Armed and Hammered is a

hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...

band from

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

, Ontario, spawned from Bunchofuckingoofs scene of the early 1980s.

History

Originally formed by singer Mopa Dean, the bassist for Masochistic Religion, and drummer Kyle Peek, the earliest lineup also included Lamo, Philphee Saunders and Bunchofuckingoofs Thor Hammersen. They played their first show June 7, 1989.Canadian Indie Band Database

Retrieved August 23, 2007. By the end of 1990, they had recorded enough live performances that they were able to independently release a 17-track collection called ''Promoting Peace To Violence 89-90''. Eight of those songs appeared on their 1991 12-track demo tape, ''Fully Loaded''. By this time, Lamo, Saunders and Hammersen had been replaced by guitarist Hardcore Dave and bassist Kieran Plunkett.Armed & Hammered Discography

Retrieved from the Internet Archive August 23, 2007. In 1992, guitarists Big John and Dorian Wilde replaced Hardcore Dave. This line-up was featured on the next several releases: split EPs with Suckerpunch and

Oppressed Logic Oppressed Logic are an American punk rock, punk band from Oakland, California, United States, who formed in 1994. Currently, the band consists of vocalist Mike Avilez, drummer Jim Redens, guitar and bassist Jake Martinez, and guitarist Mike Fuen ...

, the song "Rat Poison" which was included in the Raw Energy Records punk compilation ''Dead on the Road - Songs Without Keyboards'', and the song "Beans and Toast" which was included in the 1996 Ransom Note Recordings Compilation ''Living in Fear''. In 1995, Armed and Hammered claimed that they were banned from a repeat performance on

Much Music Much (an abbreviation for its full name MuchMusic) is a Canadian English language specialty channel owned by BCE Inc. through its Bell Media subsidiary that airs programming aimed at teenagers and young adults. MuchMusic launched on August 31, ...

. The band had played the

Kumbaya Festival The Kumbaya Festival was an annual Canadian music and arts festival in the 1990s.Budweiser Stage) to benefit people living with AIDS. It was broadcast live across Canada and rebroadcast the following day; Much Music removed the band's performance from the rebroadcast and replaced it with an

REM Rem or REM may refer to: Music * R.E.M., an American rock band * ''R.E.M.'' (EP), by Green * "R.E.M." (song), by Ariana Grande Organizations * La République En Marche!, a French centrist political party * Reichserziehungsministerium, in Nazi G ...

video. The band's line-up would change again. Guitarist Dorian Wilde left in 1994 and was replaced by Kurf. Kieran Plunkett moved to the UK where he toured with

The Varukers The Varukers are a British punk rock band formed in 1979 by vocalist Anthony "Rat" Martin. They produced their most influential recordings in the early 1980s. The band play in D-beat, the musical style of Discharge. Also like Discharge, the ...

and formed The Restarts. He was replaced by Rick Giroux, who was replaced in 1997 by former Heatseekers and Suckerpunch bassist, Cindy Beattie. The band's debut full-length album, ''It's About Fucking Time'', was recorded over 1996 and 1997 and features both Rick and Cindy. The CD also features re-recordings of many songs from earlier releases. It also spent some time in the independent charts in Canada. Also in 1996, the European label Subvert & Deny released the four-track EP ''More Punk Rock Than You''. In 1998, Kurf left the band and was replaced by former Abalienation guitarist, Mark Dickinson. In 2000, following the release of the ''Negative Aspects of Positive Thinking'' CD, Mark returned to the US, leaving Armed and Hammered once again with one guitarist. In 2000, Mopa left the group to be replaced by

Jaww Jaww ( ar, جو) is a village on the south eastern coast of Bahrain Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, an ...

singer Doug McLarty. After Mopa's departure, the group became mostly inactive, playing only a handful of gigs before their final shows in early 2003. Mopa formed a band called The G-Men in 2002; they played at least one gig with Armed & Hammered, on November 15, 2002, at Sneaky Dee's in Toronto. These final shows featured the return of former members Kurf and Rick. Armed and Hammered reunited to play a set in support of English group GBH's tour stop at the Mod Club Theatre in Toronto in July 2010, then reformed in May 2012. The band is still performing and recording. In February 2021, they released a four-track split with Vulgar Deli.

