Screeching Weasel

While Naked Raygun might be Chicago's most beloved punk band, Screeching Weasel is arguably the most well-known on a national level. From 1986 until 2001, the band issued a slew of LPs, EPs, and compilation tracks despite frequent line-up changes, record label problems, break-ups, and controversies and animosities that seemed to follow frontman Ben Weasel. In 2009, Ben announced that the band was reforming again, this time without guitarist and co-founder Jughead. The band went under some other reformations and break-ups, and then reformed in 2011. At a SXSW performance that year, Ben Weasel punched an audience member, after which the then current line-up quit the band. Weasel reformed the band again, and released the EP Carnival of Shade-In-Froid.

Ben Weasel also had his book Punk is a Four Letter Word published, a partial novel and collections of columns, articles and essays that document Chicago's punk scene and Ben's opinions on music, the sub-culture of punk, the Chicago scene, the music business, "selling out" to large record companies, and much, much more. The book had some mixed reviews but was mostly a large success both regionally and nationally.

Current Line Up

 * Ben Foster aka Ben Weasel - Vocals/Guitar (1986-1989, 1991-1994, 1996-2001, 2004, 2009- )
 * Dan Schafer aka Dan Vapid aka Sewercap - Bass/Guitar (1989, 1991-1994, 1996-1997, 2004, 2009- )
 * Simon Lamb - Guitar (2009- )
 * Justin Perkins - Bass (2009- )
 * Adam Cargin - Drums (2009- )

Former Members

 * John Pierson aka Jughead - Guitar (1986-1989, 1991-1994, 1996-2001, 2004)
 * Dan Sullivan aka Dan Panic - Drums (1991-1994, 1996-1997)
 * Mass Giorgini - Bass (1998-2001, 2004)
 * Dan Lumley - Drums (1998-2001, 2004)
 * Steve Dubick aka Steve Cheese - Drums (1986-1988)
 * Vince Vogel aka Vinnie Bovine - Bass (1986-1988)
 * Brian McQuade aka Brian Vermin - Drums (1988-1989)
 * Philip Hill - Guitar (2000-2001)
 * Warren Fischer aka Fish - Bass (1988-1989)
 * John Stockfisch aka Johnny Personality - Bass (1992)
 * Dave Lally aka Dave Naked - Bass (1991-1992)
 * Zac Damon - Guitar (1998-1999)
 * Scott Conway aka Gub - Bass (1992)
 * Douglas Ward aka Doug ID Under aka Doug Wonderful - Guitar (1989)
 * Mike Dirnt - Bass (1994)

