Antiseen (often stylized as ANTiSEEN) is an American punk rock band formed in

Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...

, by Jeff Clayton and Joe Young in 1983. The name "Antiseen" serves as a deliberate deviation of the phrase "anti-scene" - the group not wishing to adhere to standard perceptions of punk rock in specific and rock music in general. Musically, Antiseen is influenced by groups such as the Ramones and Stooges, employing short, heavily distorted power chord-driven songs largely free of guitar solos or advanced musicianship. The band has a catalogue of over 100 LPs, EPs, CDs and DVDs recorded with various line-ups and have performed all over the world. The band members consist of vocalist Jeff Clayton, bassist/drummer Sir Barry Hannibal, guitarist Mad Brother Ward, and bassist Malcolm Tent. Antiseen remains a performing and touring band.

History and side projects

After several years playing regularly throughout the East Coast and southern United States, Antiseen embarked on their first major world tour in 1992, performing in 19 countries in Europe and North America. This was repeated semi-annually for the rest of the 1990s. By the close of the decade the group tired of the routine and began to focus on shorter trips concentrating on individual regions (e.g. the west coast, east coast, midwest etc.) while returning to Europe for festivals. In 1987, Jeff Clayton partnered with

Thomas O'Keefe Thomas O'Keefe (born January 22, 1964) is a North Carolina musician and author, best known for his work with Antiseen, Whiskeytown and Train. Early years O'Keefe was born in New Haven, Connecticut, and lived in Connecticut until the age of 14. Hi ...

to form Judas Bullethead, an avant-punk outfit which released three EPs between 1987 and 1991. Clayton and O'Keefe performed under assumed identities controlled by the fictitious godhead known as 'Charlie'. Although only performing in public three times, the records were critically lauded and have become collectors' items. Reportedly, there is an entire album of unreleased material. In 1988 guitarist Joe Young released a solo EP, ''Bury The Needle,'' which featured several Antiseen members. Jeff Clayton has recorded two solo EPs, 'Jeff Clayton & the Slimegoats' in 1988 and 'Jeff Clayton & the Mongrels' in 2009. The Mongrels featured Mike Hendrix of the Belmont Playboys on lead guitar.

GG Allin Kevin Michael "GG" Allin (born Jesus Christ Allin; August 29, 1956 – June 28, 1993) was an American punk rock musician who performed and recorded with many groups during his career. Allin was best known for his controversial live performances ...

used Antiseen as his backing band on his ''Murder Junkies'' album. The band has stated that this album was a mixed blessing, saying that although they regret the "backing band" stigma that it gave them, they loved the way the album turned out.

Sometimes it seems like that's all people wanna talk about. I don't regret those days at all, but we have done more than just that. We miss GG a lot though. —Jeff Clayton

After GG Allin's death in 1993, Clayton fronted Allin's surviving band, also known as

The Murder Junkies The Murder Junkies are an American punk rock band, best known for having been GG Allin's final backing band before his death. They perform songs from Allin's back catalog as well as their own original material. They are the third GG Allin back ...

, for several tours. In late 1994, Barry Hannibal joined the band as the drummer and has been a part of the band ever since, excluding a 5-year hiatus starting in 2006. In 2013, he returned to the band as the bassist. He is the third longest reigning member, with only Clayton and Young having been in the band longer. Clayton has also appeared as lead vocalist on the Alcoholics Unanimous EP ''Dixie Fried''. Additionally, he was involved as vocalist in the Simon Stokes tribute band Conqueror Worm (featuring members of Rancid Vat and Poison Idea), the album 'Rock inferno' by Australian band Rupture and has an uncredited backing vocal on

Hank Williams III Shelton Hank Williams (born December 12, 1972), known as Hank Williams III, is an American musician, singer and multi-instrumentalist, known for his unique fusion of traditional country music, rockabilly, heavy metal and punk rock. He was the ...

's ''

Damn Right, Rebel Proud ''Damn Right, Rebel Proud'' is the fourth studio album released by American country music artist Hank Williams III. It was released on October 21, 2008. The album was released in two separate versions, one being a censored release for major retaile ...

