The Mr. T Experience
Encyclopedia
The Mr. T Experience is an American
punk rock
band formed in 1985 in Berkeley, California
and currently recording for Lookout! Records
. They have released ten full-length albums along with numerous EPs and singles and have toured internationally. Their music is best classified as pop punk
and is intentionally playful, comical, and satirical, often dealing with issues of love and relationships. The band's name is taken from actor and television personality Mr. T
.
The Mr. T Experience serves mainly as the creative outlet for singer/guitarist "Dr. Frank" Portman, its primary songwriter and sole continuous member throughout multiple lineup changes. The band is closely associated with the Berkeley and greater San Francisco Bay Area
punk rock movement of the late 1980s and the 1990s, revolving around the 924 Gilman Street
venue and the Lookout! Records
label, through which they have released all of their albums since 1990. They are contemporaries of numerous other groups who emerged from this same "scene," including Green Day
, Operation Ivy
, Rancid
, Jawbreaker
, The Donnas
, Tilt
, and NOFX
. They also share stylistic similarities with other bands not native to the Bay area but closely associated with this movement, including The Queers
, Screeching Weasel
, and the Groovie Ghoulies. Over the years the Mr. T Experience has performed, toured, and shared a record label with many of these bands. They also share a heavy Ramones
influence, which was more prevalent in the band's early albums but is still evident in their recent work.
. The two kept in touch after Portman moved to Berkeley
to attend the University of California, Berkeley
, where he met Jon Von Zelowitz who was a fellow DJ at the university's radio station KALX
. He was also introduced to Alex Laipeneiks, who had been a high school friend of Portman's younger brother. In the summer of 1985 the four formed The Mr. T Experience with Portman on guitar
and vocals
(under the pseudonym
Dr. Frank), Zelowitz on guitar and vocals, Stamatatos on bass
, and Laipeneiks on drums
.
The band released their first album Everybody's Entitled to Their Own Opinion
in July 1986 on local label Disorder Records. They began to build a local following through small tours and airplay on college radio stations and quickly became part of the thriving late-1980s Bay Area
punk rock movement centered around the 924 Gilman Street
venue. A second album, Night Shift at the Thrill Factory
, followed in 1988 through Rough Trade Records
. It was around this time that Portman began a tradition of introducing each of the band's songs with the throwaway line "this song is about a girl..." at each of their performances. The EP
Big Black Bugs Bleed Blue Blood
followed in 1989, after which Stamatatos left the band and was replaced by Aaron Rubin. Rough Trade Records went out of business shortly after releasing the EP.
, which they would remain on throughout the rest of their career. They collected the results of several scattered recording sessions into the album Making Things With Light
, which was the first CD album released by the Lookout! label. Milk Milk Lemonade
followed in 1992, after which they embarked on their first tour of Europe. While in Spain
the group recorded the EP Strum ünd Bang, Live!?
Shortly after returning to America Zelowitz left the band, leading to a near-breakup. They attempted a reunion with him a few months later but elected to continue on as a trio, releasing the Gun Crazy
EP in 1993. The album Our Bodies Our Selves
soon followed and a tour was planned, but Laipeneiks declined to tour and soon left the band. Another near-breakup ensued as Portman considered returning to graduate school and Rubin joined Samiam
.
Portman continued writing songs, however, and in 1994 Rubin returned from working with Samiam and recruited drummer Jim "Jym" Ruzicka. The trio recorded the EP ...And the Women Who Love Them, which instilled some creative rejuvenation to the group. Soon, however, Rubin returned to Samiam and Joel Reader joined the band as his replacement.
(1997), Road to Ruin
(1998 - a cover of the Ramones
' 1978 album of the same name
), and Alcatraz
(1999). Portman also released a solo album in 1999 entitled Show Business is My Life
.
Reader left the band after Alcatraz and joined the Plus Ones. He was replaced by Gabe Meline, who had contributed to the recording of Alcatraz. This lineup recorded the EP The Miracle of Shame
in 2000, which also included organ
and keyboardist Erik Noyes. Noyes was a semi-official band member who had contributed to Revenge is Sweet, and So Are You and Alcatraz and joined them officially for touring in the summer of 1999, but did not remain with them long. The band toured sporadically until 2002, when Meline left the group.
. Limited touring followed, while Portman continued to perform occasionally as a solo artist and also in The Bomb Bassets
.
