{{Short description|Canadian rock band}} {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> | name = GrimSkunk | image = GrimSkunk Robert-Del-Tredici 2009.jpg | caption = GrimSkunk (2009) | image_size = 350px | landscape = yes | background = group_or_band | years_active = 1988–present | label = Indica • Cargo Records | origin = Montreal, Quebec, Canada | genre = | associated_acts = | website = {{URL|http://www.grimskunk.com/}} | current_members = Franz Schuller<br>Joe Evil<br>Ben Shatskoff<br>Alain Vadboncoeur<br>Vincent Peake<br>Peter Edwards | past_members = Marc-Boris St-Maurice (1988–1999)<br>Tod Wirschem(1999–2004)<br> Ben Shatskoff (2009–2021) }}
'''GrimSkunk''' is a rock band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, influenced by punk, rock, progressive and world music. Their style is self-described as "world punk".<ref name="cvm">{{cite web |url=http://www.cvm.qc.ca/empreintes/Publications/Canif/A99/pdf/cd16.pdf |title=Un grand groupe |accessdate=13 November 2008 |author=Gabriel Allard |date=15 October 1999|language=fr}}</ref> They are regarded as being part of the foundation of the Quebec alternative scene, having influenced many young musicians and bands.
thumb|GrimSkunk press photo 2023 by Carl Thériault
The band integrates many languages into its songs, such as French, English, Spanish, Greek, and Persian. It has also integrated many styles of music, including punk rock, hardcore, reggae, progressive and psychedelic rock, ska, rap, and world music.
Over the years, the band shared the stage with many prominent acts such as System Of A Down, Meshuggah, Manu Chao, and Suicidal Tendencies, as well as peers Anonymus, Vulgaires Machins, Deadly Apples, and The Sainte Catherines. They have toured extensively, including concerts on four continents.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ledevoir.com/culture/musique/526311/entrevue-grimskunk-trente-ans-passes-contre-l-ordre-etabli|title=GrimSkunk, trente ans passés contre l'ordre établi|website=Le Devoir|date=28 April 2018 |language=fr|access-date=2020-03-07}}</ref>
== History == GrimSkunk was formed in November 1988 from a previous hardcore group known as Fatal Illness.<ref name="mirror">{{cite news|author=Rupert Bottenberg|url=http://www.montrealmirror.com/2005/102005/watn18.html|title=The grass is always greener: no short-term memory loss for GrimSkunk|date=October 20–26, 2005|work=Montreal Mirror|accessdate=23 May 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606123828/http://www.montrealmirror.com/2005/102005/watn18.html|archive-date=6 June 2011}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite news|url=http://www.lapresse.ca/arts/musique/entrevues/201804/30/01-5166425-grimskunk-souvenirs-alternatifs.php|title=GrimSkunk: souvenirs alternatifs|date=2018-04-30|website=La Presse|language=fr|access-date=2020-03-07|last1=Côté |first1=Émilie }}</ref> GrimSkunk played its first show in May 1989 in St. Hyacinthe.<ref name=":6" /> The band's first demo album, ''Autumn Flowers'', was released two years later, in April 1991. Along with Groovy Aardvark, the band was among the first "alternative" bands to tour Quebec, thus creating a market for this genre.
In the first years of GrimSkunk's career, cannabis was always very present in the band's image. Hemp leaves were on their CD covers, and references to cannabis could be found in the albums' names (''Autumn Flowers'', ''Exotic Blend''), in their songs' titles (''Zig-Zag''), and in their lyrics ("Pourquoi, pourquoi ne pas fumer? / C'est ben légal de boire", ''Why, why can't we smoke / Isn't it legal to drink?''). The band's name itself is an allusion to skunk cannabis.
The band's second album, ''Meltdown'', was released in 1996.<ref name=mirror/>
thumb|left|GrimSkunk in 2006 In 1997, the band's longtime manager and friend, Simon Gallipeault, was killed in a "hit-and-run" longboard accident involving a car.<ref name="cvm"/><ref name=mirror/> The band became self-managed with Franz Schuller as the main "mouthpiece". The 1998 album, ''Field Trip'', is dedicated to Gallipeault and his voice is sampled before the track "Live For Today".
