GRASSHOPPER TAKEOVER: International Dance Marathon

Grasshopper Takeover

International Dance Marathon

© 2000 Grasshopper Takeover (712312002626)

CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.

(About MP3 downloads at CD Baby)

high-energy, alive, bare-bones, 3-piece, heavy on melody and harmony, not angry, inspiring, post-modern, well-produced and great sounding rock 'n roll. (re-released with 7 bonus tracks.)

tracks

1 Esta Vida
2 Sailing
3 Bonecrusher
4 Forever Young
5 Pick it Up
6 Take Me With You
7 Purpose
8 Tell Me
9 Congratulations
10 Noel
11 Hit Song

notes

"It came to me in a vision," says the aptly green-haired lead singer/guitarist Curtis Grubb of Grasshopper Takeover, when asked how the name of the electrifying pop-rock trio came to be.

After a near-fatal accident while hunting pheasant on the expansively unaltering plains of his home state of Nebraska, Grubb says, "I just lay there with this insane ringing in my ears, afraid to open my eyes, thinking I would just see whiteness. When I finally opened my eyes, the entire sky was filled with a swarming, amorphous blackness, and then I lost consciousness. The only thing I remember thinking was that grasshoppers had taken over."

Add Bob Boyce shredding the skins, and the smooth mastery of his instrument by bassist James McMann, and the Nebraska-native, now-L.A.-based three-piece has definitely taken over the underground, unsigned music scene across the country, and show no signs of letting up.

In 1995, Grubb and Boyce could be found playing any number of clubs and bars scattered throughout the Midwest as part of The Kind, the granola darlings of the hippie-funk gamut from Chicago to Denver.

When the band called it quits a year later, citing irreconcilable differences, fans felt rejected, and let their disappointment be known.

"It was hard as shit. One day you're like on top of the world, and the next, all you hear is, 'you let us down, man,'" Boyce recalls.

Grubb and Boyce stuck together, and laid low for some months writing and rocking, until they were introduced to McMann, arguably the best amateur bassist in the nation, and "a cross between Flea and James Dean," thus completing the trio.

A bit jaded, in hermitage and under pressure from fans, the three worked together until the end of 1996, and then after much anticipation, played their first live show together as Grasshopper Takeover in January of 1997.

What had resulted from their time off was an ejaculation of rage-filled, yet poignant lyrics under heavy guitar, even heavier drums, and the jammin versatility of McMann's bass.

Any thoughts that the band would assume their old positions as experimental pychadelicians were immediately liquidated - this was rock, pure, hard, head-bangin, in-your-face rock, with song titles such as Bonecrusher, The Turn, Good Man Down, and, well, you get the picture.

The self-titled 1997 CD came only 7 months later, the larval stage complete, and the takeover begun.

A year later, the band released "Gaia", toned down their hard-rock inclinations, tapped into their formative '70s and '80s pop-music years, found a lighter side in their lyrics, and tightened it all up.

The outcome was a huge success, and the matured, more well-rounded Grasshopper was ready to fly.

In August of 1998, having conquered the midwest to its maximum threshold, twice; the boys packed up their infamous tour-van--"Ol Redd", "Big Redd", "The Sin Bin," or "That big 'ol red piece of shit over there", as it was affectionately called‹and headed to L.A., wary but faithful in the gas-guzzling behemoth.

The van was later to take a full plunge into the waters of Echo Park lake, survive, and still start after a two-day dry-out.

Since the move, the band has rapidly climbed into notoriety and respect in the L.A. music scene, and as rapidly gained a formidable SoCal following.

Their most recent release, "Echo Park", a play-it-loud-or-don't-play-it-at-all-motherfucker 6-song CD fuses all that is genius of the terrible trio: perfect pop rhythms with extreme rock danceability, no-holds barred, punked-out guitaring and drumming from Grubb and Boyce, McMahon's smooth-like-butter bass, and catchy and intelligent lyrics and melodies.

Tracks like Esta Vida and Hit Song are getting copious airtime on midwestern radio stations, the buzz is all over internet music sites and the rock underground and the Takeover is on the horizon.

reviews

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  • excellent
    author: Matthew

    This is a very good album from an excellent band. I'm always glad to find local music for sale nationaly/internationally. I hope everybody enjoys this album as much as I do.

  • author: Andy

    brilliance. been looking for this album for years and was finally able to get it. love it love it love it.

  • Awesome CD...definately high energy and great lyrics!
    author: Stephanie

    Excellent CD-catchy lyrics and great beats....can't wait to hear another CD by the artist!

  • author: Daniel Salmons

    The CD had all the great GTO songs that I enjoyed. If you like this one, try their new release Elephant Dreams. I ensure it will not disappoint.

  • author: CD Baby

    high-energy, alive, bare-bones, 3-piece, heavy on melody and harmony, not angry, inspiring, post-modern, well-produced and great sounding rock 'n roll

  • Stellar
    author: JQ

    The CD is Great. Very positive. Cool tones. I thank 311 for discovering this gem.

  • Im In LoVe!
    author: T

    Whenever I'm down, I throw in GTO IDM and I instantly feel better! This incredible mix of hits was my first GTO cd (I now own them all heh) and probably my favorite as well. From Esta Vida to Forever Young to Bonecrusher...this cd has all the hits and then some. If you like GTO, YOU HAVE TO HAVE this cd! The boys rock my world! Much love..

  • Overall Good Quality
    author: 311 fan

    I heard of GTO through 311, and i checked it out. I must say I an impressed. I Will just state that EVERY SONG is good. FOREVER YOUNG is my personal favorite, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ... PEACE

  • IDM Is an amazing record...
    author: Glenn

    IDM is an amazing record...Chock-full of great rock guitar riffs, a very tight rhythm section...sweet harmonies, catchy memorable melodies and inspiring lyrics to boot... There are not many cd's like this out there today...so I highly recommend you check it out...

  • Great CD
    author: Ricky

    International dance marathon is a great cd filled with catchy lyrics/strong vocals & harmonies, pumping guitars riffs and bass lines, a must have for all....

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