The Mr. T Experience has been relatively inactive since 2005. Portman has instead focused on his writing career, publishing his first novel, King Dork
, in 2006 and Andromeda Klein
in 2009.
starring Ben Affleck
. The film is set in Santa Cruz, California
and features music by many mid-1990s southern California punk rock bands. The Mr. T Experience songs "I Just Wanna Do it With You" and "Even Hitler Had a Girlfriend" are used in the film and appear on its accompanying soundtrack album. Also, during the film's party scene, the main characters as a band perform a cover of The Mr. T Experience song "Now We Are Twenty-One".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
punk rock
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 formed in 1985 in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
and currently recording for 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...
. They have released ten full-length albums along with numerous EPs and singles and have toured internationally. Their music is best classified as pop punk
Pop punk
Pop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
and is intentionally playful, comical, and satirical, often dealing with issues of love and relationships. The band's name is taken from actor and television personality Mr. T
Mr. T
Mr. T is an American actor known for his roles as B. A. Baracus in the 1980s television series The A-Team, as boxer Clubber Lang in the 1982 film Rocky III, and for his appearances as a professional wrestler. Mr. T is known for his trademark African Mandinka warrior hairstyle, his gold jewelry,...
.
The Mr. T Experience serves mainly as the creative outlet for singer/guitarist "Dr. Frank" Portman, its primary songwriter and sole continuous member throughout multiple lineup changes. The band is closely associated with the Berkeley and greater San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
punk rock movement of the late 1980s and the 1990s, revolving around the 924 Gilman Street
924 Gilman Street
924 Gilman Street is an all-ages, not for profit, collectively organized music club usually referred to by its fans simply as "The Gilman." It is located in the West Berkeley area of Berkeley, California about a mile and a half west of the North Berkeley BART station and a quarter-mile west of San...
venue and the 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...
label, through which they have released all of their albums since 1990. They are contemporaries of numerous other groups who emerged from this same "scene," including Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
, Operation Ivy
Operation Ivy (band)
Operation Ivy was an American ska punk band that formed in Berkeley, California, and was often credited with spurring the 1990s punk revival in California. It is well-known as one of the first bands to "mix" hardcore punk with elements of ska, known as ska-core...
, Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
, Jawbreaker
Jawbreaker (band)
Jawbreaker was an American punk rock band active from 1986 to 1996 and considered one of the most influential acts of the early-1990s emo movement...
, The Donnas
The Donnas
The Donnas are an American all-female rock band from Palo Alto, California. They draw inspiration from The Ramones, The Runaways, AC/DC, Bachman–Turner Overdrive and Kiss. Rolling Stone has stated that "the Donnas offer a guileless take on adolescent alienation; they traffic in kicks, not...
, Tilt
Tilt (band)
Tilt was an American punk rock band from the East Bay, California, United States, formed in 1992. The group's debut studio album, Play Cell, was released through Lookout Records in 1993. They would soon after get signed to Fat Wreck Chords, which the rest of its albums were released through...
, and NOFX
NOFX
NOFX is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California .The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin. Drummer Erik Sandin joined NOFX shortly after. In 1991 El Hefe joined to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the current line-up...
. They also share stylistic similarities with other bands not native to the Bay area but closely associated with this movement, including The Queers
The Queers
The Queers are a punk band formed in 1981 by Portsmouth, New Hampshire native Joe King . The band originally broke up in 1984, but reformed with Joe Queer and a new line-up in 1986. In 1990, the band signed with Shakin' Street Records and released their first album Grow Up...
, 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...
, and the Groovie Ghoulies. Over the years the Mr. T Experience has performed, toured, and shared a record label with many of these bands. They also share a heavy Ramones
Ramones
The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
influence, which was more prevalent in the band's early albums but is still evident in their recent work.
1985-1989: Formation
Prior to forming The Mr. T Experience, members Frank Portman and Byron Stamatatos had played together in a band called the Bent Nails while in high school in Millbrae, CaliforniaMillbrae, California
Millbrae is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, just west of San Francisco Bay, with San Bruno on the north and Burlingame on the south. The population was 21,532 at the 2010 census.-History:...
