Squirtgun
Encyclopedia
Squirtgun is an American
punk rock
band from Lafayette, Indiana
formed by record producer Mass Giorgini
in 1993.
(Drums).
The band signed to Lookout! Records
and their first release was the EP Shenanigans, in the Spring of 1995, followed by their self-titled debut album that fall. Billie Joe Armstrong
of Green Day
, recommended Squirtgun to Jeff Saltzman, the music advisior for the then-upcoming Kevin Smith
film "Mallrats
". Squirtgun's song "Social", which was featured in the opening credits of Mallrats and appeared on the film's soundtrack.
In 1996 the band released their second EP, Mary Ann
, a tribute to the character from Gilligan's Island
. A video was filmed for the title track, and featured an appearance from Mary Ann herself, actress Dawn Wells
. The video was released in the Spring of 1997 and shown on MTV
's 120 Minutes
and put into regular rotation on MTV2
.
Squirtgun's second full-length, Another Sunny Afternoon, was also released in the Spring of '97. Several songs from Another Sunny Afternoon were featured in major motion pictures and TV shows, including "Come On Let's Go" in The Extreme Adventures of Super Dave, and "You're the Greatest" on Fox Television Network's Clueless
sitcom.
Mass and Dan joined Screeching Weasel
, recording the albums Major Label Debut
, Television City Dream
, Emo
, and Teen Punks In Heat
. The two also formed Common Rider
with singer/guitarist Jesse Michaels
(formerly of Operation Ivy
), releasing two full-length albums, the self-titled and This is Unity Music
and touring extensively in 2002. Dan also drummed on albums by the Mopes, The Methadones
, The Riverdales
, The Riptides, and Even In Blackouts
.
Mass also began teaching Italian Studies at Purdue University in West Lafayette, followed by earning a Master's degree in Spanish Language & Literature. He later entered the Ph.D. program in Spanish Literature with a focus on the Golden Age. He has since appeared at several academic conferences and has published book chapters and articles in literary and scholarly journals. He is currently a Humanities Faculty member at Ivy Tech Community College in Lafayette,Indiana and continues to produce albums for several international recording artists.
Matt received his MFA
in creative writing and began teaching in the Academic Studies Department at the Art Academy of Cincinnati
, a four year college of Art and Design. His poems and reviews have been published in numerous literary journals, including Conduit, Ploughshares, and Spinning Jenny. He is the editor of Forklift, Ohio: A Journal of Poetry, Cooking & Light Industrial Safety.
Flav also took an academic route, earning a Ph.D. degree in molecular genetics and publishing manuscripts in several respected scientific journals, including Development and Molecular and Cellular Biology. He also founded guitarpunk.com and the GPC guitar company, designing original guitars used by bands such as Alkaline Trio
, Screeching Weasel
, The Queers
, Allister
and many more.
. Fade To Bright was released in the Summer 2003, supported by a US tour. In the Fall of 2003, legendary punk rock drummer Mike Felumlee
(Smoking Popes
, Alkaline Trio
) replaced Dan on drums, and Squirtgun hit the road with The Ataris
, Hopesfall
, and Planes Mistaken for Stars
.
Also, in 2003 Squirtgun recorded "Make it wreck", a song with the contribution of the vocalist of Anti-Flag, Geovanny Duran (the vocalist of El Guato, a ska/punk costa rican band), and two more important punk rockers. In the spring of 2004, Squirtgun toured the U.K.
, featuring the bands original line up, and the concert was recorded and released as a live album titled Broadcast 02.09.08, released by Go Kart Records
in December 2008. Squirtgun also appeared at the 2009 Insubordination Fest
in Baltimore and played shows with the Teen Idols and 88 Fingers Louie in Chicago and Lafayette, IN. A European tour followed in July 2009, with shows in England, the Netherlands, Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, and France.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
punk rock
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 from Lafayette, Indiana
Lafayette, Indiana
Lafayette is a city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, northwest of Indianapolis. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 67,140. West Lafayette, on the other side of the Wabash River, is home to Purdue University, which has a large impact on...
formed by record producer Mass Giorgini
Mass Giorgini
Mass Giorgini is an Italian-American bassist and record producer, who rose to fame when several of the bands he produced experienced huge gains in popularity during the pop-punk boom on the mid-90's. Among these bands was Giorgini's own Squirtgun, which received minor MTV rotation and several...
in 1993.
