The Gruesomes "Hey!" 1988

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 stage antics. Their famous Halloween shows were schlock tributes to horror themes, incorporating camp props such as coffins and Dracula capes. In 1987, following the release of Gruesomania, Ottawa's John Knoll replaced Eric Davis on drums and the band subsequently wrote music that sounded more like R&B than garage punk. - wikiWith 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. It has been reported[by whom?] that 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 Gruesomes developed an image of matching black turtlenecks, Beatle boots and bowl haircuts, combining it with a "snotty" punk 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 inexperiencetrax:

01 Thanks For Nothing 02 (It's) All In Your Mind 03 Nowhere 04 What Am I Doing This For? 05 Tell Me How You Feel 06 Out Of Our Tree 07 hey! 08 Won't You Listen? 09 So Far, So Good 10 Don't Waste My Time 11 World Of Darkness 12 El Diablo 13 That Ain't Right 14 I Can Dig It