About Me
A FAN PAGE.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 philosophicallywas monumental, and Poison Idea followed the Germs extremist punk ethic.PIs 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 Champions 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 1986s 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 bands 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, a mediocre record that seemed far worse when compared to the masterpiece that preceded it. War All the Time and the EPs that followed (the Getting the Fear 12 and the Filthkick 7, both improvements in terms of quality) 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., Pig Champion, Charley "Myrtle Tickner" Nims (bass) and Steve "Thee Slayer Hippie" Hanford (drums), with second guitar duties oscillating between Mondo and Aldine Strichnine. 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 lbs. 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 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 Feel the Darkness, PI followed the Kings of Punk/War All the Time pattern by releasing the disappointing Blank Blackout Vacant, a record which leaned far more heavily on hard rock. Over the next three years, the band released two more full-length albums, several EPs, a live album and an LP of covers.When Pig Champion left the band in 1993, PI effectively called it quits. Jerry pursued a solo project called The Gift, and in 1998 the band, with a greatly altered lineup, released a 7" EP on Taang! (who reissued their early catalogue), but broke up following an aborted tour.On January 30, 2006 guitarist Pig Champion died at his home in Portland, of kidney failure.