Discography

* ''Promoting Peace Through Violence 89-90'' (1990), Cassette, Independent * ''Fully Loaded'' (1991), Cassette, Independent * ''Armed & Hammered/Suckerpunch'' (1993), 7inch EP,, Independent * ''Armed & Hammered/Oppressed Logic'' (1995), 7inch EP, Split with

, Ransom Note Recordings * ''Don't Mess with Punk'' (1996), Cassette, Independent * ''More Punk Rock Than You'' (1996), 7inch EP, Subvert & Deny Records * ''It's About Fucking Time'' (1997), CD

Obese Records Obese Records was a record label that released music from the Australian hip hop genre. It was the largest Australian independent hip hop label, including performers Pegz, Thundamentals and Dialectrix. Obese Records also operated two retail st ...

* ''Negative Aspects of Positive Thinking'', (2000), CD Independent * ''Armed & Hammered/Vulgar Deli - American Democracy / Kill Johnny Stiff'', (2021), 7inch EP, Coke Dick Records Various Artists Compilations * ''Dead On the Road - Songs Without Keyboards'' (1994), CD, Compilation Inclusion,

Raw Energy Records Raw Energy Records was a Canadian independent record label, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The music label was established in the late 1980s by founder entrepreneur and music journalist Graeme Boyce,"Toronto Label Taps Raw Energy". '' Billbo ...

* ''Living in Fear'' (1995), CD, Compilation Inclusion, Ransom Note Recordings * ''Disease Control: Vol. 1'' (1999), CD, MUCK Records * ''Twentybandcomp - Various Artists Vol.'', (2000), CD

– Shock Records * ''Ontario Punk Rock Compilation - Various Artists Vol. 4'' (2020), Compilation Inclusion, CD., Lockdown Records Canada * '' Punk Canada Vol. 2'' (2023), Compilation Inclusion, LP., En Guard Records Canada

Members

2012 Lineup * Kyle Peek – drums * Mopa Dean – vocals * Big John (John Mckee) – guitar * Jamie "G" – guitar * Preston "Wounded Paw" Sims Past * Thor (BFG) Hammersen – bass, former member of Bunchofuckingoofs, Perdition, Ride at Dawn and Blast Furnace * Steve "Lamo" – guitar * Phil "Philphee" Saunders – bass * Kieran Plunkett – bass, member of

, The Restarts * Kurf – guitar, former member of PolitiKILL inCOREct, Yeti * Doug McLarty – vocals, former member of

* Rick Giroux – bass, member of The G-Men and Son of Bronto, former member of Sinking Ships * Cindy Beattie – bass, former member of Suckerpunch, The Heatseekers, Sharkskin * Dorian Wilde – guitar, former member of Suckerpunch * Mark Dickinson – guitar, member of Others, Bloodsucking Freaks, former member of Abalienation * Hardcore Dave (David Mcleod) – guitar, former member of Bunchofuckingoofs, Nunoyerfuckinbizznizz, No ID and Landfill * Allyson Baker – guitar, member of

Dirty Ghosts Dirty Ghosts are a San Francisco rock banformed in 2006by Allyson Baker, Carson Binks and Baker's then-husband Aesop Rock, AKA Ian Bavitz. After the departure of Binks and Bavitz, Baker remained as the driving force in the band. History The band fo ...

, former member of Teen Crud Combo, Shuttlecocks * John Grove – bass, member of Bunchofuckingoofs

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Armed and Hammered Canadian hardcore punk groups Musical groups from Toronto Musical groups established in 1989 Musical groups disestablished in 2010 1989 establishments in Ontario 2010 disestablishments in Ontario