Grotus
| Grotus | |
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Grotus in 1996
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| Background information | |
| Origin | San Francisco, California, United States |
| Genres | Industrial rock, experimental rock |
| Years active | 1989–1996 |
| Labels | Spirit Music Industries, Alternative Tentacles, London/Polygram |
| Website | grotus |
| Past members |
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Grotus was an experimental, politically charged rock band from San Francisco, active from 1989 to 1996. Their unique sound incorporated industrial rock, sampled ethnic instruments, two drummers, two bassists, and angry but humorous lyrics. Their shows included large projected videos sequenced with the songs, and could almost qualify as performance art, with the singer channeling any number of hideous figures involved in the subjects of the songs. Many of the songs dealt with anger at environmental collapse, but from a cartoonish angle.
The group started in 1989, when Adam Tanner and John Carson, burned out from failed rock bands, decided to make music for films, and bought 2 Akai S-950 samplers. Having technical difficulties, they asked their friend Lars Fox to help figure out how to use them, and Fox asserted himself as their singer. Their first songs came quickly, and the trio headed to Dancing Dog Studio in Emeryville, to record with David Bryson (soon to be a member of Counting Crows) A visit to radio station KUSF's local music show yielded an invitation to perform at a showcase within a few weeks of starting. Projected videos, synchronized with the music, were an important part of the band from the beginning, influencing and being influenced by other Bay Area bands including Neurosis and Consolidated.
They developed a large dedicated following in San Francisco over the next two years, playing with their friends in Consolidated often, and opening for touring industrial bands, including Nine Inch Nails. New local record label Spirit Music Industries asked them to put out a recording, resulting in Brown, introducing the group's ethnic industrial stylings. Next, the group added drummer Bruce Boyd (formerly of Pagan Babies) to the mix, resulting in a more organic punk feel. The new line up released Luddite on Spirit, much more a live band now, as opposed to Brown's more classic industrial sequenced machine grooves.
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