Hagfish (band)
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1991 in Sherman, Texas, United States |
| Headquarters | Sherman , United States |
| Products | Studio albums, live albums, EPs, singles |
| Website | hagfishonline |
Hagfish was a rock group originating from Sherman, Texas, known for their performances in Dallas's Deep Ellum neighborhood. Their sound combined elements of punk and alternative rock, with the main members being lead singer George Stroud Reagan III, guitarist Zach Blair, bassist Doni Blair, and drummer Tony Barsotti. Established by the Blair siblings in 1991, Hagfish rose to prominence alongside fellow 1990s Dallas/Fort Worth alternative bands such as Tripping Daisy and Toadies. Drawing inspiration from the Descendents and All, members of these bands produced two of Hagfish’s studio records. Although the band dissolved in 2001, they have reunited occasionally for live performances.
Origins, initial phase and Buick Men (1991–1994)
Hagfish came together in Dallas when brothers guitarist Zach Blair and bassist Doni Blair teamed up with drummer Banning Lyon following the breakup of his former band. They brought in vocalist James Newhouse from Terminal Rot. Early gigs saw Hagfish opening for groups like All, Swervedriver, and Poster Children. Their demo tape showcased punk influences reminiscent of the Descendents, with tracks including "Tallman" and "Maybe."
Due to internal discord, Lyon left the band; John Frum took over on drums and added guitarist Mike Brown, expanding Hagfish to a five-piece ensemble. Despite growing fan support, ongoing conflicts caused instability. Newhouse was dismissed and later died in a car accident in 1994. After an unsuccessful recording attempt, the Blair brothers parted ways with Frum and Brown but kept the Hagfish name intact. They briefly reunited with Lyon before recruiting George Stroud Reagan III as their new frontman.
Following Lyon’s second departure, Scott Carter became the drummer in 1993. The band began work on their debut album Buick Men, but midway through recording Carter was replaced by Tony Barsotti, who completed the lineup that would last nearly ten years. Released that same year on Dragon Street Records, a label that supported local acts like Tripping Daisy, Buick Men was succeeded by a four-track 7" EP released through BYO Records in 1994.
Rocks Your Lame Ass era and touring (1995–1997)
With a consistent lineup secured, Hagfish signed with London Records and recorded their follow-up album at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado. Production was handled by Bill Stevenson and Stephen Egerton from Descendents and All. The album Rocks Your Lame Ass, released on June 27, 1995, combined six new songs with re-recorded tracks from Buick Men, resulting in a more refined sound.
To support the release, Hagfish embarked on their first major tour alongside Bad Brains. Over the next year, they opened for numerous bands including Bad Brains, ALL, ZEKE, Everclear, NOFX, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Offspring, Face to Face, Die Artze, The Reverend Horton Heat, and the Supersuckers. A prominent feature on KROQ's Loveline program in August 1995 helped elevate their visibility. Rocks Your Lame Ass became their most commercially successful album, highlighted by singles "Stamp" and "Happiness," which received airplay on MTV's 120 Minutes. In 1996, they earned the title of best Alternative Rock/Pop act from the Dallas Observer.
Despite this success, sales figures were disappointing, causing friction with London Records. The label declined to release their follow-up album and subsequently dropped Hagfish; only the track "Unidentified" from those sessions was made available as a free download on the band's website. The unreleased album was later reworked and independently issued. In 1997, Hagfish released a second 7" vinyl EP through Go-Kart Records.
Hagfish, Coldfront era, and disbandment (1998–2001)
Following setbacks with their previous record company, Hagfish returned to The Blasting Room studios, working again with Stevenson and Egerton to produce their third studio album. The eponymous Hagfish was released on March 24, 1998, via Honest Don's Records, a label affiliated with Fat Wreck Chords. This album featured two tracks that had earlier appeared as b-sides on the "Happiness" single: an initial version of "18 Days" (originally titled "New Year's Song") and a live rendition of They Might Be Giants' "Twisting". The band supported the release with a tour.
On March 2, 1999, Hagfish unveiled Caught Live, a live album produced by the Blair brothers and released through Coldfront Records. The recording took place in October 1998 at Trees in Dallas and included songs from both Rocks Your Lame Ass and Hagfish, alongside non-album tracks like "Grin Doggy" and "Moaner". In 2000, they put out a limited edition interview disc featuring their 1995 appearance on Loveline. Their compilation collection That Was Then, This Is Then followed in 2001, gathering b-sides, unreleased recordings, and contributions to various compilations. Touring activities ended that year, which eventually led to multiple breakups.
