- Dan Cunneen
-
Dan Cunneen
(photos: S. Meechum, Mark Van S, Suzi Lillie)
Dan Cunneen 1984, 1998, 2008Background information Birth name Daniel Robert Cunneen Born March 14, 1963 Origin Portland, Oregon, United States Genres Punk rock, rock, heavy metal, soul, lounge music Occupations Drummer
Graphic Designer
Disc Jockey
SongwriterInstruments drums, Guitar, Bass, Years active 1982-Present Labels Fatal Erection, Highgate, New Weave, Empty, Sub Pop, Rendezvous Recordings, Estrus, V2, Southern Lord Associated acts Final Warning, Lew Jones, The Obituaries, Bop Girl Goes Calypso, Saucy Jack, Zipgun, Nightcaps, PCBs, Sugarsmacks Dan Cunneen is a drummer,[1] lyricist, songwriter,[2] disc jockey and graphic designer originally from Portland, Oregon, U.S.A.. Cunneen is best known for his drum work with the 1980s Portland, Oregon band Final Warning and the 1990s Seattle, Washington based bands Zipgun and Nightcaps.[3] Cunneen resides in Seattle, Washington.
Contents
Final Warning
In 1982, Cunneen co-founded (with guitarist Jeff "Simon" Simoncini and bassist Tim Paul) the Portland, Oregon band Final Warning. Final Warning would only record five songs in the studio, but their influence was felt beyond the Pacific Northwest as one of the first hardcore punk bands to incorporate Heavy metal into their music.[4] Final Warning were heavily influenced by the second wave of U.K. punk bands such as Discharge and Charged GBH.[5] The group was also known for their anti-war and anti-violence politics.[6]
Post-Final Warning
After Final Warning broke up in 1986, Cunneen played drums and recorded with Portland singer/songwriter Lew Jones.
In 1987, Cunneen joined the Portland, Oregon based punk and blues band The Obituaries (playing drums on the Obituaries EP).
Zipgun
After relocating to Seattle, Washington in 1991, Cunneen played drums with punk rock band Zipgun. Zipgun released several singles, two full-length albums and toured extensively throughout the United States. Zipgun also appeared in the Doug Pray film Hype!, a documentary chronicling the 1990s Seattle Grunge music scene.[7]
DJ Diamondan
In 1994, using the moniker "DJ Diamondan", Cunneen began what would become a two year DJ residency at Linda's Tavern in Seattle. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Cunneen performed at Seattle venues such as Re-bar, The Baltic Room, The Moore Theater and The Capitol Club. Cunneen continues to disc jockey at private parties and corporate events in the Pacific Northwest, playing a mixture of obscure and well-known mid-twentieth century popular music (encompassing jazz. pop, blues and soul) combined with contemporary electronica, hip-hop and Top 40.
Nightcaps
In 1994, Cunneen formed and led the Seattle based Nightcaps. Nightcaps were an early "Cocktail Nation" (or Lounge music) band that was part of the revival of the genre. Nightcaps had an impact on the genre as one of the few resurgent lounge bands that avoided kitsch, and added elements of punk rock and garage rock to their sound.[8]
In addition to playing drums, Cunneen co-produced all the Nightcaps recordings and wrote most of the band's material.[9] Nightcaps released several singles, two full-length albums (including a "Best of" compilation released in Japan) and toured extensively throughout Western United States. Nightcaps played their last show in 2002.
PCBs
In August, 2000 Cunneen began playing drums for the PCBs, the in house band for the Seattle, Washington based law firm Perkins Coie. Throughout the 2000s, the PCBs performed in (and won) several Lawyerpalooza concerts (a Battle of the Bands charity event held annually in Seattle).
In May 2008, the PCBs were selected as regional semi-finalists in the Fortune Battle of the Corporate Bands in Los Angeles, California.[10]
Graphic Design
Cunneen began art direction on the first Final Warning release in 1984. Throughout his musical career, Cunneen was art director and designer for many of the commercial releases and promotional material for the bands he played in. Cunneen continues do freelance design work.
In 1997, Cunneen won the Print Magazine Regional Design Annual "Certificate of Design Excellence" award for Art Direction for Rendezvous Recordings’ Gamblers Game/For Me 45 cover.
Discography
with Final Warning
- 1983 Rain of Death cassette demo (self released)
- 1984 Final Warning (EP) Fatal Erection Records
- 1985 Drinking is Great (EP) (track on compilation: “I Quit”) Fatal Erection Records
- 2007 PDX (CD) Southern Lord Records
- 2008 Final Warning EP (reissue) Black Water Records
with Lew Jones
- 1994 Lew Jones Anthology 1978-1994: Take Me to the Future (CD) (played drums on several tracks) New Weave Records
with Obituaries
- 1988 Obituaries (EP) Highgate Records
- 2007 The Obituaries (anthology CD) (played drums on several tracks) Highgate Records
with Zipgun
- 1991 Together Dumb/Cool in the Cell (single) Empty Records
- 1991 Ten (one sided promo single) Empty Records
- 1992 8 Track Player (CD/LP) Empty Records
- 1992 The End/Nothing Cures (single) Musical Tragedies
- 1993 Put Me Away (split single w/ Derelicts) Rekkids
- 1993 Baltimore (CD/LP) Empty Records
- 1994 I Can't Wait/Tight Black Pants (single) Thrill Jockey Records
with Nightcaps
- 1994 Gambler's Game/For Me (single) Rendezvous Recordings
- 1995 I Don't Like You/Love You More (single) Sup Pop
- 1996 Split (CD) Rendezvous Recordings/Sub Pop
- 1998 You Lied/Last of the Secret Agents (single) Estrus Records
- 2000 Get On (CD) Rendezvous Recordings
- 2002 Spin Out 3 (compilation CD track: “Love You More”) V2 Records (Japan)
- 2003 I Don't Like You (CD) User Records (Japan)
- 2011 In the Live Room (+ the singles) (CD) Rendezvous Recordings
Dan Cunneen
- 2011 The Answer b/w Shoot & Share (single) Rendezvous Recordings
References
- ^ http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p237398
- ^ http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p237398
- ^ http://www.grunnenrocks.nl/people/c/cunneendan.htm
- ^ http://wweek.com/editorial/3445/11524/
- ^ http://hogspeak.blogspot.com/search?q=final+warning
- ^ http://www.portlandmercury.com/music/once-more-with-feeling/Content?oid=899779
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116589/
- ^ http://www.retrospectmag.com/reviews/2004/144-the-nightcaps.html
- ^ http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p237398
- ^ http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/musicnightlife/2008051489_bandbattle15.html
External links
- Dan Cunneen Graphic Design Portfolio
- 2008 Portland Mercury interview with Dan Cunneen
- Feature on the Final Warning reunion in Willamette Week
- Seattle Times feature on the PCBs
- Lawyerpalooza Website
- Final Warning website
- 1984 Final Warning Maximum Rock 'n Roll interview with Pushead
- Dan Cunneen at Allmusic
- Hype! at the Internet Movie Database
Categories:- 1963 births
- Living people
- Musicians from Oregon
- Musicians from Washington (state)
- American punk rock musicians
- American punk rock drummers
- American drummers
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