Grok
Grok began as a Hamilton "super-group" of sorts, being largely a collaboration between brothers Scott Brodie (bass, vocals) from Inchworm (and later Girlinky) and Grant Brodie (keyboards) from (amongst other bands) Dribbly Cat Attraction. Other members were Chris Fish (guitar, Korg, 4 track) from Love and Violence, Department of Corrections, mOoFiSh and others, and Max Ward (drums), ex-Three Men Missing and the Sandbabies.
The band took out the top prize at the Contact 89FM Battle of the Bands competition in 1996. They took their name by reversing "Korg", the brand of Fish's keyboard; this was a Korg MS10, played by Fish with one foot, while using the other to tweak a four track to record and play back audience and stage noise during shows.
Bubbles and Noises from the Aquarium was Grok's only CD while based in Hamilton, released in 1997. A track from the album, 8:30 18/02/97, was released on Green Eggs and Hamilton under the name Salad.
Grok reformed in 2006 with a substantially different lineup, with only Scott Brodie remaining from the original. The new Grok were based in London and include three members from Girlinky, who stopped playing in 2005; Scott Brodie (bass and vocals), Rob Talsma (drums) and Chris Ayles (guitar). Two keyboard players from the initially reformed Grok were ex-Hamiltonians Dan Nicholls and Jayne Hartstone, who were replaced by three new keyboard players; ex-Hamiltonian, Paul Fitness, Peter Ocsenas and Pep Sanchez. In 2010 Grok played as a 4-piece; Brodie, Talsma, Ayles and Ocsenas.
Songs played during Grok's live performances are now improvised (i.e., they are made up on the spot), with subject matter commonly provided by the audience and by using of the "Wheel of Chordal Destiny" to guide the music. In 2010 they improvised a live soundtrack to the 1922 silent movie Nosferatu.
During 2007 Grok spent time in a recording studio, which resulted in the release of a single titled Song for Europe in May 2008, and an album titled Ruined Music for Everyone in June 2008. These songs were also one-off improvisations in the studio. Original Grok member Grant Brodie contributed to the single via the internet from New Zealand. Despite their long absence from Hamilton, Pink Shirt off their Ruined Music for Everyone album took the top place on Contact 88.1FMs Top 8 in mid-July 2008. In 2011 they released the Create a Diversion, an album recorded live of improvised songs in response to visual artworks submitted to the group.
Scott Brodie returned to Hamilton in 2013, and in 2014 reformed Grok with original members Grant Brodie and Max Ward, along with Justin Harris (ex-Inchworm) and Matt Gould.
Releases
- Bubbles and Noises from the Aquarium CD, 1996
- Song for Europe Single, 2008
- Ruined Music for Everyone CD, 2008
- Create a Diversion CD, 2011
- 8:30 18/02/97 was released on the 1997 compilation Green Eggs and Hamilton (under the name "Salad")
- Old Grok Two appears on the 1997 promo CD NZ on Air Indie Hit Disc 3
- 10:15 17/2/97 appears on the 1998 promo CD NZ on Air Indie Hit Disc 7
Published Articles
- Winning Contest a Surprise for Grok, City Weekend, 30 August 1996, P9
