My Head

Last updated

My Head
My Head.jpg
My Head in 1996, L-R: Adam Siegel, Greg Saenz and Dave Silva
Background information
Origin Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres Grunge, alternative rock
Years active1993–1998
Labels Capitol (1996)
Past members Adam Siegel
Greg Saenz
Dave Silva

My Head was an American grunge/alternative rock power trio from Los Angeles, California, United States, formed in 1993 by singer-songwriter and guitarist Adam Siegel and drummer Greg Saenz. Due to its member's past on Excel, My Head's sound was influenced by early 1980s Crossover Thrash music, but also by the growing grunge movement impulsed by bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. Even after its dissolution My Head recorded three tracks for two different Mike Muir's releases: Pneumonia (EP later included on the album Mas Borracho by Infectious Grooves) and Friends & Family, Vol. 2 by Suicidal Tendencies.

Contents

History

My Head was founded in early 1993 [1] after Adam Siegel and Greg Saenz left Excel indefinitely and Dave Silva joined as bassist, but Adam's appearances on Infectious Grooves's albums repeatedly interrupted the progress of the project. It was not until 1994 that they could get a recording contract, however the label (Imago Records) went out of business eight months later. In 1995 the band had its second chance and signed a new contract with Capitol Records. [1] Then they began playing at several clubs around Hollywood like Dragonfly, Martini Lounge, Spaceland, Bar DeLuxe, Opium Den and coffee houses. [2] The April 16, 1996 My Head brought to market its first and only studio album Endless Bummer, the record consisted of twelve tracks and was released on CD format and cassette tape. [3] Saenz described the album as "a hard-hitting soul – rock, a 90's version of Grand Funk". [1] Even though the album didn't make it to the charts, it had some commercial success in California and environs. Soon after My Head filmed a music video [4] of the single Humbucker (previously released on April 1) at EMI studios, it debuted on VH1. After some management changes, the firm started pushing the band to add new members, modify its image and even its name; to worsen the situation EMI began supporting nu metal bands more than anything else; in an interview Saenz said: "they were getting huge egos and bank accounts managing Korn, and hyping their new band, Limp Bizkit [...] then told us to add a D.J., another guitarist, and change our name to The Peking Logs". [1] Due to these conflicts My Head broke the contract with Capitol and disbanded on January 1, 1998.

Members

Discography

Endless Bummer

Endless Bummer is the first and only My Head's studio album. The record was released the April 16, 1996. Its recording and distribution was handled by Capitol Records. This album is notable for its heavy guitar riffs influenced by psychedelic and funk rock that allude to bands like Alice in Chains and Cream.

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg link
Endless Bummer
My Head Endless Bummer cover.jpg
Studio album by
My Head
ReleasedApril 16, 1996
Length43:27
Label Capitol
Producer Rob Schnapf

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Carnasaur" Adam Siegel 4:14
2."Killer Hair"Adam Siegel3:25
3."Point of Wiev"Adam Siegel, Greg Saenz, Dave Silva3:51
4."Fall"Adam Siegel3:53
5."Humbucker"Adam Siegel4:21
6."Positive"Adam Siegel, Dave Silva3:25
7."Sonrisa"Adam Siegel, Dave Silva3:57
8."I Don't Want Nothing"Adam Siegel, Dave Silva2:49
9."Nesbitts"Adam Siegel2:16
10."Don't Waste My Time"Adam Siegel, Dave Silva3:41
11."Log"Adam Siegel, Greg Saenz, Dave Silva4:01
12."Teenage Foxes"Adam Siegel3:34
Total length:43:27

Single

The only single taken from the album was the track "Humbucker". It was released on April 1, 1996. Later that month, My Head filmed the music video for this song at EMI studios; it later debuted on VH1.