. The two kept in touch after Portman moved to Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
to attend the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, where he met Jon Von Zelowitz who was a fellow DJ at the university's radio station KALX
KALX
KALX is a freeform FM radio station that broadcasts from the University of California, Berkeley in Berkeley, California. KALX, a community- and student-run radio station licensed to the University of California, Berkeley, broadcasts in stereo with 500 watts of power...
. He was also introduced to Alex Laipeneiks, who had been a high school friend of Portman's younger brother. In the summer of 1985 the four formed The Mr. T Experience with Portman 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
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
(under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Dr. Frank), Zelowitz on guitar and vocals, Stamatatos on bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, and Laipeneiks 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 ....
.
The band released their first album Everybody's Entitled to Their Own Opinion
Everybody's Entitled to Their Own Opinion
Everybody's Entitled to Their Own Opinion is the debut album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1986 by Disorder Records. It was the band's first full-length album and established their presence in the prolific San Francisco Bay Area music scene of the late...
in July 1986 on local label Disorder Records. They began to build a local following through small tours and airplay on college radio stations and quickly became part of the thriving late-1980s Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
punk rock movement centered around the 924 Gilman Street
924 Gilman Street
924 Gilman Street is an all-ages, not for profit, collectively organized music club usually referred to by its fans simply as "The Gilman." It is located in the West Berkeley area of Berkeley, California about a mile and a half west of the North Berkeley BART station and a quarter-mile west of San...
venue. A second album, Night Shift at the Thrill Factory
Night Shift at the Thrill Factory
Night Shift at the Thrill Factory is the second album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1988 by Rough Trade Records. Lookout! Records re-released the album in 1996 with a number of bonus tracks....
, followed in 1988 through Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
. It was around this time that Portman began a tradition of introducing each of the band's songs with the throwaway line "this song is about a girl..." at each of their performances. The EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Big Black Bugs Bleed Blue Blood
Big Black Bugs Bleed Blue Blood
-Performers:*Dr. Frank - vocals, guitar*Jon Von Zelowitz - vocals, guitar*Byron Stomatos - bass*Alex Laipeneiks - drums*Eric Mead - guitar on "T-Shirt Commercial"*Janis Tanaka - bass on "T-Shirt Commercial"*Eban Ostby - drums on "T-Shirt Commercial"...
followed in 1989, after which Stamatatos left the band and was replaced by Aaron Rubin. Rough Trade Records went out of business shortly after releasing the EP.
1990-1995: Lineup changes
In 1990 the band signed to the fledgeling local punk label Lookout! RecordsLookout! 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...
, which they would remain on throughout the rest of their career. They collected the results of several scattered recording sessions into the album Making Things With Light
Making Things with Light
Making Things with Light is the third album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1990 by Lookout! Records. It was the band's first album to include bass player Aaron Rubin, replacing former bassist Byron Stomatos...
, which was the first CD album released by the Lookout! label. Milk Milk Lemonade
Milk Milk Lemonade
Milk Milk Lemonade is the fourth album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1992 by Lookout! Records. It was the band's last album to include guitarist Jon Von Zelowitz, who left the group later that year....
followed in 1992, after which they embarked on their first tour of Europe. While in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
the group recorded the EP Strum ünd Bang, Live!?
Strum ünd Bang, Live!?
Strum ünd Bang, Live!? is an EP by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1993 by Munster Records. It is out of print, however all of the tracks were re-released on the CD version of Big Black Bugs Bleed Blue Blood on Lookout! Records.Despite its title, the EP...
Shortly after returning to America Zelowitz left the band, leading to a near-breakup. They attempted a reunion with him a few months later but elected to continue on as a trio, releasing the Gun Crazy
Gun Crazy (album)
Gun Crazy is an EP by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1993 by Lookout! Records. It was the band's first release as a three-piece, following the departure of guitarist/vocalist and founding member Jon Von Zelowitz earlier in the year...
EP in 1993. The album Our Bodies Our Selves
Our Bodies Our Selves
Our Bodies Our Selves is the fifth album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1993 by Lookout! Records. It was the band's first album as a three-piece, after the departure of founding guitarist Jon Von Zelowitz the previous year. It was also their last album...
soon followed and a tour was planned, but Laipeneiks declined to tour and soon left the band. Another near-breakup ensued as Portman considered returning to graduate school and Rubin joined Samiam
Samiam
-Biography:Samiam was formed in late 1988 after the breakup of the Gilman club mainstay Isocracy. Their first show was in January 1989 with Christ on Parade. They released records through New Red Archives and Hopeless Records in the US and Burning Heart Records in Europe. In the mid-'90s, the band...
