David Grubbs (Gastr Del Sol, Bastro, etc)
 

I did a search and nothing came up in this forum, or in the indie forum regarding the wonderful David Grubbs, therefore...

He's been in several great bands. He started off in Squirrel Bait, which was a post hardcore sorta band that had a couple of pretty cool releases before they splintered into other bands...some of them into Slint who we all know.

David then formed Bastro, who had a slightly more challenging, Albini-esque sound, mixing the sound of Squirrel Bait with more complex, mathy drumming (originally a drum machine, doubtless inspired by Big Black, and later on with John McEntire who later played with Tortoise).

Gastr Del Sol followed Bastro, and they were essentially the same band, but with a marked change in their sonic direction. They incorporated elements of Fahey-style guitar work, folk, free jazz, classical, electronica and krautrock to create a fairly original sound which they developed throughout their releases. The band was basically a mix of David Grubbs and Jim O'Rourke, so of course they've got some good stuff. They were among the first bands to be called "post-rock", although their sound shares almost nothing in common with the popular post rock bands of today like Sigur Ros and Godspeed. Lyrically, they're often completely nonsensical, using surrealist imagery and often awkward phrasings. I would regard Gastr Del Sol as one of the best bands of the 90s, and they'd be pretty high in my favourite bands of all time list. Their album "Camoufleur" should be essential listening for fans of alternative music, however vague that statement may be. Check it check it check it.

So anyone heard any of David Grubbs' work? I've still to listen to his solo work, but these bands come pretty highly recommended.

Oh aye, he also participated in that 77 Boadrum event that the Boredoms put on. Here's an interesting docu on that...

77 BOADRUM | VIDEO | VIVA-RADIO.COM

I will never post anything like this again so enjoy and goodbye etc.

David Grubbs' solo stuff is very similar to Gastr Del Sol, but not quite as good imo. Rickets & Scurvy is a pretty good album nonetheless.

I have the bootleg of that :D

Hammering so Hard is one of those songs that I love so much with no logic behind it it's just great. Squirrel Bait in general is really cool and Bastro, Bitch Magnet and Gastr del Sol are all really good.

Hammering So Hard is such a great song. The drumming is pretty nuts, I really can't fathom how it manages to hold the song together, but it's def my favourite Squirrel Bait song. I actually like Squirrel Bait's s/t more than I like Skag Heaven..."Sun God" is a great track as well from memory.

The thing that impresses me most about Squirrel Bait is that they were basically just a bunch of high school kids making some great music and supporting lots of the best underground bands of the time. They weren't revolutionary or anything, but for their age they were making some really rad music,

I forgot about Bitch Magnet, who I believe David Grubbs was also involved in. I've still to check them out, but I do have one of their albums downloaded, which i'll get round to eventually.

good stuff, I'll check that out.

You get 1000 indie points for that Urban. Is it any good?

Bitch Magnet was a great band & also featured Sooyoung Park of Seam. Ben Hur is a good album by them - it's an interesting bridge between hardcore & what Seam will later sound like.

No idea , it's almost 2 hours long.
I don't think i've ever made it to the end before.

I think the only Bitch Magnet album Grubbs played on was Ben Hur unless he was using a codename on Umber and Star Booty.Squirrel Bait was great,Skag Heaven is one best records of the `80s IMHO.Bastro was cool too,almost a blueprint of what would come later in indie rock.Too bad Gastr did`nt last longer.Camoufleur is their best record.I have`nt investigated much of his solo stuff.

I picked up "Camoufleur" the other day and I really like it. What else should I get by Gastr Del Sol?

I have'nt checked any of their stuff but I do have a Jim O Rourke solo album which is absolutely fantastic.