Urinals (band)
Encyclopedia
The Urinals are a punk rock
band
from Southern California
. Known for their minimalist approach to songwriting and recording — their lyrics have been called "punk haiku
" — the band influenced other punk rockers of the 1970s and 1980s including the Minutemen
.
at their UCLA dorm
. Though none could play their instruments, three of the original members continued to perform in on-campus venues. Their songs were usually short, and seldom utilized more than two chords—if that.
The band’s first off-campus show was at Raul’s
in Austin, Texas
. Returning to L.A., they appeared with such groups as The Go-Go's
and Black Flag
. A roughly-recorded, four-song EP
produced by Vitus Matare (of L.A.'s The Last
and later Trotsky Icepick
) followed. After developing a somewhat more sophisticated sound, the band changed its name to 100 Flowers (inspired by Chairman Mao Zedong
's famous quote
), but disbanded in 1983.
In 1996, the band reformed as the Urinals, releasing a CD of new material in 2003. They later took the name Chairs of Perception (presumably a parody of Aldous Huxley
's The Doors of Perception
) before again becoming the Urinals in 2008.
As 100 Flowers:
As 100 Flowers:
and 3-Way Tie (For Last)
. A video of the song, directed by Talley-Jones, would be the Minutemen's last video due to the death of D. Boon
.
No Age
covered "Male Masturbation" on their EP Eraser.
Mika Miko
covered "Sex" on their LP We Be Xuxa.
Yo La Tengo
has covered "Black Hole" (on their Little Honda EP) and "Surfin' with the Shah". "Black Hole" was also covered by the Leaving Trains, Angry Angles, Women
, Gun Club, and Grass Widow.
"I'm a Bug" was covered by Halo of Flies, Lili Z. (on her Let's Go 7"), and Meatmen (on their LP Cover the Earth).
"Hologram" was covered by Digital Leather
(on their LP Sorcerer) and Human Eye (on their Dinosaur Bones 7").
Other bands to cover Urinals songs include Butthole Surfers
, The Dishes, The Reds, Mike Watt
, and Eleventh Day Dream.
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
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
from Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
. Known for their minimalist approach to songwriting and recording — their lyrics have been called "punk haiku
Haiku
' , plural haiku, is a very short form of Japanese poetry typically characterised by three qualities:* The essence of haiku is "cutting"...
" — the band influenced other punk rockers of the 1970s and 1980s including the Minutemen
Minutemen (band)
Minutemen were an American hardcore punk band formed in San Pedro, California in 1980. Composed of guitarist D. Boon, bassist Mike Watt and drummer George Hurley, Minutemen recorded four albums and eight EPs before Boon's death in an automobile accident in December 1985...
.
History
The band's first performance, in 1978, was a parody of punk rock performed for a talent showTalent show
A talent show is an event where participants perform their talent or talents of acting, singing, dancing, acrobatics, drumming, martial arts, playing an instrument, and other activities to showcase a unique form of talent, sometimes for a reward, trophy or prize...
at their UCLA dorm
Dormitory
A dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students...
. Though none could play their instruments, three of the original members continued to perform in on-campus venues. Their songs were usually short, and seldom utilized more than two chords—if that.
The band’s first off-campus show was at Raul’s
Raul's (night club)
Raul's was a live music nightclub at 2610 Guadalupe Street in Austin, Texas in the late 1970s and early 1980s, which specialized in punk rock music...
in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. Returning to L.A., they appeared with such groups as The Go-Go's
The Go-Go's
The Go-Go’s are an all-female American rock band formed in 1978. They made history as the first all-female band that both wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to top the Billboard album charts....
and Black Flag
Black Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
. A roughly-recorded, four-song EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
produced by Vitus Matare (of L.A.'s The Last
The Last
The Last is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It is part of the "Divergent Universe" saga which continued until The Next Life.-Plot:...
and later Trotsky Icepick
Trotsky Icepick
Trotsky Icepick were an American Indie rock band. Their active period was 1983 through 1991. During that time they released six records, all on SST Records. Members included alumni from LA indie groups The Last, Urinals Middle Class and Leaving Trains.-Trivia:*The band name refers to the type of...
) followed. After developing a somewhat more sophisticated sound, the band changed its name to 100 Flowers (inspired by Chairman Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
's famous quote
Hundred Flowers Campaign
The Hundred Flowers Campaign, also termed the Hundred Flowers Movement, refers mainly to a brief six weeks in the People's Republic of China in the early summer of 1957 during which the Communist Party of China encouraged a variety of views and solutions to national policy issues, launched...
), but disbanded in 1983.
In 1996, the band reformed as the Urinals, releasing a CD of new material in 2003. They later took the name Chairs of Perception (presumably a parody of Aldous Huxley
Aldous Huxley
Aldous Leonard Huxley was an English writer and one of the most prominent members of the famous Huxley family. Best known for his novels including Brave New World and a wide-ranging output of essays, Huxley also edited the magazine Oxford Poetry, and published short stories, poetry, travel...
's The Doors of Perception
The Doors of Perception
The Doors of Perception is a 1954 book by Aldous Huxley detailing his experiences when taking mescaline. The book takes the form of Huxley’s recollection of a mescaline trip which took place over the course of an afternoon, and takes its title from William Blake's poem The Marriage of Heaven and Hell...
) before again becoming the Urinals in 2008.
