Mushroomhead is an American
heavy metal band from
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the United States, U.S. U.S. state, state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along ...
,
Ohio
Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...
. Formed in 1993 in the
Cleveland Warehouse District, the band is known for their
avant-garde
The avant-garde (; In 'advance guard' or ' vanguard', literally 'fore-guard') is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.John Picchione, The New Avant-garde in Italy: Theoretica ...
sound and
horror film
Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes.
Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, ap ...
-inspired imagery which features masks and costumes as well as their unique live shows usually performed at smaller venues.
Mushroomhead has sold over two million media units worldwide, and has released eight full-length albums and 15 music videos. Over their lifetime, Mushroomhead has gone through many changes in band lineups, with drummer
Steve Felton being the only consistent member.
History
Debut album, ''Superbuick'' and ''M3'' (1993–2000)
In 1993, Mushroomhead was established as a side project. To differentiate itself from the members' existing bands and to dispel any misconceptions about the group's sound and musical content, Mushroomhead used costumes,
mask
A mask is an object normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance, or entertainment and often they have been employed for rituals and rights. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and pra ...
s, and
pseudonyms
A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individu ...
. Mushroomhead played its first show in 1993. Days later, the octet found itself on stage alongside established metal band
Gwar
Gwar, often stylized as GWAR, is an American heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia in 1984, composed of and operated by a frequently rotating line-up of musicians, artists and filmmakers collectively known as Slave Pit Inc. After th ...
. "We played our first show on a Saturday" said the band's drummer, Skinny, in an article for Mushroomhead's official website. "Three days later, we got a call to play with Gwar at the Cleveland Agora in front of 2,000 people – our second show ever!".
In 1995, Mushroomhead released a self-financed debut album, ''
Mushroomhead
Mushroomhead is an American heavy metal band from Cleveland, Ohio. Formed in 1993 in the Cleveland Warehouse District, the band is known for their avant-garde sound and horror film-inspired imagery which features masks and costumes as well a ...
'', with their own record label, Filthy Hands Co. (previously known as Shroomco Records and later on, MRH Records). For the members, Mushroomhead became a priority with their original bands breaking-up. Although the line-up saw many changes throughout the 1990s, the band stayed active, steadily releasing music and gaining followers. In 1996, they released ''
Superbuick
''Superbuick'' is the second album from heavy metal band Mushroomhead. The album was released independently in 1996. Most of the songs were later remastered on '' XX'' which was initially released by Eclipse Records, then through Universal Record ...
''. In 1999, Mushroomhead released ''
M3'', which was the final album self-financed and self-released by the band.
''XX'' and ''XIII'' (2000–2005)
In 2000, Mushroomhead acquired a record deal with independent label
Eclipse Records
Eclipse Records is an American independent record label based in Butler, New Jersey.Morley, Hugh R. (December 2, 2007). "Digital Blues: Small Labels Struggle to Survive", ''The Record'', p. B1. The label is best known for bringing the Cleveland b ...
and in 2001 the band released their first ever label-released album; a compilation release titled ''
XX'', which contains remixed/remastered versions of select songs from the first three Mushroomhear albums. Later in the year, after quickly selling almost 40,000 copies in just 2–3 months, the band signed with major label
Universal Records
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
and the compilation was re-released internationally. The release of the album led Mushroomhead to major national and international tours including
Ozzfest
Ozzfest is an annual music festival tour of the United States and sometimes Europe and later Japan, featuring performances by many heavy metal and hard rock musical groups. It was founded by Sharon Osbourne and her husband Ozzy Osbourne, both ...
2002; as well as television exposure via their first music video "
Solitaire/Unraveling". Also in 2001, guitarist
J.J. Righteous was replaced by one of the band's previous stage dancers & then current sampler, Marko Vukcevich. 2003 saw the release of ''
XIII'', their first album with new material for Universal Records. The album produced the single "Sun Doesn't Rise" which was featured on ''MTV:
Headbangers Ball
''Headbangers Ball'' is a music television program that consisted of heavy metal music videos airing on MTV and its global affiliates. The show began on MTV on April 18, 1987, playing heavy metal music videos from both well-known and more ob ...
