Screeching Weasel
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| Screeching Weasel | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, USA |
| Genre(s) | Punk rock, Pop punk |
| Years active | 1986–1989 1991–1994 1996–2001 2004 |
| Label(s) | Underdog, Roadkill, Lookout!, Selfless, Fat Wreck Chords, Panic Button |
| Associated acts | The Riverdales, The Queers |
| Website | ScreechingWeasel.com |
| Former members | |
| Ben Weasel John Jughead Vinnie Bovine Steve Cheese Warren Fish Brian Vermin Dan Vapid Douglas Ward Dave Naked Scott "Gub" Conway Dan Panic Johhny Personality Mike Dirnt Mass Giorgini Dan Lumley Zac Damon Phillip Hill |
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Screeching Weasel was an American punk band from Chicago, Illinois. They were formed in 1986 by Ben Weasel and John Jughead. The band gained prominence in the early 1990s after signing a record deal with the East Bay punk label, Lookout! Records. After Weasel and Jughead, who remained in the band for its entirety, the two most prominent members in the band were Danny Vapid on guitar and bass and Dan Panic on drums. However, since their formation, the band went through many line-up changes and at times included such notable musicians as Mike Dirnt and Mass Giorgini.[1][2]
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Early years (1986-1989)
In 1986 teenage friends from the Chicago area Ben Foster and John Pierson were inspired to start a band after attending a Ramones concert.[3] Foster (who played bass and sang) rechristened himself Ben Weasel, while Pierson, a guitarist, dubbed himself John Jughead. The duo recruited a drummer who went by the alias of Steve Cheese to complete the group.
The band originally called themselves All-Night Garage Sale but changed their name to Screeching Weasel, a variation of a name a friend had suggested, Screaming Otter, which was a reference to a t-shirt that read, "I'VE GOT A SCREAMING OTTER IN MY PANTS!".[4] Shortly after their formation, Ben decided it was too difficult to play bass and sing at the same time, so Vince Vogel, who took the stage name "Vinnie Bovine" joined as the group's bassist. The band recorded their first album, Screeching Weasel, in one night for $200 and released it on Chicago label Underdog Records in 1987.
In 1988, Vinnie Bovine was kicked out of the band, and was replaced with Warren Fischer, better known as Fish, and former member of the band Ozzfish. The band recorded their second album, Boogadaboogadaboogada!, which featured Ben playing second guitar (he would later say that he only played on about a quarter of the songs) and made a name for themselves by opening a show for Operation Ivy at 924 Gilman Street. Steve Cheese was kicked out of the band shortly after the recording because of his unwillingness to tour outside of Chicago and was replaced by Brian Vermin. Boogadaboogadaboogada! appeared in late 1988 on Roadkill Records, a label run in part by Ben and Jughead.
After what Weasel described as a "disastrous" tour[5], Fish quit and was replaced by Dan Schafer, originally nick-named "Sewercap" and later renamed Danny Vapid. The new band members recorded an EP titled Punkhouse for Limited Potential Records soon after that. The band ended up recording two more songs in 1989 that ended up on compilations, featuring a second guitarist Douglas Ward, who also joined the band for several live shows. Screeching Weasel broke up when Vermin and Vapid stated that they wanted to quit the band to concentrate on their side project, Sludgeworth.
[edit] First reformation (1991-1994)
After the break-up, Weasel and Jughead formed a new band called The Gore Gore Girls, and Ben briefly performed in the original incarnation of The Vindictives. In 1991, the members of Screeching Weasel reunited for what was intended as a one-off gig to pay off debts the band incurred from the recording of Boogadaboogadaboogada!. The line-up consisted of Ben, Jughead, Vapid, Vermin, and Ward. After the show, Dan Vapid discussed the idea of reforming Screeching Weasel with Jughead. All of the band's members agreed to reform, with the exceptions of Brian Vermin and Douglas Ward (who, presumably, was not invited). To replace Vermin, drummer Dan Panic (Dan Sullivan) was brought in as a replacement. Before recording their next album, 1991's My Brain Hurts (for Lookout! Records), Ben Weasel decided he wanted to focus on singing and would no longer be playing guitar in the band. Vapid switched instruments from bass to guitar, and former Gore Gore Girls bassist Dave Naked joined the band. The recording sessions for the album also produced the Pervo-Devo EP.
After recording My Brain Hurts, Dave Naked was fired from the band and Scott "Gub" Conway, Panic's former bandmate, was brought in as the band's bassist to tour. After the tour, Johnny Personality of The Vindictives became the group's bassist, as Gub was committed to another band. By late 1992, the band had recorded the follow up to My Brain Hurts, Wiggle. Johnny Personality then quit the band to focus on The Vindictives. Instead of adding a new member, Weasel moved back to guitar, and Vapid moved back to bass.