''. Clayton is also a producer; he has produced recordings by Hellstomper and Mad Brother Ward. The band were also charter members of the now-defunct "Confederacy of Scum." The COS were a loose collective of bands including Rancid Vat, Seducer, Limecell, Hellstomper, Cocknoose,

Frankenstein Drag Queens From Planet 13 Frankenstein Drag Queens from Planet 13 was an American horror punk band from North Carolina. The band was formed in 1996 by Wednesday 13, who recruited friends and former Maniac Spider Trash bandmates Seaweed and Sicko Zero. The band's histor ...

Hammerlock An armlock in grappling is a single or double joint lock that hyperextends, hyperflexes or hyperrotates the elbow joint or shoulder joint. An armlock that hyper-extends the arm is known as an armbar, and it includes the traditional armbar, pr ...

, Before I Hang, and The Tunnel Rats. Many of these acts would unite yearly in various cities to stage a weekend long event known as the "Supershow." In 2003, Antiseen staged a 20th-anniversary concert in

Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...

which featured many past members of the group participating during the show. The set was professionally filmed and released on DVD. In 2004, Steel Cage Records released a

coffee table book A coffee table book, also known as a cocktail table book, is an oversized, usually hard-covered book whose purpose is for display on a table intended for use in an area in which one entertains guests and from which it can serve to inspire convers ...

entitled ''Destructo Maximus''. The contents include interviews with current and past members of the band, testimonials of friends and fans, press clippings, reviews, and over 300 captioned photographs chronicling the band's history to that point. It also features fan artwork, a poster and flyer gallery, song lyrics, and a full discography. In 2006, TKO Records released a

tribute album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records c ...

entitled ''Everybody Loves Antiseen'', which features 58 various artists including Hank III, ZEKE,

Chaos UK Chaos UK is an English punk rock band formed in 1979 in Portishead, near Bristol. They emerged as part of the anarcho-punk scene, developing a fast and aggressive hardcore punk style. The band recorded two EPs and a full LP for Riot City Rec ...

, Limecell, Texas Terri Bomb and Jeff Dahl, Simon Stokes and Blowfly. On April 30, 2014, Clayton posted on his

Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Mosk ...

page that Young had died. It was later reported in local news that he died of a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...

. Antiseen has also collaborated with

. The band has appeared on split 7-inch EPs with Hank III, Electric Frankenstein, Brody's Militia,

The Hookers The Hookers are an American hardcore punk band based in Louisville, Kentucky. Originally formed in Lexington in 1994 as the Fayette County Hookers, the name was shortened before their first independent release ''Kiss My Fuckin Ass'' 7-inch EP in ...

, and Blowfly. Antiseen continues to play live tour dates.

Style

Music and lyrics

Antiseen's lyrics deal with issues such as the military (" Stormtrooper", "Pledge Allegiance to the Bomb", "Warhero"), a love for the South ("Trapped in

Dixie Dixie, also known as Dixieland or Dixie's Land, is a nickname for all or part of the Southern United States. While there is no official definition of this region (and the included areas shift over the years), or the extent of the area it cover ...

"), independence and pride ("Glad I Am The Way I Am", "Fuck All Y'All", "No Apologies"), songs supporting

gun rights The right to keep and bear arms (often referred to as the right to bear arms) is a right for people to possess weapons (arms) for the preservation of life, liberty, and property. The purpose of gun rights is for self-defense, including securi ...

("Guns Ablazin' "), and songs that defy political correctness ("Animals, Eat 'Em", "F.T.K.", "Spare Change", "Watch the Bastard Fry"). Antiseen's lyrics, which the band has described as satirical, are confrontational and caustic. Clayton writes most of the band's lyrics, although on their most recent studio release, ''Badwill Ambassadors'', Sir Barry Hannibal and Doug Canipe handled most of the songwriting duties. The band's instrumental work is fairly simplistic, as they rarely use guitar solos and mainly rely on using

power chords A power chord (also fifth chord) is a colloquial name for a chord in guitar music, especially electric guitar, that consists of the root note and the fifth, as well as possibly octaves of those notes. Power chords are commonly played on ...

in all guitar parts. The band has written lyrics expressing their appreciation for

professional wrestling Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...

by making musical tributes to various wrestlers, including Cactus Jack, Sabu,

Terry Funk Terrence Funk (born June 30, 1944) is an American retired professional wrestler, rapper, disc jockey and actor. Funk is known for the longevity of his career – which spanned more than 50 years and included multiple short-lived retirements – ...