'' and the
''Freddy vs Jason'' soundtrack. Also featuring the hidden track "Crazy", a song originally by
Seal
Seal may refer to any of the following:
Common uses
* Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly:
** Earless seal, or "true seal"
** Fur seal
* Seal (emblem), a device to imp ...
. The album debuted at no. 40 on the ''Billboard'' Top 200 charts and sold 400,000 copies worldwide.
After an extensive world tour, vocalist
J Mann announced he was leaving the band in August 2004, citing exhaustion and to take care of his sick father. He was replaced by Three Quarters Dead singer,
Waylon. In August 2005, Mushroomhead self-released its first DVD on its own Filthy Hands label – "Volume 1". Produced, directed, shot, and edited by the band, Volume 1 covers the band's rise in the 2000s with live performances, music videos, and behind the scenes footage.
While on the road in 2005, Mushroomhead began the process of writing new material and recording a new album. In December 2005, Mushroomhead signed with
Megaforce Records, ensuring the new album's availability nationally and internationally. On June 6, 2006, Mushroomhead launched Mushroom Kombat – an interactive
flash feature as a part of the band's official website. The mini-game pits band members against each other in a
Mortal Kombat
''Mortal Kombat'' is an American media franchise centered on a series of video games originally developed by Midway Games in 1992. The development of the first game was originally based on an idea that Ed Boon and John Tobias had of making a ...
-style environment, with each member having a unique
fatality.
In 2005, Bronson announced that he was leaving the band to further his studies. Rather than recruiting another guitarist, the band decided to let Gravy do all the guitar parts for their new album. Gravy had said, "it worked out really well, because Bronson wasn't a natural
uitarplayer. Now that he's gone, I don't have to worry anymore that my riffs will be too difficult for him to play." Since then, Mushroomhead continues with only one guitarist.
Mushroomhead headlined with
Dope,
Nocturne, and
locals
Invain on the Music For Freedom Tour sponsored by
Jägermeister
( , ; stylized Jägermeiſter) is a German digestif made with 56 herbs and spices. Developed in 1934 by Wilhelm and Curt Mast, it has an alcohol by volume of 35% ( 61 degrees proof, or US 70 proof). The recipe has not changed since its creation ...
at the
House of Blues
House of Blues is an American chain of live music concert halls and restaurants. It was founded by Isaac Tigrett, the co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, co-star of the 1980 film ''The Blues Brothers''. The first location opened at Ha ...
in
,
Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is bord ...
on Tuesday, August 16, 2005. This show was one of the last big acts to play in New Orleans for a long time due to
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
striking New Orleans on August 29, 2005.
''Savior Sorrow'' and ''Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children'' (2005–2012)
''
Savior Sorrow'' was released on September 19, 2006, and debuted at No. 45 on the
''Billboard'' 200 charts with sales exceeding 12,000.
The band's label stated that sales were closer to 25,000 with the inclusion of sales made while on tour.
As a result,
SoundScan
Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan, Nielsen Music Products, and MRC Data) is a provider of music sales data. Established by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett in 1991, data is collected weekly and made available every Sunday (for albums sales) and eve ...
issued an apology the day following the release of sales data due to mistakes made in estimates.
The primary reason given was the lack of inclusion of sales from the
Best Buy
Best Buy Co. Inc. is an American multinational consumer electronics retailer headquartered in Richfield, Minnesota. Originally founded by Richard M. Schulze and James Wheeler in 1966 as an audio specialty store called Sound of Music, it was rebra ...
retailer chain. Sales of ''Savior Sorrow'' were roughly 26,000 and the chart entry place was closer to the No. 30 spot than No. 73. ''Savior Sorrows chart position was later officially adjusted to No. 50. "Simple Survival", the pre-released single to ''
Savior Sorrow'', was placed at No. 39 on the Billboard
Mainstream Rock Tracks
Mainstream Rock is a music chart in '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations in the United States, a category that combines the formats of active rock and heritage rock. The chart was launched in ...
chart one week after the release.
Also in 2006, Daniel Fox (Lil' Dan) joined the band as a touring drummer.
