THE GRUESOMES: The Dimension Of Fear.

Posted on Sep 21, 2025 by Olivia

There are many things we can thank Canada for, but the one thing I am eternally grateful for, is that one of the best bands all time are from there. The Gruesomes.

The Gruesomes were a band I found on my own when I was about 20 ish (I’m 38) and when I found them, I felt like I did the first time I heard The Cramps and The Cure. I felt like I had found a home and being a weirdo wasn’t so bad at all. The Gruesomes debut record came out in ’86 (the year I was born) and 40 years later, the record still sounds effortlessly slick and ahead of its time. There is something so fantastic and beyond description within that record. I remember going to a market in Camden about 8 or 9 years ago when I was still living in London, and I did my weekly trip to buy records on my lunch break. I had 2 records in my hand, but all of a sudden, a copy of Tyrants Of Teen Trash caught my eye. I had been searching EVERYWHERE for this record, and all of a sudden, I am staring at it. Holding it in my hands. My holy grail. It was in my hands. I put the other 2 records pack, and bought The Gruesomes. I had the finest record of all time in my possession. I was the luckiest person in the world.

A few weeks ago, the band released The Dimension Of Fear. A record named by a fan, and it’s a solid name for a solid record. This record could easily have been released right after Tyrants Of Teen Trash. It has that typical sound of theirs; the sound that I know and love. The sound that feels like home, and the band have never sounded better. I hope one day they do a proper tour of the UK- I wouldn’t be mad if they didn’t make it to Manchester because I’d absolutely find a way to get to see them. But for now, let’s talk about why their new record rips and is one of the best records of the year.

The Dimension Of Fear is 12 songs in half an hour. You’ll want more, but what you get is essentially the best of The Gruesomes. It’s a sensational record, and it’s the band at their very best. I simply cannot praise this record enough, but I will. I will not shut up about this record at all. It’s their first record in 25 years, and those 25 years have sure as hell dragged! This is a stunning record, and if I was into marking records out of 10- it would exceed 10 out of 10. Gerry and Bobby’s vocals have never sounded so strong. You know they’ve been around for some time, and you’d probably expect there to be a change in how they play or whatever but absolutely not. This band can put any new bands to shame. They’ve got an abundance of energy that you wish you had even a fraction of. You wish you were as cool as The Gruesomes!

Just Go Away and That’s Using Your Head show us exactly why the band are one of the best, and I love that they are still playing shows. They are showing everyone how it’s done. They for me, are just one of the most underrated bands of all time. I love how they have that 60s Garage Rock sound but have carried it on beyond that (I know they formed in ’85, but I mean they perfected a sound before their time and made it theirs.) The Gruesomes know how to make songs that make you want to dance in a questionable fashion, they make you want to sing along as loud as you can to bops like What In The World, Broke My Brain and You’re Outta Luck. You cannot help but listen to this record and feel you’ve gone back in time BUT! BUT! If you’re already a fan of The Gruesomes, you’ll feel like they’ve never been away. I wasn’t born when their debut record came out (same year but I was still cookin’) but listening to their new record makes me feel like I’ve heard them for the first time but also really happy that I get to hear new music from a band I absolutely love.

Like a lot of bands I love, The Gruesomes make me wish I could play guitar or something because this is the kind of music I’d want to make. It’s just a prime example of slick Garage Rock/Punk, and it just makes you feel good. The band sure know how to make their fans feel good with their punchy Garage Rock sound, and I love that the band have been together for so long. You can truly hear in the music how much fun they have together and that beautiful childlike feel in their songs just has you hooked. The snarly vocals, the urgency in the sound. The playful and rowdy sound that just makes you want to ignore everything around you and soak up this record. It’s a masterpiece. It’s The Gruesomes in all their wonderful glory and I am so so grateful that they are still together and making music like this. It’s a flawless record, and you just cannot get enough of it.

They still have that rebellious schoolkid sound, and that sound is something you cannot help but love. You cannot help but be obsessed with it. Everything about this record is all us fans of The Gruesomes could ever want from them. It’s massively exceeded what I thought the record would sound like. I knew it was going to be a dream of a record, but this is truly something else.

Get yourself a copy and play it as loud as you can. And have it on repeat. I feel I could write a thousand plus more words on this record, but hopefully I’ve summed up my love for it and why it’s one of the best records of the year and was worth waiting 25 years for. Just don’t make us wait another 25!

The Dimension Of Fear is out now via Soundflat Records. Get some snotty Garage Punk in your ears!

THE GRUESOMES: Cave-In.

Posted on Dec 13, 2020 by Olivia

Back in 2000 Canada’s finest, The Gruesomes released the effortlessly cool record; Cave-In.

Go forward 2 decades, and this record is getting re-released by Alien Snatch!Records. There’s even some new artwork for the record too.

If you know The Gruesomes, you will know that they are probably one of the greatest bands ever! Their slick and just effortlessly cool sound is timeless. Their first record came out in 1986 (I think) and they’ve had this cult-like following.

I’ve been obsessed with them for so long, and when I heard that Cave-In was getting re-released, I just knew I had to go back and listen to it and try to put into words how great the record is. Of course Tyrants of Teen Trash will always own my heart but Cave-In is such a solid record. It came out 20 years ago, but it sounds like it could have come out back in the 60s. That’s what is so special to me about The Gruesomes- you never knew what decade they could have come from. They take you back and forth through time, and I think Cave-In is a prime example of this.