1993-1998
Squirtgun originally consisted of Mass Giorgini (Bass, Vocals), Matt Hart (Vocals, Guitar), Flav Giorgini (Guitar), and Dan LumleyDan Lumley
Dan Lumley has been a drummer for many bands, including Rattail Grenadier, Squirtgun, The Riverdales, The Methadones, Even in Blackouts, The Mopes, Common Rider and Screeching Weasel. He was also a brief member of Rise Against...
(Drums).
The band signed to Lookout! Records
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...
and their first release was the EP Shenanigans, in the Spring of 1995, followed by their self-titled debut album that fall. 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...
of 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...
, recommended Squirtgun to Jeff Saltzman, the music advisior for the then-upcoming Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith
Kevin Patrick Smith is an American screenwriter, actor, film producer, and director, as well as a popular comic book writer, author, comedian/raconteur, and internet radio personality best recognized by viewers as Silent Bob...
film "Mallrats
Mallrats
Mallrats is a 1995 film written and directed by Kevin Smith. It is the second to be set in Smith's View Askewniverse series of interlocking films set mostly in New Jersey, although the movie was filmed in Eden Prairie Center and Osowski's Flea Market which are located in Minnesota...
". Squirtgun's song "Social", which was featured in the opening credits of Mallrats and appeared on the film's soundtrack.
In 1996 the band released their second EP, Mary Ann
Mary Ann Summers
Mary Ann Summers is a fictional character in the television sitcom Gilligan's Island which ran on the CBS network from 1964 to 1967, and has run more or less continuously since in reruns.- Role :...
, a tribute to the character from Gilligan's Island
Gilligan's Island
Gilligan's Island is an American television series created and produced by Sherwood Schwartz and originally produced by United Artists Television. The situation comedy series featured Bob Denver; Alan Hale, Jr.; Jim Backus; Natalie Schafer; Tina Louise; Russell Johnson; and Dawn Wells. It aired for...
. A video was filmed for the title track, and featured an appearance from Mary Ann herself, actress Dawn Wells
Dawn Wells
Dawn Elberta Wells is an American actress known for playing Mary Ann Summers on the sitcom Gilligan's Island during its run from 1964 until 1967.- Early life :...
. The video was released in the Spring of 1997 and shown on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's 120 Minutes
120 Minutes
120 Minutes is a television show in the United States dedicated to alternative music, originally airing on MTV from 1986 to 2000, and then on MTV's sister channel MTV2 from 2001 to 2003....
and put into regular rotation on MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
.
Squirtgun's second full-length, Another Sunny Afternoon, was also released in the Spring of '97. Several songs from Another Sunny Afternoon were featured in major motion pictures and TV shows, including "Come On Let's Go" in The Extreme Adventures of Super Dave, and "You're the Greatest" on Fox Television Network's Clueless
Clueless (TV series)
Clueless is a television series spun off from the 1995 teen film of the same name . The series originally premiered on ABC on September 20, 1996 as a part of the TGIF lineup during its first season...
sitcom.
Hiatus
In the Fall of 1998, Squirtgun went on a hiatus in order to pursue other interests and other band projects.Mass and Dan joined 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 have broken up and reformed numerous times with numerous line-up changes. Ben Weasel has been the only constant...
, recording the albums Major Label Debut
Major Label Debut
Major Label Debut is a 1998 EP by the Chicago punk rock band Screeching Weasel. Despite the name, the EP was the first release on Panic Button Records, lead singer Ben Weasel's independent record label....
, Television City Dream
Television City Dream
Television City Dream is the eighth studio album by the American punk rock band Screeching Weasel. It was released in 1998 through Fat Wreck Chords. It was the band's last album released through Fat Wreck Chords. The album is the first to feature new members Mass Giorgini, Zac Damon, and Dan...
, Emo
Emo (album)
Emo is the ninth studio album by the American punk rock band Screeching Weasel. It was released on May 18, 1999 through Ben Weasel's and John Jughead's label Panic Button Records. It was their first album released through Panic Button Records. The album was recorded in Chicago during the blizzard...
, and Teen Punks In Heat
Teen Punks in Heat
Teen Punks In Heat is the tenth studio album by the American punk rock band Screeching Weasel. It was released in August of 2000 through Panic Button Records...
