Rapeman
Encyclopedia
Rapeman was an American
post-hardcore
/noise rock
group founded in 1987 and disbanded in 1989. It consisted of Steve Albini
(formerly of Big Black
) on guitar
and vocals, David Wm. Sims
(formerly of Scratch Acid
) on bass
, and Rey Washam
(formerly of Scratch Acid and Big Boys
) on drums
.
' is ... the title character in a Japan
ese comic book
that I had come across through a friend of mine. The comic book is just a total mind-bender. There's a whole genre of comics in Japan
, rape
stories where women are raped in really graphic detail for whatever reason." Albini and Washam became "sort of obsessed" with the comic, and named their new group after the titular antihero.
Rapeman's performances would often be the target of protesters, who felt that the band was mocking or even encouraging rape and violence against women. Albini has described such criticisms as idiotic, arguing that punk ideology
is generally very sympathetic to feminism
.
The band's style at times was reminiscent of more traditional noise punk, at other times cranky art-rock. Their sound gave center stage to the signature guitar style of Albini.
Albini launched an extensive and successful career as a recording engineer and played bass with Flour
before going on to form Shellac
. Sims reunited with ex-Scratch Acid
vocalist David Yow
to form The Jesus Lizard
(with Albini recording their albums).
in the US, Blast First!
in the UK and AuGoGo in Australia unless otherwise indicated. Rapeman left Blast First! in 1990 after Albini had an argument with the label over the release of a Big Black record. Touch and Go started distributing in the UK in 1992 and re-released Rapeman's records.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
post-hardcore
Post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
/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...
group founded in 1987 and disbanded in 1989. It consisted of Steve Albini
Steve Albini
Steven Frank Albini is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is currently a member of Shellac...
(formerly of Big Black
Big Black
Big Black was an American punk rock band from Evanston, Illinois, active from 1981 to 1987. Founded by singer and guitarist Steve Albini, the band's initial lineup also included guitarist Santiago Durango and bassist Jeff Pezzati, both of Naked Raygun...
) on guitar
Guitar
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...
and vocals, David Wm. Sims
David Wm. Sims
David William Sims is an American musician, best known as the bass guitarist of the bands Scratch Acid , Rapeman, and the Jesus Lizard. In addition, he has recorded or performed with Sparklehorse, Rhys Chatham, Shivaree, Pigface, Flour, and others...
(formerly of Scratch Acid
Scratch Acid
Scratch Acid was an Austin, Texas noise rock group formed in 1982. When they first began, their lineup was Steve Anderson , David Wm. Sims , Brett Bradford , David Yow , and Rey Washam and Win Vitosky...
) on bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, and Rey Washam
Rey Washam
Rey Washam is a drummer who has been performing for more than 20 years. He has collaborated with many bands, the most notable of which include: Scratch Acid, Rapeman, Ministry, the Big Boys, Helios Creed, the Didjits, Lard, and Tad and Butthole Surfers offshoot Daddy Longhead...
(formerly of Scratch Acid and Big Boys
Big Boys (band)
The Big Boys were a pioneering band who are credited with helping introduce the new style of hardcore punk that became popular in the 1980s.-History:...
) on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
.
History
In an interview, Albini reported that "'RapemanThe Rapeman
was an erotic black comedy/satire, Japanese manga series for adults. It was credited as being created and written by Keiko Aisaki , and illustrated by Shintaro Miyawaki , and ran from 1985-92. In reality, there was no Keiko Aisaki...
' is ... the title character in a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
that I had come across through a friend of mine. The comic book is just a total mind-bender. There's a whole genre of comics in Japan
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
, rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
stories where women are raped in really graphic detail for whatever reason." Albini and Washam became "sort of obsessed" with the comic, and named their new group after the titular antihero.
Rapeman's performances would often be the target of protesters, who felt that the band was mocking or even encouraging rape and violence against women. Albini has described such criticisms as idiotic, arguing that punk ideology
Punk ideology
Punk ideologies are a group of varied social and political beliefs associated with the punk subculture. In its original incarnation, the punk subculture was primarily concerned with concepts such as rebellion, anti-authoritarianism, individualism, free thought and discontent...
is generally very sympathetic to feminism
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
.
The band's style at times was reminiscent of more traditional noise punk, at other times cranky art-rock. Their sound gave center stage to the signature guitar style of Albini.
Albini launched an extensive and successful career as a recording engineer and played bass with Flour
Flour (band)
Flour is the nickname of Minneapolis musician Pete Conway who wrote songs and played bass guitar in the bands Rifle Sport and Breaking Circus until the mid-1980s. He released four solo albums on Touch and Go Records from 1988 to 1994 on which he plays most of the instruments himself...
before going on to form Shellac
Shellac (band)
Shellac is an American group composed of Steve Albini , Bob Weston and Todd Trainer...
. Sims reunited with ex-Scratch Acid
Scratch Acid
Scratch Acid was an Austin, Texas noise rock group formed in 1982. When they first began, their lineup was Steve Anderson , David Wm. Sims , Brett Bradford , David Yow , and Rey Washam and Win Vitosky...
vocalist David Yow
David Yow
David Yow is an American musician born in Las Vegas, Nevada and best known as the vocalist for the noise rock bands Scratch Acid and The Jesus Lizard.-Biography:...
to form The Jesus Lizard
The Jesus Lizard
The Jesus Lizard was an American alternative rock and noise rock band formed in 1987 in Austin, Texas. They were "a leading noise rock band in the American independent underground…[who] turned out a series of independent records filled with scathing, disembowelling, guitar-driven pseudo-industrial...
(with Albini recording their albums).
Discography
All originally released on Touch and Go RecordsTouch and Go Records
Touch and Go Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.After its genesis as a hand-made fanzine in 1979, it grew into one of the key record labels in the American 1980s alternative and underground rock scenes, Touch & Go carved out a reputation for releasing adventurous...
in the US, Blast First!
Blast First
Blast First is a sub label of one-time independent record label, Mute Records, founded in approximately 1985. It was named after a phrase taken from the first number of the radical Vorticist journal Blast, published by Wyndham Lewis in 1914...
in the UK and AuGoGo in Australia unless otherwise indicated. Rapeman left Blast First! in 1990 after Albini had an argument with the label over the release of a Big Black record. Touch and Go started distributing in the UK in 1992 and re-released Rapeman's records.
- "Hated Chinee b/w Marmoset" 7" (1988)
- BuddBudd (EP)Budd is the first release by the Chicago noise rock band Rapeman. All of the songs were recorded live. The title is a reference to Budd Dwyer, a politician who committed suicide during a televised press conference...
EP (1988) (UK IndieUK Indie ChartThe UK Independent Chart or Indie Chart is a chart of the best-selling independent record releases in the UK.- History :In the wake of punk, small record labels began to spring up, as an outlet for artists that were unwilling to sign contracts with major record companies, or were not considered...
#2) - Two Nuns and a Pack MuleTwo Nuns and a Pack MuleTwo Nuns and A Pack Mule is the first and only LP by the Chicago noise rock band Rapeman. The CD re-release contains the Budd in its entirety.-Track listing:All songs written by Rapeman, except where noted...
LP (1988) (UK Indie #4) - "Inki's Butt Crack b/w Song Number One" (Sub PopSub PopSub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
Singles Club 7") (1989)