Cherubs are an American
noise rock
Noise rock (sometimes called noise punk) is a noise music, noise-oriented style of experimental rock that spun off from punk rock in the 1980s. Drawing on movements such as minimal music, minimalism, industrial music, and New York hardcore, a ...
band from
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...
, formed in 1991. Their line up consisted of guitarist Kevin Whitley, bassist Owen McMahon, and drummer Brent Prager. During their initial run, they released two albums and an outtake compilation, all of which were released through
Trance Syndicate
Trance Syndicate was an independent record label founded in 1990 by King Coffey, drummer of Austin, Texas band the Butthole Surfers.Larkin, Colin (1999) "Trance Syndicate Records" in ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock'', Virgin Books, , p. ...
. They broke up in 1994, shortly before the release of their second album ''
Heroin Man''. They reunited in 2014
and a third full-length, titled ''
2 YNFYNYTY'', was released on March 3, 2015, through Brutal Panda Records. A second reunion album, titled ''Immaculada High'', was issued through
Relapse Records
Relapse Records is an American independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990. The label features many grindcore, death metal, metalcore and sludge metal artists.
History
The label was ...
on July 26, 2019.
History
Cherubs were formed in 1991
by Kevin Whitley (former
Ed Hall drummer), Owen McMahon, and Brent Prager.
In early 1992, they were signed through
Trance Syndicate
Trance Syndicate was an independent record label founded in 1990 by King Coffey, drummer of Austin, Texas band the Butthole Surfers.Larkin, Colin (1999) "Trance Syndicate Records" in ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock'', Virgin Books, , p. ...
, an independent record label owned by
King Coffey
King Coffey (born Jeffrey Coffey; 1964) is an American drummer, known for being the drummer of the psychedelic/noise rock band Butthole Surfers.
He began drumming in a Fort Worth hardcore punk band called The Hugh Beaumont Experience in high sc ...
of
The Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers are an American rock band formed in San Antonio, Texas, by singer Gibby Haynes and guitarist Paul Leary in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but its core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has bee ...
, before they even performed their first live show.
That same year they released their debut album ''
Icing''. The album's lead single, "Pink Party Dessert", was released as a single on 7-inch vinyl,
which was even played through
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
by disc jockey
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...
. Their follow-up record, ''
Heroin Man'', was released two years later. The album's title and lyrical themes were influenced by the
heroin
Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and brow ...
-induced
overdose
A drug overdose (overdose or OD) is the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities much greater than are recommended. of Dave DeLuna, a very close friend of the band. The band broke up before the album's release, following a fight between Prager and McMahon after a live show.
In 1996, Trance Syndicate released ''Short of Popular'', a compilation album that was made up of
b-sides
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...
, rarities, and outtakes recorded throughout the band's brief run.
In 2013, a compilation titled ''Everyone's Dead Before They Leave: A Tribute to the Cherubs'' was released through Unfortunate Miracle Records, which compiles various covers of songs by the Cherubs done by many different bands.
The title is a reference to a lyric from "Pink Party Dessert". In 2014, the Cherubs reunited and began recording a new album over the summer. On December 15, it was announced via a
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
video that the new album will be titled ''2 YNFYNYTY''. The album was released by Brutal Panda Records on March 3, 2015, through
digital download,
cassette
Cassette may refer to:
Technology
* Cassette tape (or ''musicassette'', ''audio cassette'', ''cassette tape'', or ''tape''), a worldwide standard for analog audio recording and playback
** Cassette single (or "Cassingle"), a music single in the ...
, and
vinyl
Vinyl may refer to:
Chemistry
* Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer
* Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation
* Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry
* Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl m ...
formats.
In October 2014, they released a new song, titled "Fist In The Air", on the Brutal Panda Records soundcloud page. The track was recorded during the ''2 YNFYNYTY'' sessions, and digital pre-orders were given to those who purchased a T-shirt from the Brutal Panda Records website.
When asked about their plans on recording new material, Whitley mentioned that the "next record will be about moving on".
In early 2016, the band announced that they will release the ''Fist In The Air''
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. on double 7-inch vinyl format.
The EP was released on February 26 of that year. On August 22, the band performed at Beerland, the first show by the band in over 20 years.
They later performed at the Mohawk's 10th anniversary celebration on September 17.
In 2016,
Tom Hazelmyer
Tom Hazelmyer (born 1965) is an American musician and printmaker. He is known as the founder and owner of the independent label Amphetamine Reptile Records as well as being the lead vocalist and songwriter for the band Halo of Flies.
Biograp ...
of
Amphetamine Reptile Records
Amphetamine Reptile Records (or AmRep Industries) is a record label founded in 1986 by Tom Hazelmyer in Washington state. The label specializes in noise rock and also released '' Strap It On'', the debut album by alternative metal band Helmet w ...
released a limited edition split 7-inch lathe cut that featured the Cherubs and
Gay Witch Abortion, which was released in conjunction with Hazelmyer's ''Ink Obscene Archaic Gutter Memes'' art show that was held at Leona Gallery in Austin, Texas on December 3.
In November 2018, the group signed onto metal-based label
Relapse Records
Relapse Records is an American independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990. The label features many grindcore, death metal, metalcore and sludge metal artists.
History
The label was ...
for future releases. ''Short of Popular'' also received reissue treatment through Sonic Surgery Records on CD and LP formats.
The trios fourth studio album, titled ''Immaculada High'', was issued through the label on July 26, 2019.
Discography
Studio albums
*''
Icing'' (1992)
*''
Heroin Man'' (1994)
*''
2 YNFYNYTY'' (2015)
*''Immaculada High'' (2019)
Compilation albums
*''Short of Popular'' (1996)
Extended plays
*''Fist In The Air'' (2016)
*''SLO BLO 4 FRNZ & SXY'' (2021)
Singles
*"Pink Party Dessert" (1992)
*"Carjack Fairy/Daisy Poser" (1993)
*"Dreamin'" (1993)
*"Sooey Pig" (2019)
Split Singles
*"Pink Party Dessert/Hambone City" (1993, split with
Slug
Slug, or land slug, is a common name for any apparently shell-less terrestrial gastropod mollusc. The word ''slug'' is also often used as part of the common name of any gastropod mollusc that has no shell, a very reduced shell, or only a smal ...
)
*"Do You Wanna Dance?/Shoofly" (1994, split with
Fuckemos)
*"I Want Candy/Do You Wanna Dance?" (1996, split with
Fuckemos)
*''Ink Obscene Archaic Gutter Memes'' (2016, split with
Gay Witch Abortion)
Compilation Appearances
*''Love & Napalm'' (1993) - "Spitwad", "Dovey"
*''Chairman of the Board - Interpretations of Songs Made Famous By Frank Sinatra'' (1993) - "How Little We Know"
*''The Smitten Love Song Compilation'' (1994) - "I Want Candy"
*''Live at Emo's'' (1994) - "All Chickened Out"
*''¡Cinco Años!'' (1995) - "Quitter", "Carjack Fairy"
*''The Beginning of the End Again'' (1995) - "Dreaming"
*''American Noise Vol. 2'' (2019) - "Shoofly"
Current Members
*Kevin Whitley - Guitar, Vocals
*Pete Shore - Bass
*Brent Prager - Drums
References
External links
Discogs pageOfficial Facebook pageFan Facebook pageBandcamp page
{{Authority control
American noise rock music groups
American post-hardcore musical groups
Psychedelic rock music groups from Texas
Trance Syndicate artists