Pailhead was a short-lived

side project In popular music, a side project is a project undertaken by one or more people already known for their involvement in another band. It can also be an artist or a band temporarily switching to a different style. Usually these projects emphasize ...

Al Jourgensen Alain David Jourgensen (born Alejandro Ramírez Casas; October 9, 1958) is a Cuban-American singer, musician and music producer. Closely related with the independent record label Wax Trax! Records, his musical career spans four decades. He is be ...

Ministry Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian ...

that featured

Dischord Records Dischord Records is a Washington, D.C.-based independent record label specializing in punk rock. The label is co-owned by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson, who founded Dischord in 1980 to release ''Minor Disturbance'' by their band The Teen Idle ...

founder and former

Minor Threat Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1980 in Washington, D.C. by vocalist Ian MacKaye and drummer Jeff Nelson. MacKaye and Nelson had played in several other bands together, and recruited bassist Brian Baker and guitaris ...

frontman

Ian MacKaye Ian Thomas Garner MacKaye (; born April 16, 1962) is an American musician. Active since 1979, he is best known as the co-founder and owner of Dischord Records, a Washington, D.C.-based independent record label and the frontman of hardcore punk ...

on vocals. The band's sound was a combination of

industrial Industrial may refer to: Industry * Industrial archaeology, the study of the history of the industry * Industrial engineering, engineering dealing with the optimization of complex industrial processes or systems * Industrial city, a city dominate ...

beats and

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 ...

, presaging what Ministry would later do with

Jello Biafra Eric Reed Boucher (born June 17, 1958), known professionally as Jello Biafra, is an American singer, spoken word artist and politician. He is the former lead singer and songwriter for the San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys. Initially ac ...

in another side project,

Lard Lard is a semi-solid white fat product obtained by rendering the fatty tissue of a pig.Lard
entry in the o ...

Background

While

Alain Jourgensen Alain David Jourgensen (born Alejandro Ramírez Casas; October 9, 1958) is a Cuban-American singer, musician and music producer. Closely related with the independent record label Wax Trax! Records, his musical career spans four decades. He is be ...

was living in London, he met Ian MacKaye. MacKaye had been in Washington D.C. punk bands

The Teen Idles The Teen Idles were an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C. in September 1979. Consisting of teenagers Nathan Strejcek, Geordie Grindle, Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson, they recorded two demo sessions and the 1980 ''Minor Disturb ...

, Skewbald/Grand Union, Egg Hunt and

Embrace Embrace may refer to: * A hug, a form of physical intimacy * Acceptance Music Bands * Embrace (American band), a post-hardcore band from Washington, D.C. * Embrace (English band), a post-Britpop band from West Yorkshire * Embrace (duo), a Dan ...

and was on the verge of forming

Fugazi Fugazi (; ) is an American post-hardcore band that formed in Washington, D.C., in 1986. The band consists of guitarists and vocalists Ian MacKaye and Guy Picciotto, bassist Joe Lally, and drummer Brendan Canty. They are noted for their style-tr ...

, while Jourgensen was taking his band Ministry into new territory—away from the more pop sound of ''

With Sympathy ''With Sympathy'' is the debut studio album by American industrial band Ministry, released on May 10, 1983 by Arista Records. The group was formed in 1981 by lead singer and multi-instrumentalist Al Jourgensen, with drummer Stephen George bein ...

'' and toward the harder sound of ''

The Land of Rape and Honey ''The Land of Rape and Honey'' is the third studio album by American industrial metal band Ministry, released on October 11, 1988, by Sire Records. This is the first Ministry album to include bassist Paul Barker and marks a departure from the ...

''. The two found common ground both musically and politically and decided to collaborate on a project that would fuse elements 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 "initiall ...

with

. Pailhead released the single "I Will Refuse" / "No Bunny" (released in both 7" and 12" formats) in 1987 and the 4-song EP ''Trait'' in 1988, both on the Wax Trax! record label. The CD edition of ''Trait'' also incorporates both sides of the "I Will Refuse" / "No Bunny" single. The drummer for "No Bunny" was Eric Spicer of

Naked Raygun Naked Raygun was one of the first, one of the longest running, and one of the most recognized Chicago punk bands. They are considered by many to be the most important band in the history of Chicago punk rock and credited with creating “the Chi ...

