Pinhead Gunpowder
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| Pinhead Gunpowder | |
|---|---|
| Origin | East Bay, California |
| Genres | Punk rock, garage rock |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Labels | Lookout!, Adeline, Recess |
| Associated acts | |
| Members | |
| Past members |
|
Pinhead Gunpowder is an American punk rock band that formed in East Bay, California, in 1990. The band has consisted of Aaron Cometbus (drums, lyrics), Bill Schneider (bass), Billie Joe Armstrong (guitar, vocals) and Jason White (guitar, vocals) for the majority of its existence. Sarah Kirsch (guitar, vocals), was the original guitarist, in place of White, but left the band citing personal differences with Green Day (the band for which Billie Joe Armstrong is most famous) and their major label debut album Dookie (1994). The band's name comes from a brand of "high octane" green tea served at the Arcata co-op and discovered by Aaron Cometbus during one of his many dumpster diving adventures.
Cometbus, who releases the Cometbus fanzine, has played in many East Bay area bands such as Crimpshrine, Sweet Baby, The Thorns of Life and many more; Schneider is Green Day's former guitar tech and tour manager. Jason White plays additional guitar for Green Day on tour; along with founding the seminal punk rock band Chino Horde. White has played in The Influents as well as The Big Cats. Sarah Kirsch has also been an active member in several East Bay bands such as Fuel, Torches to Rome, Bread and Circuits and many others.
The vast majority of Pinhead Gunpowder's songs were written by Cometbus, although a few songs such as "27", "Anniversary Song" and "New Blood" were written by Billie Joe Armstrong under the pseudonym "Wilhelm Fink".
Pinhead Gunpowder is a very elusive band. Over their 24+ year existence they have only released a few albums and only played 18 shows in total (that are known of). All of these shows have been on the west coast of the USA, mostly in the Bay Area. One of their lead singers, Armstrong, is a member of Green Day and because of that the majority of their time is spent recording and touring for Green Day. Founder, drummer, and lyricist Aaron Cometbus is also busy writing his Cometbus zine, several novels, and in 2014 his first volume of poetry as well as producing artwork and playing in numerous bands. As a result of their busy lives Cometbus wrote that they knew upon forming Pinhead Gunpowder that it would have to be a part-time band that they could all come back to when they had free time.
Contents
Current[edit]
Pinhead Gunpowder performed for the first time in many years during February 2008, debuting three new songs, "Anniversary Song", "West Side Highway", and "On the Ave" .
The band released their latest EP, West Side Highway through Recess Records on August 19, 2008. This marked the band's first new release in 5 years.
Pinhead Gunpowder released a greatest hits album called Kick Over the Traces on June 19, 2009. Also, Pinhead Gunpowder mentioned that in August or September Recess would re-release on vinyl and CD the albums Jump Salty, Carry the Banner, Goodbye Ellston Avenue, Shoot the Moon and Compulsive Disclosure.[1] All of the albums were re-released in assorted colors in early February 2010 through Recess Records. The band performed a benefit show at 924 Gilman Street in Berkeley, California on February 12, 2010.[2][3]
Discography[edit]
Studio albums[edit]
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Goodbye Ellston Avenue | Lookout/Recess |
Extended plays[edit]
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Tründle and Spring | Take a Day |
| 1992 | Fahizah | Lookout |
| 1994 | Carry the Banner | Too Many/Lookout/Recess |
| 1999 | Shoot the Moon | Adeline/Recess |
| 2000 | Dillinger Four / Pinhead Gunpowder | Adeline |
| 2000 | Pinhead Gunpowder | THD |
| 2000 | 8 Chords, 328 Words | Lookout |
| 2008 | West Side Highway | Recess |
Compilation albums[edit]
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Jump Salty | Recess |
| 2003 | Compulsive Disclosure | Lookout/Recess |
| 2009 | Kick Over the Traces | Recess |
Compilation appearances (incomplete)[edit]
| Year | Title | Label | Contributing track |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Very Small World | Very Small | "Losers of the Year" |
| 1992 | Can of Pork | Lookout | "Benicia by the Bay" |
| 1993 | Benicia | Take a Day | "Benicia by the Bay" |
| 1993 | Vinyl Retentive | Very Small | "Beastly Bit" |
| 1994 | Misfit Heartbeat | Take a Day | "I Wanna" |
| 1996 | Lookout Records | Lookout | "I Am the Stranger" |
| 1997 | Humans as Sewage | BBT Tapes | "Swan Song (live)", "Reach for the Bottle (live)", "Nigel Sings" |
| 1997 | The Last Great Thing You Did | Lookout | "Life During Wartime" |
| 2000 | Faux Pas Potpourri - Very Small Records '93-'99 | Very Small | "Reach for the Bottle (live)" |
| 2000 | Might as Well... Can't Dance | Adeline | "Porch" |
| 2001 | Down in Front | No Idea | "Beastly Bit (acoustic)", "Reach for the Bottle (live)", "Swan Song (live)" |
| 2005 | Then Is the New Now | Lookout | "At Your Funeral", "Life During Wartime" |
| 2006 | Second-Hand Suit Jacket Racket | Lookout | "Letter from an Old Friend" |
Band members[edit]
- Current members
- Billie Joe Armstrong - guitar, vocals (1990–present)
- Aaron Cometbus - drums (1990–present)
- Bill Schneider - bass, vocals (1990–present)
- Jason White - guitar, vocals (1994–present)
- Former members
- Sarah Kirsch - guitar, vocals (1990–1994; died 2012)
References[edit]
- ^ "Green Day Authority". Green Day Authority. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
- ^ "Pinhead Gunpowder album reissues". Greendayauthority.com. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
- ^ "Pinhead Gunpowder show recap". Greendayauthority.com. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
External links[edit]
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