Screeching Weasel

Screeching Weasel

Screeching Weasel is an American punk rock band originally from Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1986 by Ben Weasel and John Jughead. Since their formation, Screeching Weasel has broken up and reformed numerous times with numerous line-up changes. Ben Weasel has been the only constant member, though Jughead was present in every incarnation of the band until 2009. Other prominent members include guitarist/bassist Dan Vapid and drummer Dan Panic, who have each appeared on six of the band's studio albums, and Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt who was briefly a member of the band.

Screeching Weasel have recorded 12 studio albums, splitting time between a number of famous independent record labels such as Lookout! Records and their current label, Fat Wreck Chords. Despite never achieving mainstream success, a number of largely popular acts cite them as influential.

History

Early years (1986-1989)

In 1986, Ben Foster and John Pierson were inspired to start a band after attending a Ramones concert. Foster (who played bass and sang) rechristened himself "Ben Weasel", while Pierson, a guitarist, dubbed himself "John Jughead". The duo recruited Steve Dubick as drummer who went by the alias of Steve Cheese to complete the band.

The band originally called themselves All Night Garage Sale but changed their name to Screeching Weasel, a variation of a name a friend had suggested, Screaming Otter, which was a reference to a t-shirt that read, "I'VE GOT A SCREAMING OTTER IN MY PANTS!". Shortly after their formation, Ben decided it was too difficult to play bass and sing at the same time, so Vince Vogel, who took the stage name "Vinnie Bovine" joined as the band's bassist. The band recorded their debut album, Screeching Weasel, in one night for $200 and released it on Chicago label Underdog Records in 1987.

In 1988, Vinnie Bovine was kicked out of the band and was replaced with Warren Fischer, better known as Fish, and former member of the band Ozzfish. The band recorded their second album, Boogadaboogadaboogada!, which featured Ben playing second guitar (he would later say that he only played on about a quarter of the songs) and made a name for themselves by opening a show for Operation Ivy at 924 Gilman Street. Steve Cheese was fired from the band shortly after the recording because of his unwillingness to tour outside of Chicago and was replaced by Aaron Cometbus for two shows who then was replaced by Brian Vermin. Boogadaboogadaboogada! was released in late 1988 on Roadkill Records, a label formed by investor David Best and managed by Ben Weasel following an introduction of the two by producer Mass Giorgini.

After what Weasel described as a "disastrous" tour, Fish quit and was replaced by Dan Schafer, originally nick-named "Sewercap" and later renamed Danny Vapid. The new band members recorded an EP titled Punkhouse for Limited Potential Records soon after that. The band ended up recording four more songs in 1989 that ended up on compilations, featuring a second guitarist Doug Ward, who also joined the band for several live shows. Screeching Weasel disbanded when Vermin and Vapid stated that they wanted to quit the band to concentrate on their side project, Sludgeworth.

First reformation (1991-1994)

After the break-up, Weasel and Jughead formed a new band called The Gore Gore Girls, and Ben briefly performed in the original incarnation of The Vindictives. In 1991, the members of Screeching Weasel reunited for what was intended as a one-off gig to pay off debts the band incurred from the recording of Boogadaboogadaboogada!. The line-up consisted of Ben, Jughead, Vapid, Vermin, and Ward. After the show, Vapid discussed the idea of reforming Screeching Weasel with Jughead. All of the band's members agreed to reform, with the exceptions of Brian Vermin and Douglas Ward. To replace Vermin, drummer Dan Panic (Dan Sullivan) was brought in. Before recording their next album, 1991's My Brain Hurts for Lookout! Records, Ben Weasel decided that he wanted to focus on singing and would no longer be playing guitar in the band. Vapid switched instruments from bass to guitar, and former Gore Gore Girls bassist Dave Naked joined the band. The recording sessions for the album also produced the Pervo Devo EP.

After recording My Brain Hurts, Dave Naked was fired from the band and Scott "Gub" Conway, Panic's former bandmate, was brought in as the band's bassist to tour. After the tour, Johnny Personality of The Vindictives became the band's bassist, as Gub was committed to another band. By late 1992, the band had recorded the follow up to My Brain Hurts, Wiggle, which also marked their first collaboration with producer Mass Giorgini, who went on to produce the vast majority of the Screeching Weasel catalog, and also became the bassist of the band from 1998-2004. Personality then left the band to focus on The Vindictives. Instead of adding a new member, Weasel moved back to guitar, and Vapid moved back to bass.

