Brendon Small

Brendon Small
Brendon Small in July 2010.
Background information
Also known as	Donald Cock (occasional stage name)
Born	(1975-02-15) February 15, 1975 Springfield, Illinois
Genres	Comedy: Improvisational comedy, observational comedy, character comedy, satire, slapstick Music: Melodic death metal, comedy rock, heavy metal, hard rock
Occupations	Animator, comedian, television writer, musician, and voice actor
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, drum programming
Years active	1997–present
Website	www.brendonsmall.com
Notable instruments
Gibson Explorer Dethklok "Thunderhorse" Explorer Brendon Small "Thunderhorse" Explorer Brendon Small "Snow Falcon" Flying V

Brendon Small (born February 15, 1975 in Springfield, Illinois) is an American sitcom writer/producer, actor, comedian, voice actor, composer, and musician. He is best known as the co-creator of the animated series Home Movies (along with Loren Bouchard) and Metalocalypse (along with Tommy Blacha) and as the creator of the virtual death metal band Dethklok.

Early career

Small started learning guitar at age 14 after a kid in his neighborhood began teaching him about guitar and music.^[1] At his first public performance his hands shook so wildly that he had trouble controlling the guitar. It was another ten years before he was comfortable performing in public.^[2] He graduated from Salinas High School in Salinas, California. He graduated from Berklee College of Music in 1997. During his music studies he concurrently took several writing and comedy classes at Emerson College. After graduating, he felt that the rock music genre was fading in popularity so decided to try his hand at comedy.^[2]

He was performing at The Comedy Studio in Harvard Square when he was spotted by Loren Bouchard, who at the time was casting for the central character for a UPN pilot produced by Tom Snyder Productions which eventually evolved into Home Movies.

Career

Media

Brendon Small was the co-creator, writer, voice actor, composer and musician for Home Movies, a cartoon initially aired on the UPN television network and then moved to Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. The final episode of Home Movies aired on April 4, 2004, after running four seasons, although the show is periodically rerun on Adult Swim. In the series, he voiced the show's protagonist, 8-year-old aspiring filmmaker Brendon Small, as well as a number of other characters.

Small lent his voice to a number of other animated shows. He co-starred as Chad in the BET animated sit-com, Hey Monie!, and has voiced many supporting characters in The Venture Bros., including that show's shell shocked and drug-addicted version of Jonny Quest. Small has also had cameo roles in Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Squidbillies, Reno 911!, and Frisky Dingo. Small along with Scott Adsit appeared as lead characters of the Adult Swim pilot Let's Fish; the show's pilot premiered on May 13, 2007, but the series was not picked up.

In April 2005, the Sci Fi Channel announced an upcoming debut of a half-hour animated ensemble comedy show created by Small titled Barbarian Chronicles. The show, which has yet to be seen, was said to be produced by Small and Worldwide Pants Incorporated. Small has said that there are currently no plans to produce the show but that anything can happen in the future.^[3]

Small posed for a pictorial that appeared in the April 2006 issue of Playgirl magazine, as part of a humor-themed issue. Small posed naked holding a medieval flail and a strategically placed metal shield that hid his genitals. Along with comedians Ron Lynch and Craig Anton, Small has hosted the "Tomorrow Show", a weekly live comedy show at the Steve Allen Theater in Los Angeles.

Small's latest television project is as co-producer, co-writer, composer, and voice actor for the Adult Swim series Metalocalypse, which premiered on August 6, 2006. The series focuses on a fictional death metal band named Dethklok, and each episode features a song "performed" by the band. In addition to all of the behind-the-scenes work he does for the series, he also provides voice talent for the characters Skwisgaar Skwigelf, Pickles, and Nathan Explosion, three of the five members of Dethklok. Small has stated that while this is his dream job, he does not really like watching animation that much.^[2]

In 2007 and 2009, Small hosted the Guitar Superstar competition and in September 2008 he was one of the judges.^[4]

In 2010 Small directed Soundgarden's music video for "Black Rain", and The Damned Things' music video for "We've Got a Situation Here".