.
Portman continued writing songs, however, and in 1994 Rubin returned from working with Samiam and recruited drummer Jim "Jym" Ruzicka. The trio recorded the EP ...And the Women Who Love Them, which instilled some creative rejuvenation to the group. Soon, however, Rubin returned to Samiam and Joel Reader joined the band as his replacement.
1996-2002: Middle period
The lineup of Portman, Reader, and Ruzicka became the band's most stable lineup since 1988. From this point on the group essentially became Portman's project, as he began a prolific period of songwriting. The trio released an album each year for the next four years: Love is Dead (1996), Revenge is Sweet, and So Are YouRevenge is Sweet, and So Are You
Revenge Is Sweet, and So Are You is the seventh album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1997 by Lookout! Records.-Track listing:-Performers:*Dr...
(1997), Road to Ruin
Road to Ruin (The Mr. T Experience album)
Road to Ruin is the eighth album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1998 on Clearview Records. The album is a cover of the Ramones' 1978 album Road to Ruin in its entirety.-Background:...
(1998 - a cover of the Ramones
Ramones
The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
' 1978 album of the same name
Road to Ruin (Ramones album)
Road to Ruin is the fourth studio album by the American punk rock band The Ramones. It was released on September 22, 1978 through Sire Records...
), and Alcatraz
Alcatraz (album)
-Performers:* Dr. Frank – vocals, guitar* Joel Reader – bass* Jim "Jym" Ruzicka – drums* Eric Noyes – hammond organ on tracks 1, 3, 8, & 10, piano on tracks 1 & 4* Gabe Meline – hammond organ on track 13, piano on track 10, ARP on track 5...
(1999). Portman also released a solo album in 1999 entitled Show Business is My Life
Show Business is My Life
Show Business is My Life is the solo album released in 1999 by Dr. Frank, singer/songwriter for The Mr. T Experience. The cover shows a red background with Dr...
.
Reader left the band after Alcatraz and joined the Plus Ones. He was replaced by Gabe Meline, who had contributed to the recording of Alcatraz. This lineup recorded the EP The Miracle of Shame
The Miracle of Shame
The Miracle of Shame is an EP by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 2000 by Lookout! Records. It is the band's only release to include bassist Gabe Meline as an official member, though he had previously recorded with the band in a studio capacity on the 1999...
in 2000, which also included organ
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
and keyboardist Erik Noyes. Noyes was a semi-official band member who had contributed to Revenge is Sweet, and So Are You and Alcatraz and joined them officially for touring in the summer of 1999, but did not remain with them long. The band toured sporadically until 2002, when Meline left the group.
2003-present: Recent activity
The band's lineup once again changed in 2003, with bassist "Bobby J" Jordan replacing Meline. Guitarist Ted Angel also joined, making the band a four-piece again for the first time in ten years. This lineup released the 2004 album Yesterday RulesYesterday Rules
-Performers:*Dr. Frank - vocals, guitar*Ted Angel - guitar*Bobby J - bass*Jim "Jym" Ruzicka - drums-Album information:*Produced by Kevin Army*Engineered by Kevin Army and Mark Keaton at Sharkbite Studios*Mastered by John Golden for John Golden Mastering...
. Limited touring followed, while Portman continued to perform occasionally as a solo artist and also in The Bomb Bassets
The Bomb Bassets
The Bomb Bassets are an American rock and roll band.Formed by brothers Dallas Denery of Sweet Baby and John Denery of The Hi-Fives; Mr. T Experience frontman Dr. Frank and producer Kevin Army on bass, they were joined by Mr. T drummer, Jym....
.
The Mr. T Experience has been relatively inactive since 2005. Portman has instead focused on his writing career, publishing his first novel, King Dork
King Dork
King Dork is a young adult novel by Frank Portman first published in 2006. It received recognition as a 2007 Best Book for Young Adults from the American Library Association. The novel features protagonist and disaffected slacker Tom Henderson in the fall of his high school sophomore year...
, in 2006 and Andromeda Klein
Andromeda Klein
Andromeda Klein is Frank Portman's second young adult novel published in 2009.The story focuses on high school occultist, Andromeda, who simultaneously tries to save her beloved local library from modernization and solve the various mysteries surrounding: her missing much-older boyfriend; the...
in 2009.