The band was then asked to record a cover of an entire Ramones album, 1992's Ramones, followed later that year by Anthem for a New Tomorrow. Shortly after the record's release, Ben decided that he no longer wanted to play live, and Vapid quit after falling out with the rest of the band. Screeching Weasel enlisted the help of Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt to record what they intended to be their final album. After 1994's How to Make Enemies and Irritate People was released, the band broke up for the second time.

Second reformation (1996-2001)

Following the second breakup, Weasel, Vapid, and Panic formed the band The Riverdales and experienced some notoriety touring with Green Day. By 1996 they rejoined with Jughead and recorded a new Screeching Weasel album Bark Like a Dog for Fat Mike's Fat Wreck Chords label. The album reached 34th place on the Billboard Heatseekers list, making it their highest charting album. However, both Vapid and Panic left by mutual decision after the recording, and Weasel and Jughead decided to go on without them, adding bassist Mass Giorgini (who had served as the band's producer in the past) and drummer Dan Lumley. Weasel also decided for the second time that he no longer wanted to play guitar, so guitarist Zac Damon was added.

In 1998, this new line-up recorded the Major Label Debut EP; the first release on Panic Button Records, a label Ben and John had formed that year and quickly followed it with Television City Dream. Their next release, 1999's Emo, featured the same line-up minus Zac Damon, who was unable to record due to school commitments at the time. In 2000 the band brought in Phillip Hill as a second guitarist and recorded what would be their final album, Teen Punks in Heat. After the album, Screeching Weasel made their first live appearances since 1993, playing 30 minute matinees at Chicago's House of Blues. The band broke up for the third—and allegedly final—time on July 6, 2001, due to Jughead's frustration of a lack of touring.

Hiatus and Brief Third Reformation

After the third breakup, Jughead started a new band called Even in Blackouts, while Ben released a solo album titled Fidatevi, and new Riverdales album, Phase Three.

Both Ben and Jughead authored books seemingly related to Screeching Weasel. In 2001, Ben Weasel published Like Hell, the account of a fictional punk band called Pagan Icons and the life of their frontman, Joe Pagan. Jughead released Weasels in a Box, his admittedly fictionalized account of Screeching Weasel's history. Both books were published by Hope And Nonthings, a publishing house run by Jughead. Jughead also continued his membership with the Neo-Futurists, a theater group he has written and performed with since 1997, appearing in a show called Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind.

In 2004, Ben rescinded all of the Screeching Weasel masters from Lookout! Records in the wake of long-running financial and personal conflicts. The masters were subsequently licensed to and reissued by Asian Man Records. That same year a line-up consisting of Ben Weasel, Jughead, and multi-year Screeching Weasel veterans Dan Vapid, Mass Giorgini, and Dan Lumley came together to play surprise sets at the Chicago club The Fireside Bowl. According to Ben Weasel, there was an intention to tour that year, but "the offers just weren't there".

Ben released a second solo album, These Ones Are Bitter, in 2007, and gave his first solo live performance at that years Insubordination Fest in Baltimore. During his set, backed up by The Guts, he was joined on stage by Dan Vapid for several Screeching Weasel and Riverdales songs. Ben Weasel and Dan Vapid also played two shows in August 2008 at Reggie's Rock Club in Chicago, playing the entirety of My Brain Hurts as well as other songs by Screeching Weasel, The Riverdales, and from Ben Weasel's solo albums.

Fourth reformation (2009-2011)

In March 2009, Ben Weasel announced on his blog that he had reformed Screeching Weasel. For the first time, the band features a lineup without John Jughead, although longtime member Dan Vapid has rejoined. Ben wrote:

"I really want to give you the lowdown on the SW re-formation but there's honestly not a lot to say. Legal issues prevented me from doing my own band on my own terms over the past couple of years but thankfully those problems are all resolved now. The kind of stuff happens sometimes. I won't deny that those problems - which were really just the culmination of many years of a lot of other b.s. - left a foul taste in my mouth about SW. But now that all the headaches are behind me I'm feeling great about it. I'm finally running my own band again and I'm really happy and excited to be back at it. I've got a killer line-up comprised of myself, Danny Vapid, Simon Lamb (the Ritalins), Justin Perkins (Yesterday's Kids) and Adam Cargin (Blueheels) (he's also the new Riverdales drummer) and we've got a great set list."

