Seth Putnam
Encyclopedia
Seth Edward Putnam was the founder of grindcore
band Anal Cunt
. He was known for his brutal screaming and lyrics that either shock, offend, or invoke morbid humor. Throughout his career, Putnam had been involved in many side projects, including backing vocals on Pantera
's The Great Southern Trendkill
.
, Massachusetts
to father Edward R. Putnam and mother Barbara Ann Donohue. His parents are divorced. Seth was married to his first wife, Alison, from December 1998 through June 2001. He married Julie, his second wife in 2008. In the mid-1980s, Putnam played bass in the thrash metal
band Executioner.
, heroin, and two months' worth of Ambien sleeping pills. It has been reported that he spent the previous day contemplating suicide, though exact circumstances surrounding the drug overdose are vague. Putnam's reaction to the irony of being in a coma – the band's 1997 album I Like It When You Die contained the track "You're in a Coma" – was published in the Boston Phoenix: "Actually, it turned out it was just as gay as the song I wrote nine years ago – being in a coma was just as fuckin' stupid as I wrote it was."
vocalist Chris Barnes
. According to Putnam's website, Putnam heckled Barnes during the Six Feet Under set, leading to an altercation between the two, ending with Six Feet Under's roadies ganging up on Putnam while Barnes fled to his tour bus. Putnam released the song, "Chris Barnes is a Pussy
" as retaliation to the incident. Despite the feud, Putnam stated that "Murdered in the Basement
" was his favorite song by Six Feet Under.
Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
band Anal Cunt
Anal Cunt
Anal Cunt, also known as AxCx and A.C., was an American grindcore band that formed in Newton, Massachusetts in 1988. Since its inception, the band underwent a number of line-up changes. Known for its grindcore musical style and controversial lyrics, Anal Cunt released eight full-length studio...
. He was known for his brutal screaming and lyrics that either shock, offend, or invoke morbid humor. Throughout his career, Putnam had been involved in many side projects, including backing vocals on Pantera
Pantera
Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
's The Great Southern Trendkill
The Great Southern Trendkill
-Credits:* Philip Anselmo – lead vocals* Dimebag Darrell – guitar, backing vocals, 12 string acoustic guitar on "Suicide Note Pt. I"* Rex Brown – bass, backing vocals* Vinnie Paul – drums* Produced, Recorded, and Mixed by Terry Date and Vinnie Paul...
.
Early years
Putnam was born on May 15, 1968, in or around BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
to father Edward R. Putnam and mother Barbara Ann Donohue. His parents are divorced. Seth was married to his first wife, Alison, from December 1998 through June 2001. He married Julie, his second wife in 2008. In the mid-1980s, Putnam played bass in the thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band Executioner.
Drug overdose and coma
On October 12, 2004 Putnam was hospitalized after ingesting a cocktail of crack-cocaine, alcoholAlcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
, heroin, and two months' worth of Ambien sleeping pills. It has been reported that he spent the previous day contemplating suicide, though exact circumstances surrounding the drug overdose are vague. Putnam's reaction to the irony of being in a coma – the band's 1997 album I Like It When You Die contained the track "You're in a Coma" – was published in the Boston Phoenix: "Actually, it turned out it was just as gay as the song I wrote nine years ago – being in a coma was just as fuckin' stupid as I wrote it was."
Feud with Chris Barnes
There had been friction between Putnam and Six Feet UnderSix Feet Under (band)
Six Feet Under is an American death metal band from Tampa, Florida, formed in 1993. The band was originally a side project by Cannibal Corpse vocalist Chris Barnes with guitarist Allen West of Obituary...
vocalist Chris Barnes
Chris Barnes (musician)
Chris Barnes is an American singer-songwriter, best known as a death metal vocalist recognized for his very low guttural vocals and explicitly violent lyrics...
. According to Putnam's website, Putnam heckled Barnes during the Six Feet Under set, leading to an altercation between the two, ending with Six Feet Under's roadies ganging up on Putnam while Barnes fled to his tour bus. Putnam released the song, "Chris Barnes is a Pussy
It Just Gets Worse
It Just Gets Worse is the sixth full-length album by the grindcore band Anal Cunt. It was released in 1999 by Earache Records.-Recording information:...
