Jason White (Green Day guitarist)

Last updated

Jason White
GreenDayIOW230624 (357 of 367) (53818702275) (cropped).jpg
White performing with Green Day in 2024
Background information
Also known as
  • Balducci
  • Frosco Lee
Born (1973-11-11) November 11, 1973 (age 51)
North Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.
Genres
OccupationMusician
Instruments
  • Guitar
  • vocals
  • bass
Years active1990s–present
Member of
Formerly of
  • The Influents
  • Chino Horde
  • Fishwagon
  • Step by Step
  • Numbskulz
  • Sixteen Bullets
  • Monsula
  • Pretty
  • The Kicks
  • California
Spouse
Jenna Rollins
​
(m. 2005)​

Jason White (born November 11, 1973) is an American musician, best known for being the touring guitarist of the rock band Green Day, with whom he has performed since 1999. He has worked with the band in the studio and on tour, and has appeared in various music videos with the band, including "When I Come Around", "Wake Me Up When September Ends", "21 Guns", "Last of the American Girls", "Kill the DJ", "Nuclear Family", "Stay the Night", and "Dilemma". He joined the group in the studio as a session member for the band’s 2012 trilogy, ¡Uno! , ¡Dos! , and ¡Tré! . [1] Aside to working with Green Day, he's a member of the punk band Pinhead Gunpowder, [2] which also featured Green Day vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong. White has also been a member of a number of Green Day side projects, including, among others, Foxboro Hot Tubs, The Network, and The Coverups.

Contents

Career

Other musical acts (1992–present)

White performs with The Big Cats The Big Cats in Little Rock 2008 1.jpg
White performs with The Big Cats

In the summer of 1992, White filled in guitar duties at the last minute for Bay Area punk band Monsula, who were performing at Little Rock, AR club Vino's. After the performance, Jason toured as guitarist for the band and eventually relocated to the Bay Area after the breakup of Chino Horde in summer 1993. White joined the Big Cats in 1996, after the temporary departure of bassist Josh Bentley, and took over guitar duties in 2000 after the death of guitarist Shannon Yarbrough. The group is a side project of many musicians, playing live very rarely. Their newest record, On Tomorrow, was released in 2007.

Because of Pinhead Gunpowder's infamy for sporadic get-togethers, White and Gunpowder bassist Bill Schneider began looking to form another band that would be a group the two could focus on. After recruiting Schneider's brother Greg Schneider to join and finally convincing Willie Samuels to play drums, The Influents were formed. White and Greg would become the focus of the band, splitting songwriting duties, as well as singing time. Bill Schneider left the band on good terms after the group's first album Check Please to focus on his drum shop and was soon replaced by Johnnie Wentz. The new line-up soon recorded a follow-up, Some of the Young, and went on tour.

In 2006, Jason recorded a cover of The Replacements "Torture" for the Replacements Cover compilation, "We'll Inherit the Earth". He was also featured in the May 2007 release, Towncraft, [3] a documentary covering twenty years of the punk music scene in Little Rock, AR, White's home. That same year, White played with Green Day in the video for the cover of "Working Class Hero."

As a friend of punk rock trio Green Day, he appeared in the "When I Come Around" video, where he is seen kissing a girl (his real-life girlfriend at the time). In 1994, White joined punk quartet Pinhead Gunpowder after the departure of singer/guitarist Sarah Kirsch (with whom White had played the previous year in Sixteen Bullets). When Green Day/Pinhead Gunpowder lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong founded Adeline Records in 1997, White helped him run it. He re-appeared with Armstrong for two Green Day shows in 1999, both of which raised money for the Bridge School Benefit.

With the release of American Idiot , White was required again to play with the band during the supporting tour of the album. In February 2005, Jason got married. [4] That year, he played with Green Day in their video, "Wake Me Up When September Ends"—the first time that any musician outside the trio appeared as a performer in a Green Day video. He also appears along the band in their 2005 live CD/DVD Bullet in a Bible . In April 2007, White and his wife joined Armstrong and his family in their Spring Break working with Habitat For Humanity and writing a diary for fan site GreenDay.net.

In 2008, White joined Green Day's side project Foxboro Hot Tubs as lead guitarist along with Kevin Preston of Prima Donna on rhythm guitar. [5] In 2009, he toured with Green Day in support for their latest record, 21st Century Breakdown . White made his fourth appearance on a Green Day video for "21 Guns" and his fifth in "Last of the American Girls"; prior to this, and not including his live appearances on "Jesus of Suburbia" and "East Jesus Nowhere", he had appeared in three videos: "When I Come Around", "Wake Me Up When September Ends", and "Working Class Hero".

On July 13, 2010, Max Recordings released White's debut 45 single—"Hungover" b/w "I'm a Mess". [6] He appeared once again as Green Day's sideman for their 2011 live album Awesome as Fuck . White played guitar on the song "Back in the USA" on Green Day's 2017 compilation Greatest Hits: God's Favorite Band as an additional musician.