In response to the resurrection of the Screeching Weasel name without his involvement, Jughead released the following statement via his MySpace page:

If it weren’t for the fact that I actually enjoy conversing with the fans of my prior bands, I would never have found out about a new band called Screeching Weasel beginning to tour. “This can’t be the band I was in.” I say to myself. “I would have been preparing.” My mind would much prefer going to a place of calm contemplation than into a dark cold room filled with anger and the emotions associated with betrayal. So to avoid painful emoting I first took the facts that Ben and I started a band together called Screeching Weasel, we both spent all our days making that band a home for ourselves, and 18 years later we put it to rest. This along with the statement made by both me and Ben on many occasions that the band wouldn’t be Screeching Weasel without either of us, makes me assume that this band playing isn’t Screeching Weasel, because I don’t recall having kicked myself out of the band. So it seems logical that this is not Screeching Weasel. If it were I would have to admit that I longer [sic] have friends named Ben Foster or Dan Schafer. As for people like Ben Weasel, Dan Vapid, or even John Jughead, I have nothing to say, because they never really existed, they were just made up names for a bunch of friends that tried to do something different in order to survive and make a living in this world. And I imagine they are all still trying to make a living somehow, seeing that their band’s prominent “leader” never wanted to tour in order to make it financially viable to continue on.

Ben later revealed the split with Jughead was the result of two-year long legal battle over Screeching Weasel's business affairs and, although they were resolved, Ben said "it was not an amicable split" and that "things had gone way, way past the point of no return in terms of our friendship and any semblance of a working relationship anymore".

In November 2009, Mike Park of Asian Man Records announced that Ben had decided to sever his relationship with the label and that Recess Records would be carrying the Screeching Weasel, Riverdales and Ben Weasel solo back catalogues.

On November 30, 2010, Ben Weasel appeared on "Last Call with Carson Daly" to talk about his personal problems and the 10+ years hiatus of Screeching Weasel.

On December 7, 2010, it was announced that Screeching Weasel will release a new album on March 15, 2011, the band's first album in eleven years. The album will be titled First World Manifesto and will be released on Fat Wreck Chords. It will contain 14 new songs and is produced by Mike Kennerty of The All-American Rejects. It was announced that the label will also be released the back catalogs of Screeching Weasel, the Riverdales, and Ben Weasel.

On March 23, 2011, the punk rock news website Punknews.org posted a statement from the four backing members of Screeching Weasel, Dan Schafer, Adam Cargin, Justin Perkins and Drew Fredrichsen announcing their resignation. In their statement, the four members said, "The un-calculated act put forth by Ben "Weasel" Foster leading up to and including the violence that erupted on stage is seen by the band as shameful and embarrassing. The sentiments and actions expressed were completely out of our control and in no way represent the band members' view points or moral compasses. As a result, the band has discussed at length and has come to the conclusion that as a group we will not likely be able to muster the dignity to attempt a live performance as "Screeching Weasel" in the for-seeable future. We each look forward to re-evaluating our involvement in the band as we move forward if we are given the opportunity."

Musical style and influence

In addition to the Ramones, Ben Weasel credits bands like Black Flag, D.O.A., The Dickies and Zero Boys for laying the groundwork for Screeching Weasel. Much like the Ramones, Screeching Weasel's common lyrical themes include girls and mental health problems (Weasel suffered from anxiety). While Weasel has been the sole writer of the majority of the bands catalogue, a number of songs list Vapid, Jughead, or Queers frontman Joe King as co-writers.

Many subsequent punk and pop punk bands who have experienced mainstream success cite Screeching Weasel as an influence. Blink-182 covered the bands song "The Girl Next Door" on their album Buddha, with Blink-182 guitarist Tom Delonge calling them one of the biggest influences on his songwriting. Other influenced bands include Green Day (whose bassist famously played in Screeching Weasel), The All-American Rejects (whose guitarist Mike Kennerty produced "First World Manifesto"), fellow Chicago bands Rise Against and Alkaline Trio, and popular ska punk band Less Than Jake.

Additionally a number of independent punk bands like The Apers, The Leftovers, The Manges, and The Unlovables cite the band as influential.

