The Fucking Champs
Encyclopedia
The Fucking Champs are a three-piece progressive rock band from San Francisco, California
. They are known for their heavy metal
appeal, based largely around shifting time signatures, guitar harmonies, and lots of rhythm. Most songs are instrumental. They are currently signed to Drag City
. They have also collaborated with Trans Am
and the two have recorded albums together as TransChamps and The Fucking Am. Founded in Santa Cruz
in the early 1990s, the band was initially called The Champs, but added the "Fucking" to their name because The Champs
had been used by a band in the late 1950s.
Tim Green was a member of Nation of Ulysses
, Lice, The Vile Cherubs and The Young Ginns. He has released various solo albums and remixes under the name Concentrick. He has also recorded and produced numerous bands through his own Louder Studios.
Drummer Tim Soete was the singer/guitarist of San Diego mod revivalists The Event and bassist for Santa Cruz band Dark Horse Candidate.
Phil Manley is a founding member of Trans Am
and has also released albums under his own name. In 2011, he collaborated with Earthless
guitarist Isaiah Mitchell, under the name 'Mitchell Manley', to release an EP for Thrill Jockey
. He also works as a recording engineer and has worked with numerous bands in the Bay Area.
Founding Champs guitarist Josh Smith was also a member of the cult San Francisco black metal
band Weakling
, as well as fronting the power pop band The Makes Nice and playing guitar in Drunk Horse
. He is currently a member of The Futur Skullz.
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...
. They are known for their heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
appeal, based largely around shifting time signatures, guitar harmonies, and lots of rhythm. Most songs are instrumental. They are currently signed to Drag City
Drag City (record label)
Drag City is a Chicago-based independent record label. It was established with a Royal Trux release in 1990 in Chicago, Illinois by Dan Koretzky and Dan Osborn.Drag City specializes in experimental indie rock acts...
. They have also collaborated with Trans Am
Trans Am (band)
Trans Am is a three-piece band which originated in Bethesda, Maryland that was one of the originators of "post-rock" in the mid 90s. Their work centers on a cerebrally robotic, usually instrumental, semi-danceable, minimalistic format, with influences including Krautrock, heavy metal, hardcore...
and the two have recorded albums together as TransChamps and The Fucking Am. Founded in Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
in the early 1990s, the band was initially called The Champs, but added the "Fucking" to their name because The Champs
The Champs
The Champs were an American rock and roll band, most famous for their Latin-tinged instrumental "Tequila". Formed by studio executives at Gene Autry's Challenge Records to record a B-Side for the Dave Burgess single, the intended throwaway track became more famous than its A-Side, "Train to...
had been used by a band in the late 1950s.
Tim Green was a member of Nation of Ulysses
Nation of Ulysses
The Nation of Ulysses was an American punk rock band from Washington, D.C., formed in spring 1988 with four members. Originally known as simply "Ulysses," the first mark of the group consisted of Ian Svenonius on vocals and trumpet, Steve Kroner on guitar, Steve Gamboa on bass guitar, and James...
, Lice, The Vile Cherubs and The Young Ginns. He has released various solo albums and remixes under the name Concentrick. He has also recorded and produced numerous bands through his own Louder Studios.
Drummer Tim Soete was the singer/guitarist of San Diego mod revivalists The Event and bassist for Santa Cruz band Dark Horse Candidate.
Phil Manley is a founding member of Trans Am
Trans Am
Trans Am may refer to:* Trans Am , a U.S. post rock band* Trans Am , 1996 debut album* Trans-Am Series, an automobile racing series* Pontiac Trans Am, an automobile* Tranz Am, a 1983 video game...
and has also released albums under his own name. In 2011, he collaborated with Earthless
Earthless
Earthless is an instrumental psychedelic rock band from San Diego, California consisting of guitarist Isaiah Mitchell, bassist Mike Eginton, and drummer Mario Rubalcaba. The band formed in 2001 and released their first album Sonic Prayer through Gravity Records in 2005. A 10" single entitled Sonic...
guitarist Isaiah Mitchell, under the name 'Mitchell Manley', to release an EP for Thrill Jockey
Thrill Jockey
Thrill Jockey Records is an American independent record label established in 1992 in New York City by former Atlantic Records A&R representative Bettina Richards.-History:...
. He also works as a recording engineer and has worked with numerous bands in the Bay Area.
Founding Champs guitarist Josh Smith was also a member of the cult San Francisco 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 Weakling
Weakling
Weakling was a progressive/black metal band from San Francisco. The band never toured and released only one album, Dead As Dreams, recorded in 1998 and released on Tumult Records in 2000.-History:...
, as well as fronting the power pop band The Makes Nice and playing guitar in Drunk Horse
Drunk Horse
Drunk Horse is a rock band from Oakland, California. Formed in 1998, the band released several albums on Man's Ruin Records before the label went out of business. The band then moved on to Tee Pee Records with 2003's Adult Situations, which was followed in 2005 by In Tongues. Drunk Horse has toured...
. He is currently a member of The Futur Skullz.
Former
- Josh Smith
- Adam Cantwell (also known from the band Spaceboy)
- Alex Wharton
Discography
- Music for Films About Rock (self-released cassette, as Champs)
- Triumph of the Air Elementals (self-released cassette, 1994, as Champs)
- Second 7" 7", (Wantage USA)
- III (1997, as C4AM95)
- IV (2000)
- Double Exposure (with Trans Am as TransChamps)
- VV (The Fucking Champs album)V is the fifth full-length album by San Francisco metal/indie group The Fucking Champs, released in 2002 on Drag City.-Track listing:#Never Enough Neck Pt. 1#Never Enough Neck Pt...
(2002) - Wantage USA's 21st Release Hits Omnibus 2XCD, (Wantage USA)
- Greatest Hits
- GoldGold (The Fucking Am album)Gold is a 2004 album by The Fucking Am, a collaboration between The Fucking Champs and Trans Am. It was the second of two collaborations between the bands; they had previously recorded an EP in 2001 under the name TransChamps.-Track listings:#Bad Leg...
(with Trans Am as The Fucking Am) - VI (2007)