The band was then asked to record a cover of an entire Ramones album, 1992's Ramones, followed later that year by Anthem For A New Tomorrow. Shortly after the record's release, Ben decided that he no longer wanted to play live, and Vapid quit after falling out with the rest of the group. Screeching Weasel enlisted the help of Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt to record what they intended to be their final album. After 1994's How To Make Enemies And Irritate People was released, the band broke up for the second time.
[edit] Second reformation (1996-2001)
Following the second breakup, Weasel, Vapid, and Panic formed the band The Riverdales and experienced some notoriety touring with Green Day.[6] By 1996 they rejoined with Jughead and recorded a new Screeching Weasel album Bark Like A Dog for Fat Mike's Fat Wreck Chords label. The album reached 34th place on the Billboard Heatseekers list, making it their highest charting album.[7] However, both Vapid and Panic left by mutual decision after the recording, and Weasel and Jughead decided to go on without them, adding bassist Mass Giorgini (who had served as the band's producer in the past) and drummer Dan Lumley. Weasel also decided for the second time that he no longer wanted to play guitar, so guitarist Zac Damon was added.
In 1998, this new line-up recorded the Major Label Debut EP; the first release on Panic Button Records, a label Ben and John had formed that year and quickly followed it with Television City Dream. Their next release 1999's, Emo, featured the same line-up minus Zac Damon, who was unable to record due to school commitments at the time. In 2000 the band brought in Phillip Hill as a second guitarist and recorded what would be their final album, Teen Punks In Heat. After the album, Screeching Weasel made their first live appearances since 1993, playing 30 minute matinees at Chicago's House of Blues. The band broke up for the third—and allegedly final—time on July 6, 2001, due to Jughead's frustration of a lack of touring.[8]
[edit] Post break-up
Members of Screeching Weasel have since gone on to form bands such as The Methadones, Even in Blackouts, and briefly reunited The Riverdales. Additionally, Ben Weasel released a solo record in 2002 entitled Fidatevi,[9] and a second one, These Ones Are Bitter, in 2007.
In 2004, Ben rescinded all of the Screeching Weasel and Riverdales masters from Lookout! Records in the wake of long-running financial and personal conflicts. The masters were subsequently licensed to and reissued by Asian Man Records.[10]
Since the break-up, Both Ben and Jughead authored books seemingly related to Screeching Weasel. In 2001, Ben Weasel published Like Hell, the account of a fictional punk band called the Pagan Icons and the life of their frontman, Joe Pagan, who narrates the story. Jughead released Weasels in a Box, his admittedly fictionalized account of Screeching Weasel's history. Both books were published by Hope And Nonthings, a publishing house run by Jughead. Jughead has been a member of the Neo-Futurists since 1997 through which he writes and performs for a show called Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind. He has performed with both the New York and Chicago companies, and continues to do so to this day.
A line-up consisting of Ben Weasel, Jughead, Dan Vapid, Mass Giorgini, and Dan Lumley came together briefly in 2004 to play surprise sets at the Chicago club The Fireside Bowl[11], nevertheless there are no plans to reunite again.
In 2007 a live performance of the band was included in 924 Gilman, a documentary about the famous club.[12]
At 2007's 'Insubordination Fest' in Baltimore, Ben Weasel performed a set, backed by The Guts, and was joined on stage by Dan Vapid on guitar for several Screeching Weasel and Riverdales songs.[13]
[edit] Members
- Ben Weasel (Vocals/Guitar) (1986-2001, 2004)
- John Jughead (Guitar) (1986-2001, 2004)
- Vinnie Bovine (Bass) (1986-1988)
- Steve Cheese (Drums (1986-1988)
- Warren Fish (Bass) (1988-1990)
- Brian Vermin (Drums (1988-1989)
- Dan Vapid (Guitar/Bass) (1989-1994, 1996, 2004)
- Doug Ward (Guitar) (1989)
- Dave Naked (Bass) (1991-1992)
- Scott "Gub" Conway (Bass) (1992)
- Dan Panic (Drums) (1991-1996)
- Johhny Personality (Bass) (1992)
- Mike Dirnt (Bass) (1994)
- Mass Giorgini (Bass) (1996-2001, 2004)
- Dan Lumley (Drums) (1996-2001, 2004)
- Zac Damon (Guitar) (1997-1998)
- Phillip Hill (Guitar) (2000-2001)
[edit] Music
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The band's lyrics reflected Weasel's "anti-everything" apolitical orientation set to music that was melodic and derivative of the Ramones. Also much like the Ramones, common lyrical themes were girls, paranoia, and anxiety problems (which Weasel suffered from).[4] Many centered on Weasel's relationship with then-girlfriend Portia.
