Killdozer (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Founder | Bill Hobson, Dan Hobson, Michael Gerald |
| Defunct | 1996 |
| Headquarters | Madison , United States |
| Products | Albums, EPs, Singles |
Killdozer was a noise rock band originating from Madison, Wisconsin in 1983, founded by Bill Hobson, Dan Hobson, and Michael Gerald. Their name was inspired by the 1974 television film Killdozer!. That same year, they launched their first album, Intellectuals are the Shoeshine Boys of the Ruling Elite. The group disbanded in 1990 but reunited in 1993 with Paul Zagoras stepping in for Bill Hobson on guitar, maintaining activity until their ultimate dissolution in 1996. Their concluding tour, titled "Fuck You, We Quit!", included Erik Tunison of Die Kreuzen on drums and Jeff Ditzenberger on guitar. Throughout their career, Killdozer released nine albums, one of which was a live recording issued posthumously called The Last Waltz.
History
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Killdozer primarily released music through Touch and Go Records, frequently sharing tours with fellow label artists such as Butthole Surfers, Scratch Acid, and Big Black. The band often worked with producer and Madison native Butch Vig, while their 1995 record God Hears Pleas of the Innocent was produced by Steve Albini of Big Black. Their album Twelve Point Buck played a significant role in introducing Butch Vig to influential figures like Kurt Cobain and Billy Corgan.
The founding members came together again for the 25th anniversary celebration of Touch and Go Records held in Chicago on September 9, 2006. Advertised with flyers stating "Fuck You, We Reunite!", this reunion spurred additional tour dates across the United States in the fall of 2008 due to high fan interest.
Drummer Dan Hobson stayed active within Madison’s music community by performing with Cement Pond alongside members from The Gomers. Cement Pond’s album Vanilla Guerilla was released in 2005 under Corporate Hell Inc. Michael Gerald moved into a legal career based in Los Angeles but lent his vocals to New Jersey band Hunchback’s rendition of Christina Aguilera’s "Beautiful" on their 2008 release Pray For Scars. Bill Hobson is currently employed as a grip in Los Angeles.
In 2006, indie labels -ismist Recordings and Crustacean Records issued a tribute compilation titled We Will Bury You, featuring 28 tracks. Killdozer contributed two pieces: a cover of The Trammps' "Disco Inferno" and a remix by Butch Vig of "King of Sex" from their 1985 album Snake Boy.
Artistry
Killdozer distinguished themselves with slow, heavy song arrangements paired with darkly comedic lyrics delivered in a menacing growl by vocalist/guitarist Michael Gerald. Their material frequently explored unsettling stories set in small-town environments through a cynical, left-wing political lens. Despite grunge being closely linked to Seattle, Killdozer is acknowledged as an important precursor to that genre.
Their reputation was further enhanced by notable cover versions such as Don McLean's "American Pie," which appeared on their 1989 album consisting entirely of covers titled For Ladies Only. Additionally, Gerald performed Jessi Colter's "I'm Not Lisa" on the 1986 EP Burl, dedicated to Burl Ives. This EP is fully included on the CD edition of their 1994 album Uncompromising War on Art Under the Dictatorship of the Proletariat.
Albums
- The Shoeshine Boys of the Ruling Elite Are Intellectuals (1984)
- Boy of the Serpent (1985)
- Little Buntin Baby (1987)
- Buck with Twelve Points (1989)
- Art Under Siege: The Unyielding War During the Proletariat's Dictatorship (1994)
- God Listens to the Innocent's Cries (1995)
Live albums
- The Final Waltz (1997, Man's Ruin Records; reissued 2006, Crustacean Records)
Compilations
- Exclusively for Ladies (1989) – also released as a picture disc
EPs
- Burl EP (1986)
Singles
- "Yow!" ("Lupus" backed with "Nasty") (1989)
- "Her Mother's Grief" backed with "Short Eyes" (1989, Amphetamine Reptile Records)
- "The Pig Was Cool" backed with "Unbelievable" (1993)
- "We Will Crush You" 10", a joint effort with Ritual Device (1995, Man's Ruin Records)
- "Michael Gerald's Party Machine Presents!", in collaboration with Alice Donut (1996)
- "Go Big Red" ("Sonnet '96" backed with "I Saw the Light") (1996, -ismist Recordings)