Defining Grebo

What is Grebo exactly? I'm writing this post in hopes of conducting a sociological survey, not in expounding what I know on the subject. Hoping I get some comments here to school me on what it was like in early '90s midland U.K. or more particularly Leicester, where the "genre" or "subculture" or "fad" was officially born. I don't know much about the Gay Bikers on Acid, but I do know that Pop Will Eat Itself was a horrid, insufferable, figurehead for this movement. Not sure why I'm so intrigued when there really much to get worked up about, I suppose I'm more interested in the signifiers surrounding the craze. It was pre-Britpop and pre-Grunge and in a number of ways seemed to mirror the ugly punk-funk phenomenon that the Red Hot Chili Peppers were raping in our country -- only combining basic alternative rock tropes to house music and dayglo, Doc Martens and white dreads, soapbox rapping and Hypercolour t-shirts.

There was some good out of it -- if you count Ned's Atomic Dustbin as a contributor. God Fodder is classic '90s listening for myself. The Wonder Stuff and Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine were associated and marginally enjoyable -- but most of the stuff is simply cut-out bin material, incapable of surviving past the millennial switch. By example, Jesus Jones is considered quintessential "sell-out" Grebo, but I have to admit to being a sucker for "International Bright Young Thing". Then there was EMF who brought Grebo and the popularization of extacy to our shores. I believe it was their much overlooked and underrated flop of a sophomore album Stigma that killed the kids clean. So please. If you know a tried and true Grebo, let's hear the best of the bunch. I need pictures. I need proof that it was something to believe in.

Or else I swear I'll start Fiddlin' on ROMO. Don't make me do it.

Put a Donk On It

I've never been to Liverpool, or Bolton, or Wiggins for that matter. Always thought the only thing to see outside of London was Stonehenge and Tintern Abbey. I know I'm wrong, that's just a generalization, of course I'd love to see Manchester and Cardiff, maybe even the Midlands, just to see what it's like to exist in the Britain's Midwest equivalent. I know they have Juggalos and Crowley-obsessed metal-heads, probably all got good record collections and great pubs 'round the corner. Little did I know about the craze known as Donk -- which was spawned in Bolton (here referred to as a miniature Detroit). I suppose you could parallel the genre with Southern Bounce or Baltimore Booty or Baile Funk -- but with a Jersey Shore element involved. Notice all the chaps choosing steroids as the drug of choice. Really I don't think the Donk scene is ever catching on here (maybe in Alabama) cause all it is underneath is bad house/hardcore music and kids who missed the rave scene the first time around. Love the Donk beat though and being an observer of the people and the culture that makes up this landscape is completely fascinating film. Again, Vice and VBS.tv do it proper. Please watch. Serious entertainment.

Jump Up Bright Teenage Werewolves

Yes. If you read the Hipster Runoff, which is required reading if you're a jaded cynic or double lover of/towards popular culture in general, then you may have already taken a look at this.

I felt the need to get this disseminated even more, as I find it hilarious. "It's not emo. It's not goth....it's something more animal." As I start lapping generations it seems the younger they get the stranger they get. Boy I sound old -- but it seems true. I was "grunge" - that required thrift store clothes and a Nirvana t-shirt. Now you need tails, dog contacts, leashes, etc. to make a statement. I just think this is taking subculture and togetherness a bit too far -- at the same time it's totally fucking awesome.

Who knows what brought on this attraction to lycanthropy? Was it Shakira or Twilight or the Vampire Diaries or maybe this little gem of a movie from the SyFy Network starring my favorite damsel in distress Nina Dobrev. Required viewing people.