Small's virtual band Dethklok appeared, via video, at the 2009 Golden Gods Awards. The band received the award for Best International Band. At the 2010 Golden Gods Awards, Small attended and performed with Brian Posehn's band and introduced Fear Factory's set. At the 2011 Golden Gods Awards, Small attended and introduced DevilDriver's set.^[5] Small attended the 2012 Golden Gods Awards and introduced Triviums's set. Small had been nominated for best guitarist at the 2013 Golden Gods Awards but did not win.^[6]

In early 2012 Small finished work on the fourth season of Metalocalypse, which began airing on April 29, 2012 and concluded July 15, 2012. The DVD was released on October 30, 2012.

On May 10, 2013, Small and Adult Swim announced that a one hour rock opera Metalocalypse special, entitled Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem, was in the works.^[7] It aired on October 27, 2013, and featured brand new music from Dethklok.^[8]

Music career

Small wrote all the music for the show Home Movies, and released all the songs he had written for the show on the Home Movies: Bonus CD. The CD was included with purchase of the Season 4 DVD box set.

With his new series Metalocalypse, Small continued to write all the music for the show. In September 2007, he completed work on the Dethklok album titled The Dethalbum, in which he collaborated with Gene Hoglan to deliver an authentic melodic death metal sound while simultaneously retaining the light-hearted nature with which Small portrays the heavy metal genre.^[9] The album debuted at No. 21 on the Billboard 200, making it the highest-rated death metal album on the Billboard at that time.^[10][11]

In November 2007, Small, Hoglan, Mike Keneally and Bryan Beller performed live as Dethklok at twelve US college campuses in support of The Dethalbum. The Adult Swim-sponsored "Dethtour" featured Dethklok supporting indie rock band ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead.^[12] The foursome reunited in 2008 to headline a longer "Dethtour", where they toured the US in June and early July with fellow metal bands Chimaira and Soilent Green. During the tour they released the ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead/Dethklok split EP for free at the concerts.

The second Dethklok album, Dethalbum II, was released on September 29, 2009. Dethalbum II reached No. 15 on the Billboard 200, making it the highest charting death metal album in history. A tour in support of the new album began in late 2009, where Dethklok co-headlined with the band Mastodon.

Small performed guest vocals as Nathan Explosion on the Zimmers Hole song "The Vowel Song". Small also contributed guitar work to the songs "Devils Teeth" from Exodus's album Exhibit B: The Human Condition, as well as "More Metal Than You" from comedian Brian Posehn's album Fart and Wiener Jokes. Small created the "Murder Mix" of the song "Liar" by Emilie Autumn from the Liar/Dead Is the New Alive EP. Small performed the solo for the song "Get It Up" (Van Halen cover) on Sylencers' debut album A Lethal Dose of Truth.^[13] Small performs a guitar solo on the song "Let's Make Out" on the Sex Slaves album Call of the Wild.

In early 2011, Small introduced the Dethklok "Thunderhorse" Explorer from Gibson, a guitar made to his own specifications, and modeled after Skwisgaar's Gibson Explorer.^[14][15] A limited edition Epiphone "Thunderhorse" Explorer, based on the Gibson "Thunderhorse" Explorer, was introduced in early 2013.^[16] In May 2012, Small introduced the prototype for the Gibson Flying V "Snow Falcon", built to his own specifications, and modeled after Toki Wartooth's Gibson Flying V.^[17] The final version of the guitar was released on December 13, 2013.^[18]

In April 2012 Small released his debut solo album, Brendon Small's Galaktikon.^[19] The album featured Dethklok members Beller on bass and Hoglan on drums. Small described the album as a "high-stakes, intergalactic, extreme rock album" and described it as being similar to Dethklok but with more melodic vocals and rock elements.^[20] Small performed songs from Brendon Small's Galaktikon for the first time at "WesFest 8" on March 3, 2013, in West Hollywood, California.^[21]

On April 29, 2012, Small started a weekly guitar lesson video series on the adult swim Youtube channel, entitled "Shreducation", which consisted of 12 installments.^[22]

Small, Beller and Hoglan got together to work on the third Dethklok album, Dethalbum III, which was released on October 16, 2012. Small released a fourth Dethklok album, entitled The Doomstar Requiem, on October 29, 2013, which it is a soundtrack album to the Metalocalypse special of the same name. The album featured Hoglan on drums, Beller performing guest bass on a track, and Mike Keneally performing guest vocals.