, and

Abdullah the Butcher Lawrence Robert Shreve (born January 11, 1941), better known by the ring name Abdullah the Butcher, is a Canadian retired professional wrestler. He has a reputation for being involved in some of the most violent and bloody hardcore wrestling ma ...

. Non-specific songs include "(I'm a) Babyface Killer" (sung from the viewpoint of a heel) and "From Parts Unknown" (a tribute to wrestlers who wear masks). Additionally, Antiseen has covered songs by artists such as Hank Williams Sr.,

Skrewdriver Skrewdriver were an English punk rock band formed by Ian Stuart Donaldson in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, in 1976. Originally a punk band, Skrewdriver changed into a white supremacist rock band after reuniting in the 1980s. Their original l ...

Ernest Tubb Ernest Dale Tubb (February 9, 1914 – September 6, 1984), nicknamed the Texas Troubadour, was an American singer and songwriter and one of the pioneers of country music. His biggest career hit song, " Walking the Floor Over You" (1941), ...

, Hellstomper,

Anti-Nowhere League Anti-Nowhere League are an English punk rock band, formed in 1979 by lead singer Animal (Nick Culmer), guitarist Magoo (Chris Exall), Bones (Tony Shaw) on drums and Chris Elvy on bass. Career Early days The band first played at the 1980 Cha ...

, Black Flag, Broken Talent,

Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...

, Dave Dudley,

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

, Roky Erickson,

George Jones George Glenn Jones (September 12, 1931 – April 26, 2013) was an American country musician, singer, and songwriter. He achieved international fame for his long list of hit records, including his best-known song " He Stopped Loving Her Today", ...

The Kinks The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, north London, in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhyt ...

Bachman–Turner Overdrive Bachman–Turner Overdrive, often abbreviated BTO, were a Canadian rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba, founded by Randy Bachman, Robbie Bachman and Fred Turner in 1973. Their 1970s catalogue included five top-40 albums and six US top-40 sing ...

, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Blowfly,

Curtis Mayfield Curtis Lee Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer, and one of the most influential musicians behind soul and politically conscious African-American music.

, Roy Orbison, Ramones, Rancid Vat,

Rose Tattoo Rose Tattoo are an Australian rock and roll band, now led by Angry Anderson, which formed in Sydney in 1976. Their sound is hard rock mixed with blues rock influences, with songs including "Bad Boy for Love", "Rock 'n' Roll Outlaw", "Nice Bo ...

, Steve Sadler, Jumping Gene Simmons, Jack Starr,

Sun Ra Le Sony'r Ra (born Herman Poole Blount, May 22, 1914 – May 30, 1993), better known as Sun Ra, was an American jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, and poet known for his experimental music, "cosmic" philosophy, prolific ou ...

, Screaming Lord Sutch,

The Stooges The Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, also known as Iggy and the Stooges, was an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Da ...

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.Talki ...

The Trashmen The Trashmen were an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, in 1962. The original line-up of the group featured guitarists Tony Andreason and Dal Winslow, bassist Bob Reed, and drummer Steve Wahrer. Along with Co ...

, and

The Troggs The Troggs (originally called the Troglodytes) are an English garage rock band formed in Andover, Hampshire in May 1964. Their most famous songs include the US chart-topper " Wild Thing", " With a Girl Like You" and " Love Is All Around", all ...

