Mark, Rob, Dave, Tom, Rich, Rhona, Ben, Anne Marie, Robstellung.
Influences
Alabama 3, Antony and the Johnsons, Arcade Fire, Barry Adamson, Beck (Sad stuff), Beta Band, Billy Bragg, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Prince Billy, Cat Power, Clash, Cure, Cocteau Twins, The Dears, Devendra Bernhardt, Eels, Elliot Smith, Flaming Lips, Grandaddy, Grizzly Bear, Janis Joplin, Isaac Hayes, Jeff Buckley, Johnny Cash, Joy Division, Leonard cohen, Massive Attack, Mogwai, Moldy Peaches, Neil Diamond, Nick Cav, Nina Simone, Nilsson, Patti Smith, Pj Harvey, Portishead, Radiohead, Richard Hawley, Sigur Ros, Silver mt Zion, Soggy Bottom Boys, Sufjan Stevens, Talking heads, Tom Waits, White Stripes, Willy Mason, Yo la Tengo plus anyone who ever played a sad song.
What was the inspiration for the Grumpy Man club night?
We wanted to go out, but there was nowhere to go. We didnt want to listen to music in the way it was being fed to us, we wanted to listen to it in the way we would at home Pixies followed by Neil Diamond followed by Leonard Cohen, music not related by some arbitrary classification but by mood. A bad mood. So in one way Grumpy Man is about breaking out of the genre-ghetto, and in another it is something for people that enjoy sad and miserable music. If you have ever smiled at a really depressing lyric, Grumpy Man is for you.
How long has it been going and who are the main people involved?
We have been going for 5 years now. Apart from myself there is Rhona, Tom, Dave, Ben, Rich and Rob. We are slowly spreading out across the country; we have regular nights in Bristol and Birmingham, and hope to have a presence in Edinburgh soon. London? Yeah, if the money is right.
What kind of audiences did it initially attract? Has that changed?
To start with it was just our friends. We had no idea about promotion, so we would hire out a venue and just pile in. We had a few loyal fans, but Bristol is pretty bad for a regular venue. These days in Bris, there are a few strange regulars who turn up in black T-shirts and sit in the corner staring at us, waiting for the latest in miserablism. Those are the hardcore, mingling with the thirtysomething alcos who can only realise salvation through booze and grumpy tunes. And more and more students seem to be turning up in Bris, must be the top up fees getting them down. The next grumpy generation. Yet it is definitely not your average student night. It's a gonzo approach to the art of music dissemination, with requests, drunkenness and glumness all combining to create an atmosphere of love and despair, washed down with copious amounts of alcohol and onion rings. Maybe we are a freak show, I dont know. Birmingham awaits this rabble; pity the baggies, blues, yam yams, and anyone with any self control.
What kind of feedback have you got from people?
The people who come and speak to us fall into two camps. One is the Oh my God I cant believe someone wise owns this record I thought I was the only one! group and other is the If you dont play some Madonna my boyfriend in gonna f**k you up group.
Is there a particularly memorable night that stands out?
We played at the Royal College of Art and nearly got beaten up. That was fun. And playing at the usual-rave mecca Biristol club Lakota, and that was a great night, if only for our misbehaviour; we finally felt like proper DJs. Actually the last gig was one of the weirdest of all. Some girls 21st birthday party came in by mistake and just couldnt understand what was going on. They were all dressed as showgirls and clowns, trying to dance to Johnny Cash - it was beautiful. We were going to play its My Party and Ill Cry if I Want to but we couldnt find it before she stormed out in tears. And then some Canadian ROCK band who were playing nearby came in after their gig and their groupies were stripping and demanding we play Guns n Roses.
Is the music policy just a reflection of the DJs personal tastes or is there a particular kind of ethos/mood your trying to create?
We definitely stick to the theme of negative emotion. The rule is you can play anything at all as long as either the lyrics or the music is miserable or angry. I have been known to play happy music at home (ok, not often) but I would never play that at Grumpy Man.
