Francais | English | Espanõl

Screeching Weasel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search
Screeching Weasel <tr style="text-align: center;"><td colspan="3">Image:RamonesLP.jpg
Left to Right: John Jughead, Dan Vapid, Ben Weasel, and Dan Panic
</td></tr>
Background information

<tr><td>Origin</td><td colspan="2">Chicago, Illinois</td></tr><tr><td>Genre(s)</td><td colspan="2">Punk rock, Pop punk,</td></tr><tr><td>Years active</td><td colspan="2">1986-2001 (on and off)</td></tr><tr><td style="padding-right: 1em;">Label(s)</td><td colspan="2">Underdog Records, Roadkill Records, Lookout! Records, Selfless Records, Fat Wreck Chords, Panic Button Records, Asian Man Records</td></tr><tr><td>Website</td><td colspan="2">http://www.screechingweasel.com</td></tr>

Screeching Weasel was an American Punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois. They were formed in 1986 by Ben Weasel and John Jughead. Starting out as a heavily Ramones influenced band playing local all ages shows, the band gained prominence in the early 90's after signing a record deal with the East Bay punk label Lookout! Records. Many of today's popular pop punk bands cite Screeching Weasel as influential, including: Green Day, blink-182, and The All-American Rejects.

Contents

[edit] Members

After Weasel and Jughead, who were in the band for its entirety, the two most notable members were, Danny Vapid on guitar and bass and Dan Panic on drums. These four are considered the band's "classic" lineup. However, since it's formation, the band has gone through many line-up changes and, at times, has included such notable musicians as Mike Dirnt and Mass Giorgini.

The full list of bandmembers includes:

  • Ben Weasel (Vocals/Guitar) (1986-2001)
  • John Jughead (Guitar) (1986-2001)
  • 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)
  • Douglas Ward (credited as both "Doug I.D. Under" and "Doug Wonderful") (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)
  • Dan Lumley (Drums) (1996-2001)
  • Zac Damon (Guitar) (1997-1998)
  • Phillip Hill (Guitar) (2000-2001)

[edit] History

[edit] 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. Foster who played bass and sang, rechristened himself Ben Weasel, while Pierson who was a guitarist, decided to call himself John Jughead. The duo recruited a drummer who went by the alias of Steve Cheese, to fill out the group. The band originally called themselves "All-Night Garage Sale", but changed their name to Screeching Weasel, a variation of the name a friend suggested, Screaming Otter (which itself was a reference to a t-shirt that read, "I'VE GOT A SCREAMING OTTER IN MY PANTS!). Shortly after their formation, Ben Weasel decided it was too difficult to play bass and sing at the same time, so Vinnie Bovine (aka Vince Vogel) joined as the group's bassist. The band recorded their first album, 1987's, Screeching Weasel, for only $200 in one night, on Underdog Records. In 1988 Vinnie Bovine was kicked out of the band, and was replaced with Warren Fisher, better know as Fish. The band recorded their second album Boogadaboogadaboogada!, which featured Ben playing 2nd 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. Shortly after the recording Steve Cheese was kicked out the band due to his unwillingness to tour outside of Chicago, Brian Vermin replaced him on drums. Boogadaboogadaboogada! appeared in late 1988 on Roadkill Records, a label run, in part, by Ben and Jughead. After what Weasel described as a "disasterous" tour with Spongetunnel, Fish quit, and was replaced by Danny Schafer, who was originally called "Sewercap" but 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 2 more songs in 1989 that ended up on compilations (these recordings featured 2nd guitarist Douglas Ward, who also joined the band for several live shows) but broke up when Vermin and Vapid stated that they wanted to quit the band to concentrate on their side project, Sludgeworth.

