Nausea (band)
Encyclopedia
Nausea was an American crust punk
band from New York City
in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, active from 1985-1992. Nausea is usually cited as being integral in the rise of American crust punk, a fusion of anarcho-punk
and thrash metal
styles.
Like many anarcho-punk
bands of the period, Nausea incorporated both male and female vocalists. They were involved in the New York City Lower East Side squatting
community. Their earlier sound with singers Amy Miret and Neil Robinson was in the vein of traditional hardcore punk
. After Robinson's departure in 1988, he was replaced by Al Long and the band began to experiment with a darker, heavier sound. Robinson went on to form the bands Jesus Crust and Final Warning, as well as start Tribal War Records.
, the US-USSR Cold War
, and threats of nuclear war
with the USSR. Nausea focused on topics such as environmentalism
, human extinction
, pollution
, criticism of Christianity
, and animal rights
.
Nausea progressed from a metallic hardcore punk band to being more of a thrash metal
band during its later years with new singer Al Long. The band broke new ground for the emerging crust punk genre, flirting with doom metal
, reggae
, D-beat
, noise rock
and sludge
.
(bass), Victor Venom
(guitar, ex-Reagan Youth
), Amy Miret (vocals), Al Long (vocals), and Roy Mayorga
(drums). John John Jesse has gone on to become an artist, as well as joining with members of Choking Victim
in the band Morning Glory. Roy Mayorga
went on to play with Shelter
, Soulfly
, ABLOOM, Stone Sour
, filling in for Igor Cavalera
with Sepultura
in 2006, and drumming for the reunited Amebix
.
, there is a punk seen wearing a leather jacket with 'Nausea' spray painted on the back.
Crust punk
Crust punk is a form of music influenced by anarcho-punk, hardcore punk and extreme metal. The style, which evolved in the mid-1980s in England, often has songs with dark and pessimistic lyrics that linger on political and social ills...
band from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, active from 1985-1992. Nausea is usually cited as being integral in the rise of American crust punk, a fusion of anarcho-punk
Anarcho-punk
Anarcho-punk is punk rock that promotes anarchism. The term anarcho-punk is sometimes applied exclusively to bands that were part of the original anarcho-punk movement in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
and thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
styles.
Like many anarcho-punk
Anarcho-punk
Anarcho-punk is punk rock that promotes anarchism. The term anarcho-punk is sometimes applied exclusively to bands that were part of the original anarcho-punk movement in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
bands of the period, Nausea incorporated both male and female vocalists. They were involved in the New York City Lower East Side squatting
Squatting
Squatting consists of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use....
community. Their earlier sound with singers Amy Miret and Neil Robinson was in the vein of traditional hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
. After Robinson's departure in 1988, he was replaced by Al Long and the band began to experiment with a darker, heavier sound. Robinson went on to form the bands Jesus Crust and Final Warning, as well as start Tribal War Records.
Lyrics and musical style
Nausea's apocalyptic lyrics and artwork were influenced by the sociopolitical issues of the day, such as the Reagan AdministrationReagan Administration
The United States presidency of Ronald Reagan, also known as the Reagan administration, was a Republican administration headed by Ronald Reagan from January 20, 1981, to January 20, 1989....
, the US-USSR Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, and threats of nuclear war
Nuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
with the USSR. Nausea focused on topics such as environmentalism
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
, human extinction
Human extinction
Human extinction is the end of the human species. Various scenarios have been discussed in science, popular culture, and religion . The scope of this article is existential risks. Humans are very widespread on the Earth, and live in communities which are capable of some kind of basic survival in...
, pollution
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
, criticism of Christianity
Criticism of Christianity
Throughout the history of Christianity, many have criticized Christianity, the church, and Christians themselves. Some criticism specifically addresses Christian beliefs, teachings and interpretation of scripture...
, and animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
.
Nausea progressed from a metallic hardcore punk band to being more of a thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band during its later years with new singer Al Long. The band broke new ground for the emerging crust punk genre, flirting with doom metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, D-beat
D-beat
D-beat is a style of hardcore punk developed in the early 1980s by imitators of Discharge, for whom the genre is named. Discharge may have themselves inherited the beat from Motörhead. The first such group was The Varukers.The vocal content of D-beat tends towards shouted slogans...
, noise rock
Noise rock
Noise rock describes a style of post-punk rock music that became prominent in the 1980s. Noise rock makes use of the traditional instrumentation and iconography of rock, but incorporates atonality and especially dissonance, and also frequently discards usual songwriting conventions.-Style:Noise...
and sludge
Sludge metal
Sludge metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that melds elements of doom metal and hardcore punk, and sometimes incorporates influences from southern rock, stoner rock and grunge. Sludge metal is typically abrasive; often featuring shouted vocals, heavily distorted instruments and sharply contrasting...
.
Later line-up
Nausea's final line-up was: John John JesseJohn John Jesse
John John Jesse is an illustrative painter from New York City's Lower East Side in the Juxtapoz gonzo-pop vein. He often shows with artists like Esao Andrews. Jesse has cited Gustav Klimpt, Carravagio, Béla Iványi-Grünwald, and Mark Ryden as influences...
(bass), Victor Venom
Victor Dominicis
Victor Dominicis is a New York punk rock guitarist known for the bands Nausea and Reagan Youth. He is notable for being a pioneer in the American crust punk style blending punk and heavy metal. His influence can be seen in countless metal and punk bands that have followed...
(guitar, ex-Reagan Youth
Reagan Youth
Reagan Youth is an American punk rock band formed by singer Dave Rubinstein and guitarist Paul Bakija in Queens, New York in early 1980. They are known for introducing the style of hardcore punk to the East Coast punk scene, but were also a part of the peace punk movement...
