Swallowing Shit
Encyclopedia
Swallowing Shit was a short-lived Canadian
grindcore
band, active in Winnipeg
, Manitoba
in the mid-1990s.
ist Mike Koop of The Bonaduces, drummer
Steve Dueck of The Undecided
and, for one show only, bassist
Dave Daley.
With Jahmeel Russel replacing Daley and Dean Bruce joining on second guitar, the band soon recorded and released a crude demo. Both Bruce and Koop left shortly thereafter, who would be replaced by guitarist Mark Nowek. Dueck then departed, being replaced by drummer Cory Koss. This lineup recorded a 7", the band's first proper release.
Shortly thereafter, Russel and Nowek left the band. This made way for what could be considered the "classic" lineup, featuring guitarist Todd Kowalski
(ex-I Spy
) and bassist Brian Dobson.
The band's aggressive, politically radical brand of punk was a popular draw on the Winnipeg punk scene. In 1997, Christians
picketed a concert to protest the band's song "Pro-Abortion, Anti-Christ".
The Alexander/Kowalski/Koss/Dobson lineup recorded an 11 song 7" on Spiral Objective Records from Australia, before disbanding in June 1997, playing their final show with J Church
and The Weakerthans
.
The band members subsequently moved on to other projects. Alexander would go on to play in Head Hits Concrete
and currently Putrescence. Kowalski is a member of Propagandhi
. Russell would also play in Malefaction, Kittens
, Projektor, Hide Your Daughters and KEN mode
. Koss was the drummer for Malefaction and is currently in the black metal
band Of Human Bondage. Brian Dobson became an engineer and moved to Minneapolis.
An album, Anthology, was released in 2000 on G7 Welcoming Committee Records
to compile the band's recorded singles. Their song "If Assholes Could Fly, This Place Would Be an Airport" is featured on G7's 2005 compilation Take Penacilin Now
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
grindcore
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, active in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
in the mid-1990s.
History
Swallowing Shit was formed in 1994 by vocalist Mike Alexander with guitarGuitar
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...
ist Mike Koop of The Bonaduces, drummer
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 ....
Steve Dueck of The Undecided
The Undecided
The Undecided was a Christian pop punk band from Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada. The group released one independent album before releasing two albums for Tooth and Nail Records. They released The Undecided in 1999 and More to See in 2001. They were the first Canadian group to be signed by Tooth and...
and, for one show only, bassist
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Dave Daley.
With Jahmeel Russel replacing Daley and Dean Bruce joining on second guitar, the band soon recorded and released a crude demo. Both Bruce and Koop left shortly thereafter, who would be replaced by guitarist Mark Nowek. Dueck then departed, being replaced by drummer Cory Koss. This lineup recorded a 7", the band's first proper release.
Shortly thereafter, Russel and Nowek left the band. This made way for what could be considered the "classic" lineup, featuring guitarist Todd Kowalski
Todd Kowalski
Todd "The Rod" Kowalski is a Canadian electric bassist and singer, currently a member of hardcore punk band Propagandhi. Along with his band, he lives a vegan lifestyle and supports animal rights.-Career:...
(ex-I Spy
I Spy (band)
I Spy was a Canadian hardcore punk band founded in Regina, Saskatchewan in 1991, relocated to Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1994, and disbanded in 1996.-History:...
) and bassist Brian Dobson.
The band's aggressive, politically radical brand of punk was a popular draw on the Winnipeg punk scene. In 1997, Christians
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
picketed a concert to protest the band's song "Pro-Abortion, Anti-Christ".
The Alexander/Kowalski/Koss/Dobson lineup recorded an 11 song 7" on Spiral Objective Records from Australia, before disbanding in June 1997, playing their final show with J Church
J Church (band)
J Church was an American punk rock band formed by guitarist and vocalist Lance Hahn and bassist Gardner Maxam in 1992 in San Francisco, California after the demise of Hahn and Maxam's former band, Cringer...
and The Weakerthans
The Weakerthans
The Weakerthans are a four-piece Canadian indie rock band.-History:The band was formed in 1997 in Winnipeg, Manitoba by John K. Samson, after he left the punk band Propagandhi to start a publishing company. Samson joined forces with bassist John P...
.
The band members subsequently moved on to other projects. Alexander would go on to play in Head Hits Concrete
Head Hits Concrete
Head Hits Concrete is a political grindcore band that formed in April 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Between 1999 and 2004 the band recorded a cassette demo, 3 EPs and split records with My Minds Mine and Bodies Lay Broken. Head Hits Concrete went on extended hiatus in 2004, but reformed for a...
and currently Putrescence. Kowalski is a member of Propagandhi
Propagandhi
Propagandhi is a Canadian punk band formed in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba in 1986 by Chris Hannah and Jord Samolesky. The band is currently located in Winnipeg, Manitoba....
. Russell would also play in Malefaction, Kittens
Kittens (band)
The Kittens were a three piece noise rock band, with some country influences, from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Their albums were released on Sonic Unyon. After disbanding for almost eight years, they had a reunion show on News Years of 2007....
, Projektor, Hide Your Daughters and KEN mode
KEN mode
KEN mode is a Canadian metallic hardcore-influenced noise rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba that was formed in September 1999.-History:...
. Koss was the drummer for Malefaction and is currently in the black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band Of Human Bondage. Brian Dobson became an engineer and moved to Minneapolis.
An album, Anthology, was released in 2000 on G7 Welcoming Committee Records
G7 Welcoming Committee Records
G7 Welcoming Committee Records is a Canadian independent record label started by Chris Hannah and Jord Samolesky of punk band Propagandhi, and their friend Regal in 1997...
to compile the band's recorded singles. Their song "If Assholes Could Fly, This Place Would Be an Airport" is featured on G7's 2005 compilation Take Penacilin Now
Take Penacilin Now
Take Penacilin Now is a 2005 compilation album released on G7 Welcoming Committee Records. The compilation features almost every artist that has released material on the label...
.
Members
- Mike Alexander - vocals (1994–1997)
- Mike Koop - guitar (1994–1995)
- Dean Bruce - guitar (1995)
- Mark Nowak - guitar (1995–1996)
- Todd KowalskiTodd KowalskiTodd "The Rod" Kowalski is a Canadian electric bassist and singer, currently a member of hardcore punk band Propagandhi. Along with his band, he lives a vegan lifestyle and supports animal rights.-Career:...
- guitar (1996–1997) - Dave Daley - bass (1994)
- Jahmeel Russel - bass (1994–1996)
- Brian Dobson - bass (1996–1997)
- Steve Dueck - drums (1994–1995)
- Cory Koss - drums (1995–1997)