Bastro was an American post-hardcore band formed by guitarist David Grubbs. Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Grubbs moved to Washington D.C., where he began Bastro with bassist Dan Treado, who was soon replaced by Clark Johnson, and recorded their first EP, Rode Hard and Put Up Wet, in 1988. After touring with My Dad Is Dead, drummer John McEntire joined the band. Their debut full-length album, Diablo Guapo, was released in 1989 and featured a cover of Phil Ochs' "Pretty Smart On My Part". The band's instrumentation expanded to include piano, organ, and musique concrète compositions on their second full-length album, Sing the Troubled Beast, released in 1990. The group evolved into Gastr del Sol following Grubbs' relocation to Chicago for graduate school.
