Brendan Kelly (born September 8, 1976) is the bassist/vocalist of Chicago-based
punk
Punk or punks may refer to:
Genres, subculture, and related aspects
* Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres
* Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
band
The Lawrence Arms
The Lawrence Arms are an American punk rock band from Chicago, formed in 1999. They have released seven full-length albums and toured extensively.
Band history Pre-history
Prior to forming the Lawrence Arms, the three band members were active i ...
, as well as guitarist/lead vocalist in
The Falcon and
Brendan Kelly and the Wandering Birds. Kelly's former bands include
Slapstick
Slapstick is a style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity that exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy. Slapstick may involve both intentional violence and violence by mishap, often resulting from inept use of props such a ...
and
The Broadways. He is known for his raspy vocals, drunken demeanor, and onstage
witticisms.
Kelly appeared on ''
The Daily Show
''The Daily Show'' is an American late-night talk and satirical news television program. It airs each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central with release shortly after on Paramount+. ''The Daily Show'' draws its comedy and satire form from ...
'' in a correspondent piece by
Ed Helms
Edward Parker Helms (born January 24, 1974) is an American actor and comedian. From 2002 to 2006, he was a correspondent on Comedy Central's ''The Daily Show with Jon Stewart''. He played paper salesman Andy Bernard in the NBC sitcom ''The Offic ...
entitled "The Clash" in which he criticized
Michale Graves
Michael Emanuel (born March 21, 1975), better known by his stage name Michale Graves, is an American singer. He is best known as the lead vocalist for the 1990s re-incarnation of the horror punk band Misfits from 1995 to 2000, leaving briefly ...
for being a
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
.
Early life and education
He attended
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world.
Charte ...
in
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston ( ) is a city, suburb of Chicago. Located in Cook County, Illinois, United States, it is situated on the North Shore along Lake Michigan. Evanston is north of Downtown Chicago, bordered by Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, Wil ...
, and graduated in 2000 with a Bachelor's Degree in Radio, Television, and Film.
Career
Kelly boycotts the
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour was a traveling rock tour that toured the United States plus three or four stops in Canada annually each summer from 1995 until 2019. It was the largest traveling music festival in the United States and the longest-running touring ...
on the belief that it ruins the original system for underground bands of touring and supporting larger bands, as well as ruining business for small venues. He along with
The Lawrence Arms
The Lawrence Arms are an American punk rock band from Chicago, formed in 1999. They have released seven full-length albums and toured extensively.
Band history Pre-history
Prior to forming the Lawrence Arms, the three band members were active i ...
were banned for life for spreading this belief to the audience whilst participating in the Warped Tour.
Kelly provided backup vocals for the songs "The Company," "Stuck in Summertime," and "Unsatisfied" on
The Copyrights
The Copyrights are a pop punk band from Carbondale, Illinois, made up of Adam Fletcher (lead vocals, bass), Brett Hunter (vocals, guitar), Kevin Rotter (vocals, guitar), and Luke McNeill (drums). They are currently signed to Fat Wreck Chords. Th ...
' third full-length album, 2007's ''Make Sound'', released on Red Scare Industries, a label owned and operated by Tobias Jeg, a close friend of Kelly.
Kelly (along with Chris McCaughan, co-vocalist of The Lawrence Arms) also provided back-up vocals on Common Rider's ''This is Unity Music'' album.
In 2010, Kelly released a split album with
Joe McMahon
Joe McMahon is an Irish Gaelic footballer who played for the Omagh St Enda's club and for the Tyrone county team.
His younger brother, Justin was the captain of the Tyrone under-21 team that won the 2006 Ulster Championship.
Playing career ...
of punk rock band
Smoke or Fire
Smoke or Fire is an American punk rock band from Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
History
Early history as Jericho (1998–2004)
The band originally formed in 1998, when western Massachusetts native Joe McMahon got together with Chris B ...