. The two also formed Common Rider
Common Rider
Common Rider were a ska punk band, formed in 1999 by Jesse Michaels , Mass Giorgini and Dan Lumley . The band's name is taken from a 1970s Japanese TV show, Kamen Rider...
with singer/guitarist Jesse Michaels
Jesse Michaels
Jesse Michaels is a songwriter, vocalist, guitarist and artist from Berkeley, California. He is the son of the deceased author Leonard Michaels. His lyrics deal with politics, racism, and general social issues.-Musical overview:...
(formerly of Operation Ivy
Operation Ivy
Operation Ivy was the eighth series of American nuclear tests, coming after Tumbler-Snapper and before Upshot-Knothole. Its purpose was to help upgrade the U.S. arsenal of nuclear weapons in response to the Soviet nuclear weapons program...
), releasing two full-length albums, the self-titled and This is Unity Music
This Is Unity Music
This Is Unity Music is the second full length album by Common Rider, released in 2002.- Track listing :All songs written by Jesse Michaels.# "Firewall" - 2:56# "Set The Method Down" - 2:06# "Small Pebble" - 3:40# "Cool This Madness Down" 2:32...
and touring extensively in 2002. Dan also drummed on albums by the Mopes, The Methadones
The Methadones
The Methadones were a band formed in 1993 by guitarist/vocalist Dan Vapid. The Methadones initially lasted only a few shows before Dan put them to the side to focus on his main band Screeching Weasel. By 1999 Dan was no longer a member of Screeching Weasel or his other band The Riverdales, and...
, The Riverdales
The Riverdales
The Riverdales were an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois made up of rental Screeching Weasel members. Bassist Dan Vapid and guitarist, band owner, Ben Weasel are heavily influenced by the Ramones' sound and both serve as front-men, sharing lead vocals for the band. The Riverdales'...
, The Riptides, and Even In Blackouts
Even in Blackouts
Even in Blackouts, known occasionally by the acronym EiB, were an acoustic pop-punk band from Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 2002 by veteran pop-punk guitarist John 'Jughead' Pierson following the demise of the pop-punk band Screeching Weasel, for which Pierson had performed since 1986...
.
Mass also began teaching Italian Studies at Purdue University in West Lafayette, followed by earning a Master's degree in Spanish Language & Literature. He later entered the Ph.D. program in Spanish Literature with a focus on the Golden Age. He has since appeared at several academic conferences and has published book chapters and articles in literary and scholarly journals. He is currently a Humanities Faculty member at Ivy Tech Community College in Lafayette,Indiana and continues to produce albums for several international recording artists.
Matt received his MFA
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
in creative writing and began teaching in the Academic Studies Department at the Art Academy of Cincinnati
Art Academy of Cincinnati
The Art Academy of Cincinnati is a private college of art and design, accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design, in Cincinnati, Ohio...
, a four year college of Art and Design. His poems and reviews have been published in numerous literary journals, including Conduit, Ploughshares, and Spinning Jenny. He is the editor of Forklift, Ohio: A Journal of Poetry, Cooking & Light Industrial Safety.
Flav also took an academic route, earning a Ph.D. degree in molecular genetics and publishing manuscripts in several respected scientific journals, including Development and Molecular and Cellular Biology. He also founded guitarpunk.com and the GPC guitar company, designing original guitars used by bands such as Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio is an American punk rock band that formed in McHenry, Illinois, in 1996. The band's line-up consists of Matt Skiba , Dan Andriano , and Derek Grant...
, 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 have broken up and reformed numerous times with numerous line-up changes. Ben Weasel has been the only constant...
, The Queers
The Queers
The Queers are a punk band formed in 1981 by Portsmouth, New Hampshire native Joe King . The band originally broke up in 1984, but reformed with Joe Queer and a new line-up in 1986. In 1990, the band signed with Shakin' Street Records and released their first album Grow Up...
, Allister
Allister
Allister is an American pop punk band from Chicago, Illinois. The four-piece formed in 1996 and were one of the first bands to sign to Drive-Thru Records...
and many more.
2001-2004
In the summer of 2001, Squirtgun regrouped and began work on the album Fade To Bright, for Honest Don's RecordsHonest Don's Records
Honest Don's Records was a subsidiary label based in San Francisco, California, set up along with Pink & Black Records by Fat Wreck Chords to release material by bands that didn't fit within the roster at Fat....
. Fade To Bright was released in the Summer 2003, supported by a US tour. In the Fall of 2003, legendary punk rock drummer Mike Felumlee
Mike Felumlee
Mike Felumlee, a native of Crystal Lake, Illinois , is chiefly known as the former drummer for the influential rock band The Alkaline Trio...