The bass guitarist, Marc-Boris St-Maurice, left in 1999 to become an activist in the marijuana legalization movement, founding the Bloc Pot<ref name=mirror/> and the Marijuana Party of Canada. Tod Wirschem replaced Saint-Maurice for a few years. He has since been replaced by Vince Peake, the former Groovy Aardvark singer and bass guitarist.<ref name=canoe/>
The band took a break in 2000 after the keyboardist, Joe Evil, suffered serious burns from a fire in his apartment.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.montrealmirror.com/ARCHIVES/2000/113000/news5.html |title=S.O.S. (save our skunk) |date=November 30, 2000 |author=Rupert Bottenberg|work = Montreal Mirror |accessdate=23 May 2011}}</ref>
In 2002, the band released its seventh album, ''Seventh Wave'', which was not well received by certain critics and fans who did not like the musical change in direction.<ref name="canoe">{{cite web|url = http://fr.canoe.com/divertissement/musique/entrevues/2007/07/06/4319981-ca.html|title = Grimskunk au Festival d'été|author = Marc-André Boivin|work = Canoe|date = 6 July 2007|access-date = 23 May 2011}}{{dead link|date=April 2026|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.voir.ca/publishing/article.aspx?zone%3D1%26section%3D6%26article%3D44875 |title=GrimSkunk - Souffler sur la braise - MONTRÉAL - VOIR.CA |accessdate=December 16, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614075854/http://www.voir.ca/publishing/article.aspx?zone=1§ion=6&article=44875 |archive-date=June 14, 2011 }}</ref><ref name=voir/>
In 2002, GrimSkunk performed its first and only unplugged show in Saint-Roch Church in Quebec City.
In 2006, the band released ''Fires Under the Road'', which marked a return to the sound of the earlier albums.<ref name=voir>{{cite web |url=http://www.voir.ca/publishing/article.aspx?zone=1§ion=6&article=44392 |title=Fires Under the Road |author=Olivier Robillard Laveaux |publisher=Voir |language=fr |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614073219/http://www.voir.ca/publishing/article.aspx?zone=1§ion=6&article=44392 |archive-date=2011-06-14 }}</ref> They recorded ''Set Fire''! in 2012 in Sydney, Australia.<ref name=":7">{{Cite news|url=https://www.lapresse.ca/arts/musique/entrevues/201212/01/01-4599701-grimskunk-bien-vivant-apres-25-ans.php|title=Grimskunk: bien vivant après 25 ans|date=2012-12-01|website=La Presse|language=fr|access-date=2020-03-07|last1=Côté |first1=Émilie|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324003359/https://www.lapresse.ca/arts/musique/entrevues/201212/01/01-4599701-grimskunk-bien-vivant-apres-25-ans.php|archive-date=2018-03-24|url-status=live }}</ref> The album was produced by Gus Van Go and Werner F.<ref name=":7" /> In 2018, they released their ninth album, ''Unreason in the Age of Madness'', which includes songs about the National Rifle Association of America, Donald Trump, and the impact of technology.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":5" />
== Indica Records == In 1997, GrimSkunk members founded an independent Montreal-based record label ''Indica Records'' following the bankruptcy of the band's former label Cargo Records.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|last=Carman|first=Keith|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/indica_records|title=Indica Records|date=17 September 2007|work=Exclaim!|access-date=8 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025173428/https://exclaim.ca/music/article/indica_records|archive-date=2020-10-25|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news|last=Juan|first=Rodriguez|url=https://www.pressreader.com/canada/montreal-gazette/20061118/282437049625155|title=With Indica, GrimSkunk's in business because that's where the music led|date=18 November 2006|work=Montreal Gazette}}</ref><ref name="mirror" /><ref>{{Cite news|last=Ricard|first=Karen|title=Cargo et les groupes?|date=29 January 1998|work=Ici}}</ref> From then on, all of the band's albums were released on that label, which also helped to promote local alternative bands.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Côté|first=Émilie|url=https://www.lapresse.ca/arts/musique/entrevues/201502/07/01-4842200-elliot-maginot-emotion-spontanee-.php|title=Elliot Maginot: émotion spontanée|date=8 February 2015|work=La Presse|access-date=8 February 2020}}</ref>
