Man Is the Bastard
Man Is the Bastard was an American hardcore punk band based in Claremont, California. The band existed from 1990 to 1997, releasing mostly vinyl splits, extended plays, and albums on obscure labels from around the world. By 1997, the group ended and members all went on to do other projects, such as the noise group Bastard Noise, which originally started out as a Man Is the Bastard side project. They are typically seen as part of the 1990s powerviolence movement.[1]
Man Is the Bastard | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Charred Remains |
| Origin | Claremont, California, United States |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1990–1997 |
| Labels | Gravity, Vermiform, Deep Six Records, Slap-a-Ham |
| Past members | Henry Barnes Andy Beattie Joel Connell Aaron Kenyon Isreal Lawrence Bill Nelson Eric Wood |
Man Is the Bastard has dissolved but its members are involved with a number of other projects. Wood occasionally performs in the Los Angeles area as Bastard Noise. Kenyon and Connel continue to perform in progressive rock acts such as Frank Booth Youth, Bastard Lounge, ControllingHand, Lux Nova Umbra Est, and Umbra Vita. Andy Beattie continues doing vocals. Staying within his hardcore/powerviolence roots, he has performed/screamed in such bands as Controlling Hand, Low Threat Profile, Infest, Dead Language, featuring members from Iron Lung, and Cave State. His current band, Dead Mans Life (2018) performs the Los Angeles area. His "solo" band, Institute of Infinite Sorrow, is active.
Style
Musical
Man Is the Bastard (aka Charred Remains) has been described as powerviolence (a term that was created by Matt Domino, a member of Eric Wood's previous band Neanderthal),[1][2] hardcore punk,[3] noise rock,[3] and sludge metal. The band's "set up" included two bass guitars, as well as dual vocals, performed by Wood and Kenyon. The band is also notable for their extensive use of noise, even going as far as creating the noise side-project Bastard Noise, which still actively make releases to this day. This heavy noise influence was brought into the band's sound in part by band member Henry Barnes, who brought his electronics into the band's sound.[2] Barnes made his own electronic instruments from scratch.[4] Man Is the Bastard's recordings are characterized by their thin, raw low fidelity production values.
Lyrical
The band's lyrics are often political and dark, with common themes being animal rights, violence, misanthropy, torture, police brutality, starvation, and depression. Man Is the Bastard's lyrical violence was balanced by their adamant advocacy of progressive ideals. This record of political activism resulted in their most widely available album, 1997’s split LP with death row prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal.
Artwork
Artistically most of their releases had a similar design, with their trademark skull on both sides of the words Man Is The Bastard with the release title underneath in quotations. The band's "skull logo" was originally taken from a medical book that Eric Wood was reading.[1][5] Most of their recordings included simplistic liner notes that briefly explained each track's meanings. When artwork was used, it was typically stark, standing out against a basic layout. In 2012 the band Akron/Family used the skull logo for a t-shirt design, to which Eric Wood accused of plagiarism.[5] The band apologized, and both parties made up in agreement.[6]
Influence
The band is now seen as a critical part of the California powerviolence movement.[4] Spazz bassist and operator of Slap-a-Ham Records Chris Dodge has called the group "the most unique band of their day".[7] The indie folk band AJJ reference the group on the track "Do Re and Me" on their 2014 album Christmas Island.[8]
Members
Original line-up
- Eric Wood - vocals, bass
- Joel Connell - drums
- Henry Barnes - guitars, electronics
- Aaron Kenyon - vocals, bass
- Shawn Connell - guitar on Charred Remains / Pink Turds in Space Split EP.
Later members
- Bill Nelson - electronics
- Andrew Beattie - vocals
- Isreal Lawrence - vocals, electronics
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Album Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Sum of the Men: "The Brutality Continues..."
|
First issued as an LP in 1991, later reissued as a compact disc including extra tracks taken from various 7-inch releases |
| 1995 | Thoughtless...
