Armed and Hammered explained

Armed & Hammered
Origin:Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genre:Hardcore punk
Years Active:1989–present
Label:Ransom Note Recordings, Subvert & Deny, Obese, Coke Dick Records, Lockdown Records
Associated Acts:The Restarts, Bunchofuckingoofs, The Varukers, Jaww, Suckerpunch, The G-Men, Masochistic Religion, The VolumeKnobs
Current Members:Mopa Dean
Kyle Peek
"Big John"
Jamie "G"
Preston "Wounded Paw" Sims
Past Members:Kurf
Cindy Beattie
Mark Dickinson
Rick Giroux
Hardcore Dave
Doug McLarty
Kieran Plunkett
Dorian Wilde
Philphee Saunders
Thor Hammersen
Steve Lamo
Allyson Baker

Armed and Hammered is a hardcore punk band from Toronto, Ontario, spawned from Bunchofuckingoofs scene of the early 1980s.

History

Originally formed by singer Mopa Dean, the bassist for Masochistic Religion,[1] and drummer Kyle Peek, the earliest lineup also included Lamo, Philphee Saunders and Bunchofuckingoofs Thor Hammersen.[2]

They played their first show June 7, 1989.[3] By the end of 1990, they had recorded enough live performances that they were able to independently release a 17-track collection called Promoting Peace To Violence 89-90.[4] Eight of those songs appeared on their 1991 12-track demo tape, Fully Loaded.[5] By this time, Lamo, Saunders and Hammersen had been replaced by guitarist Hardcore Dave and bassist Kieran Plunkett.[6]

In 1992, guitarists Big John and Dorian Wilde replaced Hardcore Dave. This line-up was featured on the next several releases: split EPs with Suckerpunch[7] and Oppressed Logic,[8] the song "Rat Poison" which was included in the Raw Energy Records punk compilation Dead on the Road - Songs Without Keyboards,[9] and the song "Beans and Toast" which was included in the 1996 Ransom Note Recordings Compilation Living in Fear.[10]

In 1995, Armed and Hammered claimed that they were banned from a repeat performance on Much Music. The band had played the Kumbaya Festival, which was held at the Molson Amphitheatre (now The Budweiser Stage) to benefit people living with AIDS.[11] It was broadcast live across Canada and rebroadcast the following day; Much Music removed the band's performance from the rebroadcast and replaced it with an REM video.

The band's line-up would change again. Guitarist Dorian Wilde left in 1994 and was replaced by Kurf. Kieran Plunkett moved to the UK where he toured with The Varukers and formed The Restarts. He was replaced by Rick Giroux, who was replaced in 1997 by former Heatseekers and Suckerpunch bassist, Cindy Beattie.[12] The band's debut full-length album, It's About Fucking Time,[13] was recorded over 1996 and 1997 and features both Rick and Cindy. The CD also features re-recordings of many songs from earlier releases. It also spent some time in the independent charts in Canada.[14] Also in 1996, the European label Subvert & Deny released the four-track EP More Punk Rock Than You.[15]

In 1998, Kurf left the band and was replaced by former Abalienation guitarist, Mark Dickinson. In 2000, following the release of the Negative Aspects of Positive Thinking CD, Mark returned to the US, leaving Armed and Hammered once again with one guitarist. In 2000, Mopa left the group to be replaced by Jaww singer Doug McLarty. After Mopa's departure, the group became mostly inactive, playing only a handful of gigs before their final shows in early 2003. Mopa formed a band called The G-Men in 2002;[16] they played at least one gig with Armed & Hammered, on November 15, 2002, at Sneaky Dee's in Toronto. These final shows featured the return of former members Kurf and Rick.

Armed and Hammered reunited to play a set in support of English group GBH's tour stop at the Mod Club Theatre in Toronto in July 2010, then reformed in May 2012. The band is still performing and recording.[17] [18] In February 2021, they released a four-track split with Vulgar Deli.[19]

Discography

Various Artists Compilations

Members

2012 Lineup

Past

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Masochistic Religion Bio . Masochistic Religion, Wayback Machine . 8 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081120183438/http://www.masochisticreligion.co.uk/bio.htm . 20 November 2008 . dead.
  2. Web site: Punk History Canada Band Pages (canada - post 87) . Punk History Canada, Wayback Machine . 9 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070927180453/http://www.punkhistorycanada.ca/links/index.php?type_id=2 . 27 September 2007 . dead.
  3. Canadian Indie Band Database. http://www.canoe.ca/IndieBands/band1298.html. Retrieved August 23, 2007.
  4. Web site: Armed & Hammered – Promoting Peace To Violence 89-90 . discogs.com . Discogs . 8 February 2022.
  5. Web site: Armed & Hammered - Fully Loaded . YouTube . youtube.com . 20 November 2021.
  6. Armed & Hammered Discography. https://web.archive.org/web/19991118100529/http://www.passport.ca/~bigjohn/public_html/disco/disco.htm. Retrieved from the Internet Archive August 23, 2007.
  7. Web site: Armed & Hammered / Suckerpunch – Armed & Hammered EP . discogs.com . Discogs . 8 February 2022.
  8. Web site: Armed & Hammered / Oppressed Logic – Split . discogs.com . Discogs . 8 February 2022.
  9. Web site: Various – Dead On The Road - Songs Without Keyboards . discogs.com . Discogs . 8 February 2022.
  10. Web site: Various – Living In Fear . discogs.com . Discogs . 8 February 2022.
  11. Web site: Armed and Hammered Live at Kumbaya Festival 1995 . youtube.com . YouTube . 21 November 2021.
  12. Web site: Full text of "Maximum Rocknroll 185 (1998 Oct) . archive.org . October 1998 . 9 February 2022.
  13. Web site: Armed & Hammered – It's About Fucking Time . discogs.com . Discogs . 8 February 2022.
  14. Web site: Full text of "Maximum Rocknroll 185 (1998 Oct) . archive.org . October 1998 . 9 February 2022.
  15. Web site: Armed & Hammered – More Punk Rock Than You . discogs.com . Discogs . 8 February 2022.
  16. http://www.torontomusicscene.ca/rock/g-men-the.html Torontomusicscene.com – GMen
  17. Web site: Armed and Hammered . facebook.com . Facebook . 23 January 2022.
  18. Web site: Show Dates . randomkilling.com . Random Killing . 23 January 2022.
  19. Web site: Vulgar Deli / Armed & Hammered . discogs.com . Discogs . 21 November 2021.

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