The Fartz
Encyclopedia
The Fartz were originally formed in 1981 and were one of the first well-known hardcore
bands from Seattle, Washington. They were signed to Jello Biafra
's Alternative Tentacles
Record label. The Fartz were one of Seattle's earliest hardcore punk
outfits, attacking governmental and religious corruption, racism
, sexism
, and poverty
.
(under the name "Blaine Fart"), guitarist Tommy Hansen (who, along with Loud, was formerly of the Seattle band Kaos
, not to be confused with the UK version with the same name), bassist Steve Hoffman
, and drummer Loud Fart.
On the strength of a 1981 self-released 45 RPM 7" E.P. Fuck Art Let's Fart, they were signed to Jello Biafra
's Alternative Tentacles
Records, which released their full length LP
entitled World Full of Hate in 1982, and also rereleased their first single under the new name,Because This Fuckin' World Stinks.
They also had one song, "Campaign Speech," appear on the 1981 "Seattle Syndrome Vol. I" compilation released by Engram Records.
Paul Solger replaced Tommy Hansen on guitar during the recording of the band's 1982 album, although Hansen wrote a number of the songs on it. After the release of the 1982 LP, Duff McKagan replaced Loud on drums and appeared on some demo recordings that were not released until years later.
Few Seattle clubs were willing to book hardcore acts during the band's short lifespan, so the Fartz often found themselves scrambling for any exposure or opportunities to perform. The band's first full-length album, World Full of Hate, appeared in 1982, but even in spite of modest success overseas (one single reached the Top Ten on the NME
's alternative chart), the frustration with Seattle's lack of opportunity took its toll.
The Fartz often opened for and toured with other west coast hardcore bands such as the Dead Kennedys
and D.O.A. Their song "Buried Alive" appeared on the 1982 Eastern Front Vol. II punk compilation album.
in 1983. The original idea was that the Fartz would simply change their name to 10 Minute Warning, but after one west coast tour with the Dead Kennedys
, Blaine decided to quit and was replaced on vocals by Steve Swad (formerly of The Swads). Duff switched from drums to rhythm guitar, Paul continued to play lead guitar, and Greg Gillmore joined on drums. These lineup changes resulted in a post-punk sound quite different from the hardcore of the Fartz.
started to sing for the hardcore
/thrash
band The Accüsed
in 1984. Duff McKagan
later gained notoriety as a member of the hard rock
band Guns N' Roses
. The Fartz original guitarist Tommy Hansen later played with the band Crisis Party, which released one LP, "Rude Awakening," in 1989.
Interest in the Fartz began to revive in 1990 with the release of an LP entitled "You, We See You Crawling," which was composed of previously unreleased demo tapes recorded in 1981-1982. In 1998 Alternative Tentacles issued a retrospective anthology of all the group's previous recordings entitled "Because This Fuckin' World Still Stinks." The 1998 LP included all the songs from both the 1981 45" EP and the 1982 LP, as well as unreleased demos that included some songs recorded after the band had changed its name to 10 Minute Warning.
The release of the 1998 Fartz anthology by Alternative Tentacles prompted Blaine to reunite the lineup that had recorded the World Full of Hate LP. A new studio LP What's In A Name? appeared in the summer of 2001, although most of these were re-recordings of their earlier songs. Loud was replaced on drums soon after their reunion, and Paul Solger was later replaced by Alex Maggot Brain, who had been the bass player in Blaine's other band, the Accused, leaving Blaine and Steve as the only two original members in the reunited Fartz. This second incarnation of the Fartz continued to play shows in Washington and surrounding states until 2004.
2001-2004:
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...
bands from Seattle, Washington. They were signed to Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra is an American musician, spoken word artist and leading figure of the Green Party of the United States. Biafra first gained attention as the lead singer and songwriter for San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys...
's Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles is an independent record label originally based in San Francisco, California and was established in 1979. It was originally used as the label name by the Dead Kennedys for the self-produced single "California Über Alles", and after realizing the potential for an independent...
Record label. The Fartz were one of Seattle's earliest 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...
outfits, attacking governmental and religious corruption, racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, sexism
Sexism
Sexism, also known as gender discrimination or sex discrimination, is the application of the belief or attitude that there are characteristics implicit to one's gender that indirectly affect one's abilities in unrelated areas...