|
First issued in 1995 as an LP. Two versions of the LP was released: one pressed on white vinyl, the other released as a picture disc. Gravity Records later issued the album on CD format in 1996. In 2012, Gravity reissued a remastered version of the album on LP pressed on three colors: orange, purple, and black. |
| 2016 | The Honesty Shop
|
Limited to 400 copies, all on clear candy-colored pink vinyl, housed in a screenprinted, single-pocket jacket with a double-sided, screenprinted lyrics insert. |
Extended plays
| Year | Album Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Abundance of Guns
|
First issued through S.O.A. Records in 1992 in Italy on black and red vinyl. DP later released the 7" in the US in 1993 with different artwork on clear and black vinyl. Deep Six Records reissued the recording as a 10" in 2014, this time pressed on clear and green vinyl with the same artwork as the DP 7" edition. Both the DP and Deep Six editions include the extra track "Regression of Birth". The original S.O.A. 7" would later be released in its entirety as a single track on their 2003 compilation album Old Days Nostalgia. |
| 1992 | Backwards Species
|
First issued through Eccocentric in Germany in 1992, later repressed by Deep Six Records in the US in 2014 on purple, tan, and orange vinyl. |
| 1993 | Our Earth's Blood
|
Released by Vermiform in 1993 in the US. |
| 1993 | Uncivilized Live
|
Collection of tracks recorded live, recorded throughout 1992 at various places: KSPC Radio, Claremount, Ché Café, San Diego, and the Munchies, Pomona. Pressed on green, clear, purple, and pink vinyl. |
| 2015 | The Lost MITB Sessions
|
Features previously unreleased material recorded in 1997. 500 copies were pressed on black vinyl, 400 were pressed on random solid colors, and 100 were pressed as a red/green/orange/yellow mix, or "sunburst". |
Split records
| Year | Album Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Pink Turds In Space/Charred Remains AKA Man Is the Bastard
|
First pressing consisted of 1500 green copies in black-and-white sleeves. Second pressing consists of 500 black copies in red-and-white sleeves. Split with Pink Turds In Space. |
| 1992 | Dis-Corporation/The Power of Hash
|
The first pressing came in photocopied sleeves. The second pressing came in a green photocopied sleeve. The third pressing was a joint release between DP and Deep Six records, which was pressed on purple vinyl. These first three 7" pressings all came out in 1992. Later in 1996, Deep Six repressed the split on green, orange, and purple vinyl. In 2012, the split was reissued as a 10" through Deep Six, mostly on black vinyl, although 70 mail-order translucent pink copies were pressed as well. Split with Aunt Mary. |
| 1992 | "The Brutality Continues..."
|
Pressed on black, clear, and translucent yellow vinyl. Split with UND. |
| 1992 | Crossed Out/Man Is the Bastard
|
First pressing consisted of 2000 black copies, 1000 packaged in blue sleeves, 1000 packaged in red sleeves. A second pressing was made, with alternative artwork that resembles closely to the band's "uniform" artwork style. The second press consists of pink, green, blue, and grey colored vinyl copies. Split with Crossed Out. |
| 1993 | Bleeding Rectum/Man Is the Bastard
|
First issued as a split LP in 1993 by DP. Deep Six would later repress the album in 2013 on black and blue marbled vinyl. Split with Bleeding Rectum. |
| 1993 | >>Under the Surface: Smashed Visions<<
|
Released by Farewell Records in Germany in 1993 as an edition of 2000: 1700 black copies, 300 pink copies. Split with Pink Flamingos. |
| 1993 | Sanctity of Oil
|
Released in 1993 by DP as a 7" pressed on black and orange vinyl. In 2013, Deep Six reissued the split as a 10" on brown, green, and orange vinyl. Split with Bizarre Uproar. |
| 1994 | Throne of Apprehension/Provoked Behavior
|
1200 copies had black-and-white cover art, 300 copies had red-and-white art, and an unknown number of copies came in purple-and-white cover art. Split with Agathocles. |
| 1994 | Capitalist Casualties/Man Is the Bastard
|
First issued by Six Weeks in 1994. Later repressed in 2009 on black and grey vinyl. The grey edition was limited to 200 copies. Split with Capitalistic Casualties. |
| 1994 | A Call For Consciousness
|
Split with Born Against. Test pressings were pressed on 10" vinyl. |
| 1995 | Man Is the Bastard/Sinking Body
|
Split with Sinking Body. |
| 1995 | Our Earth's Blood Pt.2
|
Pressed on black, translucent red, yellow/red mix, and yellow. Yellow copies were an edition of 150 and were packaged in alternative artwork. Split with The Locust. |
| 1997 | Mumia Abu-Jamal Spoken Word With Music By Man Is The Bastard
|
As well as being a split with Mumia Abu-Jamal, the recording features contributions by Assata Shakur, Allen Ginsberg, Jello Biafra, and Bob Dole. |
| 1997 | Nazi Drunks Fuck Off/Native American Life'
|
Split LP with Bastard Noise, a noise project featuring members of Man Is the Bastard. The split compiles various live recordings performed between the years 1994 to 1996. Released in edition of 500 through Vibrator Records in Japan. |
Compilation albums
| Year | Album Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | D.I.Y.C.D.