, entitled ''
Wasted Potential''. Kelly's half of the split contained acoustic versions of Lawrence Arms songs (both his and McCaughan), as well as a cover of "Kiss the Bottle" by
Jawbreaker.
In 2011, Kelly released a three-song EP, ''
A Man with the Passion of Tennessee Williams'', with new band the Wandering Birds. A full length, ''
I'd Rather Die Than Live Forever'', followed in 2012. The Wandering Birds are generally darker in tone than Kelly's earlier musical output. He also created a short film, ''The Spirit of Transparency'', to promote the project.
During the periods of inactivity of his musical projects, Brendan has been joined by fellow punk rock singers
Laura Jane Grace
Laura Jane Grace (born Thomas James Gabel; November 8, 1980) is an American musician best known as the founder, lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist of the punk rock band Against Me!. In addition to Against Me!, Grace fronts the band Laura ...
and
Brian Fallon
Brian Fallon (born January 28, 1980) is an American musician, singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and main lyricist of the rock band the Gaslight Anthem, with whom he has recorded five studio albums. H ...
in maintaining a blog,
Bad Sandwich Chronicles. The blog is a mixture of scatological humor, social commentary, and stories of life in music. Kelly also co-hosts iconic music television program
JBTV
''JBTV'' (a.k.a. ''JBTV Music Television'') is a Chicago-area broadcast, weekly 60-minute music television show featuring live in-studio performances, music videos, and music-related interviews from emerging and established musicians. Based in C ...
in Chicago.
Kelly also provided guest vocals on the
Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Matt Skiba (vocals, guitar), Dan Andriano (vocals, bass) and Derek Grant (drums, vocals).
Founded in late 1996 by Skiba, bassist Rob Do ...
song "
I Wanna Be A Warhol" on their 2013 release ''
My Shame Is True''.
Kelly is also now part of Punk Rock Weddings which is the Brainchild of
Mike Park
Mike Park is a Korean American musician and progressive activist. His musical ventures include Skankin' Pickle for whom he both played the saxophone and sang, The Chinkees, The Bruce Lee Band, and Ogikubo Station, as well as an acoustic solo proj ...
founder of
Asian Man Records
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
Nihilist Arby's
In 2015, Kelly started a Twitter account, Nihilist Arby's, which garnered a huge following with its "absurdist, death-and-doom tweeting"
about Arby's and life in general.
Discography
Slapstick
Slapstick is a style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity that exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy. Slapstick may involve both intentional violence and violence by mishap, often resulting from inept use of props such a ...
;Albums
*''Lookit!'' (Dill Records, 1995)
*''Slapstick'' (AKA: ''25 Songs'' / ''Discography'') (
Asian Man Records
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 1997)
;Other Releases
*''Slapstick / Tommyrot'' (Split, Banter Records, 1993)
*''Superhero'' (7-inch EP, Self-Released, 1995)
*''Crooked'' (7-inch EP, Dyslexic Records, 1995)
The Broadways
;Albums
* ''
Broken Star'' (
Asian Man Records
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 1998)
* ''
Broken Van'' (
Asian Man Records
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 2000)
;Other Releases
* ''We All Know That You Can Do It'' (7-inch EP, Bicycle Records, 1997)
* ''Big City Life'' (7-inch EP,
Asian Man Records
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 1998)
* ''Where's the Beef?'' (
Drive Thru Records
Drive-Thru Records was a California-based independent record label owned by siblings Richard and Stefanie Reines. The label was partially responsible for popularizing the pop-punk/emo merger sound of the early to mid-2000s. After facing financi ...
, 1997)
The Lawrence Arms
;Albums
*''
A Guided Tour of Chicago'' (
Asian Man Records
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 1999)
*''
Ghost Stories
A ghost story is any piece of fiction, or drama, that includes a ghost, or simply takes as a premise the possibility of ghosts or characters' belief in them."Ghost Stories" in Margaret Drabble (ed.), ''Oxford Companion to English Literature''. ...
