Nerf Herder is an American

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band from

Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara ( es, Santa Bárbara, meaning "Saint Barbara") is a coastal city in Santa Barbara County, California, of which it is also the county seat. Situated on a south-facing section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coa ...

, formed in 1994 by

Parry Gripp Parry P. Gripp (born September 22, 1967) is an American musician and singer-songwriter. He is the lead vocalist and guitarist for the pop punk band Nerf Herder from its formation in 1994. Gripp has written numerous novelty songs for children, and ...

(vocals, guitar), Charlie Dennis (bass) and Steve Sherlock (drums). They describe themselves as a "

geek rock Geek rock (also known as nerd rock or dork rock) is a musical subgenre derived from pop rock and alternative rock within the nerd music group. It is a sister genre to the chiptune-influenced rock subgenre Nintendocore and related to other branch ...

" band, and are known for simplistic modern punk-style songs with frequently humorous, juvenile, and pop-culture-referencing lyrics. The band's name is a reference to a line of dialogue between

Princess Leia Princess Leia Organa is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, portrayed in films by Carrie Fisher. Introduced in the original ''Star Wars'' film in 1977, Leia is princess of the planet Alderaan ...

and

Han Solo Han Solo is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. The character first appeared in the 1977 film ''Star Wars'' portrayed by Harrison Ford, who reprised his role in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) and '' ...

in ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back''. Their 1997 single "Van Halen", a tribute to the band of the same name, received significant radio airplay and led to their first major record deal with

Arista Records Arista Records () is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously handled by BMG Entertain ...

. They also composed and performed the

theme music Theme music is a musical composition that is often written specifically for radio programming, television shows, video games, or films and is usually played during the title sequence, opening credits, closing credits, and in some instances ...

to the television series '' Buffy the Vampire Slayer.''

History

Nerf Herder was formed in Santa Barbara in 1994 by

(vocals, guitar), Charlie Dennis (bass), and Steve Sherlock (drums). Dennis left the band after the release of their debut self-titled album, and was replaced first by Pete Newbury, with Dave Ehrlich also joining as a second guitarist. Newbury's tenure touring with the band was, however, short-lived. He was briefly replaced in 1999 by bassist Marko 72, and then by Justin Fisher, who played bass and keyboards on two albums (''How To Meet Girls'' & ''American Cheese''). In 1999, Nerf Herder asked Arista to release them from their contract, so they could move forward with a new record, '' How to Meet Girls'', with

Honest Don's Records Honest Don's Records was a subsidiary label based in San Francisco, California, set up along with Pink & Black Records by Fat Wreck Chords to release material by bands that didn't fit within the roster at Fat. The label ceased trading around 2 ...

, a subsidiary of

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 ...

. A special EP for My Records (run by Joey Cape from

Lagwagon Lagwagon is an American punk rock band originally from Goleta, California, just outside Santa Barbara. They formed in 1989, went on hiatus in 2000, and reunited several times over the years. Their name comes from the band's tour van, which ca ...

) entitled ''My EP'' was released in 2001, and was followed in 2002 by their album ''

American Cheese Modern American cheese is a type of processed cheese developed in the 1910s made from cheddar, Colby, or similar cheeses. It is mild with a creamy and salty flavor, has a medium-firm consistency, and has a low melting point. It is typically ye ...

''. The band wrote and performed the theme song for the TV series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (1997). In April 2003, Nerf Herder appeared as the musical guest in the final-season ''Buffy'' episode "

Empty Places "Empty Places" is the 19th episode of the seventh and final season of the television series '' Buffy the Vampire Slayer''. The episode aired on April 29, 2003 on UPN. Plot The citizens of Sunnydale flee en masse to escape the Hellmouth and Sunny ...

" – the very last band to play at The Bronze. Their special connection to the series was further acknowledged by a bit of dialogue, as "Rock City News" played in the background:

Kennedy Kennedy may refer to: People * John F. Kennedy (1917–1963), 35th president of the United States * John Kennedy (Louisiana politician), (born 1951), US Senator from Louisiana * Kennedy (surname), a family name (including a list of persons with ...
: What kind of band plays during an apocalypse?
Dawn Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the appearance of indirect sunlight being scattered in Earth's atmosphere, when the centre of the Sun's disc has reached 18° below the observer's ho ...
: I think this band might actually be one of the signs.