The band has performed three shows on the
Mayhem Festival
The Mayhem Festival was a touring heavy metal festival that took place during the summer. The inaugural season took place in 2008; the festival later became an annual event across the United States. Most years also included a single date in eit ...
tour, filling in for
Bullet for My Valentine. Live footage was compiled into the band's second DVD, titled "Volume 2". On December 29, 2007, Mushroomhead won Video of the Year 2007 on the MTV2 Headbanger's Ball for "12 Hundred" from the Savior Sorrow record. On September 17, 2008, it was announced that the band will release the "Volume 2" DVD on October 28 through Filthy Hands/Megaforce Records. The disc features two and a half hours of content, including live footage from the three-year Savior Sorrow tour, music videos including "12 Hundred", "Simple Survival", "Burn", the short video for "Tattoo", "Save Us" and "Embrace the Ending", video commentary and behind the scenes footage. To support the DVD, Mushroomhead hit the road with
The Autumn Offering
The Autumn Offering was an American metalcore band that formed in Daytona Beach, Florida, in 1999. After achieving some degree of local success, the band was signed to Stillborn Records, founded by Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed, in 2003. The ban ...
, XFactor1, and Human Factors Lab from October 3 in Findlay, Ohio, until November 2 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After the tour, Mushroomhead returned to the studio to record their next album.
They released ''
Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children'' in September 2010. Within the first week of its release, it became the No. 1 best selling metal album on
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mu ...
. A new song, "Your Soul Is Mine," appeared on the ''
Saw VI Soundtrack''. On October 1, 2010, a music video for "Come On" debuted on ''
Headbangers Ball
''Headbangers Ball'' is a music television program that consisted of heavy metal music videos airing on MTV and its global affiliates. The show began on MTV on April 18, 1987, playing heavy metal music videos from both well-known and more ob ...
'' on MTV. The video has since been barred from airing on MTV and other television outlets after being deemed too graphic by network
censors
Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient". Censorship can be conducted by governments ...
. On October 28, 2010, the band's founding guitarist, JJ Righteous, died of unknown reasons at the age of 41.
In October 2010, following the death of ex bandmate JJ Righteous, J Mann appeared on stage with the band during their Halloween show, performing vocals for two songs alongside both Jeffrey Nothing and Waylon. Both he and Waylon made a point of announcing that there were no hard feelings between the two of them, and that they are in fact on good terms with each other. On October 5, 2010, the Professional Wrestling Promotion known as TNA (
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the prom ...
) (Now called "Impact Wrestling") used their hit single "Come On" as the theme song to promote a match between Ric Flair and Mick Foley, a confrontation that was 20 years in the making. The promotional video can be seen on the TNA Wrestling official YouTube Channel. It is said that a longtime fan of the band put that together for them.
In February 2012, it was announced that guitarist
Gravy
Gravy is a sauce often made from the juices of meats that run naturally during cooking and often thickened with wheat flour or corn starch for added texture. The gravy may be further coloured and flavoured with gravy salt (a simple mix of sa ...
and bassist
Pig Benis would be replaced by Tommy Church and Ryan Farrell respectively. In April 2012, Dave "Gravy" Felton stated publicly on his Facebook fan page that he was "kicked out of the band." In May 2012, Daniel "Lil Dan" Fox left Mushroomhead to work for another band. It was rumored that he is working as a drum technician for Marilyn Manson. On May 22, Dave Felton posted on his fan page an interview about his latest band. In the interview, he was asked about the Mushroomhead split. He said that he was kicked out via email and that it was the third time he had been told to leave. He said that he thought one of the reasons was because he did not have a party mentality (drinking and smoking) and that he thought it sometimes got in the way of band progress. The interview was on Uncensored Net Noise on the Msc Radio Network LLC. Drum tech Jeremiah Stratton (also known from
Hed PE
Hed PE (also known as (hed) Planet Earth and stylized as (həd) p.e. or as (Hed)pe or (Hed)PE) or (həd) Planetary Evolution, is an American rock band from Huntington Beach, California. Formed in 1994, the band is known for its eclectic genre-c ...