Stop It,Girl is a beautiful woeful number telling some girl to stop dragging your heart around. The Gruesomes do this so well. They spew out the songs of longing and heartache in such a beautiful and romantic way. But by no means is done in a soppy fashion. No thank you. Not round here. There’s that Punk like snarl in the songs, such as You’re Not The Boss Of Me and it’s the perfect fuck you to someone who has gone too far. There’s a hypnotic Psych groove in this one, and it’s definitely one of my favourites on the record.

Going back and listening to this record, and knowing it came out 20 years ago but it takes you further back than that. For me, listening to this record is just like discovering The Gruesomes for the first time all over again. These 14 songs fully justify why I love this band so much, and why having this record re-issued is such a great thing. It will turn more people onto this band. Bands like The Gruesomes, The Mummies and The Cramps just had something so unique and beautifully creepy about their sound. They made you feel okay with being absolutely weird. The three greatest bands of all time, for sure.

Cave-In has everything you could possibly want from a record. It’s got rebellious songs to lose your mind to and songs to just really treasure. I just adore this band a hell of a lot. Come And See Me (I’m Your Man) is such a wild song. The vocals on this are so raw and it just makes you wish you could go to a show so badly. I think it’s one of their most underrated records, but to be honest the band in general are just criminally underrated.

If this was my first ever time listening to The Gruesomes, I’d be utterly blown away. But you know, you still get that same buzz if you’ve heard it a billion times before. Serves You Right is the one you need to blast a little extra loud. It’s a real bratty and snotty number that should get you moving.

I just absolutely love this band SO much, and to be able to hear this re-issue and to know that The Gruesomes will gain some new fans from this is just so fucking cool!

THE GRUESOMES: Someone Told A Lie/Make Up Your Mind.

Posted on Feb 25, 2020 by Olivia

The coolest thing has happened- NEW MUSIC FROM THE GRUESOMES! Well, it isn’t exactly new music but it is two unpublished songs, and that’s enough for me. For now!

If you’ve had the misfortune of ever reading anything I’ve ever written, you’ll see that The Gruesomes are a band that I will mention at any given opportunity. I just idolise them- they’re everything I want from music and more, and these two new songs are just incredible. I’m not just saying this because I am obsessed with them but, okay, I’m probably saying this because I AM obsessed with them. And also, the songs are great. I’m getting the same feeling I did when I first heard them.

Also, another super cool thing about this release is that is comes with an 8-page comic. Could The Gruesomes get any cooler? Probably, but right now I’m just happy to have this.

First up we have the tougher than old leather boots song, Someone Told A Lie. It’s a typical sound of theirs, and it will just make you want to have it on repeat and as loud as you can handle. You’ll have hold of the lyrics in no time! It’s such a snarly based number, and it’s part of the reasons as to why I love the band. I love that snarly tone in the vocals and how it has this obnoxious snotty feel to it- a proper Punk-esque feel with all things I adore about Garage Rock. It has such a powerful sound that I just want to listen to over, and over again.

Then we have the second song; Make Up Your Mind. It sounds divine right after Someone Told A Lie. That guitar solo- my GOD that guitar solo! It just sets you off, and before you know it you’re in this trance, right in the groove of this beautiful song. It’s enough to make you cry over how amazing it is. The Gruesomes are one of, if not probably my favourite band of all time. Their sound is just heavenly to me, and these two songs are everything I could possibly want from a band that are such a massive part of my life.

The Gruesomes need to somehow find their way to the UK and play some shows. I would pay pretty much anything to see them- it’s that vital to me. I just love them, and I really do hope they do a tour. If not, then I’ll just have to keep on playing the records to death continuously.

Someone Told A Lie/Make Up Your Mind has been released via the Spanish label, KOTJ Records. Be quick though- there aren’t many copies left on their bandcamp page!

Play it loud!

Garage Rock.

Posted on Feb 27, 2012 by Olivia

Aside from Punk, Garage Rock is the only other genre to own my heart. I’d put Shoegaze and Riot Grrrl up there but for me they were more like a movement rather than a genre. Of course Punk was a movement too, but..well, you know what I mean. For me, Garage Rock is such an important genre of music. As much as I love songs that last over 5 minutes and take me on some weird trip, I also love music that lasts about 2 minutes and has the ability to make me feel like I’m being punched right in the chops. Passionately furious and enough to make you want to dance. Throw in some psychedelic vibes and I’ll be the happiest person around. It isn’t just Garage Rock bands from the 60s that make me feel this way, bands that are around now that can be seen as Garage Rock make me feel this way too. Take the debut record by The Horrors for instance. It had EVERYTHING that was Garage Rock. Short songs, loud guitars and vocals enough to deafen you. Sure not all Garage Rock is like that, but fuck man..as far as debut records go that one was a SOLID.

So this is what I am going to do. Instead of rambling on and on about it, I’m going to give you my 5 favourite OLD Garage Rock bands and my 5 favourite NEW Garage Rock bands. If you want to disagree or hit me with some bands I should check out, then PLEASE let me know. Just be gentle if you’re going to be negative, okay? Thanks. Alright, here’s the first lot.