As the World Grits

Back in the early-to-mid 1970s, at a time when I lived in the little suburban settlement of Adelphi, Maryland, I was a big fan of a rock band called "Grits". At the time (and still to this day), I was also a huge fan of Frank Zappa, and Grits seemed to traverse similar territory, though they definitely had their own style. They were classically trained, and it showed in a level of musicianship that you would not expect to hear in an unknown local band. The lyrics of their songs were cynical, funny, and very smart.

I remember sitting more than a few times in a small dive of a bar/restaurant in College Park called the Italian Gardens (I think), right near the University of Maryland on Route 1, and listening to this four piece group play music that seemed incongruous in the seedy setting, but which was amazingly astute and utterly wonderful. A couple of years ago, I found a newly pressed live recording of them from 1976 called "Rare Birds", which included many of the songs I remembered from those long ago days.

Recently a Goggle search on this group, which disbanded back in 1980, turned up the unexpected news that Rick Barse, the leader and songwriter of this undiscovered gem passed away in 2001. I have no idea how he died, but it really reminded me of the mortality not only of people, but also of the creations that people bring into this world. "As the World Grits", their only studio collection which was released after the group broke up, is no longer available, and "Rare Birds" is still buyable here, but who knows how long that will last.

In a day and age when tripe such as Britany Spears saturate the media, it makes me sad to think of the amount of incredible stuff such as Grits which doesn't even get a chance. If you are reading this, go and buy "Rare Birds" now. Trust me on this, and don't miss a chance to get something special! And R.I.P. to Rick. I loved your sense of humor, man.