BS Records

In 2012 Small self-released his solo album, Brendon Small's Galaktikon, independently on his personal record label BS Records. He funded the album himself, and used all of the profits he received from the album to fund future projects. In 2013 Small made the decision to release the fourth Dethklok album, The Doomstar Requiem, on his personal label (as opposed to the usual Williams Street Records) because he wanted to make sure there was a future for Dethklok's music.^[23] He explained that if he had not done this, Dethalbum III would have been the last Dethklok record released. He went on to explain that the only way to keep Dethklok's music going was by making this personal investment, regardless of whether or not it would be financially beneficial to him.^[23]

Personal life

Brendon Small currently resides in Los Angeles, California.^[24] Small used to own a dog named Ernie, but he passed away in January 2014.^[25] Small is of Lithuanian descent.^[26]

Small is engaged to be married to Courtney Bates on May 3, 2014.^[27][28]

Filmography

Film and Television

Year	Title	Role	Other notes
2014–present	Black Sails	Pirate	•Voice only •Featured in the opening theme •TV series
2014	WordGirl	Chazz	•Voice actor •Episode: "A Questionable Pair/All That Chazz" •Animated series
2013	'tallica Parking Lot	Nathan Explosion	•Animated short •Premiered at Fantastic Fest[29]
2013	Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem[7]	Nathan Explosion Pickles Skwisgaar Skwigelf Charles Foster Offdensen	•Creator •Producer •Writer •Voice actor •Composer
2013	Morgan Ågren's Conundrum: A Percussive Misadventure	Himself	•Documentary
2013	Law of the Land	Guy Fellow	•TV series •Actor (5 episodes)
2012–2013	Motorcity	N/A	•Composer
2011	Jon Benjamin Has a Van	Musician	•Episode: "Smoking" •Composed the song "Christ Pipe" •Composed the theme music •TV series
2011	Bob's Burgers	Animal Control Guy	•Voice actor •Episode: "Sacred Cow" •Animated series
2010	Last Call with Carson Daly	Himself	•Air date: October 5, 2010
2007	Let's Fish	Kevin	•Actor •Executive Producer •TV pilot
2006–2010	Aqua Teen Hunger Force	Rice Mascot	•Voice actor •Episodes: "Hands on a Hamburger", "Dickesode" •Animated series •Credited as Donald Cock
2006	Frisky Dingo	Brent & Trent	•Voice actor •Episode: "Meet Killface" •Animated series •Credited as Donald Cock
2006–present	Metalocalypse	Nathan Explosion Pickles Skwisgaar Skwigelf Charles Foster Offdensen Various characters	•Creator •Executive producer •Writer •Director •Voice actor •Composer •Animated series
2006–present	The Venture Bros.	Action Johnny Plastic Surgeon Hector Swifty Agent Hauser Sgt. Hatred (1 episode) Various Characters	•Voice actor (11 episodes) •Animated series
2006	Ergo Proxy	Po	•Voice actor •Episode: "Shôjo sumairu" (English dub) •Animated series
2005–present	Squidbillies	Dr. Jerry Devil	•Voice actor (2 episodes) •Episodes: "Family Trouble" (voice actor), "Mephistopheles Traveled Below to a Southern State Whose Motto Is 'Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation'" (composer and voice actor) •Animated series •Composer (1 episode) •Credited as Donald Cock
2005	Lucy: The Daughter of the Devil	Classmate	•Voice actor •Episode: "He's Not the Messiah, He's a DJ" •Composed the song "Maneater" •Animated series •Uncredited
2004–2007	Perfect Hair Forever	N/A	•Composed theme music
2004	Last Laugh '04	Red Sox fan	•Actor •TV movie
2004	Reno 911	Priest	•Actor •Episodes: "Raineesha X", "Not Without My Mustache" •Composer •TV series
2003	Hey Monie	Chad	•Voice actor •Animated series
2000	New Apartment	New Tenant	•Actor •Short film
1999–2004	Home Movies	Brendon Small Duane Perry Junior Adelberg Ken Adelberg Various characters	•Creator •Writer •Producer •Voice actor •Composer •Animated series

Music videos

Year	Artist	Song	Notes
2007	Dethklok	"Bloodrocuted"	Co-director (with Jon Schnepp)
2010	Soundgarden	"Black Rain"	Director
2010	The Damned Things	"We've Got a Situation Here"	Director

Video games

Year	Game	Role	Notes
2013	Metallica Pinball	"Sparky" and "The Snake"	[30]