[edit] 1991-1994

After the break-up, Weasel and Jughead formed a new band called The Gore Gore Girls. Ben also performed, briefly, in the original incarnation of The Vindictives. In 1991, the members of Screeching Weasel re-united 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. Afterwards Dan Vapid brought up the idea of reforming Screeching Weasel to Jughead. All the members but Brian Vermin agreed (presumably, Ward was not invited), so new drummer Dan Panic (born Dan Sullivan) was brought in. Before recording the album, 1991's My Brain Hurts, 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 new album marked the band's first recording for Lookout! Records. The recording sessions for the album also produced the "Pervo-Devo" EP. After recording the album, Dave Naked was fired from the band and Scott "Gub" Conway, Panic's former bandmate, was brought in as the band's bassist for a 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. With the album finished, Johnny Personality 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 new incarnation of the band was asked to record a cover of an entire Ramones album, this resulted in 1992's, Ramones. This was 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 later that year, Dan Vapid quit after falling out with the rest of 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, Screeching Weasel broke up for the second time.

[edit] 1996-2001

By 1996 the classic line up of Ben Weasel, John Jughead, Dan Vapid, and Dan Panic decided to reunite, and recorded the album Bark Like A Dog for Fat Mike's Fat Wreck Chords label. The band also decided that they again would no longer tour due to Ben Weasel's problems with panic attacks and social anxiety disorder. 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 also 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. 1999's Emo featured the same line up, minus Zac Damon, who unable to record due to school commitments at the time and would later relocate to California. 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 when Jughead decided to end his involvment with both the band and Panic Button Records.

[edit] Post Break-Up

Members of Screeching Weasel have gone on to form bands such as: The Methadones, The Mopes, Even in Blackouts, and Sweet Black And Blue. For a short time after the 1994 many break-up, Weasel and Vapid also formed The Riverdales. Additionally, Ben Weasel released a solo record in 2002 entitled Fidatevi, and is currently recording a second one. Their song "I Wanna Be A Homosexual" was featured in the 2002 film Highway.

In 2004 Ben Weasel 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.

Both Ben and Jughead have authored books seemingly related to Screeching Weasel. In 2001, Ben Weasel published Like Hell, the account of a ficitional punk band called the Pagan Icons and the life of their frontman, Joe Pagan, who narrates the story. Many have assumed that the book was a thinly-veiled biography of Screeching Weasel, but Ben has denied this. Jughead released Weasels in a Box, his admittedly fictionalized account of Screeching Weasel's history. Both books were published by Hope And Nonthings, which is run by Jughead.

The classic line up of the band reunited briefly in 2004 to play a short set at a Chicago club but have no plans to reunite again.

[edit] Music

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) were common subjects for songs as well. Many centered on his relationship with Weasel's then girlfriend Portia.

Their music transformed from the traditional punk when they began, to their long-standing, distinctive pop punk sound, and later to a more fast-paced and melodic type of punk.

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.

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] Albums

Year Title Lable Lineup Other information
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
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
1995 Kill the Musicians Lookout collection of demo, rare, out of print, and live material
1996 Bark Like A Dog Fat Wreck Chords Ben Weasel- Guitar, Vocals

John Jughead- Guitar

Dan Vapid- Bass

Dan Panic- Drums

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

1999 Thank You Very Little Panic Button / Lookout double CD; more b-sides, rarities, and live material
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
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 2nd, one-sided 7" record; 300 pressed on pink vinyl with 2 covers, one the same as the previous record and the 2nd 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
1994 Screeching Weasel / Born Against split Lookout out of print
1996 Formula 27 Vermiform 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 Four on the Floor Lookout / Panic Button four songs apiece from Screeching Weasel, Moral Crux, Enemy You, and Teen Idols
1999 Jesus Hates You Probe picture disc; all cover songs (Stooges, Subhumans, Stiff Little Fingers)

[edit] Compilations

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 Life In The Fat Lane - Fat Music Volume IV Fat Wreck Chords "Dummy Up"
1999 Return Of The Read Menace Honest Don's "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] External links

it:Screeching Weasel

Retrieved from "http://en.wikivisual.com/index.php/Screeching_Weasel"
Personal tools