. These tracks were later re-released on Ministry's odds-and-ends compilation ''

Side Trax ''Side Trax'' is a compilation album from industrial metal band Ministry. The album was released in October 2004. It compiles EPs from four Ministry side projects recorded in the late 1980s: Pailhead, 1000 Homo DJs, PTP, and Acid Horse. All ...

''. MacKaye stated on an episode of the Kreative Kontrol podcast that he has never played live with the band.

In popular culture

* Chris Connelly's first work with Jourgensen was to record vocals for the track that would later emerge as "I Will Refuse." Connelly released this version, which he called "Stick" and attributed to the

Revolting Cocks Revolting Cocks, also known as RevCo, are an American-Belgian industrial rock band, and sometimes supergroup, that began as a musical side project for Richard23 of Front 242, Luc van Acker, and Al Jourgensen of Ministry. History 1984: Or ...

, on his ''Initials C.C.'' album. In his memoirs, he says he was not offended when MacKaye rerecorded the vocals with new lyrics, saying "It was an honor to be erased by Ian." * The song "I Will Refuse" was used in the

Zero Skateboards Zero Skateboards is a skateboard company located in Carlsbad, California, United States. The brand was founded by professional skateboarder and entrepreneur Jamie Thomas, and distributed by his Black Box Distribution company. In late June 2014 ...

video ''Misled Youth'' (1999). * In the game ''

Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX ''Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX'' is a BMX video game endorsed by Mat Hoffman and the first game to be published by Activision under the Activision O2 label. It is similar to the ''Tony Hawk's'' series and competed directly with Acclaim Entertainment's ...

'', songs were also featured in the Streets on Fire skateboard video (

Santa Cruz Skateboards NHS, Inc. is a United States sports equipment distribution company based in Santa Cruz, California.(May 21–27, 1998."Extreme Success - A hedonist work ethic leads to big bucks for SC entrepreneurial slacker"fro''Metro Santa Cruz'' published by ...

). These songs included "Man Should Surrender", and "Don't Stand in Line". * The song "I Will Refuse" was used in the premiere episode of ''

Cold Case A cold case is a crime, or a suspected crime, that has not yet been fully resolved and is not the subject of a current criminal investigation, but for which new information could emerge from new witness testimony, re-examined archives, new or re ...

's'' fourth season, "Rampage". * "I Will Refuse" was covered by

Soulfly Soulfly is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1997, and later based out of Phoenix, Arizona. Soulfly is led by former Sepultura frontman Max Cavalera, who formed the band after he left the Brazilian group in 199 ...

and featured as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of their album, '' 3''. *

Spinnerette Spinnerette was an alternative rock band formed in 2007. The band was a vehicle for the solo career of Brody Dalle following the breakup of her previous band, The Distillers, in 2006. The band featured Tony Bevilacqua (also from The Distillers) ...

's cover version of "I Will Refuse" was released with their song "All Babes Are Wolves".

Discography

* ''I Will Refuse" b/w "No Bunny'' 7" and 12" single (1987) * "Man Should Surrender" b/w "Anthem" 7" single (1988) * "Don't Stand in Line" b/w "Ballad" 7" single (1988) * '' Trait'' 12" EP (comprising Pailhead's last two singles) and CD (made up of all 3 singles) (1988)

Members

: vocals *

: guitar, backing vocals *

Paul Barker Paul Gordon Barker (born February 8, 1959), also referred to as Hermes Pan, is the former bass guitarist, producer and engineer of the industrial metal band Ministry from 1986 to 2003. Prior to Ministry, Barker provided bass for the Seattle ...

: bass *

Bill Rieflin William Frederick Rieflin (September 30, 1960 – March 24, 2020) was an American musician. Rieflin came to prominence in the 1990s mainly for his work as a drummer with groups (particularly in the industrial rock and industrial metal scene ...

: drums * Eric Spicer: drums

References

{{Authority control Rock music supergroups Musical groups established in 1987 Musical groups disestablished in 1988 American hardcore punk groups American industrial rock musical groups Wax Trax! Records artists