Poison Idea
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Poison Idea (sometimes referred to simply as “PI”) were a hardcore punk band from Portland, Oregon.
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[edit] History
Poison Idea was formed in 1980 by vocalist Jerry A. (aka Jerry Lang). The initial lineup consisted of Jerry A., Tom “Pig Champion” Roberts (guitar), Glen Estes (bass), and Dean Johnson (drums). Inspired by Black Flag and other early Southern California hardcore acts, they were further influenced by Discharge and Los Angeles's the Germs. Germs singer Darby Crash's influence on singer Jerry A.—vocally, lyrically, and philosophically—was monumental, and Poison Idea followed the Germs’ extremist punk ethic.
PI’s classic debut, 1983's Pick Your King EP was a short, lo-fi blast of hardcore fury. The jacket featured a "choice" of two kings, Jesus (front cover) and Elvis Presley (back cover).
In 1984, the band replaced Glen Estes with Chris Tense and released another classic album, the Record Collectors Are Pretentious Assholes 12” (the cover features Pig Champion’s substantial vinyl collection). The record found the band incorporating subtle rock elements into their music, which was further honed on their contributions to two 1985 compilations, “Laughing Boy” on the Drinking is Great EP, and “Typical” and “Die on Your Knees” on the legendary Cleanse the Bacteria LP (compiled by Pushead for his own Pusmort label).
With the release of 1986’s aptly-titled Kings of Punk LP, Poison Idea had fully moved beyond the breakneck hardcore of their early records to a potent, driving and ultimately more intricate and sophisticated hardcore/hard rock fusion that incorporated the foot-tapping accessibility and masculine swagger of hard rock without sacrificing the power and viciousness of hardcore. The album is venerated as one of the greatest hardcore recordings of the '80s, and some regard it as the band’s finest hour.
Following the release of Kings of Punk, the band went through several rapid lineup changes (mostly in the rhythm section), added a second guitarist in Vegetable Olsen, and released War All the Time (named for the Charles Bukowski novel) in 1987. War All the Time and the EPs that followed (the Getting the Fear 12" and the Filthkick 7") found them further developing the rock/hardcore sound first established on Kings of Punk, which they would hone to perfection in 1990 with Feel the Darkness.
Around this time, after numerous lineup changes, PI had convened one of their more stable lineups in Jerry A., Tom "Pig Champion" Roberts, Charley "Myrtle Tickner" Nims (bass) and Steve "Thee Slayer Hippy" Hanford (drums), with Kid Cocksman and then Aldine Strichnine on second guitar. By this time, their legendary drinking habits and hard living were beginning to catch up with them: the band weighed in at over 1,000 lb. collectively, and Pig Champion in particular was spectacularly fat, often having to play sitting down. They also established their own record label in 1989, American Leather (named for the Germs song), and released two records the same year: a reissue of their 1982 demo, Darby Crash Rides Again, and the Discontent 7”.
In 1990, the band released Feel the Darkness. An indisputable masterpiece, and possibly the best fusion of hard rock/metal and hardcore in history, it stands as a towering achievement. The musical performances are both technically proficient and fierce, a rarely-achieved combination. The lyrics are dark, beautiful and emotionally stirring. Simultaneously rough and polished, measured and frenetic, explosive and brooding, it is required listening for fans of hardcore, punk, heavy metal and hard rock alike.
After the release of Feel the Darkness, Aldine Strychnine was thrown out of the band, and Mondo returned this time on guitar, for the 1991 tour. PI then released Blank Blackout Vacant in 1992, and before splitting in 1993, they released one last full-length album, We Must Burn.
When Pig Champion left the band in 1993, PI effectively called it quits. Jerry A pursued a solo project called Gift with his wife and Thee Slayer Hippy, and in 1998 the original line-up reunited for a 7" EP on released on Taang! (who reissued their early catalogue), but broke up following an aborted tour.
On January 31, 2006 guitarist Pig Champion died at his home in Portland, of undetermined causes, although he had been suffering from the flu and an untreated kidney infection. PI had recorded a new record and it was ready for release when he died. Pig wanted the record to be called Latest Will and Testament, a name that the rest of the band liked. After Tom’s death Jerry commented that Pig probably knew something that the rest of them didn't. The album was released in May 2006 on Farewell Records.
PI has never had any mainstream success, but is a legendary underground cult-punk band. They’ve been hailed by musicians such as Turbonegro, Pantera, Machine Head, Emperor’s Bård Faust and Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain.
[edit] Discography
- 1982 Darby Crash Rides Again demo tape (self released)
- 1983 Pick Your King 7” EP (Fatal Erection)
- 1984 Record Collectors Are Pretentious Assholes 12” EP (Fatal Erection)
- 1986 Kings of Punk LP (Pusmort)
- 1987 War All the Time LP (Alchemy)
- 1988 Filthkick EP (Shitfool)
- 1988 Getting the Fear 12” EP (Rockport)
- 1989 Darby Crash Rides Again EP (American Leather) Reissue of demo tape
- 1989 Fuck Ian MacKaye 12” (American Leather, 1989) Reissue: contains Filthkick and Getting the Fear
- 1989 Picture disc 7” (American Leather)
- 1990 Discontent 7” (American Leather)
- 1990 Feel the Darkness LP (American Leather)
- 1991 Punish Me 7” (American Leather)
- 1991 Dutch Courage live LP (Bitzcore)
- 1991 Live in Vienna 7” (American Leather)
- 1991 Official Bootleg 2x7” (American Leather)
- 1992 Pajama Party LP (Tim Kerr) All-cover album
- 1992 Blank Blackout Vacant LP (Taang!)
- 1993 We Must Burn LP (Tim Kerr, 1993)
- 1994 Religion and Politics Part I & II 10” (Tim Kerr, 1994) Taken from same sessions as We Must Burn
- 1994 The Early Years CD (Bitzcore)
- 1998 Learning to Scream 7” EP (Taang!)
- 2000 The Best of Poison Idea CD (Taang!) Reissue: contains Pick Your King, Record Collectors, and Kings of Punk
- 2006 Latest Will and Testament CD/LP (Farewell)
[edit] Compilation appearances
- 1983 Grievous Musical Harm tape (Xcentric Noise) “M.I.A.,” “All Right,” “Young Lord”
- 1985 Drinking Is Great EP (Fatal Erection) “Laughing Boy”
- 1985 Cleanse the Bacteria LP (Pusmort) “Typical,” “Die On Your Knees” (plus “I Gotta Right” on bonus 12” only)
- 1991 Punk’s Not Dread LP (Sink Below) “New Rose”
- 1996 "Punk O' Rama" volume 2 LP (Epitaph Records) "Just to Get Away"
[edit] External links
- Poison Idea: Still the Kings of Punk
- Poison Idea Lyrics
- Poison Idea page on Kill From the Heart (General information, but notably, it has interviews with band members)
- Interview with Jerry A. (of particular note, this interview has information on the unlicensed Epitaph reissue of Feel the Darkness)
- Flipside Interview - Poison Idea interview from 1990