Discography

Solo

• 2012: Brendon Small's Galaktikon

Dethklok

• 2007: The Dethalbum
• 2007: Adult Swim Presents: ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead on Tour with Dethklok (split album with ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead)
• 2009: Dethalbum II
• 2012: Dethalbum III
• 2013: The Doomstar Requiem

Soundtrack

• 2004: Songs Brendon's Not Allowed to Name (also known as "web") - Free online download previously available on Small's website, comprising 15 songs from Home Movies and an early version of the Metalocalypse theme song^[31]
• 2006: Home Movies: Bonus CD (released with the Home Movies Season 4 Boxset)
• 2006: Saw III soundtrack (European version) (featured Dethklok song "Hatredcopter"; credited as Brendon Small)

Video games

• 2006: Guitar Hero II (Dethklok – "Thunderhorse")
• 2009: Brütal Legend (Dethklok – "Murmaider")
• 2010: Guitar Hero 5 "Metal Track Pack" DLC (Dethklok – "Laser Cannon Deth Sentence")
• 2010: Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock (Dethklok – "Bloodlines")
• 2011: Saints Row: The Third ("Adult Swim" radio station; Dethklok – "The Cyborg Slayers")

Guest work

• 2006: Emilie Autumn – Liar/Dead Is the New Alive ("Murder Mix" of the song "Liar")
• 2008: Zimmers Hole – When You Were Shouting at the Devil... We Were in League with Satan (guest vocals on "The Vowel Song" as Nathan Explosion)
• 2010: Brian Posehn – Fart and Wiener Jokes (guitar work on "More Metal Than You")
• 2010: Exodus – Exhibit B: The Human Condition (guitar solo on "Devils Teeth")
• 2012: Sex Slaves – Call of the Wild (guitar solo on "Let's Make Out")
• 2012: Sylencer – A Lethal Dose of Truth (guitar solo on "Get It Up") (Van Halen cover)^[32]

Collaborations

• TBA: Cover of "The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)" by Ylvis with Scott Ian, Brian Posehn, and Corey Taylor^[33]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Brendon Small.

• Official website
• Brendon Small at the Internet Movie Database
• Brendon's Instagram
• Brendon's Twitter
• Brendon's Myspace
• Brendon Small's Berklee Alumni profile
• Songs Brendon's not allowed to name - brendonsmall.com (Archived URL) Original link
• SCI FI Reveals New Series (Archived URL) Original link, including Barbarian Chronicles
• Brendon Small interview (2008)
• Scene Missing Magazine Interviews Brendon Small
• Interview with Brendon Small at Lambgoat.com
• Interview with Brendon Small at Metalunderground.com

v t e Brendon Small Television Home Movies Metalocalypse (The Doomstar Requiem) Music Home Movies: Bonus CD Dethklok The Dethalbum Trail of Dead/Dethklok Dethalbum II Brendon Small's Galaktikon Dethalbum III The Doomstar Requiem

v t e Home Movies Seasons 1 "Get Away From My Mom" "The Art of the Sucker Punch" 2 3 4 "Focus Grill" Related Characters Brendon Small Loren Bouchard Soundtrack

v t e Metalocalypse/Dethklok Dethklok band members Nathan Explosion William Murderface Pickles Skwisgaar Skwigelf Toki Wartooth Magnus Hammersmith Musicians Brendon Small Gene Hoglan Mike Keneally Bryan Beller Creators Brendon Small Tommy Blacha Discography Albums The Dethalbum Dethalbum II Dethalbum III The Doomstar Requiem Extended plays Adult Swim Presents: ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead on Tour with Dethklok Singles "Bloodrocuted" "Bloodlines" "I Ejaculate Fire" "Blazing Star" Episodes Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 Season 4 Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem Video games Deth Toll Deth Toll II Metalocalypse: Dethgame (cancelled) Related articles Articles List of characters Adult Swim Williams Street Williams Street Records People Jon Schnepp Chris Prynoski Ulrich Wild Mark Brooks Mark Hamill Victor Brandt Malcolm McDowell Wikiquote Category

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Persondata
Name	Small, Brendon
Alternative names	Donald Cock
Short description	Writer, musician, actor
Date of birth	February 15, 1975
Place of birth	Springfield, Illinois
Date of death
Place of death