ZIPGUN (stylized in all-caps) are an American punk rock band from

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a port, seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the county seat, seat of King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in bo ...

, Washington, United States, primarily active from 1991 to 1994. The original founding members were: guitarist Neil Rogers (The Derelicts, Glazed), singer Robb Clarke (Trids, RC5, The Burnz), bassist Mark Wooten (The Zanny Guys, Noble Firs) and drummer Dan Cunneen ( Final Warning, The Obituaries, Seattle's Nightcaps,).

History

ZIPGUN was formed and led by Neil Rogers, who had previously played guitar for

Sub Pop Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the grunge movement. They are oft ...

recording artists The Derelicts. In 1993, Mark Wooten quit the band and was replaced by bassist Andy Sheen. In late 1993 Sheen quit the band and was replaced by former Derelicts bassist Ian Dunsmore. ZIPGUN broke up in 1994 and then reunited in 1996 for a single show at The Breakroom in Seattle with original bassist, Mark Wooten.

Background

While ZIPGUN hailed from

in the early 1990s, their music is not considered Grunge. ZIPGUN was one of a number of Seattle bands that avoided the prevailing musical trend, instead choosing to play punk rock. Other Seattle bands sharing the same philosophy during the era include: Gas Huffer, Supersuckers, The Gits, and Coffin Break. The band was known for their "punk and roll" sound, which is characterized by its raw energy and power; delivered at slower tempos than typical American hardcore. ZIPGUN mined punk rock influences like

The Stooges The Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, also known as Iggy and the Stooges, was an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Da ...

Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United ...

, The Damned, and

Buzzcocks Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton, England in 1976 by singer-songwriter-guitarist Pete Shelley and singer-songwriter Howard Devoto. They are regarded as a seminal influence on the Manchester music scene, the independe ...

. They also added elements of then-current bands like

Screaming Trees Screaming Trees was an American rock band formed in Ellensburg, Washington, in 1984 by vocalist Mark Lanegan, guitarist Gary Lee Conner, bass player Van Conner, and drummer Mark Pickerel. Pickerel had been replaced by Barrett Martin by the ti ...

and

Mudhoney Mudhoney is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1988, following the demise of Green River. Its members are singer and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner, bassist Guy Maddison and drummer Dan Peters. ...

into their sound. ZIPGUN was also known for their unpredictable stage performances and sometimes volatile interaction between singer Robb Clarke and guitarist Neil Rogers. (For instance, at their alcohol fueled debut show at Seattle's

Crocodile Cafe The Crocodile (formerly the Crocodile Cafe, and sometimes called The Croc) is a music club at 2505 1st Avenue at Wall Street in the Belltown neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, United States. Opened by Stephanie Dorgan as the "Crocodile Cafe ...

, Rogers famously broke his Gibson SG guitar over Clarke's back.)

Legacy

ZIPGUN released three singles and two full-length albums on Pacific Northwest

independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...

, Empty Records and several other singles on various labels. The band toured extensively throughout the United States and Canada and appeared in the

Doug Pray Doug Pray is an American documentary film director, cinematographer, and editor who often explores unique subcultures in his films. His work includes ''Surfwise'' (2008), a portrait of the nomadic, 11-member Doc Paskowitz family (often referred to ...

film Hype!, a documentary chronicling the 1990s Seattle Grunge music scene. Currently, Rogers plays in Communist Eyes and The Derelicts (reformed in 2017). Clarke continues to play and record with the Seattle punk band The Burnz. Cunneen plays drums for Roxbury Saints and the Perkins Coie Band.

Discography

* 1991 ''Together Dumb/Cool in the Cell'' (single) Empty Records * 1991 ''Ten'' (one sided promo single) Empty Records * 1992 ''8 Track Player'' (CD/LP) Empty Records * 1992 ''The End/Nothing Cures'' (single) Musical Tragedies * 1993 ''Put Me Away'' (split single w/ Derelicts) Rekkids * 1993 ''Baltimore'' (CD/LP) Empty Records * 1994 ''I Can't Wait/Tight Black Pants'' (single) Thrill Jockey Records

External links

Official website''Trouser Press'' review of ''8 Track Player'' and ''Baltimore''
{{Authority control Punk rock groups from Washington (state) Musical groups from Seattle