Pinhead Gunpowder
Encyclopedia
Pinhead Gunpowder is an American punk rock
band formed 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. Mike 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 serendipitously 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
. Schneider is now Green Day's guitar tech and tour manager. Jason White
plays additional guitar for Green Day; along with founding the seminal punk rock band Chino Horde
. White has played in The Influents
as well as The Big Cats. Mike 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".
The band released their latest EP, West Side Highway
through Recess Records
on August 19, 2008. This marks 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
,. All of the albums were re-released in varying 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.
12010 Re-release label version
2Originally released on vinyl by Too Many Records and later released on CD by Lookout! Records
Former members
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band formed East Bay
East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)
The East Bay is a commonly used, informal term for the lands on the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay, in the San Francisco Bay Area, in California, United States...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, in 1990. The band has consisted of Aaron Cometbus
Aaron Cometbus
Aaron Elliott , better known as Aaron Cometbus, is an American drummer, lyricist, self-described "punk anthropologist," novelist, and author of punk rock zine Cometbus.-Personal life:...
(drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
), Bill Schneider
Bill Schneider (musician)
Bill Schneider is an American musician. He has played bass in the punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder since 1990, as well as providing vocals and writing the lyrics to the song Backyard Flames. He has also been in many other bands such as The Influents, Monsula and The Skinflutes...
(bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), Billie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong is an American rock musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, main songwriter and lead guitarist for the American punk rock band Green Day...
(guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
) and Jason White
Jason White (musician)
Jason White is an American guitarist who has played in various punk rock bands. He is most notable for being the long-time touring lead guitarist for Green Day and guitarist for Californian punk quartet Pinhead Gunpowder. Jason White has been a touring member of Green Day since 1999 when they...
(guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
) for the majority of its existence. Mike Kirsch
Mike Kirsch
Mike Kirsch has been active in the San Francisco Bay Area hardcore and punk community since the mid-1980s.-Band history:*The Skinflutes *Fuel *Fifteen...
(guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
) was the original guitarist, in place of White, but left the band citing personal differences with Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
(the band for which Billie Joe Armstrong is most famous) and their major label debut album Dookie
Dookie
Dookie is the third studio album by the American punk rock band Green Day. It was released on February 1, 1994 through Reprise Records. It was the band's first collaboration with producer Rob Cavallo and its major record label debut. Dookie became a worldwide commercial success, peaking at number...
(1994). The band's name comes from a brand of "high octane" green tea served at the Arcata co-op and discovered serendipitously by Aaron Cometbus during one of his many dumpster diving
Dumpster diving
Dumpster diving is the practice of sifting through commercial or residential trash to find items that have been discarded by their owners, but that may be useful to the dumpster diver.-Etymology and alternate names:...
adventures.
Cometbus, who releases the Cometbus fanzine, has played in many East Bay area bands such as Crimpshrine
Crimpshrine
Crimpshrine was an American punk rock band from Berkeley, California. The group was formed in 1982 by Aaron Cometbus, founder of the seminal punk rock zine Cometbus, and a friend, Jeff Ott. Within D.I.Y...
. Schneider is now Green Day's guitar tech and tour manager. Jason White
Jason White (musician)
Jason White is an American guitarist who has played in various punk rock bands. He is most notable for being the long-time touring lead guitarist for Green Day and guitarist for Californian punk quartet Pinhead Gunpowder. Jason White has been a touring member of Green Day since 1999 when they...
plays additional guitar for Green Day; along with founding the seminal punk rock band Chino Horde
Chino Horde
Chino Horde were an American band formed in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1990. They were an integral part of the DIY punk scene of the early 1990s. Chino Horde was influenced by fellow locals Trusty, the Bay Area's Monsula, New Jersey's Greyhouse, Michigan's Current, and D.C.'s Fugazi and Soulside. In...
. White has played in The Influents
The Influents
The Influents were a punk rock band formed in 1999 by Jason White and Bill Schneider. Both were members of the seminal East Bay punk band Pinhead Gunpowder, which featured White on guitar and Schneider on bass, but due to the sporadic nature of Pinhead Gunpowder's recording and gigging The...
as well as The Big Cats. Mike Kirsch
Mike Kirsch
Mike Kirsch has been active in the San Francisco Bay Area hardcore and punk community since the mid-1980s.-Band history:*The Skinflutes *Fuel *Fifteen...
has also been an active member in several East Bay bands such as Fuel
Fuel (hardcore band)
Fuel was a Bay Area post-hardcore musical act that created both personal and political songs, something that was unique during the "first wave" of emo in the 1990s. Fuel had a sound akin to early-Hot Water Music and especially Fugazi with twin guitars and dueling rough post-hardcore vocals...
