Grebo (music) explained

Grebo
Cultural Origins:Late 1980s – early 1990s, United Kingdom
Regional Scenes:English Midlands
Other Topics:Cool Britannia

Grebo (or grebo rock) was a short-lived subculture and subgenre of alternative rock[1] that incorporated influences from punk rock, electronic dance music, hip hop and psychedelia. The scene occupied the period in the late 1980s and early 1990s in the United Kingdom before the popularisation of Britpop and grunge.[2] The genre and its attributes were largely absorbed into industrial rock, which would emerge after the sub-genre's demise in the late 1980s, which then led to the development of industrial metal in the 1990s.

History and etymology

Derived from "greaser",[3] the word "grebo" began being used in the 1970s as a slang term for bikers with long hair.[4] [5] The word was re-fashioned by the group Pop Will Eat Itself that represented a brand of United Kingdom subculture of the late 1980s and early 1990s, largely based in the English Midlands.[6] [7] [5] The scene particularly was centred on Birmingham.[8]

Influential bands in the scene were Pop Will Eat Itself (who had songs titled, "Oh Grebo I Think I Love You"[6] [9] and "Grebo Guru"), the Wonder Stuff, Ned's Atomic Dustbin, along with London band Carter USM and Leicester bands Crazyhead, the Bomb Party, the Hunters Club, Scum Pups and Gaye Bykers on Acid.[10] [11] The term has also been used to describe Jesus Jones, who enjoyed success in both the United Kingdom and the United States.[12] [13]

Although short-lived, the movement was a success and influenced several later bands. To a certain extent it was a music press invention, much like positive punk, a scene and style named by British indie magazines NME and the Melody Maker. The music genre has declined rapidly since its popularity in the '90s, so the genre is only found in the underground scene.

Characteristics

Grebo bands drew influences from a diverse array of genres, including dance-rock, psychedelia,[14] pop, hip hop,[7] punk rock and electronica.[15] Pop Will Eat Itself adopted an industrial alternative rock style[16] that combined "heavy metal and hard rock guitar riffs, electro-dance rhythms, samples and rap vocals."[17] While Gaye Bykers on Acid's use of hip-hop and dance beats was considered as "a major innovation in mid-'80s alternative rock,"[18] Ned's Atomic Dustbin focused on "the hyper punk aspect" of the movement, relying on "catchy hooks and a dual-bass sound."[19]

Grebo artists and fans sported long hair, dreadlocks and baggy shorts.[8] [14]

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Book: Bernstein, Jonathan . Knickers in a Twist: A Dictionary of British Slang . Canongate . 2012 . 978-0857869456.
  2. Book: Tribe - A Personal History of British Subculture . Roach . Martin . Snowball . Ian . McKenna . Peter . John Blake . 2015 . 978-1784188979.
  3. Web site: Garland . Emma . Introducing: The Grown-Up Greebo . . 24 February 2020 . 26 July 2024.
  4. Web site: The Way We Were: Bikers met at the Windy Ridge Cafe in the 60s . Warbrook . Colette . 15 May 2015 . . 13 April 2017 . 28 June 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150628144443/http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Way-Bikers-met-Windy-Ridge-Cafe-60s/story-26508301-detail/story.html . dead .
  5. Book: Robb, John . The Charlatans We Are Rock . Random House . 2010 . 978-1409034391.
  6. Web site: From mod to emo: why pop tribes are still making a scene . Rogers . Jude . 25 February 2010 . . 14 April 2017.
  7. Vladimir Bogdanov (editor), All Music Guide to Electronica: The Definitive Guide To Electronic Music, page 404 (Backbeat Books, 2001). . Quote: "Honing a fusion of rock, pop, and rap which they dubbed 'grebo', the Poppies kickstarted a small revolution."
  8. Web site: The way we listen now . Petridis . Alexis . 3 May 2002 . . 13 April 2017.
  9. Wuelfing . Howard Jr. . Pop Will Eat Itself - Now For a Feast! . . 33 . February 1988 . 3 . 9.
  10. Book: Strong, Martin C. . The Great Alternative & Indie Discography . registration . 1999 . Canongate . 0-86241-913-1 . 169, 711 . Lumped in with the media created "Grebo" scene along with Pop Will Eat Itself, Gaye Bykers on Acid and the early Wonder Stuff, Crazyhead.../[Wonder Stuff] initially lumped in with contemporaries like Pop Will Eat Itself and Crazyhead under the music-press created 'grebo' banner/etc.. .
  11. Book: Larkin, Colin . The Guinness Who's Who of Indie and New Wave Music . 1992 . Guinness Publishing . 0-85112-579-4 . 73–74 . In common with Gaye Bikers on Acid (sic), Bomb Party, and Pop Will Eat Itself, [Crazyhead] were linked with the media-fuelled 'biker' or 'grebo' rock genre. .
  12. Web site: 'Grebo rock,' as synthesized by Ned's Atomic Dustbin . https://web.archive.org/web/20121102033959/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4091046.html . dead . 2 November 2012 . Kim . Jae-Ha . 12 January 1992 . . 13 April 2017.
  13. Web site: Jesus Jones - Live at the Marquee . Greene . Jo-Ann . . 13 April 2017.
  14. Web site: Dudes on 'ludes: 15 bands named after drugs that aren't weed . Modell . Josh . 13 October 2014 . . 12 April 2017.
  15. Web site: Ned's Atomic Dustbin - God Fodder . Abebe . Nitsuh . . 13 April 2017.
  16. Web site: Retromania: Pop Culture's Addiction to Its Own Past by Simon Reynolds: review . McCormick . Neil . 3 June 2011 . . 13 April 2017.
  17. Web site: Pwei: From Grebo Pop To Raucous Rock . Popson . Tom . 29 September 1989 . . 13 April 2017.
  18. Web site: Gaye Bykers on Acid . Ankeny . Jason . . 13 April 2017.
  19. Web site: Ned's Atomic Dustbin - Are You Normal? . Abebe . Nitsuh . . 13 April 2017.

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