Animal Bag
Encyclopedia
Animal Bag was an alternative metal
grunge
band from Charlotte, North Carolina
, United States, which was active from 1987 through 1998.
), Rich Parris
(guitars and vocals), Otis Hughes (bass guitar
), and Boo Duckworth (drums and percussion
) in 1987. After building a following in their native North Carolina, the group relocated to Los Angeles in 1989.
Favorable press in newspapers including the L.A. Music Scene, which compared them to the Red Hot Chili Peppers
and Faith No More
, coupled with the exploding alternative music scene, brought the band to the attention of several A&R execs, and Animalbag was eventually signed to Mercury records
in 1992.
Their 1992 self-titled initial release mixed acoustic and electric rock and Animal Bag was prominently featured in the pilot episode of My So-Called Life
as the party band. The album's first single, Everybody, peaked briefly at #29 on the Billboard
Mainstream Rock chart in 1993, and was a minor success in Japan, hitting #32 for 8 weeks in March 1993. Their follow-up 1994 album Offering was all-acoustic and did not chart well in the U.S. Mercury was willing to give the band one more chance, and brought in producer Terry Date
to helm a return to harder-edged music for the band's 1996 album Image Damage. The album was never released because of inner shakeups at the record label; most of the people who had worked the first two Animal Bag releases left the label.
By 1998, the band had broken up and singer Luke Edwards went on to form the bluegrass band Tater.
On June 5, 2002, drummer Boo Duckworth died from natural causes at age 35.
On March 9, 2010, lead guitarist Richard Parris passed away. According to the medical examiner, cause of death was a ruptured ulcer. Rich had just recorded an album with his band (with Otis from Animal Bag) M4 Messenger.
Alternative metal
Alternative metal is a genre of alternative rock and heavy metal that gained popularity in the early 1990s. Most notably, alternative metal bands are characterized by heavy guitar riffs and experimental approaches to heavy music.-Origins:...
grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
band from Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, United States, which was active from 1987 through 1998.
Career
After some personnel changes, the band congealed around members Luke Edwards (vocals and guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
), Rich Parris
Richard Edwin Parris Jr.
Richard Edwin Parris Jr. was a member of the Alternative Metal Grunge Band Animal Bag.Richard Edwin Parris Jr. was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, attending Providence Day School before graduating from East Mecklenburg High School...
(guitars and vocals), Otis Hughes (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), and Boo Duckworth (drums and percussion
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
) in 1987. After building a following in their native North Carolina, the group relocated to Los Angeles in 1989.
Favorable press in newspapers including the L.A. Music Scene, which compared them to the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
and Faith No More
Faith No More
Faith No More is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed originally as Faith No Man in 1981 by bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist Wade Worthington, vocalist Michael Morris and drummer Mike Bordin. A year later when Worthington was replaced by keyboardist Roddy Bottum, and Mike...
, coupled with the exploding alternative music scene, brought the band to the attention of several A&R execs, and Animalbag was eventually signed to Mercury records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
in 1992.
Their 1992 self-titled initial release mixed acoustic and electric rock and Animal Bag was prominently featured in the pilot episode of My So-Called Life
My So-Called Life
My So-Called Life is an American teen drama television series created by Winnie Holzman and produced by Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz. It originally aired on ABC from August 25, 1994, to January 26, 1995 and was distributed by The Bedford Falls Company with ABC Productions. Set at the...
as the party band. The album's first single, Everybody, peaked briefly at #29 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Mainstream Rock chart in 1993, and was a minor success in Japan, hitting #32 for 8 weeks in March 1993. Their follow-up 1994 album Offering was all-acoustic and did not chart well in the U.S. Mercury was willing to give the band one more chance, and brought in producer Terry Date
Terry Date
Terry Date is an American record producer and engineer, specializing in the rock and metal genres...
to helm a return to harder-edged music for the band's 1996 album Image Damage. The album was never released because of inner shakeups at the record label; most of the people who had worked the first two Animal Bag releases left the label.
By 1998, the band had broken up and singer Luke Edwards went on to form the bluegrass band Tater.
On June 5, 2002, drummer Boo Duckworth died from natural causes at age 35.
On March 9, 2010, lead guitarist Richard Parris passed away. According to the medical examiner, cause of death was a ruptured ulcer. Rich had just recorded an album with his band (with Otis from Animal Bag) M4 Messenger.
Discography
- Animal Bag (1992)
- Offering (1994)
- Image Damage (recorded 1996, unreleased)
- Misc. Recordings (recorded 1998, unreleased)
External links
- Animal Bag Fan Site
- official music video for Animalbag's first single Everybody