Pinhead Gunpowder

Pinhead Gunpowder is an American punk rock band that formed in East Bay, California, in 1991. The band currently consists of Aaron Cometbus (drums, lyrics), Bill Schneider (bass), Billie Joe Armstrong (guitar, vocals) and Jason White (guitar, vocals). 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.

This article is about the band. For the green tea variety, see Gunpowder tea.
Pinhead Gunpowder
OriginEast Bay, California
Genres
Years active1991–present
LabelsLookout!, Adeline, Recess
Members
Past members
  • Sarah Kirsch

History

Pinhead Gunpowder was founded in Arcata, California, in January 1991 by Aaron Cometbus and Jon Quittner.[2] Cometbus wanted the name "Pinhead Gunpowder", while Quittner wanted to call it "50 Foot Hesher". Along with vocalist Doug "Douggie Grime" Rogers and bassist David "Atlas" Kimmel, the band played once at a party where Cometbus snapped his bass pedal in half in the middle of the set. Shortly after the show, Cometbus moved back to Berkeley, taking the name of the band and some of the songs with him. Quittner stayed in Arcata with the band and they changed their name to 50 Foot Hesher and acquired a new drummer. A few months later, Quittner left the band and the remaining members changed the name to "Lank".

Back in Berkeley, Cometbus formed the second incarnation of Pinhead Gunpowder with Bill Schneider and Sarah Kirsch[3] of The Skinflutes, and Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day.[4] In June 1991, they recorded their first EP, Tründle and Spring. It was not until April of the following year that the band played their first live show at Punks With Presses in Oakland along with Rancid and The Gr'Ups. The band then released their second EP, Fahizah. In 1993, Kirsch left the band citing personal differences with Armstrong's decision to sign to a major label with Green Day. Kirsch was replaced by Jason White of Chino Horde. Shortly after, the band embarked on a week long tour of Northern California, Oregon, and Washington in the winter of 1994.

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.[2]

Pinhead Gunpowder released a greatest hits album called Kick Over the Traces on June 19, 2009.[2][5] 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.[6] All of the albums were re-released in assorted colors in early February 2010 through Recess Records, but quickly recalled and destroyed at the request of the band due to issues with the vinyl pressing. The band last performed at a benefit show at 924 Gilman Street in Berkeley, California on February 12, 2010.[7][8]

Band member, Sarah Kirsch, died in 2012, who had been had been diagnosed with Fanconi anemia, a genetic disorder that can cause leukemia and other cancers.[3]

In March 2021. the band re-issued their entire discography on vinyl.[9][10]

Band members
Current members
Former members
  • Sarah Kirsch - guitar, vocals (1991–1994; died 2012)[3]

Songwriting

Aaron Cometbus is the primary writer of Pinhead Gunpowder's songs. During Pinhead Gunpowder's first incarnation, Cometbus and Quittner wrote a handful of songs together, including "In Control", "Losers of the Year", "Certain Things", "Brother", "I Used To", "Stab You in the Eye", and "Cuidado" (The last two songs released by Quittner and Cometbus under the band name "Mundt"). Cometbus often borrows songs recorded by his other bands to release as Pinhead Gunpowder songs, including "Train Station" from Shotwell Coho, "The Great Divide" from Redmond Shooting Stars, "Asheville" from Cleveland Bound Death Sentence, and "On the Ave" and "Landlords" from Astrid Oto. Only three Pinhead Gunpowder songs have been written by Billie Joe Armstrong, under the name "Wilhelm Fink". Those are "27", "New Blood", and "Anniversary Song".

Influences

The bands influences are Ramones, Joni Mitchell, The Replacements, Generation X, Swiz, Code Of Honor, Avengers, and Cheap Trick. They have also done cover versions of many of the songs by these bands or artists.[11]

Discography

Studio albums
YearTitleLabel
1997Goodbye Ellston AvenueLookout/Recess

Extended plays
Year Title Label
1991Tründle and SpringTake a Day
1992FahizahLookout
1994Carry the BannerToo Many/Lookout/Recess
1999Shoot the MoonAdeline/Recess
2000Dillinger Four / Pinhead GunpowderAdeline
2000Pinhead GunpowderTHD
20008 Chords, 328 WordsLookout
2008West Side HighwayRecess

Compilation albums
YearTitleLabel
1994Jump SaltyRecess
2003Compulsive DisclosureLookout/Recess
2009Kick Over the TracesRecess[2]

Compilation appearances
YearTitleLabelContributing track
1991Very Small WorldVery Small"Losers of the Year"
1992Can of PorkLookout"Benicia by the Bay"
1993BeniciaTake a Day"Benicia by the Bay"
1993Vinyl RetentiveVery Small"Beastly Bit"
1994Misfit HeartbeatTake a Day"I Wanna"
1996Lookout RecordsLookout"I Am the Stranger"
1997Humans as SewageBBT Tapes"Swan Song (live)", "Reach for the Bottle (live)", "Nigel Sings"
1997The Last Great Thing You DidLookout"Life During Wartime"
2000Faux Pas Potpourri - Very Small Records '93-'99Very Small"Reach for the Bottle (live)"
2000Might as Well... Can't DanceAdeline"Porch"
2001Down in FrontNo Idea"Beastly Bit (acoustic)", "Reach for the Bottle (live)", "Swan Song (live)"
2005Then Is the New NowLookout"At Your Funeral", "Life During Wartime"
2006Second-Hand Suit Jacket RacketLookout"Letter from an Old Friend"

References
  1. "Pinhead Gunpowder issues "Greatest Hits"". Consequence of Sound. 17 June 2009. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  2. "6 Bands You Didn't Know Were Green Day". Showbiz Cheat Sheet. 2021-02-06. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  3. "R.I.P. Sarah Kirsch of Pinhead Gunpowder, Fuel, Torches to Rome | Exclaim!". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  4. "5 Bands That Started as Side Projects". Music Times. 2020-06-02.
  5. "Pinhead Gunpowder detail 'Kick Over The Traces'". punknews.org. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  6. "Green Day Authority". Green Day Authority. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
  7. "Pinhead Gunpowder album reissues". Greendayauthority.com. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
  8. "Pinhead Gunpowder show recap". Greendayauthority.com. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
  9. "Billie Joe Armstrong's Pinhead Gunpowder to reissue entire discography on vinyl". NME. 2021-03-23. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  10. Ruskin, Zack (October 5, 2021). "East Bay punk supergroup Pinhead Gunpowder releases long-awaited reissues". Datebook | San Francisco Arts & Entertainment Guide. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  11. "Pinhead Gunpowder's Jason White discusses 10 of the band's biggest influences". BrooklynVegan. 2021-04-29. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
Wikiquote has quotations related to Pinhead Gunpowder.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.