Green Day membership

A common belief among fans is that White became an official member of Green Day in 2012 with the release of the ¡Uno! , ¡Dos! , and ¡Tré! trilogy, and reverted by his own accord to being a touring member before the release of the group’s 2016 album Revolution Radio . White himself has stated that he recorded on the trilogy as a session musician because the band wanted a more "live" sound to the albums, and that he was never a full band member. [7]

Personal life

In 2005, White married Janna Rollins. Their first child, Sonny, was born on February 1, 2013, and their daughter Shelby was born in 2014. [8]

In late 2014, he was diagnosed with tonsil cancer, which has since been treated. [9] [10] [11]

Discography

Green Day

Pinhead Gunpowder

The Network

Foxboro Hot Tubs

Jason White's California/California

Associated acts

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Day</span> American rock band

Green Day is an American rock band formed in Rodeo, California, in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, with drummer Tré Cool joining in 1990. In 1994, their major-label debut Dookie, released through Reprise Records, became a breakout success and eventually shipped over 20 million copies in the U.S. Alongside fellow California punk bands Bad Religion, the Offspring, Rancid, NOFX, Pennywise and Social Distortion, Green Day is credited with popularizing mainstream interest in punk rock in the U.S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billie Joe Armstrong</span> American rock musician (born 1972)

Billie Joe Armstrong is an American musician and actor. He is best known for being the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band Green Day, which he co-founded with Mike Dirnt in 1987. He is also a guitarist and vocalist for the punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder, and provides lead vocals for Green Day's side projects Foxboro Hot Tubs, the Network, the Longshot and the Coverups. Armstrong has been considered by critics as one of the greatest punk rock guitarists of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Dirnt</span> American rock musician (born 1972)

Michael Ryan Pritchard, better known by his stage name Mike Dirnt, is an American rock musician who is the co-founder, bassist, backing vocalist, and occasional lead vocalist of Green Day. He has also played in several other bands, including the Frustrators. His stage name Dirnt was originally a nickname that his friends from grade school gave him, as he constantly played "air bass/guitar" and made a "dirnt, dirnt, dirnt" noise while pretending to pluck the strings.

Pinhead Gunpowder is an American punk rock band that formed in East Bay, California, in 1991. The band currently consists of Aaron Cometbus, Bill Schneider (bass), Billie Joe Armstrong and Jason White. The band's name comes from a brand of "high octane" green tea served at the Arcata co-op and discovered by Aaron Cometbus during one of his many dumpster diving adventures.

<i>Compulsive Disclosure</i> 2003 compilation album by Pinhead Gunpowder

Compulsive Disclosure is the second compilation album by the American punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder. It was released on October 21, 2003, through Lookout! Records. The album features songs from the group's eponymously titled 2000 EP, the Dillinger Four / Pinhead Gunpowder split EP, the 8 Chords, 328 Words EP and also features re-recorded versions of the songs "2nd Street" and "At Your Funeral". Compulsive Disclosure was re-released on CD and vinyl through Recess Records on February 12, 2010, with two unreleased tracks, "Salting Agents" and "El Lasso Grappo".

Prima Donna are an American rock and roll band from Los Angeles, formed in 2004. The band currently features singer/guitarist Kevin Preston, saxophonist/keyboardist Aaron Minton, drummer David S. Field, and bassist "Lights Out" Levine. The band have released 3 albums over their career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foxboro Hot Tubs</span> American garage rock band

Foxboro Hot Tubs is the garage rock side project of Green Day, formed in 2007. The band includes all members of Green Day, as well as their touring members Jason White, Jason Freese, and Kevin Preston, who is also in Prima Donna. Their first and currently only album Stop Drop and Roll!!! was released on April 22, 2008. The name "Foxboro Hot Tubs" is the alias Green Day uses to book secret shows. When performing as Foxboro Hot Tubs, Billie Joe Armstrong and Jason White go by the names Reverend Strychnine Twitch and Frosco Lee respectively.

<i>Shoot the Moon</i> (EP) 1999 EP by Pinhead Gunpowder

Shoot the Moon is the fourth EP by the American punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder. It was released on March 30, 1999 through Adeline Records. It was re-released on CD and vinyl through Recess Records on February 12, 2010. It was re-leased on vinyl in 2022 by 1, 2, 3, 4 Go! Records.

<i>Goodbye Ellston Avenue</i> 1997 studio album by Pinhead Gunpowder

Goodbye Ellston Avenue is the debut studio album by the American punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder. It was released on February 25, 1997, through Lookout! Records. The album was re-released on vinyl and CD through Recess Records.

<i>Carry the Banner</i> 1994 EP by Pinhead Gunpowder

Carry the Banner is the third EP by the Berkeley, California-based punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder. Originally released on 10" vinyl in December 1994 through Too Many Records, the EP was reissued on CD by Lookout Records shortly after as the initial vinyl pressing sold out quickly. It was the group's first release to feature Jason White on guitar/vocals, replacing Sarah Kirsch, who left the band in 1994. Cometbus revealed this was due to person differences between the two and Kirsch's being busy with several other bands.

