Pinkerton Thugs
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Headquarters | Kennebunk , United States |
| Products | Punk rock music, albums, EPs |
The Pinkerton Thugs were a punk rock group originating from Kennebunk, Maine.
History
Initially formed in July 1994 under several different names, the ensemble officially adopted the Pinkerton Thugs moniker in March 1996, inspired by the Pinkerton National Detective Agency. The founding members included drummer and vocalist Paul Russo, guitarist and vocalist Micah Smaldone, alongside bassist James Whitten. Their musical style was influenced by punk pioneers such as Sham 69, the Clash, Conflict, and Crass, as well as politically charged folk songs from artists like Woody Guthrie. Renowned for their vigorous performances and staunch anarchist ideology, the band members also established the now-defunct Anarchist Liberty Union, which focused on distributing anarchist literature and promoting activist networking. Throughout much of this era, Russo simultaneously played with Boston’s The Unseen, a band with whom the Pinkerton Thugs often shared the stage.
Their first release was a self-issued 7-inch EP titled "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit Of Shit," released on Police Records (U.S.) in August 1996 and later re-released by Nefer Records (Canada) in 1997. The Pinkerton Thugs produced two full-length albums: The Pain and The Pinkerton Thugs (VML Records, 1997) and End Of an Era (Go Kart Records, 2000). Additionally, they contributed to a split 7-inch with the Ducky Boys on Police Records and issued a 7-inch called "The Times" through Go Kart Records. In subsequent recordings, Russo took on drumming duties and added guitar parts to his compositions, while Tommy "Von" Gatton, who joined in 1998, performed drums during live shows. Following Smaldone’s exit in early 1999, Russo assumed sole lead vocal responsibilities. The band temporarily enlisted Scott (from The Unseen) and Bill Brown (Crash and Burn) as lead guitarists before James Lynch of The Ducky Boys joined permanently; however, Lynch played only one performance before departing to become part of the Dropkick Murphys.
Break-up and subsequent projects
The Pinkerton Thugs' final concert occurred in February 2000 at Boston’s Karma Club. Their album End of an Era was released posthumously in June 2000, approximately eighteen months after its recording. The group officially dissolved in October of that year, announcing their disbandment via their website.
Following the breakup, Micah Smaldone and Tommy Von formed the hardcore outfit Cops and Robbers, which disbanded in 2001. Smaldone went on to release multiple solo records under the name Micah Blue Smaldone and also contributed guitar work for Out Cold, the Shods, The Racketeers, and Fire on Fire. Tommy Von later joined bands such as Cut the Shit, The Prowl, and Il Mostro. Paul Russo remained active with The Unseen until 2003 before launching solo endeavors under aliases like Paul and The Strings and Americana Romantic; he additionally performed with Boston’s punk band The Vigilantes until their breakup in 2002. James Lynch has continued his tenure with Dropkick Murphys since joining in 2000.
Reunion
In 2008, the Pinkerton Thugs reunited officially and remained active until 2012. With Micah Blue Smaldone and James Lynch unavailable for this period, Mike "Rufio" Kadomiya joined as a second guitarist. By December 2011, the band had signed with Jailhouse Records and commenced writing new songs for their first full-length album since End Of An Era. Early in 2012 saw the departures of James Whitten, Tom Gatton, and Mike Kadomiya. Subsequently, Paul Russo brought in Johnny Noise, Tommy Collins, and Vlad Wormwood to support a U.S. tour during the summer. Prior to these lineup changes, they had recorded a second split 7-inch with the Ducky Boys, which was released in August 2012. Since then, the band has remained inactive.
Studio albums
- The Pain and the Pinkerton Thugs CD/LP (1997), V.M.L. Records; re-released in 2012 by Jailhouse Records
- End of an Era CD (2000), Go-Kart Records; reissued in 2017 through State Line Records
EPs
- Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Shit 7-inch (1996), Police/Nefer Records
- Another Day, Another Story split 7-inch alongside the Ducky Boys (1998), Police Records
- The Times 7-inch (1999), A-F/Go-Kart Records
- 45 split 7-inch with the Ducky Boys (2012), Jailhouse Records
See also
Further reading
External links
- The Pinkerton Thugs on Myspace
- The Pinkerton Thugs on Facebook
- Cops and Robbers on Myspace
- Jailhouse Records - Current Record Label