Dan Vapid

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Dan Vapid
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Background information
Birth nameDan Schafer
Also known asSewercap
Dan Vapid
Danny Vapid
Born (1970-01-18) January 18, 1970 (age 53)
Origin Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres Punk rock, pop punk
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s) Vocals, guitar, bass guitar
Years active1985–present
Labels Lookout!, Asian Man, Red Scare, Recess, Selfless Records, Fat Wreck Chords

Dan Schafer (born January 18, 1970), better known by his stage name Dan Vapid, is a punk rock musician from Chicago, Illinois, United States. He is best known for his participation in Screeching Weasel, The Riverdales, The Methadones, and various other punk rock/pop punk bands. [1] His current band is Dan Vapid and the Cheats.

Contents

Generation Waste

Schafer's first band was the hardcore punk band Generation Waste, formed in 1985. They were around for 4 years and recorded one album, which remains unreleased. He was the vocalist and the other band members were Ted Domurat (later of Gear) on guitar, Frank Ciampi (later of Tension Wire, Devastation, Mindfunk) on bass and Dave Juarez on drums. Juarez was later replaced by Pat Buckley (later of Gear, The Vindictives (as "P.J. Parti")). [2]

Screeching Weasel

In 1989, Schafer became the bass player for Screeching Weasel, though he switched back and forth from bass to guitar several times over the band's history. [3] He performs under the pseudonym Dan Vapid or Danny Vapid, [4] although he was originally called Sewercap when he joined the band. Screeching Weasel disbanded when Schafer and Brian Vermin, the drummer, quit the band to concentrate on their side project, Sludgeworth.

Schafer spoke about his time with Screeching Weasel in a March 2011 interview with Jason Duarte for Squid Pro Quo. [5]

Screeching Weasel has been through many incarnations, some which include Schafer and some which do not. He was the guitarist for the 2011 version of the band, which did not include founding member John Jughead. [6] [7] That version of the band ended on March 23, 2011 when all the members quit the band following an incident at SXSW. [8]

Sludgeworth

Sludgeworth was formed in 1989 as a side project from Screeching Weasel for Schafer (vocals) and Vermin (drums). Completing the line-up were Adam White (guitar), Dave McClean (guitar) and Mike Hootenstrat (bass). The band broke up in 1992 shortly after Schafer rejoined Screeching Weasel. [9] [10]

The Riverdales

The Riverdales were formed in 1994 by three members of Screeching Weasel (Ben Foster, Dan Schafer, and Dan Sullivan) when the former band disbanded. Just like with Screeching Weasel, Schafer played bass for the Riverdales but this time also shared lead vocals with Foster. [3] They released their self-titled debut album in 1995 and their second album Storm the Streets in 1997 before the band broke up after Screeching Weasel reformed. [11] They reformed in 2003 to release their third (and supposedly final) album. They once again reformed in 2008 and released albums in 2009 and 2010. The band has been inactive since March 23, 2011 when all of the members quit on Ben Weasel under bad circumstances at a Screeching Weasel show.

The Queers

Schafer played guitar for The Queers in 1994 and 2002. He is present on The Queer's third studio album Beat Off (1994), [12] Suck This (1995) [13] and the Surf Goddess EP (1994). [14]

The Mopes and The Methadones

The Mopes were a side-project for Schafer (vocals, guitar) and B-Face (bass). The line-up was completed with John Jughead (guitar) and Dan Lumley (drums). [2] The band existed from 1996 through 1998. The Methadones were a side project that Schafer began in 1993 but sat on the back-burner for a number of years. In 1999, Schafer re-launched the group, recruiting former Mopes B-Face and Dan Lumley to record an album, Ill at Ease. After the recording, he established a new, Chicago-based line up. [15] The Chicago line-up included Schafer (vocals, guitar), Mike Byrne (guitar), Sensitive Pete (bass) and Mike Soucy (drums). [16] [17] The band disbanded in 2010. [18] [19]

Noise By Numbers

Noise By Numbers was formed in 2008 with Schafer (vocals, guitar), Jeff Dean (guitar), Rick Uncapher (bass) and Neil Hennessy (drums). Hennessy left after the first album and was replaced by Jimmy Lucido. A second album was released in July 2011. [20] [21]

Dan Vapid and the Cheats

Following the demise of Screeching Weasel after the SXSW debacle, Schafer formed a new band called Dan Vapid and the Cheats featuring bassist Simon Lamb (from Screeching Weasel and the Riverdales), guitarist Mike Byrne and drummer Mike Soucy (both from the Methadones). The band recorded a studio album in October 2011, with Justin Perkins producing, at the Mystery Room. [22] [23] [24]

Partial discography

Screeching Weasel

Sludgeworth

The Queers

Riverdales

The Mopes

The Methadones

Ben Weasel

Noise by Numbers

Dan Vapid and the Cheats

Solo albums

Philanthropy

Schafer contributed a song on the charity album for Children's Memorial Hospital by the Chicago super group The Black Sheep Band, A Chicago Punk Rock Collaboration for the Kids, Vol 1. He plays guitar on all the tracks as well.

