My Brain Hurts
Encyclopedia
My Brain Hurts is the third studio album by the American punk rock
band Screeching Weasel
. It was released in 1991 through Lookout! Records
. It was the band's first album released through Lookout! Records. The album marked a very distinct stylistic shift. Following a brief breakup, the band reunited and made a conscious decision to pursue a more pop-based sound, rather than the faster, more aggressive songs found on their prior albums like Boogadaboogadaboogada!
. Along with the shift in sound, main songwriter Ben Weasel
began collaborating more with guitarist (and former bassist) Dan Vapid
. Weasel has been quoted as saying that Vapid is the only person he ever felt truly comfortable writing songs with. For My Brain Hurts, the band's popularity skyrocketed within the punk community. It remains one of their best-selling releases and is considered one of their best albums by fans. The surge in popularity would unfortunately provide a source of pressure on the band when they recorded the follow-up album, Wiggle
. After being out of print for a short time, the album was remastered and re-released on CD by Asian Man Records
. A vinyl version was reissued by Recess Records
in 2009. The whole album was covered in December of 2008 by Jon Cougar Concentration Camp
as a tribute.
, except where noted.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Screeching Weasel
Screeching Weasel
Screeching Weasel is an American punk rock band originally from Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1986 by Ben Weasel and John Jughead.Since their formation, Screeching Weasel have broken up and reformed numerous times with numerous line-up changes. Ben Weasel has been the only constant...
. It was released in 1991 through Lookout! Records
Lookout! Records
-History:Larry Livermore and David Hayes formed the label in 1987. From the start, Lookout released punk rock records, but over time expanded its scope to include various types of pop rock, reggae fusion, acoustic rock, pop punk, and indie rock...
. It was the band's first album released through Lookout! Records. The album marked a very distinct stylistic shift. Following a brief breakup, the band reunited and made a conscious decision to pursue a more pop-based sound, rather than the faster, more aggressive songs found on their prior albums like Boogadaboogadaboogada!
Boogadaboogadaboogada!
-Personnel:* Ben Weasel - lead vocals, guitar* Jughead - guitar, backing vocals* Fish - bass* Steve Cheese - drums-Release variations:* The first 200 copies of the original pressing on Roadkill Records included an insert which featured pictures of the band bowling naked.* Roadkill Records...
. Along with the shift in sound, main songwriter Ben Weasel
Ben Weasel
Ben Weasel is a punk rock musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of bands Screeching Weasel and The Riverdales...
began collaborating more with guitarist (and former bassist) Dan Vapid
Dan Vapid
Dan Schafer is a punk rock musician from Chicago, Illinois best known for his participation in Screeching Weasel, The Riverdales, The Methadones, and various other pop punk bands.-Generation Waste:...
. Weasel has been quoted as saying that Vapid is the only person he ever felt truly comfortable writing songs with. For My Brain Hurts, the band's popularity skyrocketed within the punk community. It remains one of their best-selling releases and is considered one of their best albums by fans. The surge in popularity would unfortunately provide a source of pressure on the band when they recorded the follow-up album, Wiggle
Wiggle (album)
Wiggle is the fourth studio album by the American punk rock band Screeching Weasel. It was released in 1993 through Lookout! Records. Their previous album, My Brain Hurts, had seen a sharp rise in the band's popularity and a shift in sound towards mid-tempo pop songs. With Wiggle, the band shifted...
. After being out of print for a short time, the album was remastered and re-released on CD by Asian Man Records
Asian Man Records
Asian Man Records is a small, DIY record label run by Mike Park in Monte Sereno, California. Park started a record label and began releasing music in 1989 under the name Dill Records, with the Asian Man label established May 1996.-Artists:...
. A vinyl version was reissued by Recess Records
Recess Records
Recess Records is an independent record label founded in 1989 with the release of F.Y.P's Extra Credit, an 11 song 7-inch record. Label founder Todd Congelliere originally created the label as a vehicle to release F.Y.P's material...
in 2009. The whole album was covered in December of 2008 by Jon Cougar Concentration Camp
Jon Cougar Concentration Camp
Jon Cougar Concentration Camp is a punk rock band from San Diego, California.-History:Jon Cougar Concentration Camp was formed in January 1994 in San Diego by Chris Fields, Clint Graham, Travis Spatter, and Travis Milligan. The band named themselves after a pun on musician John Cougar Mellencamp...
as a tribute.
Track listing
All songs written by Ben WeaselBen Weasel
Ben Weasel is a punk rock musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of bands Screeching Weasel and The Riverdales...
, except where noted.
- "Making You Cry" – 1:35
- "Slogans" – 1:38
- "Guest List" (Weasel/Vapid) – 2:26
- "Veronica Hates Me" – 2:52
- "I Can See ClearlyI Can See Clearly Now-Certifications:-Charts:-Other covers:The song also appears in various other films, such as Grosse Pointe Blank, The Break-up, Thelma & Louise, Antz, Deep Blue Sea, Envy, Hitch, Shrek 2s Far Far Away Idol, Viktor Vogel – Commercial Man and Jennifer's Body, as well in a 2009 advertisement for Lipton...
" (Johnny Nash) – 2:17 - "Cindy's on Methadone" – 1:27
- "The Science of Myth" – 2:24
- "What We Hate" – 2:26
- "Teenage Freakshow" (Weasel/Vapid) – 2:33
- "Kamala's Too Nice" (Weasel/Vapid) – 1:22
- "Don't Turn Out the Lights" – 3:37
- "Fathead" (Weasel/Vapid/Jughead) – 1:24
- "I Wanna Be with You Tonight" – 1:52
- "My Brain Hurts" – 3:09
Personnel
- Ben WeaselBen WeaselBen Weasel is a punk rock musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of bands Screeching Weasel and The Riverdales...
- lead vocals - JugheadJohn Pierson (musician)John Pierson, commonly known by the stage name "John Jughead" or simply "Jughead", founded the pop-punk band Screeching Weasel in Chicago, Illinois with Ben Weasel in 1986. He played guitar for the band until its disbanding in 2001...
- guitar - Danny VapidDan VapidDan Schafer is a punk rock musician from Chicago, Illinois best known for his participation in Screeching Weasel, The Riverdales, The Methadones, and various other pop punk bands.-Generation Waste:...
- guitar, backing vocals - Dave Naked - bass
- Danny PanicDan PanicDan Sullivan, also known as Dan Panic or Danny Panic, is a punk rock drummer from Chicago.-Career:Dan Sullivan began his musical career with Ivy League, a quartet from Chicago's western suburbs who released one 7" EP in 1990. He then joined Screeching Weasel in 1991 and remained with the band until...
- drums