The Vindictives
The Vindictives are one of the classic Chicago pop punk bands which formed before pop punk became really popular in 1994. Joey Vindictive sang sneering screeds against conformity and society, but always wrapped in really catchy melodies that instantly became stuck in your head. For some years, Joey Vindictive also owned and operated a record store called the Dummy Room, which was on Grand Ave. The group came together in 1991 and was extremely prolific until 1994 when personal problems caused the band to fracture. In 1996, Joey announced that the band was done but they regrouped in 1999 to release their first (and to date, only) full-length LP (other long-form releases by the band are either collections of covers, re-workings of old songs, or compilations of out-of-print material).
Discography
- The Vindictives 7" (VML Records, 1991)
- The Invisible Man 7" (VML Records, 1991)
- Ugly American 7" (VML Records, 1992)
- Assembly Line 7" (VML Records, 1992)
- This Is My Face 7" (VML Records, 1993)
- Disturbia 7" (VML Records, 1993)
- Rocks In My Head 7" (Lookout Records, 1994)
- Party Time For Assholes 2x10" LP (Selfless Records, 1994) - All cover songs
- "Seventeen" b/w "No Feelings" 5" (Skullduggery Records, 1994)
- Leave Home LP (Selfless Records, 1994) - Cover of the Ramones album of the same name
- "Johnny, Where Are You?" b/w "Eating Me Alive" Picture Disc 7" (Lookout Records, 1995)
- The Many Moods Of The Vindictives CD/2xLP (Lookout Records, 1995) - Compilation of songs from the early EPs with some parts re-recorded.
- "Alarm Clocks" b/w "Left For Dead" 7" (Lookout Records, 1995)
- Pervert At Large split w/Sloppy Seconds 7" (VML Records, 1997)
- Hypno-Punk LP (Coldfront Records 1999)
- "Nuttin' For Xmas" b/w "Jingebells" (Stardumb Records, 2000)
- Original Masters CD (Teat Productions, 2003) - Compilation of the band's early VML EPs.
- Curious Oddities And The Bare Essentials CD (Teat Productions, 2003) - Compilation of the Lookout Records-released EPs and other out of print tracks.
- Muzak For Robots CD (Teat Productions, 2003)
- Unplugged CD (Teat Productions, 2003)
- Mono-Flexi EP 7" Flexi (Sexy Baby Records, 2012)
- Jerk-O-Latern single (digital self-release, 2013)
- Songbook: Volium I, Songbook: Volium II, & Songbook: Volium III compilations (digital self-release, 2013) - Three-part reissue of all The Vindictives' original material originally released 1991-1997, remastered in 2013.
Members
- Joe Volino aka Joey Vindictive - Vocals
- John Stockfisch aka Johnny Personality - Bass, Backing Vocals
- Robert Nielson aka Dr. Bob - Guitar (1991-1994) (R.I.P. 2003)
- Ben Foster aka Ben Weasel - Guitar, Backing Vocals (1991-1992)
- Bill Sullivan aka Billy Blastoff - Guitar, Backing Vocals (1993-?)
- Mike Byrne aka Mike Geek - Guitar (1995-1996)
- Erik Elsewhere - Drums (1991)
- Pat Buckley aka PJ Parti - Drums (1991-1994)
- Tres Quatro - Drums (1995-1996)
- Angel Ledezma - Drums (1998-1999)
Other Bands
In the mid 1990s, Joey, Johnny, Billy, Joey's wife Jenny Gee, and their friend Alison Wonderland formed a new wave band called The Flim-Flams who released 2 records. In the early 2000s, Joey, Johnny, Billy, and Jenny planned a new project called The Money Shot but this projected never emerged. In the mid 2000s, Joey, Johnny, and Jenny formed a psychedelic rock band called Faerie Wunderpuss.