Screeching Weasel

Infobox musical artist
Name = Screeching Weasel


Img_capt =
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Chicago, Illinois, USA
Genre = Punk rock
Pop punk
Hardcore punk
Years_active = 1986–1989
1991–1994
1996–2001
2004
Label = Underdog, Roadkill,
Lookout!, Selfless,
Fat Wreck Chords,
Panic Button
Associated_acts = The Riverdales, The Queers
URL = [http://www.screechingweasel.com/ ScreechingWeasel.com]
Past_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

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. [allmusicguide | id = 10:hu61mpvf9f8o | label = How To Make Enemies And Irritate People] [Giorgini featured on "Major Label Debut", "Emo", "Teen Punks In Heat", and the compilation album "Weasel Mania". See allmusicguide | id = 11:11:6v2tk6rxlkr0~T4 | label = Mass Giorgini]

Many popular pop punk or power pop bands cite Screeching Weasel as influential, including Green Day, Blink-182, and The All-American Rejects.cite web | url = http://www.jimdero.com/OtherWritings/Other%20Weasel.htm| title = Screeching Halt| accessdate = 2007-02-18| author = DeRogatis, Jim| authorlink = Jim DeRogatis| date = 2001| publisher = Spin] [cite web| url = http://www.timeoff.com.au/index1.php?area=Interviews&pg=38&subarea=3088&sel=3088| title = Teen punks in heat: All American Rejects| accessdate = 2007-02-18| author = Zemek, Steve| date = 2006| publisher = Time Off]

History

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. [ [http://music.yahoo.com/ar-263692-bio--Screeching-Weasel Screeching Weasel Biography on Yahoo! Music ] ] 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!". 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 [ [http://weasels.littletype.com/docs.ktm-liner-notes.php Kill The Musicians - Orig. Liner Notes-ScreechingWeasel.com ] ] , 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.

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.

econd reformation (1996-2001)

Following the second breakup, Weasel, Vapid, and Panic formed the band The Riverdales and experienced some notoriety touring with Green Day. [ [http://www.sobriquetmagazine.com/encyclopedia/Screeching_Weasel New Page 1 ] ] 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. [allmusicguide | id = 11:acm1z88ajyvn~T5|label = Screeching Weasel > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums] 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. [ [http://www.jimdero.com/News2003/May16Blackouts.htm Punk goes acoustic ] ]

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", [allmusicguide | id = 10:a7ozefrk2gf8 | label = Fidatevi] 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. [ [http://www.punknews.org/article/10547 Punknews.org | Asian Man Records to re-release Screeching Weasel catalogue ] ]

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 [ [http://www.punknews.org/article/8411 Punknews.org | Screeching Weasel Reunion ] ] , 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. [ [http://www.alternativetentacles.com/news.php?sd=bvOX3nSRqGdv26SlGHu Alternative Tentacles - News ] ]

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. [ [http://jerseybeat.blogspot.com/2007/07/insubordination-fest-2007-day-three.html Jersey Beat ] ] Ben Weasel and Dan Vapid also played two shows in August 2008 at Reggie's Rock Club in Chicago, playing the entirety of My Brain Hurts as well as other songs by Screeching Weasel, The Riverdales, and from Ben Weasel's solo albums. [ [http://www.punknews.org/article/29350 Ben Weasel and Dan Vapid to play "My Brain Hurts" live] ] However, a full reunion has been categorically dimissed. [ [http://wreckedkids.blogspot.com/2008/07/interview-ben-weasel.html Interview: Ben Weasel] ]

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)

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). 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".

Discography

tudio albums

Other contributions

References

*allmusicguide | id = 11:kmdyyl3jxpcb~T0 | label = Screeching Weasel

External links

* [http://www.haystack.com/screechingweasel Listen to the full length Boogadaboogadaboogada]
* [http://www.screechingweasel.com Official Screeching Weasel website]
* [http://www.benweasel.com benweasel.com] - Ben Weasel's blog
* [http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/screeching_weasel_tabs.htm Screeching Weasel guitar tabs]
* [http://www.readjunk.com/interview.php?rv=240 Interview with Ben Weasel]
* [http://www.laurahird.com/newreview/weaselsinabox.html Review of John Jughead's novel about being in Screeching Weasel]