" as retaliation to the incident. Despite the feud, Putnam stated that "Murdered in the Basement
Bringer of Blood
Bringer of Blood is Six Feet Under's fifth studio album. Bringer of Blood contains fan favorites such as Amerika the Brutal, Murdered in the Basement, When Skin Turns Blue, and Bringer of Blood...
" was his favorite song by Six Feet Under.
Side projects and former bands
- Angry Hate
- Satan's Warriors
- Impaled Northern Moonforest
- Shit Scum
- Full Blown A.I.D.S.
- Death's Head Quartet
- Cuntsaw
- You're Fired
- Adolf SatanAdolf SatanAdolf Satan is a sludge metal band formed in Boston in 2002 after the reported break-up of Upsidedown Cross. Their musical style is a mixture of sludge metal, doom metal, grindcore and Southern rock...
- Upsidedown Cross (note: Although Putnam is credited playing guitar on their split with Sloth, the album was actually recorded years before he joined the band)
- Executioner
- Post MortemPost Mortem (Boston band)Post Mortem was an American death metal band, formed in 1982 in suburban Boston. They formed when the members of the band were still in high school. The band rehearsed every day, often rushing home to write music after classes. John McCarthy penned the personal songs while drummer Rick McIver wrote...
- SiegeSiege (band)Siege was an American punk/Thrashcore band from Weymouth, Massachusetts. They were active in the 1980s Boston hardcore scene from 1983 to 1985, and reunited briefly in the early 1990s....
- Sirhan Sirhan
- Insult
- Person Killer
- Vaginal Jesus
Some bands Putnam filled in for (live and/or on recordings)
- Bad Mouthed Bandits (guitar)
- Bratface (guitar)
- EYEHATEGODEyehategodEyehategod is an American sludge metal band from New Orleans who formed in 1988. They have become one of the most well known bands to emerge from the NOLA metal scene...
(vocals) - Buzzoven (vocals)
- Fear of God (from Switzerland) (drums)
- Flächenbrand (Drums on 1 song)
- Haggis (vocals)
- Kilslug (guitar, drums)
- Necrophiliacs (bass on 1 song)
- Nightstick (vocals)
- Sickie Wifebeater's 4F Club (vocals)
- Seven Minutes of Nausea (drums/backup vocals on Disobedient Losers)
- PanteraPanteraPantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
(Additional screams on the 1996 release The Great Southern TrendkillThe Great Southern Trendkill-Credits:* Philip Anselmo – lead vocals* Dimebag Darrell – guitar, backing vocals, 12 string acoustic guitar on "Suicide Note Pt. I"* Rex Brown – bass, backing vocals* Vinnie Paul – drums* Produced, Recorded, and Mixed by Terry Date and Vinnie Paul...
)
Guest vocal appearances (including, but not limited to)
- Bruce Chittenden
- Arson AnthemArson AnthemArson Anthem is an American hardcore punk band, formed in New Orleans in 2006. The lineup comprises singer Mike Williams of Eyehategod, vocalist Phil Anselmo of Pantera, Down and Superjoint Ritual on guitar, country musician, punk rocker and Assjack frontman Hank Williams III on drums, and bassist...
- Brutal TruthBrutal TruthBrutal Truth is an American grindcore band from New York City, formed by ex-Anthrax, Nuclear Assault, and Stormtroopers Of Death bass guitarist Dan Lilker in 1990. The group disbanded in 1999, but reformed in 2006 and continue to release new music.-History:...
- Convalescent Surprise
- Corrosion of ConformityCorrosion of ConformityCorrosion of Conformity is an American heavy metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina formed in 1982. For almost the majority of its existence, the band has consisted of guitarist Woody Weatherman, bassist Mike Dean , drummer Reed Mullin and vocalist and rhythm...
- Graveyard BBQ
- IncantationIncantation (band)Incantation is an American death metal band that was formed by John McEntee and Paul Ledney in 1989. They are one of the leaders in the New York Death Metal scene along with fellow bands Suffocation and Immolation, even though the band is currently located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.The band has...
- Nasty Disaster
- Padded Hell
- PanteraPanteraPantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
- Psycho
- P.T.L Klub
- Scissorfight
- Slapshot
- The Ruins
- Thor
- Today is the DayToday is the DayToday Is the Day is an experimental noise rock/metal/grindcore band from Nashville, Tennessee. They have a diverse sound that includes influences from alternative rock, grindcore, & progressive rock among other genres...
- W.B.I.
- No Skids Daddy (On the song "16")