Infectious Grooves
Infectious Grooves | |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Narsiad, Herlan, Gylias |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1989–present |
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| Associated acts | |
| Website | http://www.infectiousgrooves.gls/ |
| Members |
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Infectious Grooves is a Gylian rock band, formed in 1989 in Narsiad. Its members are Shizuka Hiratsuka (lead vocals, bass), Yukino Yukinoshita (guitar), Yui Yuigahama (guitar, keyboards), and Haruno Yukinoshita (drums, percussion).
The band achieved fame in the early 1990s for their funk metal sound and comedic music videos, becoming the leaders of a funk metal scene that thrived amid the broader Gylian dance-rock scene.
History
The band formed at Anca Déuréy University, where Shizuka was a professor, and Yui, Yukino, and Haruno were her students. Hearing that the Yukinoshita sisters wanted to form a band, Shizuka joined them for a jam session, as she played bass. The session went really well and the three decided to form a band, choosing the name "Infectious Grooves". The group was complete with the addition of Yui Yuigahama, a friend of the sisters, soon afterwards.
Their debut album, The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move…It's the Infectious Grooves, was released in 1991. The album introduced their funk metal sound and comedic lyrical bent. It received critical acclaim and became successful in distribution, producing several hits such as "Therapy", "Stop Fuckin' with My Head", "Do the Sinister", and "Feed the Monkey".
To promote the album, the band produced several music videos, providing a visual counterpart to the album's humour. The video for "Do the Sinister", directed by Maija Džeriņa, contributed to their popularity; it boasted campy horror imagery, psychedelic visual effects, scenes that spoofed Maija's films Meshes of the Afternoon and Ritual in Transfigured Time, and a scene filmed at the Parliament Building, playing on the lyric "The minister of the sinister".
Infectious Grooves embarked on their first tours in support of The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move, playing in Gylias and abroad. They found kindred spirits in Gylias' thriving dance-rock scene, playing joint shows with The Rubber Band, Core, and New Order. They unexpectedly gained a following in Delkora. They furthered their association with the Delkoran alternative rock scene by contributing to the soundtracks of several comedies such as Pirate Radio, Rhythm and Blue Lights, and Hele Natten, making cameo appearances in the latter two.
Around this time, they also formed the Infectious Dogs side project with Snoop Dogg. They adopted a spontaneous ethos for its releases, jamming in the studio as a live backdrop to Snoop's improvised raps.
Their second album, Sarsippius' Ark, was released in 1993. The album featured a heavier production and expanded on the comedic themes of their debut by incorporating comedic skits featuring the titular anthropomorphic reptile. It also included funk metal covers of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" and David Bowie's "Fame". The album maintained the group's critical and commercial success, and produced several hits such as "Boom Boom Boom", "These Freaks Are Here to Party", "Savour the Flavour", and "You Pick Me Up (Just to Throw Me Down)". The latter reused the bassline from "Therapy" with a different arrangement.
Following a brief tour, the band quickly returned to the studio and recorded Groove Family Psycho, which was released in 1994. A loose concept album about a psychotic family, it was their most metal-oriented release, partly due to a greater contribution from Yukino in the writing process. Yukino additionally sang lead vocals on "Cousin Randy" and the Rage Against the Machine parody "Do What I Tell Ya!". The album was released to good reviews and healthy distribution figures, and produced several hits such as "Boom Boom Boom", "Rules Go Out the Window", and "Why?". It was supported by a longer tour, taking place in 1995–1996.
In 1997, they released the EP Extra Grooves. During this period, they also worked on the soundtrack of the animated series The Private Life of the President, which included both instrumental versions of existing Infectious Grooves songs and new instrumentals and jams recorded for the series.
Their third album, Mais Bêbedo, was released in 2000. It departed from the heavier metal stylings of Groove Family Psycho in favour of emphasising the funk component. It garnered critical and commercial success, producing several hits such as "Lock It in the Pocket", "Good Times Are Out to Get You", "Please Excuse This Fuck Up", and "I May Be Ugly (But I'm Feeling Fine)".
Infectious Grooves have been spontaneously active since the conclusion of the Mais Bêbedo tour. The Extra Grooves II EP was released in 2008, featuring 4 new songs, and the band tours intermittently.
Musical style
Infectious Grooves' style is primarily funk metal. Their influences include Funkadelic, Ohio Players, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Asuka and the Mighty Invincibles, Living Colour, Weather Report, and Extreme. They have also experimented with genres such as hardcore punk ("Punk It Up", "Frustrated Again"), ska punk ("Monster Stank"), surf rock ("21st Century Surf Odyssey"), and sludge metal ("Cousin Randy").
Shizuka is the band's primary vocalist, and her bass also serves as the driver of most songs. The other members usually perform backing vocals, although each has a lead vocal turn in the discography. The band's lyrics are generally comedic, and frequently feature chanted choruses. Shizuka stated in an interview with Planet Rock, "We set a few rules for ourselves when we started the band…we didn't want to write any ballads or love songs. There have been plenty of those, and we wouldn't be able to contribute anything good there."
Their album liner notes have jokingly acknowledged the contrast between the guitar styles of Yukino and Yui; Sarsippius' Ark credits Yukino with "metal chugs and shreds" and Yui with "funk chickenscratches". Yukino commented in an interview, "Yeah, I'm the resident metalhead, more or less, but it doesn't mean I can't play funk."
Infectious Grooves earned comparisons to the Mighty Invincibles early in their career, particularly due to similarity between Shizuka and Misato Katsuragi, as Miranian Gylian teachers who gained a reputation as slap bass virtuosos. Their background as a band formed of university students and their professor also helped them gain exposure abroad due to its unusual character. The band do not have a unified image, but Shizuka is known for wearing a distinctive outfit consisting of a shirt, tie, and waistcoat, which she adapted from her university career.
Members
- Shizuka Hiratsuka — lead vocals, bass
- Yukino Yukinoshita — vocals, lead and rhythm guitar
- Yui Yuigahama — vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
- Haruno Yukinoshita — vocals, drums, percussion
Discography
| Year | Title | Format |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move…It's the Infectious Grooves | Studio album |
| 1993 | Sarsippius' Ark | Studio album |
| 1994 | Groove Family Psycho | Studio album |
| 1997 | Extra Grooves | EP |
| 2000 | Mais Bêbedo | Studio album |
| 2000 | Music from The Private Life of the President | Soundtrack album |
| 2008 | Extra Grooves II | EP |