'' (
Asian Man Records
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 2000)
*''
Apathy and Exhaustion
''Apathy and Exhaustion'' is the third album by the Chicago, Illinois punk rock band The Lawrence Arms, released in 2002 by Fat Wreck Chords. It was the band's first album to be released on that label, and with this release, the band formed a cl ...
'' (
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords (pronounced "Fat Records") is a San Francisco, California-based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by NOFX lead singer Michael Burkett (better known as Fat Mike) in 1990.
The label has released mater ...
, 2002)
*''
The Greatest Story Ever Told
''The Greatest Story Ever Told'' is a 1965 American epic film produced and directed by George Stevens. It is a retelling of the Biblical account about Jesus of Nazareth, from the Nativity through to the Ascension. Along with the ensemble cast, ...
'' (
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords (pronounced "Fat Records") is a San Francisco, California-based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by NOFX lead singer Michael Burkett (better known as Fat Mike) in 1990.
The label has released mater ...
, 2003)
*''
Oh! Calcutta!
''Oh! Calcutta!'' is an avant-garde, risque theatrical revue created by British drama critic Kenneth Tynan. The show, consisting of sketches on sex-related topics, debuted Off-Broadway in 1969 and then in the West End in 1970. It ran in London ...
'' (
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords (pronounced "Fat Records") is a San Francisco, California-based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by NOFX lead singer Michael Burkett (better known as Fat Mike) in 1990.
The label has released mater ...
, 2006)
*''
Metropole
A metropole (from the Greek ''metropolis'' for "mother city") is the homeland, central territory or the state exercising power over a colonial empire.
From the 19th century, the English term ''metropole'' was mainly used in the scope of ...
'' (
Epitaph Records
Epitaph Records is an American independent record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, most acts signed to the label were punk and pop punk acts, while there are many post-hardcore and emo bands ...
, 2014)
*''
Skeleton Coast
The Skeleton Coast is the northern part of the Atlantic coast of Namibia and south of Angola from the Kunene River south to the Swakop River, although the name is sometimes used to describe the entire Namib Desert coast. The indigenous San p ...
'' (
Epitaph Records
Epitaph Records is an American independent record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, most acts signed to the label were punk and pop punk acts, while there are many post-hardcore and emo bands ...
, 2020)
;Other Releases
*''
Shady View Terrace / The Lawrence Arms'' (Split,
Asian Man Records
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 2000)
*''
Present Day Memories'' (Split w/
The Chinkees
The Chinkees are an American ska punk band fronted by Mike Park (formerly of Skankin' Pickle). The group debuted with 1998's ''The Chinkees Are Coming!'', and followed with 1999's ''Peace Through Music'' and 2002's ''Searching for a Brighter Fut ...
,
Asian Man Records
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 2000)
*''
Fat Club The Fat Club is a series of twelve 7-inch singles released monthly by Fat Wreck Chords from March 2001 to February 2002. 1,300 of each single were pressed; They were not available for sale individually, but were distributed by postal service to tho ...
'' (7-inch EP,
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords (pronounced "Fat Records") is a San Francisco, California-based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by NOFX lead singer Michael Burkett (better known as Fat Mike) in 1990.
The label has released mater ...
, 2001)
*''
Cocktails & Dreams'' (Compilation,
Asian Man Records
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 2005)
*''
Buttsweat and Tears
''Buttsweat and Tears'' is an EP by the Chicago punk rock band The Lawrence Arms, released October 27, 2009 by Fat Wreck Chords. It was the first recorded output from the band in three years, following their 2006 album ''Oh! Calcutta!'' In the i ...
'' (7-inch EP,
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords (pronounced "Fat Records") is a San Francisco, California-based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by NOFX lead singer Michael Burkett (better known as Fat Mike) in 1990.
The label has released mater ...
, 2009)
*''News From Yalta'' (7-inch EP,
Epitaph Records
Epitaph Records is an American independent record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, most acts signed to the label were punk and pop punk acts, while there are many post-hardcore and emo bands ...
