Grotus is a four piece heavy music band from San Francisco. Their sound incorporates lots of drums, 2 bass players, throaty vocals, guitar, and tons of sampled sounds of everything from yodeling pygmy trios to cartoon music to power tools. Lyrical themes include steroids in cows, drugs in people, humans in nature, war as entertainment, Zen, cosmetic surgery, cancer, environmental destruction, radical history, and so forth. Performances include projected video, huge volume, hair, sweat, Star Trek bits, smoke, and a healthy dose of Spinal Tap.

Grotus was formed in November 1989 as a three piece by guitar victims Fox, Tanner, and Carson. Intent on doing something different, the trio got some samplers and began to make sample-based music-soundtrack/collage/crush-rock with a strong political bent. Grotus added a live drummer, Bruce Boyd, in March ’91 and quickly gained a strong local following, leading to opening slots for national touring acts including Nine Inch Nails, Mr. Bungle, Jesus Lizard, and Consolidated. They released two singles and appeared on two compilations before releasing their debut full length work, Brown, in November 1991. Then followed their first U.S. tour, supporting Mr. Bungle, in March and April ’92. The previously scorned guitar began making an occasional cameo, beginning an evolution into the heavier locomotive rhythms present on Grotus‘ Spirit EP, Luddite, released February, ’93.

The band has since gone their separate ways, but the music still remains!