Grass Show

The horticultural nature of this quintet’s name reflects their formation - Peter Agren and Erik Kinell met when they were both employed as gardeners by the city council of Falun, Sweden. Most of the time that could have been wasted in cutting back hydrangeas, however, was more creatively spent in listening to Agren’s collection of Beatles and XTC tapes and playing air guitar on garden implements. After relocation to Stockholm and a succession of songwriting spells, EMI Sweden saw some potential in the pair’s quirky harmonies and a proper band was formed, with the addition of Robert Gehring (guitar), Andrew Dry (bass) and Mattius Moberg (drums). The band’s Scandinavian debut came to the attention of Food Records boss Andy Ross, who moved them into a communal flat in west London and secured them support slots with Kula Shaker and Silver Sun. The relocation was an appropriate move, as Grass-Show have always shown more affinity for the sounds of British new wave than the so-called ‘Swedepop’ of their compatriots. As if to highlight this, their debut album included a cover version of Ace Of Base’s ‘All That She Wants’, neatly dismembered in the style of a young Elvis Costello.