, 2014)
*''
We Are the Champions of the World'' (Compilation,
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords (pronounced "Fat Records") is a San Francisco, California-based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by NOFX lead singer Michael Burkett (better known as Fat Mike) in 1990.
The label has released mater ...
, 2018)
The Falcon
;Albums
*''
Unicornography
''Unicornography'' is the critically acclaimed debut album by the Chicago-based punk rock supergroup (bands), supergroup The Falcon (band), The Falcon which was released on September 26, 2006 in the United States. The album contains elements from ...
'' (
Red Scare Industries
Red Scare Industries (sometimes referred to as Red Scare Records) is a punk rock record label. The label was started in San Francisco (but moved to Chicago) by former Fat Wreck Chords employee Toby Jeg.
Jeg started the label in 2004 when his f ...
, 2006)
*''
Gather Up the Chaps
''Gather Up the Chaps'' is the second studio album by the Chicago-based punk rock supergroup The Falcon which was released by Red Scare Industries on March 18, 2016, almost ten years after their debut album ''Unicornography''.
Track listing ...
'' (
Red Scare Industries
Red Scare Industries (sometimes referred to as Red Scare Records) is a punk rock record label. The label was started in San Francisco (but moved to Chicago) by former Fat Wreck Chords employee Toby Jeg.
Jeg started the label in 2004 when his f ...
, 2016)
;Other Releases
*''
God Don't Make No Trash or Up Your Ass with Broken Glass
In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...
'' (
Red Scare Industries
Red Scare Industries (sometimes referred to as Red Scare Records) is a punk rock record label. The label was started in San Francisco (but moved to Chicago) by former Fat Wreck Chords employee Toby Jeg.
Jeg started the label in 2004 when his f ...
, 2004)
Solo
;Other Releases
*''Wasted Potential'' (Split w/
Joe McMahon
Joe McMahon is an Irish Gaelic footballer who played for the Omagh St Enda's club and for the Tyrone county team.
His younger brother, Justin was the captain of the Tyrone under-21 team that won the 2006 Ulster Championship.
Playing career ...
,
Anchorless Records, 2010)
Brendan Kelly and the Wandering Birds
;Albums
*''I'd Rather Die Than Live Forever'' (
Red Scare Industries
Red Scare Industries (sometimes referred to as Red Scare Records) is a punk rock record label. The label was started in San Francisco (but moved to Chicago) by former Fat Wreck Chords employee Toby Jeg.
Jeg started the label in 2004 when his f ...
, 2012)
*''Keep Walkin' Pal'' (
Red Scare Industries
Red Scare Industries (sometimes referred to as Red Scare Records) is a punk rock record label. The label was started in San Francisco (but moved to Chicago) by former Fat Wreck Chords employee Toby Jeg.
Jeg started the label in 2004 when his f ...
, 2018)
;Other Releases
*''European Vacation'' (Split w/
Dan Andriano in the Emergency Room,
Red Scare Industries
Red Scare Industries (sometimes referred to as Red Scare Records) is a punk rock record label. The label was started in San Francisco (but moved to Chicago) by former Fat Wreck Chords employee Toby Jeg.
Jeg started the label in 2004 when his f ...
, 2012)
See also
*
The Lawrence Arms
The Lawrence Arms are an American punk rock band from Chicago, formed in 1999. They have released seven full-length albums and toured extensively.
Band history Pre-history
Prior to forming the Lawrence Arms, the three band members were active i ...
*
The Falcon
References
External links
Interview with Brendan KellyThe Lawrence Arms unofficial websiteLawrence Arms profile on Punknews.orgBrendan Kelly and the Wandering Birds profile on Punknews.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kelly, Brendan
1976 births
Living people
American rock bass guitarists
American punk rock singers
Singers from Chicago
Northwestern University School of Communication alumni
Guitarists from Chicago
American male bass guitarists
21st-century American singers
21st-century American bass guitarists
21st-century American male singers
The Lawrence Arms members
The Falcon (band) members
The Broadways members