), Amy Miret (vocals), Al Long (vocals), and Roy Mayorga
Roy Mayorga
Roy Maurice Mayorga is the drummer for the hard rock band Stone Sour. He is of Ecuadorian and Cuban descent.-Musical history:...
(drums). John John Jesse has gone on to become an artist, as well as joining with members of Choking Victim
Choking Victim
Choking Victim was a United States punk rock band formed in New York City, which were together from 1992 to 1999. Playing a mix of hardcore punk and ska with anarchist lyrics...
in the band Morning Glory. Roy Mayorga
Roy Mayorga
Roy Maurice Mayorga is the drummer for the hard rock band Stone Sour. He is of Ecuadorian and Cuban descent.-Musical history:...
went on to play with Shelter
Shelter (band)
Shelter is a Hare Krishna hardcore punk band formed by Ray Cappo.-Brief recent history:In 2001, the band released the album The Purpose, The Passion...
, Soulfly
Soulfly
Soulfly is a heavy metal band formed in 1997 based in Phoenix, Arizona. The original lyrical content revolved around spirituality and religious themes, with later albums encompassing other themes including war, violence, aggression, hatred and anger. Soulfly is led by former Sepultura frontman Max...
, ABLOOM, Stone Sour
Stone Sour
Stone Sour is an American rock band from Des Moines, Iowa. Since 2006, the group has been composed of Corey Taylor , Jim Root , Josh Rand, , Shawn Economaki and Roy Mayorga . Original drummer Joel Ekman left the group in 2006...
, filling in for Igor Cavalera
Igor Cavalera
Igor Graziano Cavalera is a Brazilian musician. He is best known as the former drummer for Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura.-Biography:...
with Sepultura
Sepultura
Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte, formed in 1984. The band was a major force in the death metal, thrash metal and ultimately groove metal realms during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments melding nu metal, hardcore punk and industrial.Sepultura...
in 2006, and drumming for the reunited Amebix
Amebix
Amebix are an English crust punk/heavy metal band. Formed as "The Band with No Name," Amebix's original run was from 1978 to 1987, during which time they released three EPs and two full-length LPs...
.
Popular culture
In Jackie Chan's film, Rumble in the BronxRumble in the Bronx
Rumble in the Bronx is a 1995 Hong Kong martial arts action comedy film starring Jackie Chan and Anita Mui. Released in the US in 1995, Rumble in the Bronx had a successful theater run, and brought Chan into the American mainstream...
, there is a punk seen wearing a leather jacket with 'Nausea' spray painted on the back.
Members
- Al - vocals (1988–1992)
- Amy Miret - vocals
- VictorVictor DominicisVictor Dominicis is a New York punk rock guitarist known for the bands Nausea and Reagan Youth. He is notable for being a pioneer in the American crust punk style blending punk and heavy metal. His influence can be seen in countless metal and punk bands that have followed...
- guitar - JohnJohn John JesseJohn John Jesse is an illustrative painter from New York City's Lower East Side in the Juxtapoz gonzo-pop vein. He often shows with artists like Esao Andrews. Jesse has cited Gustav Klimpt, Carravagio, Béla Iványi-Grünwald, and Mark Ryden as influences...
- bass - Roy MayorgaRoy MayorgaRoy Maurice Mayorga is the drummer for the hard rock band Stone Sour. He is of Ecuadorian and Cuban descent.-Musical history:...
- drums (1989–1992)
Previous members
- Neil - vocals (1985–1988)
- Pablo Jacobson - drums (1985–1987)
- Jimmy Williams - drums (1987–1988)
Official releases
- Nausea demo (self released, 1988)
- Extinction LPLP albumThe LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
/CassetteCompact CassetteThe Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
(1990, Profane ExistenceProfane ExistenceThe Profane Existence Collective is a Minneapolis-based anarcho-punk collective. Established in 1989, the collective publishes a nationally-known zine , as well as releasing and distributing anarcho-punk, crust, and grindcore music, and printing and publishing pamphlets and literature...
/Meantime Records) - Cybergod 7" (Allied Recordings, 1991)
- Lie Cycle 7" (Graven Image Records/ Skuld Records, 1992)
- Alive in Holland VHSVHSThe Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
(Channel Zero Reality/Profane Existence, 1993) - Extinction: The Second Coming CD (Selfless Records, 1993)
- Punk Terrorist Anthology Vol. 1 2xLP/CD (2004, Alternative Tentacles/Blacknoise Records)
- Punk Terrorist Anthology Vol. 2 2XLP/CD (2005, Hellbent/Blacknoise)
Compilation appearances
- New York Hardcore: The Way It Is LP (Revelation RecordsRevelation RecordsRevelation Records is an independent record label focusing originally and primarily on hardcore punk. The label is known for its role in the evolution of hardcore and metallic post-hardcore with important releases by bands such as Youth of Today, Warzone, Sick of It All, Quicksand, Side By Side,...
, 1988) - Squat or Rot Volume. 1 7" (Squat or Rot Records, 1989)
- They Don't Get Paid, They Don't Get Laid, But Boy Do They Work Hard LP (Maximum Rock'n'Roll, 1989)
- Murders Among Us 7" (Vermiform RecordsVermiform RecordsVermiform Records was an American independent record label that specialized in releasing punk rock music from 1990 until 2002. Over the course of those twelve years Vermiform released 57 albums and relocated many times, being headquartered in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Rhode Island and...
, 1990) - More Songs About Plants and Trees 7" (Allied, 1991)
- Discharged: From Home Front to War Front 7" (Allied, 1992)