Gregory Pepper is a poprock songwriter and performer extraordinaire. He specializes in writing short, punchy, hook-filled masterpieces on bizarre and/or hilarious topics.

The Pepper challenge is a taste test to determine whether you prefer Greg Classic or New Greg.  Compare Pepper’s two different versions of his recent tune “This Town” to see what we mean. The song’s lyrics continue to develop some of his longstanding themes: a comic fascination with the macabre, the dead, and a dated horror movie sense of panic.  But the two treatments of the song couldn’t be more different.  The Greg Classic version from his recent EP Ghost is clearly sweeter with a predictable edge, naughty but still nice to curl up with on a hot summer day or crisp winter night.  But the New Greg version from the just released Black Metal Demo Tape album has its charms too. Uber cool in a mascara-wearing, post teenage goth sort of way. Greg Classic will have you humming in the shower.  New Greg might make you want to write depressing poetry and hang out in ill-lit, dilapidated buildings.  Both are acceptable motifs for today’s hook-obsessed hipsters.

Is there really a need to choose?  No.  But it’s fun making you go through the motions.  Anything that draws potential fan interest to the multi-talented Gregory Pepper means our job here at Poprock Record is done.

Gregory Pepper is based in Guelph, Ontario (which might explain a lot). Check out his video of the Greg Classic version of “This Town” which recuts scenes from the Breakfast Club into a synched up, dance-a-thon.  And don’t forget to visit Camp Pepper, where you can peruse his artistic and musical endeavours in a pleasant, web-based environment.