By 2003, after the final ''American Cheese'' tour dates—during which time Ben Pringle (also of

The Rentals The Rentals are an American rock band fronted by vocalist Matt Sharp. Sharp has been the only consistent member since the group's inception. The band's best selling single is "Friends of P" (1995). The Rentals released two albums, '' Return of ...

during 2005–2008) had replaced Fisher (who had left amicably to front his own band, Psoma)—the band disintegrated. No official split was announced, but a post by Gripp on the band's website some time afterwards detailed how most of the former band members had gone on to get normal jobs. Gripp did some work as a

jingle A jingle is a short song or tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. Jingles are a form of sound branding. A jingle contains one or more hooks and meaning that explicitly promote the product or service being advertised, usually ...

writer, which led to his 2005 solo album ''For Those About to Shop, We Salute You'', a 51-track

concept album A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. So ...

mimicking various musical styles and focusing on product commercialization. In late 2006, Nerf Herder made a surprise comeback, announcing on their website that they were playing a handful of gigs with the original lineup of Gripp, Dennis, and Sherlock. For Gripp's May 7, 2007 review of the day, he announced that the original lineup had finally finished recording their 4th album, which did not have a title at that time. Gripp stated that he wanted the title to be ''Brownerton'', but that idea was shot down. He also stated that of the 13 songs recorded, they would probably pick 10 to be on the album. In June 2007, the band decided on the title ''Nerf Herder IV'', and the album was released through

Oglio Records Oglio Records is an American record company started in 1993 by Carl Caprioglio. The label issues compilations of rare 1980s modern rock and new wave songs, many previously unreleased on CD. In addition to releasing new material by artists such ...

on April 29, 2008. Pringle returned, and Former

Size 14 Size 14 was an American rock band in the late 1990s based out of Hollywood that gained some notoriety with the novelty song "Claire Danes Poster". This song appeared on the '' Dude, Where's My Car? soundtrack''; other Size 14 songs appeared on mo ...

singer Linus of Hollywood joined the live band (playing guitar and keyboard) in early 2008 for a series of West Coast shows and a short tour of Japan. In 2014, Nerf Herder began working on album number five, entitled '' Rockingham'', which was released on March 11, 2016. As of 2019, Nerf Herder has continued to perform live and is currently writing and recording new material.

Band members

Current members *

– vocals, guitar (1994–2003, 2005–present) * Steve Sherlock – drums, vocals (1994–2003, 2005–present) * Ben Pringle – bass, vocals (2002–2003, 2009–present) * Linus of Hollywood – guitar, keyboards (2008–present) Former members * Charlie Dennis – bass, vocals (1994–1998, 2005–2009) * Dave Ehrlich – guitar (1997–2003) * Pete Newbury – bass, vocals (1998–1999) * Justin Fisher – bass, vocals, keyboards (1999–2002)

Timeline

ImageSize = width:750 height:250 PlotArea = left:100 bottom:60 top:0 right:50 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1994 till:03/31/2021 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Colors = id:Vocals value:red legend:Vocals id:Guitar value:green legend:Guitar id:Bass value:blue legend:Bass id:Keys value:purple legend:Keyboards id:Drums value:orange legend:Drums id:Lines value:black legend:releases Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom ScaleMajor = increment:3 start:01/01/1994 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:01/01/1994 LineData = at:11/01/1996 color:black layer:back at:06/01/2000 color:black layer:back at:08/13/2002 color:black layer:back at:03/01/2008 color:black layer:back at:03/11/2016 color:black layer:back BarData = bar:Gripp text:"Parry Gripp" bar:Ehrlich text:"Dave Ehrlich" bar:Linus text:"Linus of Hollywood" bar:Dennis text:"Charlie Dennis" bar:Newbury text:"Pete Newbury" bar:Fisher text:"Justin Fisher" bar:Pringle text:"Ben Pringle" bar:Sherlock text:"Steve Sherlock" PlotData= width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:Gripp from:01/01/1994 till:06/01/2003 color:Vocals bar:Gripp from:01/01/1994 till:06/01/2003 color:Guitar width:3 bar:Gripp from:06/01/2005 till:end color:Vocals bar:Gripp from:06/01/2005 till:end color:Guitar width:3 bar:Sherlock from:01/01/1994 till:06/01/2003 color:Drums bar:Sherlock from:01/01/1994 till:06/01/2003 color:Vocals width:3 bar:Sherlock from:06/01/2005 till:end color:Drums bar:Sherlock from:06/01/2005 till:end color:Vocals width:3 bar:Dennis from:01/01/1994 till:03/01/1998 color:Bass bar:Dennis from:01/01/1994 till:03/01/1998 color:Vocals width:3 bar:Dennis from:06/01/2005 till:10/01/2009 color:Bass bar:Dennis from:06/01/2005 till:10/01/2009 color:Vocals width:3 bar:Ehrlich from:06/01/1997 till:06/01/2003 color:Guitar bar:Linus from:06/01/2008 till:end color:Guitar bar:Linus from:06/01/2008 till:end color:Keys width:3 bar:Newbury from:03/01/1998 till:06/01/1999 color:Bass bar:Newbury from:03/01/1998 till:06/01/1999 color:Vocals width:3 bar:Fisher from:10/01/1999 till:09/01/2002 color:Bass bar:Fisher from:10/01/1999 till:09/01/2002 color:Keys width:7 bar:Fisher from:10/01/1999 till:09/01/2002 color:Vocals width:3 bar:Pringle from:09/01/2002 till:06/01/2003 color:Bass bar:Pringle from:09/01/2002 till:06/01/2003 color:Vocals width:3 bar:Pringle from:10/01/2009 till:end color:Bass bar:Pringle from:10/01/2009 till:end color:Vocals width:3

