Mustard Plug

Last updated

Mustard Plug
Origin Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States
Genres Ska punk, pop punk
Years active1991–present
Labels Hopeless, No Idea Records, Bad Time Records
MembersDave Kirchgessner
Brandon Jenison
Jim Hofer
Nate Cohn
Colin Clive
Mark Petz
Greg Witulski
Past membersRick Johnson
Bleu VanDyke
Michael Skowron
Craig DeYoung
Nick Varano
Bob Kneisel
Kevin Dixon
Brad Rozier
John Massel
Matt Van
Brandon Power
Mike McKendrick
Website www.mustardplug.com

Mustard Plug is an American ska punk band from Grand Rapids, Michigan, consisting of Dave Kirchgessner (vocals), Brandon Jenison (trumpet), Jim Hofer (trombone), Nate Cohn (drums), Colin Clive (guitar/vocals), Mark Petz (tenor saxophone) and Greg Witulski (bass).

Contents

Formed in 1991, the band has regularly toured throughout the United States, Europe, Japan, and South America. They have toured with the Warped Tour twice, and participated in the Ska Against Racism Tour. As of 2024, the band has released eight studio albums and continues to tour actively.

Explaining the band's goal, Jim Hofer said, "We may have some messages in our music, but essentially we just do this because we love it and we want people to lighten up and have fun." [1]

History

The band formed in 1991 after Colin and Dave both attended a Special Beat show. [2] The band's original members were Dave Kirchgessner, Mike McKendrick, Colin Clive, and Anthony Vilchez. There was virtually no ska scene in Grand Rapids at the time, so Mustard Plug was able to develop a unique sound and draw a large following. [3]

Brandon Jenison stated in an interview that their band name originated when "a guy in the early stages of the band was making a sandwich and that crusty stuff that forms on the mustard bottle when you put it in the fridge without wiping it off first gave him an interesting idea for a name." [4]

In 2002, the band released Yellow #5 , and supported the album for years on tour. In 2005, they released the "greatest hits" album Masterpieces: 1991–2002 .

Mustard Plug was on the label Hopeless Records for many years, but had a period of free agency until their signing with Bad Time Records. [5] [6]

The band celebrated their 20th anniversary in 2011 with a national tour. [7]

In 2012 the band had an idea for a live album called Mustard Plug:Live!, but canceled in favor of their 2014 album Can't Contain It , the recording of which was funded via Kickstarter. [8] The album features cover art by Jeff Rosenstock of Bomb the Music Industry.

In May 2017, the band performed at Pouzza Fest in Montreal. In 2019, they embarked on a tour of Japan. The band continues to perform around the United States on a regular basis. In 2021, long-time bassist Rick Johnson left the group. [9]

On September 8, 2023, the band released Where Did All My Friends Go?, their first studio album in 9 years, on DIY label Bad Time Records.

Discography

Albums

Music videos

Lost music videos

Hopeless Records compilation appearances

Line-up

Past members

Timeline

Mustard Plug

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Toasters</span> American ska band

The Toasters are one of the original American third wave of ska bands. Founded in New York City in 1981, the band has released nine studio albums, primarily through Moon Ska Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Less Than Jake</span> American punk band

Less Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida, formed in 1992. The band consists of Chris DeMakes, Roger Lima, Matt Yonker (drums), Buddy Schaub (trombone), and Peter "JR" Wasilewski (saxophone).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Go Jimmy Go</span>

Go Jimmy Go was an American ska, rocksteady, reggae and soul influenced band from Honolulu, Hawaii. Although chronologically, the band belongs to the third-wave, their mellow, slower tempo sound is reminiscent of the classic style of the original 1960s Jamaican first wave of ska.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voodoo Glow Skulls</span> American ska punk band

Voodoo Glow Skulls are an American ska punk band formed in 1988 in Riverside, California, by brothers Frank, Eddie, and Jorge Casillas and their longtime friend Jerry O'Neill. Voodoo Glow Skulls first played at backyard parties and later at Spanky's Café in their hometown of Riverside, where they played shows with the Angry Samoans, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Firehose, Murphy's Law, and The Dickies.

Catch 22 is an American ska punk band from East Brunswick Township, New Jersey. The band was formed in 1996 by guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Tomas Kalnoky, who left the band in 1998 and later formed Streetlight Manifesto. Founding members still in the band are vocalist/saxophonist Ryan Eldred, trumpeter Kevin Gunther, drummer Chris Greer, and trombonist Jamie Egan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big D and the Kids Table</span> American ska punk band

Big D and the Kids Table is a ska punk band formed in October 1995 in Boston, Massachusetts, when its members converged in college. Their first release was on their own Fork in Hand Records label, but have since teamed with Springman Records and SideOneDummy. The band has been noted for its strict DIY work ethic, such as engineering, producing, and releasing their own albums and videos and self-promotion of their own shows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Planet Smashers</span>

The Planet Smashers are a Canadian ska punk band from Montreal. Since their formation in 1993, they have been a staple of the Montreal music scene. During the third wave of ska, they performed nationally and later internationally, with tours in the United States, Europe, and Japan. Founding member Matt Collyer helped establish Stomp Records in 1994, which featured many ska and ska punk bands, including Montreal's The Kingpins, The Flatliners, The Know How, and Bedouin Soundclash. Their music has been used in the Japanese flash series Catman, Canadian show Radio Free Roscoe, and MTV's Undergrads. Lyrics by The Planet Smashers often deal with topics such as love, partying and good times, and sometimes use tongue-in-cheek innuendo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lightyear (band)</span> British ska punk band

Lightyear is a seven-piece British ska punk band formed in Derby, England, in 1997. They were part of a UK music scene that mixed ska punk with other genres including funk, indie-rock and hip-hop. The band signed to Household Name Records in 2001, and released two full-length albums before splitting in 2003. Since 2006 the band have had a number of reunions.