Band members
| (1985–1989) Everybody's Entitled to Their Own Opinion Everybody's Entitled to Their Own Opinion Everybody's Entitled to Their Own Opinion is the debut album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1986 by Disorder Records. It was the band's first full-length album and established their presence in the prolific San Francisco Bay Area music scene of the late... Night Shift at the Thrill Factory Night Shift at the Thrill Factory Night Shift at the Thrill Factory is the second album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1988 by Rough Trade Records. Lookout! Records re-released the album in 1996 with a number of bonus tracks.... Big Black Bugs Bleed Blue Blood Big Black Bugs Bleed Blue Blood -Performers:*Dr. Frank - vocals, guitar*Jon Von Zelowitz - vocals, guitar*Byron Stomatos - bass*Alex Laipeneiks - drums*Eric Mead - guitar on "T-Shirt Commercial"*Janis Tanaka - bass on "T-Shirt Commercial"*Eban Ostby - drums on "T-Shirt Commercial"... |
|
|---|---|
| (1989–1992) Making Things With Light Making Things with Light Making Things with Light is the third album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1990 by Lookout! Records. It was the band's first album to include bass player Aaron Rubin, replacing former bassist Byron Stomatos... Milk Milk Lemonade Milk Milk Lemonade Milk Milk Lemonade is the fourth album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1992 by Lookout! Records. It was the band's last album to include guitarist Jon Von Zelowitz, who left the group later that year.... Strum ünd Bang, Live? |
|
| (1992–1993) Gun Crazy Gun Crazy (album) Gun Crazy is an EP by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1993 by Lookout! Records. It was the band's first release as a three-piece, following the departure of guitarist/vocalist and founding member Jon Von Zelowitz earlier in the year... Our Bodies Our Selves Our Bodies Our Selves Our Bodies Our Selves is the fifth album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1993 by Lookout! Records. It was the band's first album as a three-piece, after the departure of founding guitarist Jon Von Zelowitz the previous year. It was also their last album... |
|
| (1993–1995) ...And the Women Who Love Them |
|
| (1995–1999) Love is Dead Revenge is Sweet, and So Are You Revenge is Sweet, and So Are You Revenge Is Sweet, and So Are You is the seventh album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1997 by Lookout! Records.-Track listing:-Performers:*Dr... Road to Ruin Road to Ruin (The Mr. T Experience album) Road to Ruin is the eighth album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1998 on Clearview Records. The album is a cover of the Ramones' 1978 album Road to Ruin in its entirety.-Background:... Alcatraz Alcatraz (album) -Performers:* Dr. Frank – vocals, guitar* Joel Reader – bass* Jim "Jym" Ruzicka – drums* Eric Noyes – hammond organ on tracks 1, 3, 8, & 10, piano on tracks 1 & 4* Gabe Meline – hammond organ on track 13, piano on track 10, ARP on track 5... |
|
| (1999–2002) The Miracle of Shame The Miracle of Shame The Miracle of Shame is an EP by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 2000 by Lookout! Records. It is the band's only release to include bassist Gabe Meline as an official member, though he had previously recorded with the band in a studio capacity on the 1999... |
Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard... |
| (2003 - current) Yesterday Rules Yesterday Rules -Performers:*Dr. Frank - vocals, guitar*Ted Angel - guitar*Bobby J - bass*Jim "Jym" Ruzicka - drums-Album information:*Produced by Kevin Army*Engineered by Kevin Army and Mark Keaton at Sharkbite Studios*Mastered by John Golden for John Golden Mastering... |
|
Current members
- "Dr. Frank" Portman – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitarGuitarThe 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... - Ted Angel – guitar, keyboards
- "Bobby J" Jordan – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Jim "Jym" Ruzicka – drumsDrum kitA 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 ....
Past members
- Byron Stamatatos - bass (1985–1989)
- Jon Von Zelowitz - vocals, guitar (1985–1992)
- Alex Laipeneiks - drums (1985–1993)
- Aaron Rubin - bass guitar (1989–1995)
- Joel Reader - bass guitar (1995–1999)
- Gabe Meline - bass guitar (1999–2002)
- Erik Noyes - Hammond organHammond organThe Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
(1999–2000)- Noyes had acted as a studio musician with the band for several years, playing pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and organ on Revenge is Sweet, and So Are YouRevenge is Sweet, and So Are YouRevenge Is Sweet, and So Are You is the seventh album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1997 by Lookout! Records.-Track listing:-Performers:*Dr...