MERRY CHRISTMAS........HOT MUSIC::: NOLABEKMUSIK GOOGLE "EP CUBAN G" MANY WEB PAGES WHERE U CAN PURCHASE NOLABEL'S MUSIC THANKS FOR THE LOVE AND SUPPORT......
OCT.17 SWEETER'S DAY SAT. NIGHT CONNECT & CUDDLE DANCE PARTY!! Hosted By: With a Few Specially Selected Live Performences!!!
Also Official Afterparty for: DeJuan "NYCE" Thompson & SULLIVAN HIGH SCHOOL CLASS 97-05' REUNION!!
21yrs & up w/ ID Doors: Open @ 9pm-3am Ladies Free B4 12:00am $5 After Guys $5 B4 12:00 am & $10 After
Free Roses for the 1st 25 ladies after Midnight! Free Talent Extrodinaire *Ayona* Chgo's Princess Of R&B Promo Give-A-Ways! Respect My Gnine Vol. 3 Mixtape Promo Raffle! Sweeter's Day Group Discounts!! ***$90 Bottles Of Vodka ***$45 Bottles Of Champagne!!!
More info contact: (773) 632-7768 / 773.407.1458 4brothersent@gmail.com or 773-405-6154 NightKnightenent@gmail.com or 312 576-0828 xodlo@sbcglobal.net
Hi there Grumpy Man DJs here are some great reasons to party on oct 30th It is the TRASH CAN ClUBS 3 year anniverssary! It is a special CRAMPS nights in memory of LUX INTERIOR of the Cramps who sadly retired back to his grave earlier this year! It is Halloween (well the eve of Halloween..eaven spookier!) It is a holiday the day after It is very cheap entrance (40:-) from 21.00 - 22.00 or cheap all night with Halloween costume (50:-)! 80:- after 22.00 without costume! (not including jacket hang) 30:- a beer before 22.00!
DJ's Petrified Peter (musik & Konst record shop) Steptoe Craig ( Fratshack club, Bristol, UK) spinning rare vinyl 45's all night! SHOCKING JUNGLE BURLESQUE SHOW! from SWEET AMANDA GHOULISH STROLL DANCE Show/Lesson Classic Horror Movies Halloween costume competition COBWEBS COBWEBS and more COBWEBS The DJ's play rare and original rockin vinyl 45's! garage, rockabilly, rock n roll, surf, Punk, soul, R&B, 60's beat! don't miss this one off dance floor filler night for all you retro rockers! DON*T MISS A CRAMPS HALLOWEEN MONSTER MASH....30th Oct..Bodoni night club..Malmö
MOST RAD NEWS ----------------------------- The awesome GANG GANG DANCE have re- scheduled the Bristol show. This will be one of two only headlining shows in the UK this year. The Bristol show will be the official warm-up for their show at Brixton Academy (supporting ANIMAL COLLECTIVE !) Wednesday 19th of August 2009 Qu Junktions & Glaive Concerts presents: GANG GANG DANCE + The Color of The Sun ~ Fleece ~ 12 St. Thomas Street Bristol BS1 6JJ 0117 945 0996 - 8PM - 12.00
Tickets 10 pounds in advance On sale at Bristol Ticket Shop, Here Shop and See Tickets. ------i-n-f-o-------------------- This gang gang from Brooklyn, have emerged from a very fertile, indigenous music scene in their neighbourhood but have branched out way WAY further with their hook ups and hooks. It is a ghetto world music that declines fey introspection but invites in disparate saturated sounds and bang bang dance dynamics. Their multi-faceted music style was first brought to our attention following a series of releases on forward-thinking label, The Social Registry; and subsequently, they have found a suitable home on Warp Records.
The bands assemblage of wonky techno, outer rock, faux arabesque and other strange, spiralling, sinuous music forms that transcend categorisation. Utterly unique and iconoclastic.
“The eclectism is exhilarating” Uncut
“Excellent… a psychotropid mind meld” – Plan B
“Gang Gang Dance may now ascend to the bona fide league of geniuses.” 8/10 – NME
Online Now!
..