Let's Go Bowling is an American third wave ska band hailing from Fresno, California. Since the band's inception in the year 1986, the band's traditional ska style, barbershop harmonies, wisely crafted instrumentals, and its frantic live performances, helped set the standard for dress and culture for West Coast Ska, which in turn, set the groundwork for the Third Wave Movement in 1995.

The Scofflaws are a Huntington, Long Island, New York-based third wave ska band that debuted in 1988. Known for their rambunctious live shows, technically proficient horn solos and tight arrangements, the Scofflaws were one of the top third wave ska acts of the '90s and one of the most beloved bands on the now-defunct Moon Ska label, as well as the center and focal point of the once-thriving Long Island ska scene.

Edna's Goldfish was an American ska punk band from Long Island, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spring Heeled Jack (band)</span>

Spring Heeled Jack is a third wave ska band based out of New Haven, Connecticut. The band was formed by guitarist/vocalist Ron Ragona and drummer Dave Karcich in 1991. After a short breakup, Ragona and Karcich reformed the band with a new lineup. This lineup went on to record two albums before announcing a hiatus in 2000. While the band members moved on to perform in several new bands, their intention was to play the occasional reunion show. This plan would never come to fruition as a cerebral aneurysm would be cause for Karcich's death in 2002. In 2015, several band members returned to reform the band full-time. A third studio album, Sound Salvation, followed in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bomb the Music Industry!</span> American ska punk musical collective

Bomb the Music Industry! was an American punk rock musical collective from Baldwin, Nassau County, New York, United States, led by singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Jeff Rosenstock.

<i>Evildoers Beware!</i> 1997 studio album by Mustard Plug

Evildoers Beware! is the third album by Mustard Plug. It was released in March 1997 by Hopeless Records on CD, LP, and cassette. The album sold 90,000 copies. Music from the album was featured in the 2001 video game Sunny Garcia Surfing. A yellow LP version was reissued in the mid-2010s.

<i>Yellow No. 5</i> (album) 2002 studio album by Mustard Plug

Yellow #5 is the fifth album by Mustard Plug. It was named after the ingredient of malt liquor energy drinks, such as Sparks, Tilt, and Core.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deal's Gone Bad</span> American band

Deal's Gone Bad is a band from Chicago, Illinois. Their sound mixes reggae, rocksteady, and ska music with American soul. They have been together since 1994, with numerous lineup changes over the years. The current incarnation has been mostly stable since 2003. The band hews to a more traditional ska-reggae sound while many others working in the genre morphed into a more punk variety.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roomful of Blues</span> American jump blues and swing revival big band

Roomful of Blues is an American jump blues and swing revival big band based in Rhode Island. With a recording career that spans over 50 years, they have toured worldwide and recorded many albums. Roomful of Blues, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, "Swagger, sway and swing with energy and precision". Since 1967, the group’s blend of swing, rock and roll, jump blues, boogie-woogie and soul has earned it five Grammy Award nominations and many other accolades, including seven Blues Music Awards. Billboard called the band "a tour de force of horn-fried blues…Roomful is so tight and so right." The Down Beat International Critics Poll has twice selected Roomful of Blues as Best Blues Band.

The Skatalites are a ska band from Jamaica. They played initially between 1963 and 1965, and recorded many of their best known songs in the period, including "Guns of Navarone." They also played on records by Prince Buster and backed many other Jamaican artists who recorded during that period, including Bob Marley & The Wailers, on their first single "Simmer Down." They reformed in 1983 and have played together ever since.

I Voted for Kodos was an American ska punk and pop punk band, signed to Snapdragon Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Brass Action</span> Canadian six-piece independent band

The Brass Action was a Canadian six-piece independent band from Vancouver, British Columbia. The band played a unique style that mixes the intensity of punk rock and rockabilly with the dancy, horn driven sounds of ska.

References

  1. Early, Rosalind (May 9, 2011). "Mustard Plug Wants You To Know Ska is Not Dead". Stlmag.com. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  2. "mustard plug - history". Archived from the original on March 5, 2012.
  3. "Garageland: Mustard Plug • Music / Video • exclaim.ca". Archived from the original on September 29, 2012.
  4. Housewives? (July 6, 2007). "Battle of the Midwestern Housewives: Mustard Plug Interview: Talks about New Album, Breakfast Cereals, and more!". Midwesternhousewives.blogspot.com. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  5. "MUSTARD PLUG". Bad Time Records. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  6. Gr, Rachael Recker | The; Press, Rapids (July 15, 2010). "Mustard Plug plays Bikestock Dos in downtown Grand Rapids". Mlive.com. Retrieved March 27, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. "Mustard Plug delivers ska to the Midwest, South". Soundspike.com. Archived from the original on May 9, 2011. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  8. "Mustard Plug New Record!". Kickstarter.com. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  9. "Pouzza Fest, 7th Edition - May 19 to 21, 2017". CJLO AM Radio, by Robert Portnoff // May 29, 2017