Slow Gherkin

Slow Gherkin
Slow Gherkin in 2004
Background information
Origin	Santa Cruz, California, United States
Genres	Third Wave Ska Ska punk Alternative rock
Years active	1993–2002; 2016-present
Labels	Asian Man Records
Members	A.J. Marquez Zach "ZK" Kent Phil Boutelle James Rickman Brigham Housman Josh "Monty" Montgomery "Polka" Peter Cowan Rob Pratt Matt Porter Zack "Ollie" Olsen Achilles Poloynis Ross Peard Brendan Thompson
Website	http://www.slowgherkin.com

Slow Gherkin is an American ska punk band from Santa Cruz, California, United States.

Slow Gherkin was formed in 1993 by teenagers AJ Marquez, Zack "ZK" Kent, Phil Boutelle, and James Rickman. They released their first album, Double Happiness, which was distributed by Asian Man Records, in 1996. They released their second album, Shed Some Skin, in 1998. In 2002, the band released Run Screaming, their final album. ^{[1] [2]} The band played their last performance in 2002. ^[3] They played a reunion concert at Santa Cruz's Rio Theater on June 18, 2011. ^{[4] [5]} Their next show was in New York City in 2014. ^[3] In 2016, the band reunited to play at the Asian Man Records 20 year anniversary show and released two new singles on "Lives". In 2018, the band played a few shows in California as well.^{[ citation needed ]}. On August 29, 2025 the band reunited once again playing a show in their hometown of Santa Cruz. ^[6] The following month in September 2025, the band played the Supernova Ska Festival in Hampton, VA. Rumors currently loom suggesting an actual full return of the band.

Discography

• Death of a Salesman (1994) (7" vinyl)
• Double Happiness (1997) (CD and 12" vinyl) ^[7]
• Shed Some Skin (1998) (CD and 12" vinyl) ^[8]
• Another in Your Life (1998) (7" vinyl)
• Invisible Tank Slow Gherkin/Jeffries Fan Club split (1998) (CD)
• Slow Gherkin/RX Bandits split (1999) (CD)
• Roman Holiday (2000) (CD) ^{[9] [10] [11]}
• Run Screaming (2002) (CD) ^{[12] [13] [14]}
• Hatchet Job Slow Gherkin/Caezer Soze split (2004) (CD)
• Death of a Ska Band: Rarities 1994–2002 ^[1] (2011) (CD)

Current projects

In 2007, Rickman started The Stitch Up, with MU330 front man Dan Potthast. He plays the bass and adds backup vocals.

Matt Porter and A.J. Marquez are currently in a group The Huxtables. A.J. Marquez, Matt Porter, Phil Boutelle all play in Dan P and the Bricks as well.

Zack Olsen is a drummer, drum technician and educator based out of Santa Cruz. ^[15] . Olsen plays drums in several bands with genres spanning from jazz, rock, funk and reggae based in the Santa Cruz area. As a technician, he is the head drum technician of Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz as well as the annual Monterey Jazz Festival in Monterey, California, working with numerous musicians every year. As an educator, he runs a studio in Soquel offering private lessons as well as teaching in education programs around the Santa Cruz Area.

References

• "Ruder Than You". Metroactive.com. Retrieved September 30, 2008.
• "The Gherkin Chronicles". Metroactive.com. Retrieved September 30, 2008.

1. "Slow Gherkin". AllMusic. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
2. "Slow Gherkin". Good Times. June 15, 2011. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
3. "Slow Gherkin Reunites for NYC Show, Announces Phoenix Theater Date". Bohemian | Sonoma & Napa Counties. June 9, 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
4. "Slow Gherkin Reunites". www.santacruz.com. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
5. Baine, Wallace (June 16, 2011). "Rebirth of a ska band: the return of Slow Gherkin". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
6. http://eventsantacruz.com/slow-gherkin-rocks-midtown-fridays-streetlight-records-50th-anniversary-party/
7. "Double Happiness - Slow Gherkin". AllMusic. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
8. "Shed Some Skin - Slow Gherkin". AllMusic. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
9. "Album Review: Slow Gherkin - Roman Holiday". DrownedInSound. December 21, 2000. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
10. "SLOW GHERKIN Roman Holiday - A Collection (1998 - 2000)". www.ox-fanzine.de (in German). Spring 2001. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
11. "Slow Gherkin: Roman Holiday - A Collection: 1998 - 2000". VISIONS.de (in German). Retrieved July 24, 2024.
12. "Run Screaming - Slow Gherkin". AllMusic. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
13. Winter, Greg (September 30, 2002). "Reviews SLOW GHERKIN Run Screaming (Asian Man)" (PDF). CMJ New Music Report. No. 782. p. 7. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
14. "SLOW GHERKIN Run Screaming CD". www.ox-fanzine.de (in German). December 2002 – February 2003. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
15. https://zackolsen.com/about-zack/bio/

External links

• "Lives, by Slow Gherkin". Bandcamp.