Jimmy Pop
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Jimmy Pop | |
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 Pop performing in 2009 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | James Moyer Franks |
| Also known as | Jimmy Pop Ali (1991-1997) |
| Born | August 27, 1972 Trappe, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Genres | Alternative hip hop, comedy rock, punk rock, rap rock, electronica, synthpop |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer, rapper, guitarist, songwriter, composer |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar, keyboard |
| Years active | 1988–present |
James Moyer Franks (born August 27, 1972), better known by the stage name Jimmy Pop (originally Jimmy Pop Ali), is an American musician, singer, rapper, guitarist, songwriter, and composer. He is best known as the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, primary songwriter, and co-founder of the band Bloodhound Gang.
Early life
Pop was born in Trappe, Pennsylvania, the son of Alice Ann (born Moyer) and Richard Lee Franks.[1][2][3] He was raised Lutheran, but ceased practicing as soon as his parents approved his request to do so. He graduated from Perkiomen Valley High School in 1990 and commenced studies in mass communication and history at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he met future Bloodhound Gang bassist Evil Jared Hasselhoff.[4]
He has indicated that he has partial Jewish descent.[5]
Music career
Bang Chamber 8
Pop (then going by his real name) played in a Depeche Mode cover band called Bang Chamber 8 with Mike Bowe (later Daddy Long Legs). Pop played guitar, while Bowe played bass and sang. In 1990, Bang Chamber 8 released a cassette of four original songs: "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "Birthday Boy", "Ice Cubes" and "War Chimes". These songs had nothing in common, lyrically or musically, with the Bloodhound Gang. "War Chimes" was written about Operation Desert Storm and featured a guitar solo from Pop at the end, who also provided the lead vocals. The synth line from "Birthday Boy" would be reused on a Bloodhound Gang track, "I'm the Least You Could Do", in 2005.
Bang Chamber 8 split in 1991. In 1992, Pop and Bowe started a hip-hop group called the Bloodhound Gang.
Bloodhound Gang
Side projects
Pop is a member of a Christmas band called The DiCamillo Sisters, along with Bam Margera, Brandon DiCamillo, and Jess Margera. Pop collaborated with dance artist Tomcraft for a song called "Broadsword Calling Danny Boy" in 2006. The song is featured on Tomcraft's official MySpace. In 2007, Pop collaborated with German group Scooter for a song called "The Shit That Killed Elvis", which was featured on their album The Ultimate Aural Orgasm. Bam Margera can be heard in the song's intro. The song reached number 2 in the German Hip Hop billboards and remained there for two weeks.In 2010, Pop collaborated with German group Die Atzen for an English version of the song "Disco Pogo" which was featured on the Jersey Shore soundtrack.
Acting career
Pop made an appearance in the CKY series of films, during a shopping cart race scene and slap fight in CKY 4. He also appeared in an episode of Viva La Bam titled "Limo vs Lambo", in which Pop borrowed Bam Margera's Lamborghini without telling him, causing Bam Margera to accuse his close friends (specifically Ryan Dunn) of doing the deed. Pop also appeared for a total of about five seconds in the "State of Bam" episode of Viva La Bam. He also appeared in the Viva La Bam episode in which a scavenger hunt took place (which ended in the arrests of himself, Margera, Evil Jared Hasselhoff, and others). He also appeared on the Viva La Bam episode "Rockstars", in which Don Vito and Phil Margera attempt to become rock stars, leading Jimmy Pop to French kiss Don Vito onstage.
Pop can be seen twice in the final episode of Bam's Unholy Union. Pop can first be seen greeting Margera, and is later seen speaking with Dave England. Pop has appeared on The Dudesons, being one of the people throwing darts during the human dart board stunt with Jarppi Leppälä. Pop appeared with fellow Bloodhound Gang member Evil Jared Hasselhoff in the film Minghags: The Movie,[6] directed by Bam Margera. They are credited in the film as "The Bloodhound Gang". The trailer for the movie was shown at most venues on one of the band's UK tour and featured Pop and Evil Jared as part of an ambulance crew. Pop also appears in Bam Margera's movie called Where The#$&% Is Santa?. He appears in the music video for the Oleander song "Boys Don't Cry".
References
- ^ "Jimmy Pop brings R-rated rock". Retrieved 16 August 2016.
- ^ "RICHARD L. FRANKS's Obituary on The Wellsboro Gazette". Retrieved 16 August 2016.
- ^ "Richard-Holcombe-PA - User Trees - Genealogy.com". Retrieved 16 August 2016.
- ^ "James Franks (Jimmy Pop) op Myspace". Myspace.com. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
- ^ Interview with the group on Swedish TV: "...our bassist is half-black and I have Jewish blood running through my veins..."
- ^ Minghags at IMDb
External links
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
- Articles needing cleanup from April 2009
- Cleanup tagged articles without a reason field from April 2009
- Wikipedia pages needing cleanup from April 2009
- 1972 births
- Living people
- People from Trappe, Pennsylvania
- American male singers
- American people of German descent
- American people of Jewish descent
- American rock singers
- Rap rock musicians
- Rappers from Philadelphia
- Bloodhound Gang