren formed in early 1994. The band's sound drew comparisons with

Nirvana Nirvana, in the Indian religions (Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism), is the concept of an individual's passions being extinguished as the ultimate state of salvation, release, or liberation from suffering ('' duḥkha'') and from the ...

, Shudder to Think, and

Bob Mould Robert Arthur Mould (born October 16, 1960) is an American musician, principally known for his work as guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for alternative rock bands Hüsker Dü in the 1980s and Sugar (American band), Sugar in the 1990s. Early ...

. ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' called their sound "a straightforward assault of guitar-driven rock and soul." The band was signed to

I.R.S. Records I.R.S. Records was a major American record label founded by Miles Copeland III and Jay Boberg in 1979. I.R.S. produced some of the most popular bands of the 1980s, and was particularly known for issuing records by college rock, new wave and a ...

and released their only full-length album ''Camp Grenada'' in 1995. The album was produced by Tim O'Heir (

Sebadoh Sebadoh () is an American indie rock band formed in 1986 in Northampton, Massachusetts, by Eric Gaffney and Lou Barlow, with multi-instrumentalist Jason Loewenstein completing the line-up in 1989. Barlow co-created Sebadoh as an outlet for his ...

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Dinosaur Jr. Dinosaur Jr. is an American rock band formed in Amherst, Massachusetts, in 1984. Originally called Dinosaur, the band was forced to change their name because of legal issues. The band was founded by J Mascis (guitar, vocals, primary songwriter) ...

) at

Cherokee Studios Cherokee Studios is a recording studio facility in Hollywood founded in 1972 by members of 1960s pop band the Robbs. Cherokee has been the location of many notable recordings by such artists as Steely Dan, David Bowie, Journey, Toto, Michael J ...

in Los Angeles. Gren promoted this album with extensive touring of the United States, including a stint as opening for

the Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band formed in the New York City neighborhood Forest Hills, Queens in 1974. Known for helping establish the punk movement in the United States and elsewhere, the Ramones are often recognized as one of t ...

in 1995-96. The single "She Shines" reached the Top 40 on the ''

'' Hot Mainstream Rock chart. Gren disbanded in 1996. A five-song EP titled ''Somebody Said You'd Hate This'' was released in 2008. Gren released two more songs direct to YouTube in June 2020 for what they called the "Quarantine Sessions". The parts for the songs were recorded separately and then mixed together later.

Discography

*''Camp Grenada'' (1995) *''Somebody Said You'd Hate This'' (EP, 2008)

References

{{Authority control Musical groups from Los Angeles American power pop groups Musical groups established in 1994 1994 establishments in California Musical groups disestablished in 1996 1996 disestablishments in California