Urinals (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Founder | John Talley-Jones, Kjehl Johansen, Kevin Barrett |
| Headquarters | Southern California , United States |
| Products | Punk rock music |
The Urinals are a punk rock group originating from Southern California, recognized for their stripped-down songwriting style—often characterized as "punk haiku." Emerging as a significant force in the punk movement of the 1970s and 1980s, they influenced bands such as the Minutemen. Throughout their career, they have also performed under the names 100 Flowers and Chairs of Perception.
History
Formed in 1978 by John Talley-Jones, Kjehl Johansen, and Kevin Barrett, the Urinals initially came together for a parody act at their UCLA dormitory’s talent show. Despite having minimal musical proficiency, they continued to perform at campus venues with brief tracks that rarely exceeded two chords.
Their debut performance beyond campus took place at Raul’s in Austin, Texas. Returning to Los Angeles, they shared the stage with notable groups including The Go-Go's and Black Flag. Their first release was a roughly produced four-song EP, with Vitus Matare (of The Last and later Trotsky Icepick) serving as producer. After refining their musical direction, they adopted the name 100 Flowers—an homage to Chairman Mao Zedong's famous phrase—before disbanding in 1983.
The band reunited under the Urinals moniker in 1996 and issued new recordings by 2003. Later on, they performed as Chairs of Perception, a name inspired by Aldous Huxley's The Doors of Perception, before returning once again to the Urinals identity in 2008.
Discography
- The Urinals (7-inch EP, 1978, Happy Squid Records)
- Another EP (7-inch EP, 1979, Happy Squid Records)
- "Sex"/"Go Away Girl" (7-inch EP, 1980, Happy Squid Records)
- Negative Capability...Check It Out! (CD, 1996, Amphetamine Reptile Records; reissued on CD in 2004 by Warning Label Records; LP version released in 2013 by In The Red)
- What Is Real and What Is Not (CD, 2003, Warning Label)
- Next Year At Marienbad (CD/LP, 2015, Happy Squid Records)
As 100 Flowers:
- Presence of Mind (7-inch EP, 1982, Happy Squid)
- 100 Flowers (LP, 1983, Happy Squid)
- Drawing Fire (EP, 1984, Happy Squid)
- 100 Years of Pulchritude (CD, 1990, Rhino Records)
Compilation appearances
- The Happy Squid Sampler (1980, Happy Squid)
- Features "U"
- Life is Ugly So Why Not Kill Yourself (1982, New Underground Records)
- Features "She's a Drone"
- Human Music (1988, Homestead)
- Features "I'm Like You"
- Warfrat Tales (Unabridged) (2005, Avebury Records)
- Features both "I'm Like You" and "Scholastic Aptitude"
As 100 Flowers:
- Keats Rides A Harley (1981, Happy Squid; reissued in 2005 by Warning Label Records)
- Includes "Salmonella"
- Hell Comes To Your House (1981, Bemisbrain)
- Includes "Reject Yourself"
- Life is Ugly So Why Not Kill Yourself (1982, New Underground Records)
- Includes "Sensible Virgins"
- Warfrat Tales (1983, Warfrat Grammophon; reissued in 2005 by Avebury Records)
- Includes "100 Flowers" and "From the Fire"
- The Radio Tokyo Tapes (1983, Ear Movie)
- Includes "The Long Arm of the Social Sciences"
Cover versions
The song "Ack Ack Ack Ack" was covered by the Minutemen under the title "Ack Ack Ack" on their albums The Politics of Time and 3-Way Tie (For Last). The video for this cover was directed by Talley-Jones and became Minutemen's final video due to D. Boon's passing.
No Age performed a rendition of "Male Masturbation" on their EP titled Eraser.
Mika Miko recorded a cover of "Sex" featured on their album We Be Xuxa.
Yo La Tengo has covered both "Black Hole," included on their Little Honda EP, and "Surfin' with the Shah". The track "Black Hole" has additionally been interpreted by Leaving Trains, Angry Angles, Women, Gun Club, and Grass Widow.
"I'm a Bug" has seen covers from artists such as Halo of Flies, Lili Z. on her Let's Go 7-inch release, The Meatmen on their album Cover the Earth, Ceremony on their "Hysteria" 7-inch record, Sex Cult on the Plain Jane 7-inch single, and Metz.
"Hologram" was reimagined by both Digital Leather on the LP Sorcerer and Human Eye on their Dinosaur Bones 7-inch.
Additional musicians who have covered songs by the Urinals include Butthole Surfers, The Dishes, The Reds, Kings of Leon, Mike Watt, and Eleventh Dream Day.