Live performances

Early Antiseen performances featured bizarre theatrical stage props involving mannequins, fake blood and pyrotechnics. Such performances found the group often banned from clubs unused to such presentations. Eventually the group tired of the logistics and legalities involved with a theatrical stage presentation and phased it out of their act, while increasing the physical mayhem of their stage antics - often destroying their own equipment. Vocalist Clayton began employing acts of self-mutilation, often cutting his face or arms with shards of broken glass or pounding his head with a microphone drawing blood and abrasions.

Political views

Guitarist Joe Young was a member of the

Libertarian Party Active parties by country Defunct parties by country Organizations associated with Libertarian parties See also * Liberal parties by country * List of libertarian organizations * Lists of political parties Lists of political part ...

, and stated that he had voted Libertarian since 1978. In 2000, Young ran for state house as a Libertarian. Young ran for city council in 2001. The band members have stated that Antiseen is an apolitical band, although their songs have satirized extremist politics. Both Young and Jeff Clayton have been at times supporters of the 2nd Amendment, Clayton especially being a firearms enthusiast.

Discography

*''Honour Among Thieves'' (1988) *''Raw Shit'' (1989) *''Noise For The Sake Of Noise'' (1989) *''Destructo Blitzkrieg'' (1990) *''

& Antiseen: Murder Junkies'' (1991) *''Southern Hostility'' (1991) (

Man's Ruin Records Man's Ruin Records was an independent record label owned and founded by San Francisco Bay Area artist Frank Kozik. After the 1994 release of Man's Ruin's first record ''Experimental Audio Research (EAR): Delta 6'' Kozik worked with artists whom ...

) *''Eat More Possum'' (1993) (

) *''Hell'' (1994) *''Here To Ruin Your Groove'' (1996) *''15 Minutes Of Fame, 15 Years Of Infamy'' (1999) (Steel Cage Records) *''The Boys From Brutalsville'' (2001) *''Screamin' Bloody Live'' (2002) *''Badwill Ambassadors'' (2004) * ''Antiseen/Electric Frankenstein'' split 7-inch split single (January 11, 2005, TKO Records 135 (

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

)) *''Everybody Loves Antiseen'' (2006) *''New Blood'' (2012) (Switchlight Records) *''Falls Count Anywhere - A Collection Of Wrestling Songs'' (2012) (Rusty Knuckles) *''Live In Austin, TX'' (2012) (Digital Warfare Records) *''Live Possum'' (2013) (Jailhouse Records) *''We're # One!'' (2016) (

TKO Records TKO Records is an independent punk rock record label in Portland, Oregon. The label is primarily known for its role in the late 1990s American street punk scene and has continued its notability as a source of new releases, reissues, and archival ...

) *''Obstinate'' (2017) (

) *''Dying Breed'' (2018) (

) In addition to this, the band has released at least 35 different 7-inch vinyl records, including splits, live EPs and rare singles.

Band members

Current members

*Jeff Clayton - vocals *sir Barry Hannibal - drums, backing vocals *Walt Wheat - guitar *Malcolm Tent - bass guitar, backing vocals

Former members

*Joe Young - Guitar ''(deceased)'' *The Gooch - Drums *Doug Canipe - Bass *Greg Clayton - Drums *Dale Duncan - Bass *Marlon Cherry - Bass *Doug Throgmorton - Drums *

- Bass *

- Vocals ''(deceased)'' *Tripp McNeill - Bass *Sir Barry Hannibal - Drums *Byron "Spitbubble" McDonald - Drums '' (deceased) '' *Lee "Flea" Howard - Bass *Steve Sadler - Drums *Brad Keeter - Drums '' (deceased) '' *Bill Cates - Bass '' (deceased) '' *Mitch Cooper - Drums *Joe Williams - Bass/Keyboards *Mad Brother Ward - Guitar *Dana "Ace" Davis - Lead Guitar *Jon Bowman - Bass *Phil Keller - Drums

References

External links

Official websiteMyspace pageAntiseen interview by Spanky Payne for Twisted Press
{{Authority control Hardcore punk groups from North Carolina Cowpunk musical groups Musical groups established in 1983 Man's Ruin Records artists Steel Cage Records artists