, Torches to Rome, Bread and Circuits
Bread and Circuits
Bread and Circuits were a band that formed in 1999 and released a self-titled LP on Ebullition Records as well as a split with Former Members of Alfonsin on El Grito Records....
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".
Current
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
West Side Highway (EP)
West Side Highway is an EP by the American punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder. It was released on August 19, 2008 through Recess Records. It was their first release on Recess Records and was their first new release in over 5 years.-Track listing:...
through Recess Records
Recess Records
Recess Records is an independent record label founded in 1989 with the release of F.Y.P's Extra Credit, an 11 song 7-inch record. Label founder Todd Congelliere originally created the label as a vehicle to release F.Y.P's material...
on August 19, 2008. This marks 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
Jump Salty
-Personnel:* Aaron Cometbus – drums, graphic design* Bill Schneider – bass, photography* Billie Joe Armstrong – guitar* Mike Kirsch – guitar* Kevin Army - producer...
, Carry the Banner
Carry the Banner
- Personnel :* Aaron Cometbus – drums* Bill Schneider – bass, backing vocals, lead vocals on "I Am the Stranger"* Billie Joe Armstrong – vocals, guitar* Jason White – vocals, guitar* Kevin Army – producer* Aaron Cometbus - graphic design, cover art...
, Goodbye Ellston Avenue
Goodbye Ellston Avenue
-Personnel:* Aaron Cometbus – drumss* Bill Schneider – bass, backing vocals* Billie Joe Armstrong – guitar, vocals* Jason White – guitar, vocals-Production:* Kevin Army – producer* Aaron Cometbus - graphic design, cover art* Bill Schneider - photography...
, Shoot the Moon and Compulsive Disclosure
Compulsive Disclosure
* Wilhelm Fink is another name for Billie Joe Armstrong as featured singing on the track "New Blood"- Personnel :* Aaron Cometbus – drums* Bill Schneider – bass, photography* Billie Joe Armstrong – guitar* Jason White – guitar* Willie Samuels - producer...
,. All of the albums were re-released in varying colors in early February 2010 through Recess Records. The band performed a benefit show at 924 Gilman Street
924 Gilman Street
924 Gilman Street is an all-ages, not for profit, collectively organized music club usually referred to by its fans simply as "The Gilman." It is located in the West Berkeley area of Berkeley, California about a mile and a half west of the North Berkeley BART station and a quarter-mile west of San...
in Berkeley, California on February 12, 2010.
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Carry the Banner Carry the Banner - Personnel :* Aaron Cometbus – drums* Bill Schneider – bass, backing vocals, lead vocals on "I Am the Stranger"* Billie Joe Armstrong – vocals, guitar* Jason White – vocals, guitar* Kevin Army – producer* Aaron Cometbus - graphic design, cover art... 2 |
Too Many Very Small Records Very Small Records is an independent record label, formed in 1989 by David Hayes, co-founder and former co-owner of Lookout! Records. The label releases primarily pop punk and punk rock records.... /Lookout!/Recess1 |
| 1997 | Goodbye Ellston Avenue Goodbye Ellston Avenue -Personnel:* Aaron Cometbus – drumss* Bill Schneider – bass, backing vocals* Billie Joe Armstrong – guitar, vocals* Jason White – guitar, vocals-Production:* Kevin Army – producer* Aaron Cometbus - graphic design, cover art* Bill Schneider - photography... |
Lookout!/Recess1 |
Extended plays
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Trundle and Spring Trundle and Spring Trundle and Spring is the debut EP by the American punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder. It was released in 1991 through Take a Day Records.... |
Take a Day |
| 1992 | Fahizah Fahizah Fahizah is the second EP by the American punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder. It was released in 1992 through Lookout! Records and was their first release on Lookout! Records.... |
Lookout! |
| 1999 | Shoot the Moon | Adeline Adeline Records Adeline Records is a record label which was formed in Oakland, California in late 1997. It is co-owned by Billie Joe Armstrong, lead singer of Green Day, his wife Adrienne Armstrong, and Jim Thiebaud, professional skateboarder... /Recess1 |
| 2000 | Dillinger Four / Pinhead Gunpowder Dillinger Four / Pinhead Gunpowder Dillinger Four/Pinhead Gunpowder is a split EP by the American punk rock bands Dillinger Four and Pinhead Gunpowder. It was released on May 16, 2000 through Adeline Records.-Dillinger Four:#"Are You the Motherfucker With the Banana?"... |