Discography

; Studio albums * ''

Nerf Herder Nerf Herder is an American rock band from Santa Barbara, California, formed in 1994 by Parry Gripp (vocals, guitar), Charlie Dennis (bass) and Steve Sherlock (drums). They describe themselves as a " geek rock" band, and are known for simplis ...

'' (1996) My Records/

* '' How to Meet Girls'' (2000)

* ''

'' (2002) Honest Don's Records * '' IV'' (2008)

* '' Rockingham'' (2016) Golfshirt Records ; Extended plays * '' My E.P.'' (2001) My Records * '' High Voltage Christmas Rock'' (2002) self-released ; Singles ; Compilation album appearances The following are songs that have been featured on compilations that have not been released on any of the band's albums or EPs * ''Happy Meals: A Smorgasbord of My Fav Songs'' (1996) My Records – "Sorry" (alt version) * ''BASEketball'' soundtrack (1998)

Mojo Mojo may refer to: *Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * MOJO HD, an American television network * ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film * '' ...

Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a ...

– "Don't Hate Me (Because I'm Beautiful)" * ''

Short Music For Short People ''Short Music for Short People'' is a 1999 compilation album released on the Fat Wreck Chords record label. It features 101 bands playing songs averaging approximately 30 seconds in length. With a few exceptions, most of the album's tracks we ...

'' (1999)

– "Doin' Laundry" * ''Metal Rules: Tribute to Bad Hair Days'' (1999)

Priority Records Priority Records is an American distribution company and record label known for artists including N.W.A, Ice-T, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Big L, Silkk the Shocker and Westside Connection. It also distributed hip hop record labels including Death ...

– "Kiss Me Deadly" * '' Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Album'' (1999)

TVT Records TVT Records (Tee-Vee Tunes) was an American record label founded by Steve Gottlieb. Over the course of its 24-year history, the label released 25 Gold, Platinum and Multi-Platinum releases. Its roster included Nine Inch Nails, Ja Rule, Lil Jon ...

– "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Theme" * ''Happy Meals Vol. 2 - The Perfect Marriage'' (2001) My Records – "Hospital" * ''Happy Meals Volume 3'' (2002) My Records – "Jacket" * ''

That Darn Punk Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ''That Darn Punk Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' is a soundtrack album to the 2001 independent film ''That Darn Punk''. The film was released by Kung Fu Films and starred Joe Escalante of the punk rock band The Vandals as the lead characte ...

'' (2002)

Kung Fu Records Kung Fu Records is an American independent record label founded in 1996 by Joe Escalante and Warren Fitzgerald of the punk rock band The Vandals. Founded in order to release a record by the Riverside, California band Assorted Jelly Beans, the ...

– "Siegfried and Roy" * '' Bad Scene, Everyone's Fault: Jawbreaker Tribute'' (2003) Dying Wish Records – "Chesterfield King" * ''

Wrecktrospective ''Wrecktrospective'' is a three-disc compilation album released December 8, 2009 by Fat Wreck Chords. Subtitled "Twenty Years...and Counting!", it compiles tracks spanning the label's catalog from 1990 to 2009. The first disc, titled ''Fattest Hi ...

'' (2009) Fat Wreck Chords – "5000 Ways to Die" (demo) * ''Have a Crappy Summer'' (2012) Crappy Records – "I'm the Droid You're Looking For" *
Dog Songs
' (2017) – "Gary and the Princess"

References

External links

*
Nerf Herder on Fat Wreck
{{Authority control Alternative rock groups from California Arista Records artists Geek rock groups Musical groups established in 1994 Musical groups disestablished in 2003 Musical groups reestablished in 2006 Punk rock groups from California 1994 establishments in California