) had taken over Fox's percussion parts in the Hed 2 Head Tour 3. After the Hed 2 Head Tour ended, drum tech Elliot Mapes took over Fox's drum parts for live shows. People have jokingly called him "Tall E" in reference to Fox's nickname being "Lil Dan". On Thursday, August 16, 2012, Mushroomhead stated on their official Facebook fan page that former member Bronson would return on guitar for their 2012 "Old School Show".
''The Righteous & the Butterfly'', return of J Mann and departure of Waylon Reavis and Jeffrey Nothing (2012–2019)
In September 2012, Mushroomhead announced that they are currently in the studio working on new music via their Facebook fan page. It was said by Mushroomhead frontman Jeff Hatrix that former
Slipknot and current Painface vocalist Anders Colsefni is in the works to do a recording together in their upcoming studio sessions. The band entered their own Filthy Hands Studio in December 2012 to begin writing and recording their next studio album.
Their eighth album was the only one to showcase all three vocalists. Drummer Steve Felton described it as "very energetic, dark and by far their heaviest album to date, just a fresh spin on the same old thing if you will. This is the first record with Church on guitar and Farrell on bass, so having those new writers on board you never know where it's going to go. For the old school fans there's a lot of flavorful elements in it so they will definitely enjoy it."
299px, A 2014 performance with three past and present Mushroomhead vocalists: ,_Jeffrey_Hatrix">Waylon_Reavis,_Jeffrey_Hatrix,_and_
,_Jeffrey_Hatrix">Waylon_Reavis,_Jeffrey_Hatrix,_and_Jason_Popson">Jason_"J_Mann"_Popson_.html" ;"title="Jason_Popson.html" ;"title="Jeffrey_Hatrix.html" ;"title="Waylon Reavis, Jeffrey Hatrix">Waylon Reavis, Jeffrey Hatrix, and Jason Popson">Jason "J Mann" Popson ">Jason_Popson.html" ;"title="Jeffrey_Hatrix.html" ;"title="Waylon Reavis, Jeffrey Hatrix">Waylon Reavis, Jeffrey Hatrix, and Jason Popson">Jason "J Mann" Popson
On August 16, Jason Popson confirmed his return to the band via Facebook. Mushroomhead toured Australia for the first time as part of the Soundwave (Australian music festival), Soundwave Festival 2014. On February 14, 2014, Mushroomhead released the date and name of their new album which will be released May 13, 2014 and the name of the new album is ''The Righteous & the Butterfly''. This album marks the return of J Mann. On April 15, 2014, Frontman Jeffrey Nothing released the band's first unofficial single "Qwerty" on YouTube from his personal Facebook account. This marks the first song featuring J Mann since rejoining the band. The album received mostly positive reviews and is Mushroomhead's first album to reach the top 20 of the
Billboard Top 200
The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine and is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artis ...
chart in the United States, reaching No. 20, selling around 11,000 copies the first week. The album also, reached No. 1 in the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...
'' Indie chart, their first album to do so. ''The Righteous & the Butterfly'' reached No. 5 in the
Top Rock Albums
The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the '' ...
and No. 1 in the
Top Hard Rock Albums
The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, pr ...
. Mushroomhead have released an official music video for the album's second single "Out of My Mind". The band will be co-headlining the 2014 Shockfest Tour with
Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse, often abbreviated as ICP, is an American hip hop duo. Formed in Detroit in 1989 as a gangsta rap group, ICP's best known lineup consists of rappers Violent J (Joseph Bruce) and Shaggy 2 Dope (originally 2 Dope; Joseph Utsl ...
.
As of October 5, 2015, vocalist Waylon Reavis announced via his Facebook page that he had parted ways with Mushroomhead, citing "irreconcilable differences with band ownership" and stating he had "severed all ties with Mushroomhead and Filthy Hands Company."
Mushroomhead went on a headlining UK tour in 2016, the first since 2002.
American Head Charge
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the " United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, p ...
was supposed to be their main support, but they ultimately decided to drop off the tour. A full European tour followed the next year.
