Zipgun
Encyclopedia
- For the weapon, see Improvised firearmImprovised firearmAn improvised firearm is a firearm manufactured by someone who is not a regular maker of firearms , and is typically constructed by adapting existing materials to the purpose...
Zipgun was a punk rock band from Seattle Washington active from 1991 to 1994.
The original founding members were: guitarist Neil Rogers (The Derelicts, Glazed), singer Robb Clarke (Trids, RC5), bassist Mark Wooten (The Zanny Guys, Noble Firs) and drummer Dan Cunneen
Dan Cunneen
Dan Cunneen is a drummer, lyricist, songwriter, disc jockey and graphic designer originally from Portland, Oregon, U.S.A.. Cunneen is best known for his drum work with the 1980s Portland, Oregon band Final Warning and the 1990s Seattle, Washington based bands Zipgun and Nightcaps...
(Final Warning
Final Warning
Final Warning was an obscure yet influential Portland, Oregon-based hardcore punk band active from 1982 to 1986.-History:The band first formed in 1982 as Broken Trust by childhood friends, guitarist Jeff "Simon" Simoncini, drummer Dan Cunneen and vocalist Tim Paul...
, The Obituaries
The Obituaries
The Obituaries were one of the most popular and groundbreakingbands in the Northwest USA from 1986-1990. Fronted by singer/wordsmith Monica Nelson who was known for her powerful stage presence and stunning vocals. She was an influence to many other later female rockers with roots in the area, and...
, Nightcaps
Nightcaps (band)
Nightcaps were an American Lounge music band from Seattle, Washington active from 1994 until 2002.Nightcaps were an integral part if the mid 1990s Lounge music resurgence that included bands such as Combustible Edison,...
, Sugarsmacks).
History
Zipgun was formed and led by Neil Rogers, who had previously played guitar for Sub PopSub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
recording artists The Derelicts.
In 1993, Mark Wooten quit the band and was replaced by bassist Andy Sheen. In late 1993 Sheen quit the band and was replaced by former Derelicts bassist Ian Dunsmore. Zipgun broke up in 1994.
Zipgun reunited in 1996 for a single show in Seattle with original bassist, Mark Wooten.
Background
While Zipgun hailed from Seattle during the mid 1990s, their music is not considered GrungeGrunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
. Zipgun was one of a number of Seattle bands that eschewed the prevailing musical trend, instead choosing to play less commercial 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...
. Other Seattle bands sharing the same philosophy during the era include: Gas Huffer
Gas Huffer
Gas Huffer was an American garage rock band from Washington state. They were known for their formal and comical lyrics and their antic stage presence.-History:Gas Huffer classified themselves loosely in the Garage punk genre...
, Supersuckers, The Gits
The Gits
The Gits were an American punk rock band, formed in Yellow Springs, Ohio in 1986. Known for their part in the burgeoning Seattle music scene of the early 1990s, their distinct punk rock sound gained a reputation for its bluesy street punk aesthetic...
, and Coffin Break
Coffin Break
-History:Coffin Break was formed in Seattle in the late 1980s, during the time that grunge was beginning to catch on; however, the group eschewed the nascent alternative sound, taking their influences from punk rock. The group released its first two full-length albums and a compilation on C/Z Records...
.
The band was known for their “punk and roll” sound, which is characterized by it’s raw energy and power - delivered at slightly slower tempos than typical American hardcore.
Zipgun was also known for their unpredictable stage performances and sometimes volatile interaction between singer Robb Clarke and guitarist Neil Rogers. (For instance, at their alcohol fueled debut show at Seattle’s Crocodile Cafe
Crocodile Cafe
The Crocodile is a music club at 2200 2nd Avenue at Blanchard Street in the neighborhood of Belltown in Seattle, Washington, USA. Opened as the "Crocodile Cafe" on April 30, 1991 by Stephanie Dorgan, it quickly became a fixture on the local music scene. It closed on December 15, 2007...
, Rogers famously broke his Gibson SG guitar over Clarke’s back.)
Legacy
Zipgun released three singles and two full-length albums on Pacific Northwest independent record labelIndependent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
, Empty Records and several other singles on various labels. The band toured extensively throughout the United States and Canada and appeared in the Doug Pray
Doug Pray
Doug Pray is an American documentary film director, cinematographer, and editor who often explores unique subcultures in his films. His work includes Surfwise a portrait of the nomadic, 11-member Doc Paskowitz family ; Big Rig , a documentary about truck drivers; Infamy , a documentary about...
film Hype!
Hype!
Hype! is a documentary directed by Doug Pray about the popularity of grunge rock in the early to mid-1990s United States. It incorporates interviews and rare concert footage to trace the steps of grunge, from its subversive inception in neighborhood basements, to its explosion as a pop culture...
, a documentary chronicling the 1990s Seattle Grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
music scene.
Discography
- 1991 Together Dumb/Cool in the Cell (single) Empty Records
- 1991 Ten (one sided promo single) Empty Records
- 1992 8 Track Player (CD/LP) Empty Records
- 1992 The End/Nothing Cures (single) Musical Tragedies
- 1993 Put Me Away (split single w/ Derelicts) Rekkids
- 1993 Baltimore (CD/LP) Empty Records
- 1994 I Can't Wait/Tight Black Pants (single) Thrill Jockey Records