Screeching Weasel

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Screeching Weasel
General information
Genre (s) Punk rock , street punk
founding 1986
Founding members
"Ben Weasel"
Electric guitar
 "John Jughead"
"Steve Cheese"

Screeching Weasel (short: SW) is a punk band from Chicago , which was founded in 1986 by singer Ben Weasel.

biography

The band struggled with casting problems from the start and often had to replace members. The only constants in the band line-up from start to finish were singer Ben Weasel and rhythm guitarist “Jughead”; other members who stayed in the band for a long time were drummer "Dan Panic" (1990-1997) and bassist "Dan Vapid", who left the band several times only to join again later.

The band broke up several times in the course of their career and did not re-establish themselves much later. The first breakup took place in 1989 after the second album Boogadaboogadaboogada , but Screeching Weasel found together again the next year. In 1994 the band decided to split up again - the album How To Make Enemies And Irritate People was intended as a farewell album. Ben Weasel founded the Riverdales with Vapid and Panic, with whom he recorded an album and toured in 1995. Nevertheless, in 1996 Screeching Weasel was brought back to life again.

The music of Screeching Weasel was on the first two albums rather rough, faster punk rock. With the third album My Brain Hurts the more melodic, Ramones- influenced pop-punk phase began, which culminated in 1996 on the album Bark Like a Dog . In 1997 Dan Vapid and Dan Panic said goodbye; from 1997 until its breakup in 2001 Screeching Weasel had managed to keep a permanent line-up with Mass Giorgini on bass and Dan Lumley on drums. The sound carriers Major Label Debut ( EP ) and Television City Dream (album), which were recorded with this line-up and which sounded rather aggressive compared to their predecessors , again contain faster and rougher punk, but still melodic in many places. In 1999, Emo, an album was released that puts its value on honest and personal lyrics rather than loud music. With the 2000 album Teen Punks in Heat , the band returned to the previous style.

In 2001 the band broke up for the third time, and each member went their own way. Mass Giorgini and Dan Lumley played together in the bands Squirtgun and Common Rider until Lumley officially announced his exit from the music business in late 2003. Giorgini is also active as a producer of various punk bands. John Jughead founded the acoustic punk band Even in Blackouts , with whom he still makes music today. Ben Weasel released his solo album Fidatevi in 2002 and worked as a book author. He authored two books called Like Hell and Punk is a Four Letter Word . He also founded the band Sweet Black and Blue with Mass Giorgini in 2005 , which broke up quite early. Most of the songs he wrote for Sweet Black and Blue , Ben Weasel then used for his second solo album, These Ones Are Bitter (2007). Since 2009 Screeching Weasel has been giving concerts again with a line-up that includes new members in addition to Ben Weasel and Dan Vapid.

On May 3, 2014, the band played their only concert in Europe at Groezrock .

Discography

EPs

  • 1989: Punkhouse
  • 1991: Pervo-Devo
  • 1992: Happy, Horny, Gay and Sassy
  • 1993: Radio Blast
  • 1993: You Broke My Fucking Heart
  • 1994: Suzanne Is Getting Married
  • 1996: Formula 27
  • 1997: Major Label Debut
  • 1999: Jesus Hates You
  • 2011: Carnival of Schadenfreude

Albums

  • 1987: Screeching Weasel
  • 1988: Boogadaboogadaboogada!
  • 1991: My Brain Hurts
  • 1992: Wiggle
  • 1993: Ramones ( cover version of the entire debut album Ramones by the band of the same name)
  • 1993: Anthem for a New Tomorrow
  • 1994: How to Make Enemies and Irritate People
  • 1996: Bark Like a Dog
  • 1998: Television City Dream
  • 1999: Emo
  • 2000: Teen Punks in Heat
  • 2011: First World Manifesto
  • 2015: Baby Fat Act 1
  • 2020: Some Freaks of Atavism

Compilations

  • 1995: Kill The Musicians (collection of previous EPs, rarities and B-sides )
  • 1998: Beat is on the Brat (re-release of the Ramones album with the EP Formula 27 )
  • 2000: Thank You Very Little (collection of demo versions and outtakes)
  • 2005: Weasel Mania (best of album)

Web links