On March 7, 2018, it was announced that vocalist and founding member Jeffrey "Nothing" Hatrix had parted ways with the band. Two days later, guitarist Tommy Church announced that he had also quit the band. On March 17, Popson's
Pitch Black Forecast
Pitch Black Forecast is an American heavy metal supergroup formed in 2005 with a lineup consisting of Mushroomhead frontman Jason Popson and ex-Strapping Young Lad drummer Gene Hoglan and former Integrity bassist Steve Rauckhorst. Formed in Oh ...
bandmates and the band's roadies Steve Rauckhorst and Tommy "Tankx" Shaffner were revealed as the new vocalist and guitarist respectively. Rauckhorst was a longtime friend, former neighbor and influence of the former vocalist.
On April 4, 2019, Mushroomhead announced that they had signed with
Napalm Records
Napalm Records is an Austrian independent record label focused on heavy metal and hard rock. Originally, Napalm focused on black metal bands, such as Abigor and Summoning, and folk metal bands, such as Falkenbach and Vintersorg. The label late ...
.
In an interview during their UK tour in July 2019, drummer Felton and his wife, vocalist Jackie LaPonza revealed more information about the then forthcoming album, mentioning that during the tour they had recorded vocals at
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music ...
and that the new album was 80% finished, with a tentative release date of April 2020. They confirmed that the new album cycle would also include new masks.
''A Wonderful Life'' (2020–present)
On April 21, 2020, it was announced the band's new album was titled ''
A Wonderful Life'' and would be released on June 19. It was also revealed that touring vocalist Jackie LaPonza (who has toured with the band since 2014) has officially joined the band on a full-time basis, adopting the alias, Ms. Jackie. The second single, "The Heresy" was released on May 26, 2020. The album was released on June 19 on schedule.
On Nov 1, the band then teased 2 further music videos. In a trailer it is stated that this collaboration with ''SK1 productions'' would have 2 story-based music videos featuring all the members of the band released back-to-back.
Musical style and influences
Mushroomhead's sound combines elements of
heavy metal,
hip hop,
experimental music
Experimental music is a general label for any music or music genre that pushes existing boundaries and genre definitions. Experimental compositional practice is defined broadly by exploratory sensibilities radically opposed to, and questioning of, ...
,
industrial music
Industrial music is a genre of music that draws on harsh, mechanical, transgressive or provocative sounds and themes. AllMusic defines industrial music as the "most abrasive and aggressive fusion of rock and electronic music" that was "initial ...
,
gothic rock
Gothic rock (also called goth rock or simply goth) is a style of rock music that emerged from post-punk in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The first post-punk bands which shifted toward dark music with gothic overtones include Siouxsie ...
,
punk rock and
techno
Techno is a Music genre, genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally music production, produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempo often varying between 120 and 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central Drum beat, rhythm is typ ...
.
The band has been categorized as
alternative metal
Alternative metal (also known as alt-metal) is a genre of heavy metal music that combines heavy metal with influences from alternative rock and other genres not normally associated with metal. Alternative metal bands are often characterized by ...
,
industrial metal
Industrial metal is the fusion of heavy metal and industrial music, typically employing repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Prominent industrial metal acts include Ministry, Nine ...
,
nu metal
Nu metal (sometimes stylized as nü-metal, sometimes called aggro-metal) is a subgenre of that combines elements of heavy metal music with elements of other music genres such as hip hop, alternative rock, funk, industrial, and grunge. Nu met ...
,
experimental metal
Avant-garde metal (also known as avant-metal, experimental metal, and experimental) is a subgenre of heavy metal music loosely defined by use of experimentation and innovative, avant-garde elements, including non-standard and unconventional soun ...
,
and
electro-industrial
Electro-industrial is a music genre that emerged from industrial music in the early 1980s. While EBM (electronic body music) has a minimal structure and clean production, electro-industrial tends to have a grittier, complex and layered sound ...
.
They are influenced by bands such as
Mr. Bungle
Mr. Bungle is an American experimental rock band formed in Eureka, California in 1985. Having gone through many incarnations throughout their career, the band is best known for music created during their most experimental era. During this time, ...
