Far from the tropical beaches of Hawaii sits a trio from Wyoming who capture the essence of island life. Hailing from the high desert plains of Laramie,De Gringos Y Gremmies is an instrumental surf rock band that combines elements of Spaghetti Western soundtracks with Dick Dale’s classic style of guitar playing.
Growing up in a landlocked state with an affinity for the ocean has always been a challenge for bassist Dusty Richards. Fortunately, his love for beach movies and surf culture never failed to draw his interest.
“Surf bands usually don’t surf. It’s just like how most bands don’t dance. We play for people that like to do the things that we wish we could do,” Richards said in a recent interview ahead of a performance in the Wyoming Artists Showcase at The Center for the Arts.
De Gringos Y Gremmies formed when Richards ran into guitarist Shane Wallace at a funeral in Laramie and decided they needed to get their groove back. The two were previously in another surf band called “Custom Caravans” in the 1990s and had stayed heavily involved in the Laramie music scene.
That melting pot helped breed the country-forward sound of De Gringos Y Gremmies. Richards said that nearby scenes in cities like Denver are so big that they can feel disjointed or cliquey, while Laramie is small enough to bring out the best in varied influences.
The genre of surf-rock holds a timeless quality with the early use of electric guitars, acrobatic solos and elements of punk rock.
“The rhythm is great, it flows, it feels smooth… You can hit the cymbals a lot because it sounds washy like the ocean,” said drummer and percussionist Dan Walker.
The three musicians chose to call themselves “gringos” because none of them are of Hispanic descent, while the term “gremmies” comes from old surf culture to describe an individual practicing poor form and exhibiting signs of an inexperienced surfer. The word evolved into what we know today as “groms,” still used to describe a young participant in extreme sports.
De Gringos Y Gremmies are not immune to the myriad of challenges faced by musicians in the Cowboy State. There are only so many venues in their hometown and neighboring scenes might be several hours away, especially in the winter. They all have day jobs. Walker works as a mailman at the University of Wyoming, Wallace works for Wyoming Fish & Game and Richards is a lawyer.
The band’s chemistry on stage and witty banter make for an entertaining live show. Wallace cracks self-deprecating jokes between songs. Adorned in matching maroon button-downs, the trio then fires off one fast tune after another, providing the perfect soundtrack for Jackson’s population of avid snow surfers.
Fans of De Gringos Y Gremmies can stay up to date with future performances and new music by following the group on Instagram @degringosygremmies.
Listen above for KHOL’s full conversation with De Gringos Y Gremmies.
Support for this arts and cultural coverage comes from the Wyoming Arts Council.