Adeline |
| 2000 | Pinhead Gunpowder | THD |
| 2000 | 8 Chords, 328 Words 8 Chords, 328 Words 8 Chords, 328 Words is the sixth EP by the American punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder. It was released on June 27, 2000 through Lookout! Records.... |
Lookout! |
| 2008 | West Side Highway West Side Highway (EP) West Side Highway is an EP by the American punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder. It was released on August 19, 2008 through Recess Records. It was their first release on Recess Records and was their first new release in over 5 years.-Track listing:... |
Recess |
Compilation albums
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Jump Salty Jump Salty -Personnel:* Aaron Cometbus – drums, graphic design* Bill Schneider – bass, photography* Billie Joe Armstrong – guitar* Mike Kirsch – guitar* Kevin Army - producer... |
Lookout! Lookout! Records -History:Larry Livermore and David Hayes formed the label in 1987. From the start, Lookout released punk rock records, but over time expanded its scope to include various types of pop rock, reggae fusion, acoustic rock, pop punk, and indie rock... /Recess Recess Records Recess Records is an independent record label founded in 1989 with the release of F.Y.P's Extra Credit, an 11 song 7-inch record. Label founder Todd Congelliere originally created the label as a vehicle to release F.Y.P's material... 1 |
| 2003 | Compulsive Disclosure Compulsive Disclosure * Wilhelm Fink is another name for Billie Joe Armstrong as featured singing on the track "New Blood"- Personnel :* Aaron Cometbus – drums* Bill Schneider – bass, photography* Billie Joe Armstrong – guitar* Jason White – guitar* Willie Samuels - producer... |
Lookout!/Recess1 |
| 2009 | Kick Over the Traces Kick Over the Traces Kick Over the Traces is a compilation album by the American punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder. The album contains tracks from Pinhead Gunpowder releases since the band formed in 1990. The album was released through Recess Records on June 16, 2009... |
Recess |
12010 Re-release label version
2Originally released on vinyl by Too Many Records and later released on CD by Lookout! Records
Compilation appearances (incomplete)
| Year | Title | Label | Contributing track |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Can of Pork 2xLP/CD | Lookout! | "Benicia by the Bay" |
| 1992 | Very Small World 2xLP | Very Small Very Small Records Very Small Records is an independent record label, formed in 1989 by David Hayes, co-founder and former co-owner of Lookout! Records. The label releases primarily pop punk and punk rock records.... |
"Losers of the Year" |
| 1994 | Misfit Heartbeat 2x7" | Take A Day | "I Wanna" |
| 1997 | The Last Great Thing You Did CD | Lookout! | "Life During Wartime" |
| 2000 | Might as Well... Can't Dance CD | Adeline | "Porch" |
Band members
Present members- Jason WhiteJason White (musician)Jason White is an American guitarist who has played in various punk rock bands. He is most notable for being the long-time touring lead guitarist for Green Day and guitarist for Californian punk quartet Pinhead Gunpowder. Jason White has been a touring member of Green Day since 1999 when they...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
(1994–present) - Bill SchneiderBill Schneider (musician)Bill Schneider is an American musician. He has played bass in the punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder since 1990, as well as providing vocals and writing the lyrics to the song Backyard Flames. He has also been in many other bands such as The Influents, Monsula and The Skinflutes...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals (1990–present) - Aaron CometbusAaron CometbusAaron Elliott , better known as Aaron Cometbus, is an American drummer, lyricist, self-described "punk anthropologist," novelist, and author of punk rock zine Cometbus.-Personal life:...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(1990–present) - Billie Joe ArmstrongBillie Joe ArmstrongBillie Joe Armstrong is an American rock musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, main songwriter and lead guitarist for the American punk rock band Green Day...
- guitar, vocals (1990–present)
Former members
- Mike KirschMike KirschMike Kirsch has been active in the San Francisco Bay Area hardcore and punk community since the mid-1980s.-Band history:*The Skinflutes *Fuel *Fifteen...
- guitar, vocals (1990–1994)
External links
- Pinhead Gunpower profile at Punknews.org (Reviews, News, Biography)
- Pinhead Gunpowder on MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....