, and poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
.
Early career
The Fartz original lineup in 1981 included vocalist Blaine CookBlaine Cook
Blaine 'Zippy' Cook was the lead singer of the Seattle political punk band The Fartz in the early 1980s. After they disbanded, Cook went on to front the thrash oriented Accüsed. Cook currently fronts Toe Tag. He is also featured vocalist on the upcoming release, Horror Holocaust, by the...
(under the name "Blaine Fart"), guitarist Tommy Hansen (who, along with Loud, was formerly of the Seattle band Kaos
KAOS
KAOS or Kaos may refer to:People:*Kaos of Iberia, an ancient king of Causasian Iberia*Kaos, professional wrestler Joey Munoz*Kaos or Kenny Kaos, professional wrestler Kenny Stasiowski...
, not to be confused with the UK version with the same name), bassist Steve Hoffman
Steve Hoffman
Steve Hoffman is an audio engineer from Los Angeles, California, who specializes in remastering sound recordings on compact disc and vinyl records.-Biography:...
, and drummer Loud Fart.
On the strength of a 1981 self-released 45 RPM 7" E.P. Fuck Art Let's Fart, they were signed to Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra is an American musician, spoken word artist and leading figure of the Green Party of the United States. Biafra first gained attention as the lead singer and songwriter for San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys...
's Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles is an independent record label originally based in San Francisco, California and was established in 1979. It was originally used as the label name by the Dead Kennedys for the self-produced single "California Über Alles", and after realizing the potential for an independent...
Records, which released their full length LP
LP album
The 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...
entitled World Full of Hate in 1982, and also rereleased their first single under the new name,Because This Fuckin' World Stinks.
They also had one song, "Campaign Speech," appear on the 1981 "Seattle Syndrome Vol. I" compilation released by Engram Records.
Paul Solger replaced Tommy Hansen on guitar during the recording of the band's 1982 album, although Hansen wrote a number of the songs on it. After the release of the 1982 LP, Duff McKagan replaced Loud on drums and appeared on some demo recordings that were not released until years later.
Few Seattle clubs were willing to book hardcore acts during the band's short lifespan, so the Fartz often found themselves scrambling for any exposure or opportunities to perform. The band's first full-length album, World Full of Hate, appeared in 1982, but even in spite of modest success overseas (one single reached the Top Ten on the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
's alternative chart), the frustration with Seattle's lack of opportunity took its toll.
The Fartz often opened for and toured with other west coast hardcore bands such as the Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
and D.O.A. Their song "Buried Alive" appeared on the 1982 Eastern Front Vol. II punk compilation album.
10 Minute Warning
After several changes to the lineup in the guitar and drummer positions the first incarnation of the Fartz evolved into a new band known as 10 Minute Warning10 Minute Warning
10 Minute Warning was a hardcore punk band from Seattle, Washington. They became famous locally as one of the first bands to adapt the popular punk sound to something slower and heavier, paving the way for grunge bands like Green River and Mother Love Bone before breaking up in 1984.-Early years...
in 1983. The original idea was that the Fartz would simply change their name to 10 Minute Warning, but after one west coast tour with the Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
, Blaine decided to quit and was replaced on vocals by Steve Swad (formerly of The Swads). Duff switched from drums to rhythm guitar, Paul continued to play lead guitar, and Greg Gillmore joined on drums. These lineup changes resulted in a post-punk sound quite different from the hardcore of the Fartz.
Disbanding
Fartz vocalist Blaine CookBlaine Cook
Blaine 'Zippy' Cook was the lead singer of the Seattle political punk band The Fartz in the early 1980s. After they disbanded, Cook went on to front the thrash oriented Accüsed. Cook currently fronts Toe Tag. He is also featured vocalist on the upcoming release, Horror Holocaust, by the...
started to sing for the hardcore
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...
/thrash
Thrash
Thrash may refer to:*Thrashing , where increasing resources are used to do a decreasing amount of work*Thrash , mascot of the Atlanta Thrashers-Music:*Thrash metal, a subgenre of heavy metal music...
band The Accüsed
The Accüsed
The Accüsed is a crossover thrash band from Seattle, WA, founded in 1981. They are considered to be an important progenitor of the crossover style that bridged the gap between thrashcore and thrash metal, later influencing grindcore and some crust punk bands; as well as an influential band in the...
in 1984. Duff McKagan
Duff McKagan
Michael Andrew "Duff" McKagan is an American musician and writer. He is best known for his twelve-year tenure as the bassist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s...
later gained notoriety as a member of the hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
. The Fartz original guitarist Tommy Hansen later played with the band Crisis Party, which released one LP, "Rude Awakening," in 1989.