, AlcatrazAlcatraz (album)-Performers:* Dr. Frank – vocals, guitar* Joel Reader – bass* Jim "Jym" Ruzicka – drums* Eric Noyes – hammond organ on tracks 1, 3, 8, & 10, piano on tracks 1 & 4* Gabe Meline – hammond organ on track 13, piano on track 10, ARP on track 5...
, and The Miracle of ShameThe Miracle of ShameThe Miracle of Shame is an EP by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 2000 by Lookout! Records. It is the band's only release to include bassist Gabe Meline as an official member, though he had previously recorded with the band in a studio capacity on the 1999...
. He joined the band officially for touring in the summer of 1999 but did not stay with the group long.
- Noyes had acted as a studio musician with the band for several years, playing piano
Discography
Studio albums- 1986: Everybody's Entitled to Their Own OpinionEverybody's Entitled to Their Own OpinionEverybody's Entitled to Their Own Opinion is the debut album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1986 by Disorder Records. It was the band's first full-length album and established their presence in the prolific San Francisco Bay Area music scene of the late...
- 1988: Night Shift at the Thrill FactoryNight Shift at the Thrill FactoryNight Shift at the Thrill Factory is the second album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1988 by Rough Trade Records. Lookout! Records re-released the album in 1996 with a number of bonus tracks....
- 1990: Making Things With LightMaking Things with LightMaking Things with Light is the third album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1990 by Lookout! Records. It was the band's first album to include bass player Aaron Rubin, replacing former bassist Byron Stomatos...
- 1992: Milk Milk LemonadeMilk Milk LemonadeMilk Milk Lemonade is the fourth album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1992 by Lookout! Records. It was the band's last album to include guitarist Jon Von Zelowitz, who left the group later that year....
- 1993: Our Bodies Our SelvesOur Bodies Our SelvesOur Bodies Our Selves is the fifth album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1993 by Lookout! Records. It was the band's first album as a three-piece, after the departure of founding guitarist Jon Von Zelowitz the previous year. It was also their last album...
- 1996: Love is Dead
- 1997: Revenge is Sweet, and So Are YouRevenge is Sweet, and So Are YouRevenge Is Sweet, and So Are You is the seventh album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1997 by Lookout! Records.-Track listing:-Performers:*Dr...
- 1998: Road to RuinRoad to Ruin (The Mr. T Experience album)Road to Ruin is the eighth album by the Berkeley, California punk rock band The Mr. T Experience, released in 1998 on Clearview Records. The album is a cover of the Ramones' 1978 album Road to Ruin in its entirety.-Background:...
- 1999: AlcatrazAlcatraz (album)-Performers:* Dr. Frank – vocals, guitar* Joel Reader – bass* Jim "Jym" Ruzicka – drums* Eric Noyes – hammond organ on tracks 1, 3, 8, & 10, piano on tracks 1 & 4* Gabe Meline – hammond organ on track 13, piano on track 10, ARP on track 5...
- 2004: Yesterday RulesYesterday Rules-Performers:*Dr. Frank - vocals, guitar*Ted Angel - guitar*Bobby J - bass*Jim "Jym" Ruzicka - drums-Album information:*Produced by Kevin Army*Engineered by Kevin Army and Mark Keaton at Sharkbite Studios*Mastered by John Golden for John Golden Mastering...
Music in film
Some of the band's music was used in the 1996 movie Glory DazeGlory Daze
Glory Daze is an independent film starring Ben Affleck, Sam Rockwell, French Stewart and Alyssa Milano. It had a limited release in 1996.- Plot :...
starring Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck
Benjamin Géza Affleck-Boldt , better known as Ben Affleck, is an American actor, film director, writer, and producer. He became known with his performances in Kevin Smith's films such as Mallrats and Chasing Amy...
. The film is set in Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
and features music by many mid-1990s southern California punk rock bands. The Mr. T Experience songs "I Just Wanna Do it With You" and "Even Hitler Had a Girlfriend" are used in the film and appear on its accompanying soundtrack album. Also, during the film's party scene, the main characters as a band perform a cover of The Mr. T Experience song "Now We Are Twenty-One".