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The Gruesomes are a Canadian Garage Punk band formed in 1985 from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 1985–1990 1999–present. Bobby Beaton (guitar / vocals), Gerry Alvarez (guitar / vocals), John Davis (bass) and his brother Eric Davis (drums) were all between the ages of 16 and 19 and had absolutely no previous musical experience. Long nights spent in their parents' basement watching bad TV and listening to obscure mid-sixties records was the main inspiration for the band. Taking their name from the scary neighbors on TV's The Flintstones, the Gruesomes carefully crafted an image of matching black turtlenecks, Beatle boots and bowl haircuts and combined it with a snotty punk musical style. Early shows relied more on the group's energy and humor than actual musical ability, but despite this (or because of it) the Gruesomes became an instant club favorite.[citation needed] Less than a year after picking up instruments for the first time, the Gruesomes recorded their debut LP for Og Records, a Montreal independent music label. The result was 1986's Tyrants of Teen Trash, a collection of primitive teen anthems that sold phenomenally in both Europe and North America [citation needed] and dominated the number one position on alternative playlists across the country.[citation needed] The band's follow-up releases on Og, 1987's Gruesomania and 1988's Hey! were also chart toppers and established the band as one of Canada's biggest selling underground acts.[citation needed] Famous for their s