Squirtgun
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- This article is about the band. For the toy, see squirt gun.
Squirtgun was a band formed by producer Mass Giorgini in 1994, and was made up of former members of his recently disbanded Rattail Grenadier. Squirtgun signed almost immediately to Lookout Records, with which Mass had already developed a steady relationship as a record producer.
Squirtgun's first release, the CD-EP Shenanigans, hit the streets in the Spring of 1995, with their debut self-titled full-length appearing that fall. Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, who co-produced The Riverdales with Mass, recommended Squirtgun to Jeff Saltzman, who was advising on the soundtrack for Mallrats, the then-upcoming film by Kevin Smith. This full-length CD contained the song "Social", which was featured later that same year in the opening credits of Mallrats, and the song "Make It Up" featuring guest vocals by Green Day's Mike Dirnt. "Social" has since become a cult classic.
1996 brought Squirtgun's second CD-EP, Mary Ann, a tribute to their favorite castaway from Gilligan's Island. A video was filmed for the title track, and featured an appearance from Mary Ann herself, actress Dawn Wells. The video was released in the Spring of 1997 and shown on MTV's 120 Minutes and put into regular rotation on MTV2.
Squirtgun's second full-length, Another Sunny Afternoon, was also released in the Spring of '97. Several songs from Another Sunny Afternoon were featured in major motion pictures and TV shows, including "Come On Let's Go" in The Extreme Adventures of Super Dave, and "You're the Greatest" on Fox Television Network's Clueless sitcom. In the Fall of 1998, after 5 years of high activity and playing shows with the likes of The Bouncing Souls, The Queers, Blink-182, Less Than Jake, At the Drive-In, Anti-Flag, and NOFX, Squirtgun went on a hiatus in order to pursue other interests and other band projects.
Mass and Dan joined Screeching Weasel, recording and releasing several albums, including Television City Dream, on Fat Wreck Chords. The bass-drum duo also formed Common Rider with singer/guitarist Jesse Michaels (formerly of Operation Ivy), releasing two full-length albums, and touring extensively in 2002. Dan also provided his amazing drum skills to albums by the Mopes, the Methadones, and Even In Blackouts, to name just a few. Mass also continued his producing career, primarily in Sonic Iguana Studios, which he founded in 1990. In this studio, many notable punk bands created legendary punk albums, including Anti-Flag, the Queers, Born Against, Screeching Weasel, Rise Against, Teen Idols, Groovie Ghoulies, The Eyeliners, Riverdales, the Lillingtons, Moral Crux, Big in Japan, the Smoking Popes, and many more.
Matt got his MFA in creative writing and began teaching in the Academic Studies Department at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, a four year college of Art and Design. His poems and reviews have been published in numerous literary journals, including Conduit, Ploughshares, and Spinning Jenny. He is the editor of Forklift, Ohio: A Journal of Poetry, Cooking & Light Industrial Safety. The former singer has two poetry books that you can find on Amazon.com. Somehow he also found time to play and record with the bands Clifford Nevernew and Travel.
Flav, meanwhile, also hit the books, earning a PhD degree in molecular genetics and publishing manuscripts in several respected scientific journals, including Development and Molecular and Cellular Biology. He also founded guitarpunk.com and the GPC guitar company, designing original guitars used by bands such as Alkaline Trio, Screeching Weasel, the Queers, Allister and many more. In his spare time, he fronted his punk'n'roll band, the Simians.
In the summer of 2001 Squirtgun regrouped and began work on their latest release, Fade To Bright, for Honest Don's Records. This CD represents the band's finest and most diverse set of songs, and oodles of guest appearances. Fade To Bright was released in the Summer 2003, supported by a US tour. In the Fall of 2003, legendary punk rock drummer Mike Felumlee (Smoking Popes, Alkaline Trio) replaced Dan on drums, and Squirtgun hit the road with The Ataris, Hopesfall, and Planes Mistaken for Stars. In the spring of 2004, Squirtgun toured the U.K.
Following the tour they disbanded, but briefly regrouped in 2006 to play a benefit show for someone who needed surgery.
Squirtgun will play their first show in almost 2 years in their hometown of Lafayette, IN, on February 9th, 2008 at the Venue.