,
Faith No More,
Pink Floyd,
Pantera,
Nine Inch Nails, and
KMFDM
KMFDM (originally Kein Mehrheit Für Die Mitleid, loosely translated by the band as "no pity for the majority") is a multinational industrial band from Hamburg led by Sascha Konietzko, who founded the band in 1984 as a performance art project. ...
. In a 2014 interview with music journalist Greg Prato, Jason Popson reflected on the band's musical influences, stating "When you're talking about a band with nine guys, you're talking about tons of influences. I know when we started the band, we were really into a lot of the stuff
Mike Patton
Michael Allan Patton (born January 27, 1968) is an American singer, producer, film composer and voice actor, best known as the lead vocalist of the alternative metal band Faith No More. Noted for his vocal proficiency, diverse singing techni ...
was doing - Faith No More or Mr. Bungle, things like that. But we also liked heavier bands like
Meshuggah
Meshuggah () is a Swedish extreme metal band formed in Umeå in 1985. Originally, the band's name was Metallien. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist Jens Kidman, guitarists Fredrik Thordendal and Mårten Hagström, drummer To ...
, Pantera. Then there's electronic stuff. So it's really all over the map. It's everything from hard rock to punk rock to hip-hop to electronica. It's pretty vast."
Artistry
Image and visuals
The members of Mushroomhead have identified themselves by wearing masks and by its distinct "X Face" logo – commonly worn on the masks of most members, as well as clothing and merchandise. The band originally adopted masks and stage names to not conflict with their original bands. The band's look has evolved over the years, featuring alterations to bring them up to date and freshen up the image for new albums and tours.
In January 2013, Mushroomhead Video Director, Maskmaker and Make-up artist Dave Henson Greathouse competed in
season 4 of original SyFy series "Face Off", a special effects prosthetic makeup reality show competition.
Another common visual trait that Mushroomhead is known for, are the use of
water drums, which are performed by all the percussionists in the band.
Relationship with Slipknot
In the band's early days, the group repeatedly saw accusations of
plagiarism due to sharing a similar distinct visual performance to Iowan metal band
Slipknot, but the Mushroomhead band members have heavily denied the claims of "ripping off" Slipknot and insist that they were instead the first to adopt the masked aesthetic.
As a result of the comparisons, Mushroomhead has had an on-and-off rivalry with Slipknot since at least 1999. The feud erupted mostly among fans of both bands. Before signing Slipknot,
Roadrunner Records was interested in signing Mushroomhead, but Mushroomhead passed on the deal. As of 2009, the drama has ended and both bands currently maintain a close friendship.
Following the death of Slipknot member
Paul Gray in 2010, Mushroomhead posted on their official Myspace page: "R.I.P. Paul Gray, This feud needs to end. Much Love and Respect to the guys in Slipknot".
In 2012,
Slipknot singer
Corey Taylor has stated that he never had a problem with the band, he only had a problem with the behavior of their fans due to a situation Slipknot faced when they played in Mushroomhead's home town in Cleveland, and said there was never a real feud between bands but the feud was between Mushroomhead fans and Slipknot fans. He stated that doing a tour with Mushroomhead, Gwar, and
Mudvayne
Mudvayne is an American heavy metal band formed in Peoria, Illinois in 1996. Known for their sonic experimentation, face and body paint, masks and uniforms, the band has sold over six million records worldwide, including nearly three millio ...
"would be beautiful!". The same year, Mushroomhead members joined Slipknot's
Sid Wilson
Sidney George Wilson (born January 20, 1977) is an American musician. He is the turntablist for the heavy metal band Slipknot, in which he is designated #0. Wilson was the youngest member of the band until bassist Alessandro Venturella and dr ...
on stage in an impromptu performance during Wilson's DJ set.
In 2014, singer
Jeffrey "Nothing" Hatrix stated about the feud between the two bands: "Fans are very loyal to the bands they like. Members of both sides have said they are over it and that it was never really between the bands. Let's all move on".
[Interview with Jeffrey Nothing](_blank)
by Grande-Rock.com retrieved on August 31, 2014.