Members

• Ben Weasel (Vocals/Guitar) (1986–2001, 2004, 2009–Present)
• John Jughead (Guitar) (1986–2001, 2004)
• Vinnie Bovine (Bass) (1986–1988)
• Steve Cheese (Drums) (1986–1988)
• Aaron Cometbus (Drums) (1988, two shows)
• Warren Fish (Bass) (1988–1989)
• Brian Vermin (Drums) (1988–1990)
• Dan Vapid (Guitar/Bass) (1989–1994, 1996, 2004, 2009–2011)
• Doug Ward (Guitar) (1989)
• Dave Naked (Bass) (1991–1992)
• Scott "Gub" Conway (Bass) (1992)
• Dan Panic (Drums) (1991–1996)
• Johnny Personality (Bass) (1992)
• Mass Giorgini (Bass) (1994, 1996–2001, 2004)
• Mike Dirnt (Bass) (1994)
• Dan Lumley (Drums) (1996–2001, 2004)
• Zac Damon (Guitar) (1997–1998)
• Phillip Hill (Guitar) (2000–2001)
• Simon Lamb (Guitar) (2009–2010)
• Justin Perkins (Bass) (2009–2011)
• Adam Cargin (Drums) (2009–2011)
• Drew Fredrichsen (Guitar) (2010–2011)

Discography

Studio albums

Year	Title	Label	Line up	Notes
1987	Screeching Weasel	Underdog Records	Ben Weasel - Vocals John Jughead - Guitar Vinnie Bovine - Bass Steve Cheese - Drums	Issued in 1988 on Vinyl under What Goes On Records; Re-issued in 1997 by VML Records, with additional demos and unreleased tracks
1988	Boogadaboogadaboogada!	Roadkill	Ben Weasel - Vocals John Jughead - Guitar Warren Ozzfish - Bass Steve Cheese - Drums	Original Roadkill release had no text on the cover and had a Pink background; Released on Wetspots in the UK with an alternate cover (Paperboy Flippin' The Bird), re-issued by Lookout in 1992 (Green Cover), re-mastered and re-issued by Asian Man Records in 2005. Reissued on vinyl (Pink Cover - Multi-Color Vinyl) Released by Recess Records in 2008.
1991	My Brain Hurts	Lookout!	Ben Weasel - Vocals John Jughead - Guitar Dan Vapid - Guitar Dave Naked - Bass Dan Panic - Drums	Original Lookout release (CD & Vinyl) had Blue Text on the cover); Re-mastered and re-issued by Asian Man Records in 2005 (CD released with Pink Text); re-issued on Multi-Colored Vinyl with an alternate cover (Mad-Science Bug) by Recess Records in 2009.
1992	Ramones	Selfless	Ben Weasel - Guitar, Vocals John Jughead - Guitar Dan Vapid - Bass Dan Panic - Drums	A cover of the entire first Ramones album; 1,700 pressed (1400 black vinyl, 300 white vinyl); 300 re-pressed in 1993; out of print. Re-released on Panic Button Records as Beat Is on the Brat in 1998.
1993	Wiggle	Lookout!	Ben Weasel - Vocals John Jughead - Guitar Dan Vapid - Guitar Johnny Personality - Bass Dan Panic - Drums	Recorded in 1992, not released until the next year, re-mastered and re-issued by Asian Man Records in 2005
1993	Anthem for a New Tomorrow	Lookout!	Ben Weasel - Guitar, Vocals John Jughead - Guitar Dan Vapid - Bass Dan Panic - Drums	Re-mastered and re-issued by Asian Man Records in 2005
1994	How to Make Enemies and Irritate People	Lookout!	Ben Weasel - Guitar, Vocals John Jughead - Guitar Mike Dirnt - Bass Dan Panic - Drums	Re-mastered and re-issued by Asian Man Records in 2005
1996	Bark Like a Dog	Fat Wreck Chords	Ben Weasel - Guitar, Vocals John Jughead - Guitar Dan Vapid - Bass Dan Panic - Drums
1998	Television City Dream	Fat Wreck Chords	Ben Weasel - Vocals John Jughead - Guitar Zac Damon - Guitar Mass Giorgini - Bass Dan Lumley - Drums	Features cover art by Aldo Giorgini, noted Italian artist, and father of Screeching Weasel bassist-producer Mass Giorgini
1999	Emo	Panic Button	Ben Weasel - Vocals, Guitar John Jughead - Guitar Mass Giorgini - Bass Dan Lumley - Drums
2000	Teen Punks in Heat	Panic Button / Lookout!	Ben Weasel - Vocals John Jughead - Guitar Phillip Hill - Guitar Mass Giorgini - Bass Dan Lumley - Drums
2011	First World Manifesto	Fat Wreck Chords	Ben Weasel - lead vocals Dan Vapid - guitar, vocals Drew Fredrichsen - guitar Justin Perkins - bass Adam Cargin - drums	First album in 11 years