The label initially supported only GrimSkunk's music but later expanded to support and release music for other bands including punk, rock, metal, alternative, world music, indie and pop rock, electronic, and hip-hop from Quebec and elsewhere.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":8">{{Cite news|url=http://www.lapresse.ca/arts/musique/201511/18/01-4922196-m-pour-montreal-le-plus-petit-des-grands.php|title=M pour Montréal: le plus petit des grands|date=2015-11-18|website=La Presse|language=fr|access-date=2020-03-07|last1=Côté |first1=Émilie }}</ref> There is an office in Australia named Indica Australia.<ref name=":8" /> Artists have included Les Trois Accords,<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://voir.ca/musique/2019/04/04/il-y-a-15-ans-les-trois-accords-gros-mammouth-album-turbo/|title=Il y a 15 ans : Les Trois Accords – Gros Mammouth Album Turbo|last=Boisvert-Magnen|first=Olivier|date=4 April 2019|website=Voir|language=fr-CA|access-date=2020-02-08}}</ref> Priestess,<ref name=":1" /> The Franklin Electric,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hudson|first=Alex|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/franklin_electric_overhaul_debut_album_for_indica_records_debut|title=The Franklin Electric Overhaul Debut Album for Indica Records Debut|date=16 April 2014|work=Exclaim!|access-date=8 February 2020}}</ref> Vulgaires Machins,<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /> Hey Major, La Voix runner up Colin Moore,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/an-anglo-rocker-from-pointe-claire-is-in-the-final-four-of-la-voix|title=An anglo rocker from Pointe Claire is in the final four of La Voix |last=Kelly|first=Brendan|publisher=Montreal Gazette|date=2019-05-03|language=en|access-date=2020-02-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://arp.media/entrevue/colin-moore-exemple-parfait-de-perseverance/|title=Colin Moore, un exemple parfait de persévérance - #ARP|last=Lebeuf|first=Frédéric|date=23 February 2019|website=ARP.média|language=fr-CA|access-date=2020-02-08}}</ref> Caracol,<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|last=Tittley|first=Nicolas {{!}}|url=https://www.socanmagazine.ca/sound-advice/exporting-yourself-making-a-dream-come-true/|title=Exporting Yourself: Making a dream come true|date=3 December 2015|work=Words and Music; SOCAN Magazine}}</ref> Half Moon Run,<ref name=":0" /> Misteur Valaire,<ref name=":0" /> Australian acts The Cat Empire,<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/and-the-bands-play-on-20110420-1douw.html|title=And the bands play on|last=Dwyer|first=Michael|date=2011-04-20|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en|access-date=2020-02-08}}</ref> John Butler, Kim Churchill,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ledroit.com/arts/voyage-emotionnel-avec-kim-churchill-27977da116fa8b931718419e70ce3295|title=Voyage émotionnel avec Kim Churchill|date=2019-11-23|website=Le Droit|language=fr|access-date=2020-02-08}}</ref><ref name=":4" /> and French acts such Anaïs and La Ruda Salska.<ref name=":2" />
==Members== * Franz Schuller - rhythm guitar, vocals * Joe Evil - keyboard, vocals * Alain Vadeboncoeur - drums (1988–2009; 2021–present) * Vincent Peake - bass guitar * Peter Edwards - lead guitar * Marc-Boris St-Maurice - bass guitar (1988–1999) * Tod Wirschem - bass guitar (1999–2004) * Ben Shatskoff - drums (2009–2021)
==Discography== * ''Autumn Flowers Demo'' (GrimSkunk Productions) 1991 * ''Exotic Blend'' (GrimSkunk Productions) EP, 1992 * ''Rooftop Killer 7"'' (GrimSkunk Productions, L'Oblique, en Guard Records) 1993 * ''Grim Skunk'' (Indica Records) 1994 * ''Meltdown'' (Indica Records) 1995 * ''Autumn Flowers – Rerolled'' (Indica Records) 1997 * ''Fieldtrip'' (Indica Records) 1998 * ''EP 2000'' (Indica Records) 2001 * ''GrimSkunk Plays... Fatal Illness'' (Indica Records), 2001 * ''Seventh Wave'' (Indica Records), 2002) * ''Live + DVD unplugged'' (Indica Records), 2003 * ''Fires Under the Road'' (Indica Records), 2006 * ''Skunkadelic'' (Indica Records), compilation, 2011 * ''Set Fire!'' (Indica Records), 2012 * ''Unreason in the Age of Madness'' (Indica Records), 2018
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.grimskunk.com/ GrimSkunk's official web site]
{{GrimSkunk}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grimskunk}} Category:Canadian alternative rock groups Category:Canadian punk rock groups Category:Canadian art rock groups Category:Canadian progressive rock groups Category:Canadian experimental rock groups Category:Musical groups from Montreal Category:Musical groups established in 1988 Category:1988 establishments in Quebec Category:English-language musical groups from Quebec