|
Compilation album containing material released on early 7" releases. Later repressed in 2006 by Deep Six. |
| 2000 | Mancruel
|
Compilation containing material previously released on the band's split with Bleeding Rectum and Capitalist Casualties, as well as previously unreleased Bastard Noise material. |
| 2013 | First Music/First Noise
|
Features tracks taken from the band's splits with Pink Turds In Space and UND. Pressed on black and blue vinyl. |
| 2015 | A Call For Consciousness/Our Earth's Blood
|
Contains material from the band's split with Born Against as well as the entire Our Earth's Blood 7". Pressed on black and green vinyl. |
| 2016 | Under the Surface/Smashed Visions/Anger And English/De-Programming The Bigot
|
Pressed on purple vinyl. |
Compilation appearances
| Year | Album Details | Song(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Son Of Bllleeeeaaauuurrrrgghhh!
|
"Autopsy of Authority" |
| 1992 | In the Spirit of Total Resistance
|
"Homo Afflictus" |
| 1993 | Fear of Smell
|
"Combat Weed" |
| 1993 | Revive Us Again: The Voices of Inspiration of a Machination World
|
"Funeral For Fargo" "Goodbye" |
| 1994 | Cataclastic Fracture (A Noise Collection)
|
"Human Plecostomus" |
| 1994 | No Desire To Continue Living
|
"Chubby" "Military Prayer" |
| 1995 | Golden Shower of 72 Hits'
|
"...Telephone Call To Lost And Found" |
| 1995 | Cry Now, Cry Later Volume 3
|
"Faces of the Men" |
| 1995 | Anger And English
|
"Tomb Ride" "Mr. Wilson" "Flying Limbs" |
| 1995 | KXLU 88.9FM Los Angeles Live Volume 1
|
"Slay or Slander" |
| 1996 | Reality
|
"Tomb Ride" |
| 1997 | Reality Part 2
|
"Untitled" |
| 1998 | Reproach (8 Modern Hardcore Bands Cover Negative Approach)
|
"Dead Stop" |
| 1998 | Cry Now, Cry Later Volumes 3 & 4
|
"Faces of the Men" |
| 1998 | Under Your Influence
|
"Man Is the Bastard" |
| 1998 | Ham Slappin' Hits!
|
"Stocks" "Autopsy of Authority" |
| 2003 | Old Days Nostalgia
|
The entirety of the Abundance of Guns 7" as a single track. |
| 2009 | A Product of Six Cents II
|
"No Concern For the Inhuman" |
References
- Knight, James. "Eric Wood From Man Is The Bastard". www.vice.com. Vice. Retrieved 2008-09-30.
- n/a (14 February 2012). "An Oral History of Powerviolence (Interview with Eric Wood)". lioncitydiy.blogspot.com. Lion City DIY. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
- Torreano, Bradley. "Man Is the Bastard Biography". allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
- n/a (2010-11-08). "Exclusive Interview with Eric Wood from Man Is The Bastard". zannmusic.com.ar. Zann's Music. Retrieved 2017-04-05.
- Battan, Carrie (24 January 2012). "Man Is the Bastard Accuse Akron/Family of Ripping Off Their Skull Logo For T-Shirts". pitchfork.com. Pitchfork. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
- n/a (2012-03-11) (15 March 2012). "An Interview with Eric Wood". brooklynvegan.com. Brooklyn Vegan. Retrieved 2017-04-28.
- Ivers (2008-03-20), Brandon (20 March 2008). "What Is It?: Powerviolence". xlr8r.com. XLR8R. Retrieved 2017-04-28.
- Smith (2014-05-29), Robin. "Getting Naked, Playing With Guns: Interview With Andrew Jackson Jihad". popmatters.com. Pop Matters. Retrieved 2017-04-28.