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Bastro was the more prominent of guitarist David Grubbs’ two immediate post-Squirrel Bait projects (the concurrently runningBitch Magnet
being the other). Grubbs originally joined the Louisville, KY-based Squirrel Bait while still in high school, and wasactually one of the oldest
members of the group; when he and bassist Clark Johnson left for college, it effectively spelled theend of the band after two important releases.
Grubbs went to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and formed an earlyversion of Bastro in 1987 with bassist Dan Treado, who soon
left. Even though Clark Jo ...read more
Bastro was the more prominent of guitarist David Grubbs’ two immediate post-Squirrel Bait projects (the concurrently runningBitch Magnet
being the other). Grubbs originally joined the Louisville, KY-based Squirrel Bait while still in high school, and wasactually one of the oldest
members of the group; when he and bassist Clark Johnson left for college, it effectively spelled theend of the band after two important releases.
Grubbs went to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and formed an earlyversion of Bastro in 1987 with bassist Dan Treado, who soon
left. Even though Clark Johnson had gone to Chicago, he andGrubbs reteamed as the new core of Bastro, and pursued a more twisted and
abrasive style of post-hardcore punk than theirformer band. Backed by a drum machine, they issued a six-song EP, Rode Hard & Put Up Wet, on
the Homestead label in 1988.They subsequently played some tour dates with My Dad Is Dead, whose drummer at the time was Oberlin College
percussionmajor John McEntire. McEntire wound up joining Bastro full-time for their LP debut, 1989’s Bastro Diablo Guapo, which
drewcomparisons to the blistering extremity of Steve Albini and the precision and shifting dynamics of another Squirrel Bait offshoot,Slint. Their
second full-length, 1990’s Sing the Troubled Beast, found the group straining against their established blueprint tofollow a relatively subtle and
melodic path. Bassist Johnson subsequently left the group and was replaced by Bundy K. Brown;meanwhile, Grubbs relocated to Chicago to
attend graduate school. « hide |
Similar Bands: Squirrel Bait, Crain, Polvo, Slint, Uzeda Contributors: Days of Future Passed, WeepingBanana, Roach,
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