Discography
- Urinals (7" EP, 1979, Happy Squid Records)
- Another EP (7" EP, 1979, Happy Squid Records)
- "Sex"/"Go Away Girl" (7" EP, 1980, Happy Squid Records)
- Negative Capability...Check It Out! (CD, 1997, Amphetamine Reptile RecordsAmphetamine Reptile RecordsAmphetamine Reptile Records is a nationally renowned record label which was founded in 1986 by then-US Marine Tom Hazelmyer in Washington State, US The label is best-known for its roster of noise rock artists, and its Dope, Guns 'n' Fucking In The Streets series of compilations.-History:Hazelmyer...
, 2004, Warning Label Records) - What Is Real and What Is Not (CD, 2003, Warning Label)
As 100 Flowers:
- Presence of Mind (7" EP, 1982, Happy Squid)
- 100 Flowers (LP, 1983, Happy Squid)
- Drawing Fire (EP, 1984, Happy Squid)
- 100 Years of Pulchritude (CD, 1990, Rhino Records)
Compilation appearances
- The Happy Squid Sampler (1980, Happy Squid)
- Includes "U"
- Life is Ugly So Why Not Kill Yourself (1982, New Underground)
- Includes "Sensible Virgin" and "She's a Drone"
- Human Music (1988, Homestead)
- Includes "I'm Like You"
- Warfrat Tales (Unabridged) (2005, Avebury Records)
- Includes "I'm Like You" and "Scholastic Aptitude"
As 100 Flowers:
- Keats Rides A Harley (1981, Happy Squid, 2005, Warning Label Records)
- Includes "Salmonella"
- Hell Comes To Your HouseHell Comes To Your HouseHell Comes to Your House is an American Deathrock and punk compilation that chronicles the emergence of Deathrock as a genre.The album was originally released in 1981 but reissued in 1998...
(1981, Bemisbrain)- Includes "Reject Yourself"
- Life is Ugly So Why Not Kill Yourself (1982, New Underground)
- Includes "Sensible Virgins"
- Warfrat Tales (1983, Warfrat Grammophon; 2005, Avebury Records)
- Includes "100 Flowers" and "From the Fire"
- The Radio Tokyo Tapes (1983, Ear Movie)
- Includes "The Long Arm of the Social Sciences"
Covers
The Minutemen covered "Ack Ack Ack Ack" (calling it "Ack Ack Ack") on the albums The Politics of TimeThe Politics of Time
The Politics of Time is the seventh overall release, third album-length release, and first compilation by American hardcore punk band the Minutemen....
and 3-Way Tie (For Last)
3-Way Tie (For Last)
3-Way Tie is the fourth and final full-length album recorded by the American punk band Minutemen. It is particularly notable for featuring several cover songs by bands such as the Urinals, Meat Puppets, Blue Öyster Cult, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Roky Erickson and the Aliens. It was...
. A video of the song, directed by Talley-Jones, would be the Minutemen's last video due to the death of D. Boon
D. Boon
d. Boon born Dennes Dale Boon, was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. Active between 1978, when he joined The Reactionaries, and 1985, when he was killed in a van accident, Boon was best known as the guitarist and vocalist of the Californian punk rock trio Minutemen.-Youth:Dennes Boon...
.
No Age
No Age
No Age is a two-person American indie rock group consisting of guitarist Randy Randall and drummer/vocalist Dean Allen Spunt. The band is based in Los Angeles and is currently signed to Sub Pop records...
covered "Male Masturbation" on their EP Eraser.
Mika Miko
Mika Miko
Mika Miko was a band formed in 2003 in Los Angeles, California. In 2004 they gained local popularity for their frenetic live performances. Featuring Victor Fandgore , Jet Blanca , Michelle Suarez, Jessica Clavin, and Jon Erik Edrosa, the original line up of the band made its first demo CD-R, its...
covered "Sex" on their LP We Be Xuxa.
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo, sometimes abbreviated as YLT, is an American alternative rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan , Georgia Hubley , and James McNew .Despite achieving limited mainstream success, Yo La Tengo has been called "the quintessential...
has covered "Black Hole" (on their Little Honda EP) and "Surfin' with the Shah". "Black Hole" was also covered by the Leaving Trains, Angry Angles, Women
Women (band)
Women are an art rock band from Calgary, Canada. Their debut album Women was released on VanGaalen's label Flemish Eye on July 8, 2008 in Canada and on Jagjaguwar in the United States on October 7, 2008...
, Gun Club, and Grass Widow.
"I'm a Bug" was covered by Halo of Flies, Lili Z. (on her Let's Go 7"), and Meatmen (on their LP Cover the Earth).
"Hologram" was covered by Digital Leather
Digital Leather
Digital Leather is the musical project of multi-instrumentalist Shawn Foree. It is recognized for having characteristics of synth punk, New Wave, pop, lo-fi, and psychedelic music....
(on their LP Sorcerer) and Human Eye (on their Dinosaur Bones 7").
Other bands to cover Urinals songs include Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers is an American alternative rock band formed by Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary in San Antonio, Texas in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but its core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has been consistent since 1983. Teresa Nervosa served as second...
, The Dishes, The Reds, Mike Watt
Mike Watt
Michael David Watt is an American bassist, singer and songwriter.He is best known for co-founding the rock bands Minutemen, dos, and Firehose; , he is also the bassist for the reunited Stooges and a member of the art rock/jazz/punk/improv group Banyan as well as many other post-Minutemen...
, and Eleventh Day Dream.