Upon their first reformation, their music transformed from the traditional punk and hardcore punk of when they began, to their long-standing, to a pop punk sound.
The middle period of the band's sound begins most distinctly with the album My Brain Hurts, reaching adolescence with Wiggle and flowering into full realization with Anthem For a New Tomorrow. These works and several of those following it are characterized by more complex, anthemic songwriting and more intelligent and metaphoric lyrics. During this time Ben Weasel frequently collaborated with Joe King, frontman of The Queers, to write songs.
Through his writings in Maximum RocknRoll, fanzines, and lyrics, Ben Weasel established himself as one of the most pungent internal critics of the punk scene. As an example, in the 1999 song "Tightrope", Weasel launched a rather pointed attack on the glorification of violence and chauvinism by what he termed "tough-guy, so-called working class or street punk bands". Later, punk band Rancid referred briefly to this song in the liner notes of their 2003 album, Indestructible.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
| Year | Title | Label | Line up | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Screeching Weasel | Underdog | Ben Weasel- Vocals
John Jughead- Guitar Vinnie Bovine- Bass Steve Cheese- Drums |
Re-issued in 1997 by VML Records, with additional demos and unreleased tracks |
| 1988 | Boogadaboogadaboogada! | Roadkill | Ben Weasel- Vocals
John Jughead- Guitar Warren Ozzfish- Bass Steve Cheese- Drums |
Released on Wetspots in the UK, re-issued by Lookout in 1992, re-mastered and re-issued by Asian Man Records in 2005. Reissued on vinyl by Recess Records in 2008. |
| 1991 | My Brain Hurts | Lookout! | Ben Weasel- Vocals
John Jughead- Guitar Dan Vapid- Guitar Dave Naked- Bass Dan Panic- Drums |
Re-mastered and re-issued by Asian Man Records in 2005 |
| 1992 | Ramones | Selfless | Ben Weasel- Guitar, Vocals
John Jughead- Guitar Dan Vapid- Bass Dan Panic- Drums |
A cover of the entire first Ramones LP; 1700 pressed (1400 black vinyl, 300 white vinyl); 300 re-pressed in 1993; out of print. Re-released on Panic Button Records as Beat Is On The Brat in 1998. |
| 1993 | Wiggle | Lookout! | Ben Weasel- Vocals
John Jughead- Guitar Dan Vapid- Guitar Johnny Personality- Bass Dan Panic- Drums |
Recorded in 1992, not released until the next year, re-mastered and re-issued by Asian Man Records in 2005 |
| 1993 | Anthem For A New Tomorrow | Lookout! | Ben Weasel- Guitar, Vocals
John Jughead- Guitar Dan Vapid- Bass Dan Panic- Drums |
Re-mastered and re-issued by Asian Man Records in 2005 |
| 1994 | How To Make Enemies And Irritate People | Lookout! | Ben Weasel- Guitar, Vocals
John Jughead- Guitar Mike Dirnt- Bass Dan Panic- Drums |
Re-mastered and re-issued by Asian Man Records in 2005 |
| 1996 | Bark Like A Dog | Fat Wreck Chords | Ben Weasel- Guitar, Vocals
John Jughead- Guitar Dan Vapid- Bass Dan Panic- Drums |
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| 1998 | Television City Dream | Fat Wreck Chords | Ben Weasel- Vocals
John Jughead- Guitar Zac Damon-Guitar Mass Giorgini-Bass Dan Lumley-Drums |
Features cover art by Aldo Giorgini, noted Italian artist, and father of Screeching Weasel bassist-producer Mass Giorgini |
| 1999 | Emo | Panic Button | Ben Weasel- Vocals, Guitar
John Jughead- Guitar Mass Giorgini-Bass Dan Lumley-Drums |
|
| 2000 | Teen Punks In Heat | Panic Button / Lookout! | Ben Weasel- Vocals
John Jughead- Guitar Phillip Hill- Guitar Mass Giorgini-Bass Dan Lumley-Drums |
Alleged to be their final record |
[edit] Compilation albums
| Year | Title | Label | Lineup | Other Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Kill the Musicians | Lookout! | Collection of demo, rare, out of print, and live material | |
| 1998 | Beat Is On The Brat | Panic Button / Lookout! | Combination of Ramones and Formula 27 | |
| 2000 | Thank You Very Little | Panic Button / Lookout! | Double CD; more b-sides, rarities, and live material | |
| 2005 | Weasel Mania | Fat Wreck Chords | Best-of compilation, with 34 songs selected by Ben Weasel |
[edit] EPs
| Year | Title | Label | Other information |
| 1989 | Punkhouse | Limited Potential | re-issued in 1991 by No Budget Records; re-issued in 1993 by Selfless Records; out of print |
