Poison Idea: Американдық панк-рок тобының тарихы

American punk rock band

Poison Idea was an American punk rock band formed in Portland, Oregon, in 1980.

Poison Idea was formed in 1980 by vocalist Jerry A. (aka Jerry Lang). The initial lineup consisted of Jerry A., Chris Tense (bass), and Henry Bogdan (later of Helmet) on drums. Jerry described this early version of the band, in which he sang and played sax, as a "kind of PIL thing" and only lasted a few shows. Jerry and Tense (now on guitar) then hooked up with Glen Estes (bass), and Dean Johnson (drums). Inspired by Black Flag and other early Southern California hardcore acts, they were further influenced by Discharge and Los Angeles's Germs. Germs singer Darby Crash's influence on singer Jerry A., vocally, lyrically, and philosophically, was considerable, and Poison Idea followed the Germs' extremist punk ethic. Tense was replaced within a year by Tom "Pig Champion" Roberts (guitar), formerly of the Imperialist Pigs but he would soon return to the band, this time on bass, replacing Glen Estes (later of Portland, Oregon punk/metal band Final Warning). Poison Idea's debut, 1983's Pick Your King EP, was a short, lo fi blast of hardcore fury. The jacket featured a "choice" of two kings, Jesus (front cover) and Elvis Presley (back cover). After the release of We Must Burn, Pig Champion announced he was no longer willing to tour. The band's final hometown show with Pig Champion was recorded and released as the Pig's Last Stand CD by Sub Pop in 1996. The group continued on briefly as a 4 piece (as documented on the 1995 Your Choice Live release) before calling it quits. Jerry and Thee Slayer Hippy would soon form a short lived band with Jerry's wife, May May Del Castro, called The Gift. A few years later, Jerry resurrected Poison Idea with Dean Johnson, Chris Tense and new guitarist Ian Miller. This lineup appeared on 1998's Learning To Scream 7 inch but the band dissolved shortly afterwards.

Jerry and Pig Champion resurrected Poison Idea again with new members in 2000 to record new material. This material was released in 2006 as The Latest Will and Testament LP. Prior to the album's release, on January 31, 2006, Tom "Pig Champion" Roberts was found dead in his home. On October 6, 2008, Portland police arrested Steve "Thee Slayer Hippy" Hanford, 39, in connection with a string of pharmacy robberies in late summer. In 2015, Poison Idea released the LP Confuse & Conquer on Southern Lord Records. The album featured the return of former guitarist Eric "Vegetable" Olsen and is, as of 2022, their last studio LP. After a 19 month absence, the band returned for one show on July 21, 2018, at the Bossanova Ballroom in Portland, Oregon. It was in celebration of the release of Feel the Darkness 28 years prior. A remixed and remastered album including B sides, outtakes, alternate mixes, plus Live in London, has been re issued by American Leather / TKO Records. In December 2018, Metallica performed a cover of Poison Idea's "Taken By Surprise," a track from Feel the Darkness. It was stated that in Portland, at the Northwest Hesh Fest, September 19–21, 2019, the band would, "reportedly play their last ever hometown show." Steven "Thee Slayer Hippy" Hanford, the band's former drummer, died of heart attack at age 50 on May 22, 2020. In 2022, Jerry A. Lang released a three part autobiography entitled Black Heart Fades Blue through Rare Bird Books.