Reunions and activities after disbandment
Since parting ways in 2001, the members of Hagfish have engaged in other ventures while occasionally reuniting. On April 18, 2003, they came together again at Dallas's Gypsy Tea Room, debuting three new songs and announcing intentions for a fourth studio album slated for late 2003 or early 2004. The next month, they toured alongside Lagwagon and performed at the Buzz-Oven Festival. Nonetheless, their official website ceased updates after March 7, 2004, and no further albums have been released since. Another reunion took place on June 18, 2006, once more at the Gypsy Tea Room.
Following Hagfish’s dissolution, the Blair brothers continued collaborating across different projects. They established Armstrong and released the album Dick, the Lion-Hearted in 2002 with Brad Roberts from Gwar; notably, four tracks were co-written by Zach Blair and George Reagan for an unreleased Hagfish project. In 2003, they joined Only Crime, alongside producer Bill Stevenson (Descendents, All) plus Russ Rankin (Good Riddance) and Aaron Dalbec (Bane), issuing the albums To the Nines and Virulence before moving on to other endeavors. By 2006, they also appeared with Stevenson on The Mag Seven’s instrumental release The Future Is Ours, If You Can Count.
After Hagfish disbanded, Reagan devoted time to his family and briefly participated in hip hop group The Brothers. Tony Barsotti ventured into furniture design by founding his own company. Zach Blair performed as Flattus Maximus with Gwar from 1999 until 2002, contributing to the albums You're All Worthless and Weak and Violence Has Arrived. He became lead guitarist for Rise Against in 2007, first appearing on their album Appeal to Reason. Their subsequent release in 2011, Endgame, reached number two on the US Billboard 200 chart. That same year, Reagan launched a music-focused blog titled Hagfish is Dead. Doni Blair joined the Toadies following their reunion and the releases of No Deliverance (2008) and Feeler, contributing to their 2012 record Play.Rock.Music.
Band lineup
- George Stroud Reagan III – lead vocalist (1993–2001, 2003–2004, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2014–2019)
- Zach Blair – guitarist, backing vocals (1991–2001, 2003–2004, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2014–2019)
- Doni Blair – bassist (1991–2001, 2003–2004, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2014–2019)
- Tony Barsotti – drummer, backing vocals (1993–2001, 2003–2004, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2014–2019)
- Previous members
- Banning Lyon – drums (1991–1992, 1993)
- James Newhouse – lead singer (1991–1992)
- John Frum – drummer (1992)
- Mike Brown – guitarist (1992)
- Scott Carter – drums (1993)
Studio albums
| Year | Album information |
|---|---|
| 1993 | Buick Men
|
| 1995 | ...Rocks Your Lame Ass
|
| 1998 | Hagfish
|
Live recordings
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 1999 | Caught Live
|
Compilation albums
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 2001 | That Was Then, This Is Then
|
EPs
Both EPs and the final studio album share the same self-titled name.
| Year | EP information | Tracklist |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Hagfish
|
|
| 1997 | Hagfish
|
|
Singles
- "Stamp (Eat It While I Work)" (1995) London Records
- "Happiness" (1995) London Records (promotional release only)
Soundtrack appearances and compilations
- Get It Through Your Thick Skull (1993) Idol Records – track "Minit Maid"
- We're From Texas (1993) Scratched Records – demo version of "Happiness"
- How to Start a Fight (1996) Side One Dummy Recordings – song "Red, White & Blue"
- Barb Wire Soundtrack (1996) London Records – cover of "Hot Child in the City" (originally by Nick Gilder)
- Sample This! (1997) BYO/Big Daddy Records – track "Moon"
- Before You Were Punk (1997) Vagrant Records – rendition of "Walking in L.A." (originally by Missing Persons)
- Come On Feel the Metal (1997) Steve Records – cover of "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" (originally by AC/DC)
- Honest Don's Greatest Shits (1998) Honest Don's – track "100% Woman"
- The Blasting Room (1999) Owned & Operated Recordings – song "Moaner"
- Music to Listen to Music By (1999) Coldfront Records – live version of "Stamp"
- Going Nowhere Fast... (1999) Destined to Fail Recordings – track "Envy"
- Serial Killer Compilation (1999) Fearless Records – song "California"
- Not So Quiet on the Coldfront (2002) Coldfront Records – cover of "Teenage Kicks" (originally by The Undertones)
References
- The Stash Dauber: Musings of a Dedicated Music Enthusiast
- Unusual Loveline Episodes
- [1]
- Official Site – hagfishonline.com
- Kaffeine Buzz: Interview with Zach Blair
- Blog: Hagfish is Dead by George Stroud Reagan III