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Grifters (band)

From Alfawiki
Grifters
Company typeIndie rock band
IndustryMusic
Founded1989
Headquarters
Memphis, Tennessee
,
United States
ProductsMusic albums, EPs, singles

Grifters is an indie rock and alternative rock ensemble originating from Memphis, Tennessee. Their discography includes releases on labels such as Darla Records, Doink, Sonic Noise, Shangri-La Records, and Sub Pop Records. Between 1992 and 1997, they issued five studio albums. Following 1997, the group’s activity became sporadic as members engaged in other endeavors; however, they have recently resumed regular touring and indicated plans for new recordings. Several of their works have been reissued on Bandcamp.

Formation, early development, and Sub Pop era: 1989–1997

Initially formed in the late 1980s under the name A Band Called Bud by vocalist/guitarist Scott Taylor, bassist Tripp Lamkins, and founding vocalist/drummer Dave Shouse, the band adopted the name Grifters by 1990. Shouse transitioned to guitar duties while Stanley Gallimore joined as drummer. Songwriting responsibilities were shared among Shouse, Taylor, and Lamkins. Throughout the 1990s, their recordings were primarily produced at Easley McCain Recording, maintaining a close association with Memphis’s Shangri-La Records. The band counted Jeff Buckley among their close friends and vocal supporters.

Their first album, So Happy Together (1992, Sonic Noise), was characterized by a raw lo-fi aesthetic with pronounced noise influences that they gradually refined. The follow-up, One Sock Missing (1993, Shangri-La Records), displayed a more polished sound and attracted their initial favorable critical reception. The 1994 release Crappin' You Negative struck a balance between lo-fi textures and accessible production and is considered by AllMusic as their most notable work.

In 1996, with Ain't My Lookout, their debut on Sub Pop Records, Grifters embraced a slicker commercial sound that moved away from earlier lo-fi elements. Their subsequent album, Full Blown Possession (1997), continued this trend toward clean production values.

Hiatus and individual pursuits: 1997–2001

Following their disbandment, members explored different musical ventures. Dave Shouse concentrated on Those Bastard Souls, a project that began as a side endeavor in 1995 but evolved into his main focus. This group included vocalist/violinist Joan Wasser, drummer Kevin March (formerly of The Dambuilders and later GBV), guitarist Michael Tighe (known for collaborating with Jeff Buckley), and bassist/pianist Matt Fields (Red Red Meat).

Those Bastard Souls released two albums: the self-produced solo debut Twentieth Century Chemical in 1996 by Shouse alone, followed by Debt and Departure in 1999 featuring Wasser, March, Tighe, and Fields. This project concluded its activities in 2001. While Grifters performed occasional tours afterward, they did not produce new recordings past the late 1990s.

Reunion and current status: 2001–present

The band reunited for tours in 2013 and 2014 to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of Crappin' You Negative. As of 2021, Grifters remain active on tour and have expressed intentions to create new material.

Discography

as A Band Called Bud:

  • Dad cassette (Doink Records, 1989)
  • Shark 7 flexi disc split with The Martini Age (Kreature Comforts, 1989)

Albums

EPs

Singles

  • "Soda Pop" 7-inch (Shangri-La Records, 1992)
  • "Corolla Hoist" 7-inch (Shangri-La Records, 1992)
  • "Under the Ground" split 7-inch with Crain (Simple Machines, 1993)
  • "Holmes" 7-inch (Darla Records, 1994)
  • "Bronze Cast" 7-inch (Shangri-La Records, 1994)
  • "Dildozer" split 7-inch with Fluffy Kitty (Cherry Smash, 1994)
  • "I'm Drunk" split 7-inch with Guided by Voices (Now Sound, 1994)
  • "Queen of the Table Waters" 7-inch (Sub Pop Records, 1994)
  • "Stream" 7-inch (Derivative Records, 1995)
  • "Slipknot" 7-inch (Super 8 Records, 1996)
  • "Last Man Alive" 7-inch (Sub Pop Records, 1996)
  • "Wicked Thing" 7-inch (Sub Pop Records, 1997)

Various-artist compilation appearances

  • "She Blows Blasts Of Static" featured on Altered States of America, cassette release (Lime Lizard, UK, 1993)
  • "Black Fuel Incinerator" included on Why Do You Think They Call It Pop? 10-inch (Pop Narcotic, 1993)
  • "Make It Happen" contributed to Ten Cent Fix, CD (Jiffy Boy, 1993)
  • "Spaceship" on the compilation A Day in the Park, CD (Now Sound, 1994)
  • "Look What You've Done To Me Now" part of The Smitten Love Song Comp, CD (Karate Brand, 1994)
  • "Under The Ground" featured on Working Holiday!, CD (Simple Machines Records, 1994)
  • Live version of "The Want" included in Half-Cocked: The Motion Picture Soundtrack CD (Matador Records, 1995)
  • "Roadside Monument" on Mike McGonigal's compilation Chemical Imbalance: 1984-1996, Vol.3, No.1 (Chemical Imbalance, 1995)
  • Two tracks featured on the compilation Barristers: Two Years In The Alley, CD released in 1996
  • "Empty Yard" included on Red Hot + Bothered: The Indie Rock Guide Book to Dating CD by Red Hot Organization/Kinetic, released in 1995
  • Live recording of "Corolla Hoist" at WMBR on the MAGNET/Darla Single 7-inch (Magnet Magazine/Darla Records, 1996)
  • "Wicked Thing" present on the promotional CD titled Spring Lineup - A Compilation Of Sub Pop's Heavy Hitters (Sub Pop Records, 1997)
  • Live track "Holmes" included in The Basement Recordings: Live at Cicero's, CD issued by On The Clock in 1997
  • "The Muffin Man" featured on the children's music collection Rudy's Rockin' Kiddie Caravan, CD from Bloodshot Records in 1997
  • "Radio City Suicide" contributed to the Chicago Cab Soundtrack, CD released by Loosegroove Records in 1998
  • Five singles compiled on the album Shangri-La: 10 Years, CD from Shangri-La Records in 1998
  • Two singles included on the compilation Darla 100, CD issued by Darla Records in 2000
  • "Hits Keep Comin'" featured on the a cappella collection titled The Unaccompanied Voice: An A Capella Compilation, CD from Secretly Canadian in 2000
  • The track "Confidential" appears on the compilation album Shangri-la Projects: B-Sides, CD released by Shangri-La Records in 2006

Unofficial Releases

  • No Particular Slogan – a compilation of two CD singles
  • That's Not French – live bootleg captured at The Bottleneck in Lawrence, Kansas during 2000

Video Releases

  • "Banjo" and "Whatever Happened To Felix Cole" – VHS single issued by Shangri-La Records in 1995
  • "Last Man Alive" – music video directed by Russell Bates, released in 1996

Appearances in Film

  • Half-Cocked – directed by Suki Hawley and Michael Galinsky; features The Grifters performing "The Want" live as themselves

Band Members

  • Gordon Scott Taylor – Guitar, Vocals
  • William David "Dave" Shouse – Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards
  • Russell "Tripp" Lamkins III – Bass, Guitar, Keyboards
  • Stanley Noyel Gallimore – Drums

External Resources

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