Related Research Articles

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Screeching Weasel is an American punk rock band consisting of Ben Weasel (vocals), Mike Kennerty (guitar), Mike Hunchback (guitar), Zach "Poutine" Brandner (bass) and Pierre Marche (drums). Screeching Weasel is originally from the Chicago suburb of Prospect Heights, Illinois. The band was formed in 1986 by Ben Weasel and John Jughead. Since their formation, Screeching Weasel have reformed several times with lineup changes. Ben Weasel has been the only constant member, though Jughead was present in every incarnation of the band until 2009. Other prominent members include guitarist/bassist Dan Vapid and drummer Dan Panic, who have each appeared on six of the band's studio albums, and Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt who appeared on one.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Weasel</span> American singer and guitarist

Benjamin Foster, also known as Ben Weasel, is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the punk rock band Screeching Weasel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Queers</span> American punk rock band

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The Riverdales were an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, United States, made up of Screeching Weasel members. Bassist Dan Vapid and guitarist Ben Weasel are heavily influenced by the Ramones' sound and both serve as front-men, sharing lead vocals for the band. The Riverdales' original run lasted from 1994-1997. They reformed in 2003 to record their third studio album, and then parted ways until they once again reformed in 2008 and released a fourth studio album in July, 2009. The band's fifth studio album, Tarantula, was released digitally on June 8, 2010 and on CD and vinyl on June 22, 2010. The band broke up in March 2011 after a fight that broke out during a Screeching Weasel performance.

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<i>My Brain Hurts</i> 1991 studio album by Screeching Weasel

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<i>How to Make Enemies and Irritate People</i> 1994 studio album by Screeching Weasel

How to Make Enemies and Irritate People is the seventh studio album by the Chicago-based punk rock band Screeching Weasel. Planned as the group's final album, it was released in August 1994 on CD, vinyl, and cassette through Lookout Records. Shortly before recording the album, bassist/backing vocalist Dan Vapid left the band and, as a result, Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt was recruited to play on the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Methadones</span> American punk rock band

The Methadones are a band formed in 1993 by guitarist/vocalist Dan Vapid. The Methadones initially lasted only a few shows before Vapid put them to the side to focus on his main band Screeching Weasel. By 1999 Dan was no longer a member of Screeching Weasel or his other band The Riverdales, and decided to restart The Methadones with B-Face of The Queers on bass, and Dan Lumley on drums. The band recorded their first album Ill at Ease in 2001. After the recording, B-Face and Lumley left the band. Schafer formed a new lineup of The Methadones with guitarist Mike Byrne, bassist Sensitive Pete, and drummer Mike Soucy.

<i>Bark Like a Dog</i> 1996 studio album by Screeching Weasel

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<i>Beat Off</i> 1994 studio album by The Queers

Beat Off is the fourth studio album by the American punk rock band the Queers, released in 1994 by Lookout! Records. Recorded during a time when the Queers' usual drummer, Hugh O'Neill, was on a forced leave of absence from the band to deal with heroin addiction, it featured Screeching Weasel drummer Dan Panic and guitarist Dan Vapid added to the lineup. It was the third and final Queers album produced by Screeching Weasel singer Ben Weasel, who insisted on a no-frills punk sound for the album and removed Vapid's tracks from the final mix without his knowledge.

<i>Surf Goddess</i> 1995 EP by The Queers

Surf Goddess is an EP by the American punk rock band the Queers, released in February 1995 by Lookout! Records. It marked the return of longtime drummer Hugh O'Neill to the band, after a forced leave of absence to deal with heroin addiction. Former Screeching Weasel member Dan Vapid, who had been a member of the Queers in 1994, played on the EP as a guest guitarist. Surf Goddess was the result of band leader Joe King and Lookout! head Larry Livermore being dissatisfied with the production techniques on the band's prior album, 1994's Beat Off, which producer Ben Weasel had insisted on keeping basic. King and Livermore wanted to incorporate overdubbing and other effects which Livermore felt were essential to the Queers' sound. In addition to the title track, which was co-written by Weasel, and the Queers original "Quit Talkin'", the EP includes cover versions of Tommy James and the Shondells's "Mirage" and the Undertones' "Get Over You".

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<i>Riverdales</i> (album) 1995 studio album by Riverdales

Riverdales is the eponymously titled debut studio album by the Chicago-based punk rock band the Riverdales. Formed after the break-up of Screeching Weasel, the band sought to write more Ramones-inspired music and the album was released on June 7, 1995, through Lookout Records with the catalog number LK 120. The group supported the album by opening for Green Day on the initial US leg of the tour for their album Insomniac. Riverdales experienced substantial success on the tour, and the album became the group's best-selling release to date.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noise by Numbers</span> American pop punk band

Noise By Numbers is an American pop punk band featuring Dan Schafer, Jeff Dean, Rick Uncapher, and Jimmy Lucido. Their sound has been described as reminiscent of Hüsker Dü, the Replacements, Dinosaur Jr., Naked Raygun and the Effigies.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Vapid and the Cheats</span> American Band

Dan Vapid and the Cheats are a pop punk band from Chicago that features former members of Screeching Weasel, The Riverdales, The Methadones, Noise By Numbers, The Vindictives, Sludgeworth and The Bomb.

Between 1993 and 2000, a series of Ramones covers albums were released by Selfless Records, an independent record label based in Garland, Texas specializing in punk rock, on which bands influenced by seminal punk group the Ramones performed cover versions of entire Ramones albums. Under the Selfless label, Screeching Weasel, the Queers, and the Vindictives respectively covered the first three Ramones albums: Ramones (1976), Rocket to Russia (1977), and Leave Home (1977). Selfless then became Clearview Records and continued the series, with Boris the Sprinkler, the Parasites, the Mr. T Experience, the Beatnik Termites, and the McRackins respectively covering End of the Century (1980), It's Alive (1979), Road to Ruin (1978), Pleasant Dreams (1981), and Too Tough to Die (1984).

References

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