Discography

 * 27 song demo tape (1986)
 * Screeching Weasel LP (Underdog Records 1987)
 * Licensed to Shikagu Trading/What Goes On? in 1987, who issued it in England.
 * Reissued on CD by VML Records in 1997 with 12 bonus tracks.
 * split 7" w/Moving Targets (What Goes On? 1987)
 * This was a promo released by What Goes On? and limited to 100 copies.
 * Features 2 songs from the first album
 * Boogadaboogadaboogada LP (Roadkill Records 1988)
 * The first 200 copies of the original pressing included an insert of the band bowling in the nude.
 * Licensed to Wetspots in 1988, who issued it in England with an entirely different cover (a cartoon drawing of a paper boy flipping off an old man).
 * Reissued on LP/CS/ CD by Lookout Records in 1992.
 * Reissued on CD by Asian Man Records in 2005.
 * Reissued on colored vinyl by Recess Records in 2008 (1st pressing: 500 copies on grey vinyl; 2nd pressing:  500 copies on pink vinyl; 3rd pressing:  500 copies on blue vinyl; 4th pressing:  500 copies on white vinyl).
 * Punkhouse 7" EP (Limited Potential Records 1989)
 * Reissued by No Budget Productions in 1991 w/o a sleeve
 * Reissued in 1993 by Selfless Records with a different cover photo (taken at the same session as the original photo).
 * Included on the Kill The Musicians CD.
 * My Brain Hurts LP/CS/CD (Lookout Records 1991)
 * Reissued on CD by Asian Man Records in 2005.
 * Reissued on LP by Recess Records in 2009 with new cover art (1st pressing: 2000 copies, clear, white, orange, and pink vinyl, 500 copies per color).
 * Pervo-Devo 7" EP (Shred of Dignity 1991)
 * Came with the last issue of Ben's sex-themed 'zine, Teen Punks In Heat.
 * Repressed by the same record label in 1992, only they had changed their name from "Shred of Dignity" to "Outpunk".
 * Included on the Kill The Musicians CD.
 * Snappy Answers To Stupid Questions 7" EP (Selfless Records 1992)
 * Live performance on WFMU.
 * Limited to 1500 copies on blue vinyl
 * Happy, Horny, Gay, and Sassy 2x7" EP (Selfless Records 1992)
 * A repress of "Snappy Answers...", but it also included a second, one-sided 7" and a second cover which was a graphic close-up photo of a gay blow job.
 * Limited to 300 copies on pink vinyl.
 * Wiggle LP/CS/CD (Lookout Records 1993)
 * Was supposed to come out in 1992, but was delayed until 1993. The copyrights still read 1992.
 * The Lookout CD version had 3 bonus tracks (2 demos w/the Wiggle line up and a comp track from 1989).
 * Reissued on CD by Asian Man Records in 2005 with an additional bonus track.
 * Reissued on colored vinyl by Recess Records in June 2009 (1st pressing: 2000 copies, clear, white, red, and green vinyl, 500 copies per color).
 * Radio Blast 7" EP (Underdog Records 1993)
 * Pressed on burgundy vinyl and black vinyl.
 * Blink-182 covered the B-side, "The Girl Next Door".
 * Included on the Kill The Musicians CD.
 * Ramones LP (Selfless Records 1993)
 * A cover of the Ramones entire 1st LP.
 * The first pressing came in cardboard sleeve and was available on both white and black vinyl.
 * Second pressing consisted of 300 copies on white vinyl for SW's 1993 tour. Instead of coming in a cardboard sleeve, it came with silkscreen covers.
 * You Broke My Fucking Heart 7" EP (Lookout Records 1993)
 * Included on the Kill The Musicians CD.
 * split 7" EP w/Pink Lincolns (VML Records 1993)
 * Limited to 1500 copies
 * One SW song was included on the Kill The Musicians CD, the other was included as a CD bonus track on Wiggle.
 * Anthem For A New Tomorrow LP/CS/CD (Lookout Records 1993)
 * Reissued on CD by Asian Man Records in 2005.
 * El Mozote/Janelle split 7"/CD EP w/Born Against (Lookout Records 1993)
 * The CD version contains an extra track by each band from different compilations.
 * These songs have never seen reissue.
 * Suzanne Is Getting Married b/w Waiting For Susie 7" single (Lookout Records 1994)
 * Lookout pressed the sleeves with a cartoon drawing of 2 punks on a wedding cake. At Ben Weasel's insistence, a photo from the wedding of the real Suzanne was pasted over the drawing.  The record was later issued without the pasted photo.
 * Included on the Thank You Very Little double CD.
 * How To Make Enemies And Irritate People LP/CS/CD (Lookout Records 1994
 * Reissued on CD by Asian Man Records in 2005.
 * The original record insert included a detailed discography of the band (up to 1994).
 * Kill The Musicians CD (Lookout Records 1995)
 * CD only compilation of out of print and unreleased tracks.
 * Reissued on CD by Asian Man Records in 2005.
 * Bark Like A Dog LP/CD (Fat Wreck Chords 1996)
 * Formula 27 7" EP (Vermiform 1996)
 * Reissued by Panic Button in 1998.
 * Major Label Debut 12" EP/CD EP (Panic Button Records 1998)
 * The first release for Panic Button Records.
 * Television City Dream LP/CD (Fat Wreck Chords 1998)
 * The Beat Is On The Brat CD (Panic Button Records 1998)
 * CD only repackaging of the Ramones LP and "Formula 27" EP.
 * Emo LP/CD (Panic Button Records 1999)
 * Jesus Hates You 7" EP (Probe Disc 1999)
 * Featured covers of the Stooges, Stiff Little Fingers, and the Subhumans (Canadian band)
 * Released as a picture disc with the photo of a naked SW fan.
 * Included on the Thank You Very Little double CD
 * Thank You Very Little 2xCD (Panic Button Records 2000)
 * Double CD collection of mostly unreleased tracks. 2nd disc has demos and a live show.
 * Teen Punks In Heat LP/CD (Panic Button Records 2000)
 * Weasel Mania CD (Fat Wreck Chords 2005)
 * Greatest Hits collection.

Links
The Official Screeching Weasel website