Black Grape

BLACK GRAPE. English rock band featuring former members of the Happy Mondays and Ruthless Gap Assassins. They were formed in 1993 by Shaun Ryder and Bez with their musical style fusing funk and electronic rock with electronic programming and sampling. In 1995, they were signed by Radioactive Records (an imprint of major label BMG) and released their debut album "It's Great When You're Straight" whch immediately charted at No1 in the UK Albums chart and spawned three Top20 singles. The follow up album "Stupid Stupid Stupid" was less favoured. The group split in 1998 after Ryder fired the rest of the band whilst touring ; starting with Kermit (who was suffering from septicaemia) and ending with Bez (who was unsatisfied with his financial situation).