Compilation albums

Year	Title	Label	Lineup	Other Information
1995	Kill the Musicians	Lookout!		Collection of demo, rare, out of print, and live material
1998	Beat Is on the Brat	Panic Button / Lookout!		Combination of Ramones and Formula 27
2000	Thank You Very Little	Panic Button / Lookout!		Double CD; more b-sides, rarities, and live material
2005	Weasel Mania	Fat Wreck Chords		Best-of compilation, with 34 songs selected by [[Ben Weasel] - (Released on Vinyl in 2010 in a limited pressing)]

EPs

Year	Title	Label	Other information
1988	Screeching Weasel / Moving Targets Split	What Goes On Records	Originally released with no cover; Out Of Print
1989	Punkhouse	Limited Potential	re-issued in 1991 by No Budget Records; re-issued in 1993 by Selfless Records; out of print
1991	Pervo Devo	Shred of Dignity	2500 originally pressed and released with the final issue of Ben Weasel's sex-themed fanzine, Teen Punks in Heat; 450 pressed in 1992, and the label name had changed to Outpunk; out of print
1992	Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions	Selfless	on-air performance at WFMU in New Jersey; 1500 pressed on blue vinyl, features tour bassist Scott "Gub" Conway, out of print
1992	Happy, Horny, Gay and Sassy	Selfless	Essentially a repress of the previous EP, with 3 extra songs from the Pervo Devo EP on a second, one-sided 7" record; 300 pressed on pink vinyl with two covers, one the same as the previous record and the second being a graphic close up of a man performing oral sex on another man; out of print
1993	Screeching Weasel / Pink Lincolns Split	VML	1500 pressed, out of print
1993	Radio Blast	Underdog	2000 pressed, out of print
1993	You Broke My Fucking Heart	Lookout!	out of print
1994	Screeching Weasel / Born Against Split	Lookout!	out of print
1994	Suzanne Is Getting Married	Lookout!	Mike Dirnt from Green Day plays bass on one track, Mass Giorgini on the other; out of print
1996	Formula 27	Veriform	later reissued on Lookout! / Panic Button; leftovers from the Bark Like a Dog sessions; out of print
1998	Major Label Debut	Lookout! / Panic Button	first Panic Button release
1999	Jesus Hates You	Probe	picture disc; all cover songs (Stooges, Subhumans, Stiff Little Fingers)

Other contributions

Year	Title	Label	Contributing Track(s) / Other Info
1989	What Are You Pointing At?	Very Small Records	"Kamala's Too Nice", "I Wanna Be a Homosexual"
1989	There's a Fungus Amongus	What the Fuck?	"Slogans"
1989	They Don't Get Paid, They Don't Get Laid, but Boy, Do They Work Hard	Maximumrocknroll	"This Bud's for Me"
1990	Achtung Chicago	Underdog	"Teenage Slumber Party"
1992	Four Two Pudding	Very Small Records	"Kamala's Too Nice", "I Wanna Be a Homosexual"; CD release of What Are You Pointing At? 10"; re-released in 1998 with new artwork
1993	It's a Punk Thing, You Wouldn't Understand	Shakefork	"Celena"
1994	Fallen Upon Deaf Ears	Skullduggery	"Soap Opera"
1994	Chairman of the Bored	Grass	"Chicago"
1994	Punk USA	Lookout	"My Friends Are Getting Famous"
1997	Physical Fatness - Fat Music Volume III	Fat Wreck Chords	"Cool Kids"
1999	Four on the Floor	Lookout! / Panic Button	"Shut the Hell Up", "Punk Rock Explained", "Video", "Crybaby"
1999	Life in the Fat Lane - Fat Music Volume IV	Fat Wreck Chords	"Dummy Up"
1999	Return of the Read Menace	G7 Welcoming Committee Records	"My Own World"
1999	Short Music for Short People	Fat Wreck Chords	"Dirty Needles"
2000	Liberation Sucks	Liberation	"California Sucks"
2000	Lookout Freakout	Lookout / Panic Button	"Acknowledge"
2001	Lookout Freakout - Episode 2	Lookout	"Pauline"

References

• Screeching Weasel at AllMusic

External links

• Ben Weasel's weblog
• Official Screeching Weasel website
• Interview with Danny Vapid
• Screeching Weasel guitar tabs
• Interview with Ben Weasel
• Review of John Jughead's novel about being in Screeching Weasel