Guitars, Drums, Tones, and Saxophones

Screeching Weasel - First World Manifesto

It’s nice to see that Ben Weasel is keeping busy. After the one-two punch of the recent pair of Riverdales releases- Invasion USA in 2009 and last year’s Tarantula- he and a new lineup of the classic Chicago Ramones devotees Screeching Weasel have returned to Fat Wreck and issued First World Manifesto, the first Screeching Weasel album in 2000′s Teen Punks in Heat.

So how has ten years changed Screeching Weasel?

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Ben Weasel - The Brain That Wouldn't Die

You all know Ben Weasel. Lead singer and sometimes-guitarist for legendary Chicago punk heroes Screeching Weasel; also, he of the Riverdales with his former Screeching cohorts, and of course his pair of solo albums, including 2007′s excellent These Ones Are Bitter. Now, as of 2009, he’s reformed the Riverdales, and Screeching Weasel (sans drummer John Jughead) for a handful of shows.

Earlier this year, Ben and friends played a pair of shows in Chicago, wherein the band played Screeching Weasel’s classic My Brain Hurts LP in its entirety. Now, here’s a recording of the shows, for the listening pleasure of those who- like me- couldn’t make it those nights.

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Riot Fest 2009 promo poster

Chicago’s Riot Fest Records are once again putting on Riot Fest, a multi-day festival of awesome punk rock and ska. Last year’s festival featured ALL, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, the Ergs!, Mustard Plug, the Methadones, the Lawrence Arms, the Bouncing Souls, and so many more awesome bands.

This year’s lineup includes:

• Screeching Weasel
• NOFX
• The Alkaline Trio
• Murder City Devils
• The Dead Milkmen
• Cock Sparrer

I went last year, just to the Sunday show, and it was truly excellent. I will definitely be back for 2009. Hell, Screeching Weasel alone would be enough to merit the trip.

Screeching Weasel - Boogadaboogadaboogada

Here we are again; it’s Thursday, and we’re going to talk about yet another album from a Chicago band that’s near and dead to my heart. Yes, it’s part  4 of Chicago Week, and today I’m gonna look at Screeching Weasel’s classic Boogadaboogadaboogada.

Screeching Weasel are longtime heroes of the Chicago pop-punk scene. Regardless of how you might feel about frontman Ben Weasel (many are not fans of the man), it’s hard to ignore the contributions they’ve made to the scene. Their first truly notable album was the sophomore effort, Boogadaboogadaboogada. The album features a blistering 26 songs. Before you get daunted, remember, this is punk rock. If you’re curious, the length of the entire album is 41 minutes and change. One song, “We Skate,” is 16 seconds long. So despite the large number of songs, the album isn’t all that much longer than other albums. Unless the only other album you own is Group Sex by the Circle Jerks.

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Screeching Weasel - My Brain Hurts

I know, there’s not much to be said about one of the classic albums of pop-punk, and a landmark album of the Chicago scene, that hasn’t been said before, but whatever, I’m going to do it anyway, because I love this album. And rightly so!

The band had broken up after their previous album, the also-classic Boogadaboogadaboogada!, and the reunited band features different members, and a notably different sound than found on Boogada. Where that album featured the band playing breakneck, hardcore-inspired tunes that railed against just about everyone (see the classic-rock-baiting “I Hate Led Zeppelin” and anti-political screed “Nicarauga”), My Brain Hurts sees the band playing at a slower tempo, upping the melody, and frontman Ben Weasel actually attempting to sing his lyrics.

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