Interest in the Fartz began to revive in 1990 with the release of an LP entitled "You, We See You Crawling," which was composed of previously unreleased demo tapes recorded in 1981-1982. In 1998 Alternative Tentacles issued a retrospective anthology of all the group's previous recordings entitled "Because This Fuckin' World Still Stinks." The 1998 LP included all the songs from both the 1981 45" EP and the 1982 LP, as well as unreleased demos that included some songs recorded after the band had changed its name to 10 Minute Warning.
The release of the 1998 Fartz anthology by Alternative Tentacles prompted Blaine to reunite the lineup that had recorded the World Full of Hate LP. A new studio LP What's In A Name? appeared in the summer of 2001, although most of these were re-recordings of their earlier songs. Loud was replaced on drums soon after their reunion, and Paul Solger was later replaced by Alex Maggot Brain, who had been the bass player in Blaine's other band, the Accused, leaving Blaine and Steve as the only two original members in the reunited Fartz. This second incarnation of the Fartz continued to play shows in Washington and surrounding states until 2004.
Track recordings
Due to the band's evolution from the Fartz into 10 Minute Warning and the Accused, and then back into the Fartz again, some of the same songs have been recorded by three or four incarnations of the band. "Is This The Way," "Judgement Day," and "Buried Alive" were all recorded by various versions of the Fartz and 10 Minute Warning. The Accused also rerecorded some Fartz songs.Band members
1981-1983:- Blaine CookBlaine CookBlaine 'Zippy' Cook was the lead singer of the Seattle political punk band The Fartz in the early 1980s. After they disbanded, Cook went on to front the thrash oriented Accüsed. Cook currently fronts Toe Tag. He is also featured vocalist on the upcoming release, Horror Holocaust, by the...
(vocals) - Tommy HansenTommy HansenFilip Trojovský is a Czech actor, model and television personality. He is also known by his stage name Tommy Hansen in gay pornography.-Biography:He made his first appearance in 2001 in a Bel Ami video....
(guitar) - Paul Solger (guitar)
- Steve Fart (bass guitar)
- Loud Fart (drums)
- Duff McKaganDuff McKaganMichael Andrew "Duff" McKagan is an American musician and writer. He is best known for his twelve-year tenure as the bassist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s...
(drums)
2001-2004:
- Blaine CookBlaine CookBlaine 'Zippy' Cook was the lead singer of the Seattle political punk band The Fartz in the early 1980s. After they disbanded, Cook went on to front the thrash oriented Accüsed. Cook currently fronts Toe Tag. He is also featured vocalist on the upcoming release, Horror Holocaust, by the...
(vocals) - Paul Solger (guitar)
- Alex Maggot Brain (guitar)
- Steve Fart (bass guitar)
- Loud Fart (drums)
- Detonator (drums)
Discography
- 1981 Because This Fucking World Stinks 7” EP – Fartz Records (Licensed to Alternative Tentacles in 1982, Virus 21)
- 1981 "Campaign Speech" on Seattle Syndrome Volume OneSeattle Syndrome Volume OneSeattle Syndrome Volume One is a compilation of Seattle-based bands and artists released on vinyl and cassette in late 1981 on Engram Records...
compilation - Engram Records. - 1982 World Full Of Hate 12” LP – Alternative Tentacles, Virus 17
- 1982 "Buried Alive" on Eastern Front Vol. II compilation.
- 1990 You, We See You Crawling 12” EP – Musical Tragedies, Eight Tragedy
- 1998 Because This Fuckin' World Still Stinks anthology LP/CD – Alternative Tentacles, Virus 217
- 2001 What's in a Name LP/CD - Alternative Tentacles, Virus 262
- 2002 "Injustice, 15 Working Class Songs" LP/CD Alternative Tentacles, Virus 279
Sources
- http://www.duffmckagans-rawpower.com/bands_fartz.php
- http://www.discogs.com/artist/Fartz%2C+The