(Smoking Popes
Smoking Popes
The Smoking Popes are an American pop punk from the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1991. They play punk-influenced pop music with crooning vocals...
, Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio is an American punk rock band that formed in McHenry, Illinois, in 1996. The band's line-up consists of Matt Skiba , Dan Andriano , and Derek Grant...
) replaced Dan on drums, and Squirtgun hit the road with The Ataris
The Ataris
The Ataris are a rock band from Anderson, Indiana. They have released five studio albums, and their most recent E.P. was released on November 25, 2010 on the Gainesville, Florida based label, Paper + Plastick. It contained the brand new tracks "All Souls' Day" and "The Graveyard of The Atlantic"...
, Hopesfall
Hopesfall
Hopesfall was a post-hardcore band from Charlotte, North Carolina formed in 1998. They were signed to Trustkill Records. The band broke up in 2008 after all members, with the exception of singer Jay Forrest, decided to leave the band.-Biography:...
, and Planes Mistaken for Stars
Planes Mistaken for Stars
Planes Mistaken for Stars was a emocore band formed in Peoria, Illinois in 1997. They released music on Deep Elm Records, Dim Mak Records, No Idea Records and Abacus Recordings.-History:...
.
Also, in 2003 Squirtgun recorded "Make it wreck", a song with the contribution of the vocalist of Anti-Flag, Geovanny Duran (the vocalist of El Guato, a ska/punk costa rican band), and two more important punk rockers. In the spring of 2004, Squirtgun toured the U.K.
2008-present
Squirtgun played their first show in almost 4 years in their hometown of Lafayette on February 9, 2008 at 'The Venue'. Over 400 people attended the show, however almost 600 showed up for the performance; the owners were forced to prevent a large number of people from entering the business because the building was far beyond it's safe capacity. It was a benefit show for the local YWCAYWCA
The YWCA USA is the United States branch of a women's membership movement that strives to create opportunities for women's growth, leadership and power in order to attain a common vision—to eliminate racism and empower women. The YWCA is a non-profit organization, the first of which was founded in...
, featuring the bands original line up, and the concert was recorded and released as a live album titled Broadcast 02.09.08, released by Go Kart Records
Go Kart Records
Go-Kart Records is an independent record label specializing in punk rock located in New York City. It also has a European division in Mannheim, Germany....
in December 2008. Squirtgun also appeared at the 2009 Insubordination Fest
Insubordination Fest
Insubordination Fest is an annual message board nerd festival held in Baltimore, Maryland. The festival started in 2006 as a 10th anniversary showcase for Insubordination Records, and since then has been held every summer. In the past the festival has been headlined by bands such as Less Than...
in Baltimore and played shows with the Teen Idols and 88 Fingers Louie in Chicago and Lafayette, IN. A European tour followed in July 2009, with shows in England, the Netherlands, Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, and France.
Albums
- SquirtgunSquirtgun (album)Squirtgun is the eponymous debut album by the American punk rock band Squirtgun. It was released on October 9, 1995 through Lookout! Records. The song "Social" from this album was also included as the opening song in the soundtrack to director Kevin Smith's first major studio film Mallrats in 1995,...
(Lookout! Records) - Another Sunny AfternoonAnother Sunny AfternoonAnother Sunny Afternoon is the second studio album by the American punk rock band Squirtgun. It was released in 1997 through Lookout! Records. It was their last album to feature Dan Lumley on drums until he rejoined in 2008...
(Lookout! Records) - Fade to Bright (Honest Don's/Fat Wreck Chords)
- Broadcast 02.09.08 (Kid Tested/Go-Kart Records)
EPs and Singles
- ShenanigansShenanigans (EP)Shenanigans is the debut EP by the American punk rock band Squirtgun. It was released on June 9, 1995 through Lookout! Records. The EP features slightly different versions of the songs "Social" and "Frederick's Frost", which later appeared on their debut album, Squirtgun.-Track listing:#"Social" -...
EP (1995) (Lookout! Records) - Blue Christmas Single (1995) (Sonic Iguana Records)
- Mary Ann EP (1996) (Lookout! Records)
- White Christmas Single (1997) (Sonic Iguana Records)
- Jingle-Bell Rock Single (1999) (Interpunk Records)
- Live in Italy Split Single with the Real Swinger (2000) (Ballroom Blitz Records)
- Dysfunctional Shadowman Split EP with Teen Idols (2002) (Asian Man Records)