Personnel

My Head
Production [5]

Other appearances

YearAlbumBandTypeAccredited songsLabel
2000 Pneumonia Infectious Grooves EPThe BeardSuicidal
2001 Friends & Family, Vol. 2 Suicidal Tendencies Compilation albumChain of Hate and Ultra DownMusicrama, Inc

Related Research Articles

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

Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Cornell switched to rhythm guitar in 1985, replaced on drums initially by Scott Sundquist, and later by Matt Cameron in 1986. Yamamoto left in 1989 and was replaced initially by Jason Everman and shortly thereafter by Ben Shepherd. The band dissolved in 1997 and reformed in 2010. Following Cornell's death in 2017 and a year of uncertainty regarding the band's future, Thayil declared in October 2018 that Soundgarden had disbanded once again, though they did reunite in January 2019 for a one-off concert in tribute to Cornell. Both Cornell and Thayil were the only members to appear in every incarnation of the band.

<i>Hidden Treasures</i> (EP) 1995 EP by Megadeth

Hidden Treasures is an EP by American thrash metal band Megadeth, released on July 18, 1995, via Capitol Records. The album features songs that originally appeared on film soundtracks and tribute albums. Four of the tracks were released as singles, and three have received Grammy Award nominations for Best Metal Performance. Despite having garnered mediocre or negative reviews, the material on the EP has been credited with helping expand the group's MTV audience in the early 1990s.

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

Everclear is an American rock band formed in Portland, Oregon, in 1991. The band was formed by Art Alexakis, the band's lead songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist, and for most of the band's height of popularity, consisted of Craig Montoya on bass guitar and Greg Eklund on drums. After the limited release of their independently released debut album, World of Noise, the band found success with their first three albums on Capitol Records: Sparkle and Fade, So Much for the Afterglow, and Songs from an American Movie Vol. One: Learning How to Smile, which were all certified platinum in sales. However, the following two albums Songs from an American Movie Vol. Two: Good Time for a Bad Attitude and Slow Motion Daydream, were not as well received, and as sales suffered, Montoya and Eklund left the band shortly after in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blessid Union of Souls</span> American alternative rock band

Blessid Union of Souls is an American alternative rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio, that was formed in 1990 by friends Jeff Pence and Eliot Sloan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poison (band)</span> American glam metal band

Poison is an American glam metal band formed in 1983 in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The most successful incarnation of the band consists of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Bret Michaels, drummer Rikki Rockett, lead guitarist and backing vocalist C.C. DeVille, and bassist Bobby Dall. The band achieved huge commercial success in the mid-1980s through the mid-1990s and has sold 30 million records in the United States and over 65 million albums worldwide.

<i>Pablo Honey</i> 1993 studio album by Radiohead

Pablo Honey is the debut studio album by the English rock band Radiohead, released on 22 February 1993 in the UK by Parlophone and on 20 April 1993 in the US by Capitol Records. It was produced by Sean Slade, Paul Q. Kolderie and Radiohead's co-manager Chris Hufford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blind Melon</span> American rock band

Blind Melon is an American rock band formed in 1990 in Los Angeles, California. The band consists of guitarists Rogers Stevens and Christopher Thorn, drummer Glen Graham, vocalist Travis Warren and bassist Nathan Towne. They are best known for their 1992 hit "No Rain", and enjoyed critical and commercial success in the early 1990s with their neo-psychedelic take on alternative rock. The band has sold over 3.2 million albums in the United States as of 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Ament</span> American bassist

Jeffrey Allen Ament is an American musician best known as the bassist of rock band Pearl Jam, which he co-founded alongside Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder. Ament wrote or co-wrote many of Pearl Jam's hits, including "Jeremy", "Oceans", "Dissident", "Nothingman" and "Nothing as It Seems".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stone Gossard</span> American guitarist

Stone Carpenter Gossard is an American musician who serves as a guitarist for the rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Jeff Ament, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of the band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Excel (band)</span> American crossover thrash band

Excel is a crossover thrash band from Venice, California, founded by singer Dan Clements and guitarist Adam Siegel in 1983. They were influenced by early punk rock bands like the Germs and Black Flag, as well as heavy metal bands like Black Sabbath, Trouble, Slayer, Corrosion of Conformity and Cryptic Slaughter. Being influenced by street art, Excel is also known for painting graffiti on the streets of the cities where they make their tours, hence why there are many different logos of the band.