<i>Jump Salty</i> 1994 compilation album by Pinhead Gunpowder

Jump Salty is a compilation album by the American punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder. The album collects tracks from the group's first two extended plays, Tründle and Spring and Fahizah, as well as compilation appearances.

<i>Fahizah</i> 1992 EP by Pinhead Gunpowder

Fahizah is the second EP by the American punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder. It was released in 1992 through Lookout! Records, their first release for the label.

<i>Kick Over the Traces</i> 2009 compilation album by Pinhead Gunpowder

Kick Over the Traces is a compilation album by the American punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder. The album contains tracks from Pinhead Gunpowder releases since the band formed in 1990. The album was released through Recess Records on June 16, 2009. The Japanese edition features a second disc recorded live at 924 Gilman Street on February 10, 2008, and features different cover art.

William Schneider is an American musician, guitar technician, songwriter, touring manager, and music shop owner. He has played bass in the punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder since 1990, as well as providing vocals and writing the lyrics to the song "Backyard Flames". He has been in other bands such as The Influents, Monsula, Uranium 9 Volt, Sawhorse, The Skinflutes, and The Coverups. He worked as guitar and bass technician for Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt on their albums Nimrod, Saviors, Revolution Radio, ¡Uno!, Warning and currently works as the band's touring manager.

The Influents were an American punk rock band formed in 1999 by Jason White and Bill Schneider. Both were members of the seminal East Bay punk band Pinhead Gunpowder, which featured White on guitar and Schneider on bass, but due to the sporadic nature of Pinhead Gunpowder's recording and gigging, White and Schneider decided to form a new band as a side-project on which to focus. Schneider's brother Greg joined as second guitarist, sharing songwriting and vocals with Jason, and drummer Willie Samuels completed the lineup.

Monsula was an American punk rock band from the San Francisco Bay Area, California, United States. The band was conceived in 1988 by Pete Zetterberg and Paul Lee in an art class at Benicia High School. With many member changes over the years, they performed regularly at Berkeley's Gilman Street Project and were known for their simple East Bay pop punk style of music. The band played hundreds of live shows throughout North America before disbanding five years later in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tré Cool</span> American drummer (born 1972)

Frank Edwin Wright III, better known by his stage name Tré Cool, is a German-born American musician, best known as the long-time drummer for the rock band Green Day. He replaced the band's former drummer, John Kiffmeyer, in 1990. Cool has also played in the Lookouts, Samiam, Dead Mermaids, Bubu and the Brood and the Green Day side projects the Network and the Foxboro Hot Tubs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Longshot (band)</span> American rock band

The Longshot is an American rock band formed in Oakland, California in 2018 by Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong.

The Coverups is an American cover band that serves as a side project for Green Day members Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt. Founded in January 2018 as an outlet for performing cover songs, the band consists of guitarists Armstrong and Dirnt as well as several musicians from the Green Day circle, such as touring guitarist Jason White, audio engineer Chris Dugan on drums and tour manager Bill Schneider on bass. White, Armstrong, and Dirnt all share lead vocal duties.

<i>Unt</i> (album) 2024 studio album by Pinhead Gunpowder

Unt is the second studio album by American punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder. It was released on October 18, 2024 by 1-2-3-4 Go! Records. The album marks the first release from the band in 16 years. It was released on digital, vinyl, compact disc and cassette. The self-titled single for the album was released on flexi-disc.

References

  1. ↑ Jason (April 7, 2021). "Jason White guests on the Peer Pleasure podcast". GreenDay.fm. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Pinhead Gunpowder's Jason White discusses 10 of the band's biggest influences". BrooklynVegan. April 21, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Towncraft the Movie" . Retrieved September 24, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Jason White – Musician". The Green Day Authority. Retrieved September 25, 2010.[ permanent dead link ]
  5. ↑ "Green Day confirm that they are Foxboro Hot Tubs. Everyone act surprised". Punknews.org. April 10, 2008. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
  6. ↑ Tarpley, John (July 9, 2010). "Max releasing Jason White 7". Arkansas times. Retrieved July 16, 2010.
  7. ↑ Jason (April 7, 2021). "Jason White guests on the Peer Pleasure podcast". GreenDay.fm. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Musician Jason White's Wife Is Janna Rollins And Has A Son Sonny White". Ecelebritymirror. August 3, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Green Day guitarist Jason White diagnosed with cancer: 'Please join us in sending him love and positive healing vibes'". The Independent. December 7, 2014. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  10. ↑ Kreps, Daniel (December 6, 2014). "Green Day Guitarist Jason White Diagnosed With Tonsil Cancer". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Jason White (Pinhead Gunpowder, Green Day) diagnosed with cancer". www.punknews.org. December 8, 2014. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Billie Joe Armstrong's Pinhead Gunpowder to reissue entire discography on vinyl". NME. March 23, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
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