| 1991 | Pervo-Devo | Shred of Dignity | 2500 originally pressed and released with the final issue of Ben Weasel's sex-themed fanzine, "Teen Punks In Heat"; 450 pressed in 1992, and the label name had changed to Outpunk; out of print |
| 1992 | Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions | Selfless | on-air performance at WFMU in New Jersey; 1500 pressed on blue vinyl, features tour bassist Scott "Gub" Conway, out of print |
| 1992 | Happy, Horny, Gay And Sassy | Selfless | Essentially a repress of the previous EP, with 3 extra songs from the same performance on a second, one-sided 7" record; 300 pressed on pink vinyl with two covers, one the same as the previous record and the second being a graphic close up of a man performing oral sex on another man; out of print |
| 1993 | Screeching Weasel/Pink Lincolns split | VML | 1500 pressed, out of print |
| 1993 | Radio Blast | Underdog | 2000 pressed, out of print |
| 1993 | You Broke My Fucking Heart | Lookout! | out of print |
| 1994 | Screeching Weasel / Born Against split | Lookout! | out of print |
| 1994 | Suzanne Is Getting Married | Lookout! | Mike Dirnt from Green Day plays bass on one track, Mass Giorgini on the other; out of print |
| 1996 | Formula 27 | Veriform | later reissued on Lookout! / Panic Button; leftovers from the Bark Like A Dog sessions; out of print |
| 1998 | Major Label Debut | Lookout! / Panic Button | first Panic Button release |
| 1999 | Jesus Hates You | Probe | picture disc; all cover songs (Stooges, Subhumans, Stiff Little Fingers) |
[edit] Other contributions
| Year | Title | Label | Contributing Track(s) / Other Info |
| 1989 | What Are You Pointing At? | Very Small Records | "Kamala's Too Nice", "I Wanna Be A Homosexual" |
| 1989 | There's A Fungus Amongus | What The Fuck? | "Slogans" |
| 1989 | They Don't Get Paid, They Don't Get Laid, But Boy, Do They Work Hard | Maximum Rocknroll | "This Bud's For Me" |
| 1990 | Achtung Chicago | Underdog | "Teenage Slumber Party" |
| 1992 | Four Two Pudding | Very Small Records | "Kamala's Too Nice", "I Wanna Be A Homosexual"; CD release of What Are You Poiting At? 10"; re-released in 1998 with new artwork |
| 1993 | It's A Punk Thing, You Wouldn't Understand | Shakefork | "Celena" |
| 1994 | Fallen Upon Deaf Ears | Skullduggery | "Soap Opera" |
| 1994 | Chairman Of The Bored | Grass | "Chicago" |
| 1994 | Punk USA | Lookout | "My Friends Are Getting Famous" |
| 1997 | Physical Fatness - Fat Music Volume III | Fat Wreck Chords | "Cool Kids" |
| 1999 | Four on the Floor | Lookout! / Panic Button | "Shut The Hell Up", "Punk Rock Explained", "Video", "Crybaby" |
| 1999 | Life In The Fat Lane - Fat Music Volume IV | Fat Wreck Chords | "Dummy Up" |
| 1999 | Return of the Read Menace | G7 Welcoming Committee Records | "My Own World" |
| 1999 | Short Music For Short People | Fat Wreck Chords | "Dirty Needles" |
| 2000 | Liberation Sucks | Liberation | "California Sucks" |
| 2000 | Lookout Freakout | Lookout / Panic Button | "Acknowledge" |
| 2001 | Lookout Freakout - Episode 2 | Lookout | "Pauline" |
[edit] References
- ^ How To Make Enemies And Irritate People at Allmusic
- ^ Giorgini featured on Major Label Debut, Emo, Teen Punks In Heat, and the compilation album Weasel Mania. See Mass Giorgini at Allmusic
- ^ Screeching Weasel Biography on Yahoo! Music
- ^ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedDeRogatis - ^ Kill The Musicians - Orig. Liner Notes-ScreechingWeasel.com
- ^ http://www.sobriquetmagazine.com/encyclopedia/Screeching_Weasel
- ^ Screeching Weasel > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums at Allmusic
- ^ http://www.jimdero.com/News2003/May16Blackouts.htm
- ^ Fidatevi at Allmusic
- ^ Punknews.org | Asian Man Records to re-release Screeching Weasel catalogue
- ^ Punknews.org | Screeching Weasel Reunion
- ^ Alternative Tentacles - News
- ^ Jersey Beat
[edit] External links
- Listen to the full length Boogadaboogadaboogada
- Official Screeching Weasel website
- benweasel.com - Ben Weasel's blog
- Screeching Weasel guitar tabs
- Interview with Ben Weasel
- Review of John Jughead's novel about being in Screeching Weasel
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