<i>The Jokes on You</i> 1989 studio album by Excel

The Joke's on You is the second album by Excel, released in 1989. The song "The Joke's on You" was already released on the previous album, Split Image. This album saw something of a departure from the hardcore punk influences of its predecessor, boasting a more traditional thrash metal sound, akin to that of Anthrax and Bay Area bands like Exodus, Testament, Forbidden or Vio-lence. The album also features doom metal influences, as well as some of the earliest examples of groove metal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Siegel</span> Musical artist

Adam Siegel is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and graphic designer from Venice, California, United States. KISS, Black Sabbath, Sweet, Jimmy Page and the Sex Pistols are the musicians he cites as main influences.

<i>Lost My Brain! (Once Again)</i> 1996 studio album by Cyco Miko

Lost My Brain! is the first of two solo albums from Mike "Cyco Miko" Muir – lead singer of Suicidal Tendencies and Infectious Grooves. It was released in January 1996 on the Epic Records label. 2001 saw the release of a follow-up album, Schizophrenic Born Again Problem Child.

Truly is an American rock band formed in the wake of the grunge era. It featured singer-guitarist Robert Roth, bassist Hiro Yamamoto, and drummer Mark Pickerel. Yamamoto and Pickerel were founding members respectively of Soundgarden and Screaming Trees. While not a commercially successful group like some of their Seattle contemporaries, the band lasted a decade with two studio albums to their name.

Slik Toxik was a Canadian hard rock band formed in 1988 in Toronto.

<i>Of the Blue Colour of the Sky</i> 2010 studio album by OK Go

Of the Blue Colour of the Sky is the third studio album by American rock band OK Go. It was released on January 12, 2010, on Capitol Records in the US and EMI in the UK, and re-released on the band's independent label Paracadute Records on April 1. The album was produced by Dave Fridmann and was recorded in a span of seven months at Fridmann's Tarbox Road Studios in Cassadaga, New York. The compilation's name, lyrics, and concept are based on The Influence of the Blue Ray of the Sunlight and of the Blue Colour of the Sky, a pseudoscientific book published in 1876. Its style was noted as a significant departure from the power pop of their earlier albums. After the band's split with EMI and Capitol, Paracadute took over the promotional campaign and all distribution responsibilities. The compilation received generally positive reviews from music critics upon release and debuted at number 40 on Billboard 200 chart, making it their highest-charting album in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Bacolas</span> American musician (born 1969)

Johnny Bacolas is an American musician, composer and producer. He is best known for his work with the post-grunge band Second Coming, where he played bass guitar. He was also a founding member of the band Sleze, which was later renamed Alice N' Chains, The Crying Spell, Lotus Crush, and The Rumba Kings.

James Bergstrom is an American musician best known as the drummer for the band Second Coming. Before that, he played drums for the band Sleze, which also featured future Alice in Chains vocalist Layne Staley.

Greg Saenz is an American drummer from Highland Park, California, currently based in Coachella Valley. He started playing for groups around North East Los Angeles in 1985, mainly influenced by drummers such as John Bonham, Cozy Powell and Phil Taylor. He later joined Excel where he stayed for several years. Saenz is a former member of My Head and the Dwarves. He occasionally serves as a touring drummer for Yawning Man, and is currently a touring drummer for John Garcia and the Band of Gold.

Shaun Ross is a bassist from Venice, California, and former member of Excel, a band he performed with from 1985 until its dissolution. He took his first inspirations from very different kinds of music, like Rudimentary Peni, Jungle Brothers, Sly and the Family Stone and Deep Purple. Also he released an EP with the Thrash metal group Hirax in 2001.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Excel — 1990 - Can Control >> Static-Void". Archived from the original on March 6, 2005. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
  2. "MY HEAD | Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos". Myspace.com. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  3. "My Head - Endless Bummer - Amazon.com Music". Amazon. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  4. "Videos". Artistdirect.com. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  5. "My Head - Endless Bummer". Discogs.com. Retrieved September 11, 2020.