Band members
Current members
*
Steve "Skinny" Felton – drums
(1993–present); percussion
(2006–present); samples
(2015–present)
*
Jason "J Mann" Popson – vocals
(1993–2004, 2013–2022); on hiatus
* Rick "St1tch" Thomas – samples, electronics
(2001–2022); keyboards
(2013-2022); percussion
(2007-2022); turntables
(2001-2003); on hiatus
*
Dave "Gravy" Felton – guitars
(2000–2012, 2022–present)
* Ryan "Dr. F" Farrell – bass
(2012–present); keyboards
(2015-present, studio 2006-2015)
* Robbie "Roberto Diablo" Godsey – percussion, drums
(2013–present; touring 2012–2013)
* Steve Rauckhorst – vocals
(2018–present); bass
(touring 2007)
* Joe "Jenkins" Gaal – guitars
(2021–present)
Current touring members
* Aydin Michael – percussion
(2019, 2022–present); drums, sampling
(2022–present)
* Scott Beck – vocals
(2022–present)
Former members
* Joe "Mr. Murdernickel" Kilcoyne – bass
(1993–1996)
* Joe "DJ Virus" Lenkey – turntables, samples
(1993–1997)
* Richie "Dinner" Moore – guitars
(1993–2000)
*
John "JJ Righteous" Sekula – guitars
(1993–2001; died 2010)
* Marko "Bronson" Vukcevich – guitars
(2001–2005); samples, turntables
(1998–2001); dancing
(1993–1998; touring member)
*
Jack "Pig Benis" Kilcoyne – bass
(1996–2012)
* Daniel "Lil' Dan" Fox – percussion, drums
(2009–2012; touring member 2006–2009)
* Tom "Shmotz" Schmitz – keyboards
(1993–2015); samples
(1993-2003)
*
Waylon Reavis
Waylon Reavis (born September 19, 1978) is an American musician best known for being a former vocalist for American heavy metal band Mushroomhead. He was in Mushroomhead from 2004-2015 and with them released three albums: Savior Sorrow (2006) ...
– vocals
(2004–2015)
*
Jeffrey "Nothing" Hatrix – vocals
(1993–2018)
* Tommy Church – guitars
(2012–2018)
* Jackie LaPonza – vocals
(2020–2021; touring member 2014–2020; guest 2022)
* Tommy "Tankx" Shaffner – guitars
(2018–2021)
Former touring members
* Chris Chamberlain – juggler, pogo stick, fire breather
(1994)
* Jessica "Roxy" Haney – dancing
(1993–2000)
* Dailey "Fatback" Davis – percussion
(2005)
* Dylan "The Villain" Sharpe – percussion
(2012)
* Elliot Mapes – percussion, keyboard
(2012)
* Jeremiah Stratton – percussion
(2012)
* Harry Mapes – keyboard, percussion
(2014)
* Derek Beaty – percussion
(2019)
Timeline
Discography
*''
Mushroomhead
Mushroomhead is an American heavy metal band from Cleveland, Ohio. Formed in 1993 in the Cleveland Warehouse District, the band is known for their avant-garde sound and horror film-inspired imagery which features masks and costumes as well as ...
'' (1995)
*''
Superbuick
''Superbuick'' is the second album from heavy metal band Mushroomhead. The album was released independently in 1996. Most of the songs were later remastered on '' XX'' which was initially released by Eclipse Records, then through Universal Record ...
'' (1996)
*''
M3'' (1999)
*''
XIII'' (2003)
*''
Savior Sorrow'' (2006)
*''
Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children'' (2010)
*''
The Righteous & the Butterfly'' (2014)
*''
A Wonderful Life'' (2020)
References
External links
*
*
FilthyMaggots Group Page (Masked 4 Tour)
{{Authority control
1993 establishments in Ohio
American alternative metal musical groups
American industrial metal musical groups
American nu metal musical groups
American avant-garde metal musical groups
Articles which contain graphical timelines
American electro-industrial music groups
Heavy metal musical groups from Ohio
Masked musicians
Musical groups established in 1993
Musical groups from Cleveland
Universal Records artists