Boris the Sprinkler explained
Boris the Sprinkler is a punk rock band that formed in Green Bay, Wisconsin in 1992.
History
Boris the Sprinkler was founded in Green Bay in 1992 by Reverend Nørb (vocals) and Paul #1 (guitar).[1] Nørb and Paul (born Paul Schroder) initially played with Eric Lee (bass) and Ronny Johnny Kispert (drums); later members included Eric James (bass), Ric 6 (bass), and Paul 2 (drums).[2] Nørb, who was born Norb Rozek,[3] had previously written for the music magazines Sick Teen and Maximum Rocknroll.[1] Nørb's lyrics and the band's style were self-consciously irreverent, tongue-in-cheek, and referential to other aspects of pop culture, influenced by punk rock groups such as The Dickies, The Rezillos, and The Ramones.[1] The group often dressed in flamboyant styles such as "zebra-print tights and gold lamé body suits".[4]
Boris the Sprinkler released eight full-length albums over the period 1994-2000, including 1994's 8 Testicled Pogo Machine (which included a vocal cameo by Wesley Willis on its first track),[5] 1998's End of the Century[6] (which covered the Ramones album of the same name in its entirety),[7] and two albums for Go-Kart Records, 1999's Suck[8] and 2000's Gay.[9] The group also released numerous EPs and singles, among them 1995's Mutant Pop release "Drugs and Masturbation"[10] and 1996's "Kill the Ramones".[11]
In 2013, Nørb published The Annotated Boris: Deconstructing the Lyrical Majesty of Boris the Sprinkler, a "line-by-line analysis" of songs he wrote for Boris the Sprinkler.[3]
The band released a new album, Vespa to Venus, on Beer City Records on September 13, 2019. The release reunited the 1997 Mega Anal lineup of Paul #1, Paul #2, Ric Six, and Reverend Nørb.
Discography
Albums
- 8-Testicled Pogo Machine (Bulge Records, 1994)
- Saucer to Saturn (Bulge Records, 1995)
- End of the Century (Clearview Records, 1996)
- Mega Anal (Bulge Records, 1997)
- Suck (Go-Kart Records, 1999)
- Group Sex (Bulge Records, 2000)
- Gay (Go-Kart, 2000)
- Vespa To Venus (Beer City Records, 2019)
- Boris the Sprinkler Gets a Clue (Rum Bar Records, 2024)
Live albums
- The Frozen Tundra of... Boris the Sprinkler (Bulge Records, 1998)
- Live Cincinnati 1999 (Mutant Pop Records, 2000)
EPs
- V.M.Live Presents Boris the Sprinkler 11/1/96 (VML Records)
- Gratuitous 1998 Summer Tour 10" (Clearview Records)
- Banana Pad Riot! / Split with The Vindictives, Young Fresh Fellows & Mr. T Experience (Skullduggery Records)
- 8" flexi-disc with Less Than Jake, Sonic Dolls and Mulligan Stu (Rhetoric Records)
Singles
- 4Money (split with Quencher) (Lombardi Records)
- She's Got a Lighter / It's My Style (Trouser Cough Records)
- (Do You Wanna) Grilled Cheese? / Bad Guy Reaction (Bulge Records)
- Male Model / Superball Eyes / Ejector Seat (Bulge Records)
- Beth / I Turned Into a Martian (split with The Droids) (Power Ground Records)
- Drugs & Masturbation / Yeah Yeah / Yeah Yeah No (Mutant Pop Records)
- Ready Steady Go (split w/ Scooby Don't) (Just Add Water Records)
- True Grit / Poodle Party / Do the Mimi (split with the Meatmen) (Bulge Records)
- Hey Ed! / Attitude (split w/ Moral Crux) (They Still Make Records)
- Sheena's Got a Microwave / Chipmunks Are Go! / Chemistry Set (split with the Sonic Dolls) (Bulge Records)
- 113th Man / Son of Musical Interlude / Penalty Box / Can't Controllit (SuperSonicRefrigeRecords)
- Kill the Ramones / Kill the Sex Pistols (Junk Records)
- Little Yellow Box / Why Don't We Do It in the Dumpster / Get Off the Phone (Bulge Records)
- New Wave Records / Yellow Pills / Hi, We're the Replacements (Mutant Pop Records)
- Nikki The Sprinkler / Borisites (split with the Parasites) (Just Add Water Records)
- (I've Been Hittin' On A) Russian Robot / Do The Go / Got The Time (Lookout Records)
- Sick Sick Sick / Ultimatum / Busy Signals (split with the Dead Vampires) (Dirtnap Records)
Members
- Rev. Nørb – vocals, keytar, guitar, harmonica
- Paul No. 1 – guitar, vocals
- Erik No. 1 – bass, guitar
- Ronny Johnny Kispert – drums
- Eric No. 2 – bass, vocals, recording engineer
- Paul No. 2 – drums
- Ric Six – bass
- Tim 00 – bass
- LP – guitar
Further reading
- Rev. Nørb [Norb Rozek], The Annotated Boris: Deconstructing the Lyrical Majesty of Boris the Sprinkler (and Other Tales as the Need Arises). n.c. [Green Bay, WI]: Bulge Records, 2012.
Notes and References
- http://www.maximumink.com/index.php/articles/permalink/boris_the_sprinkler Cover Story: Boris the Sprinkler
- Brian Cogan, Encyclopedia of Punk Music and Culture. Greenwood, 2006, p. 26. Google Books link
- http://expressmilwaukee.com/article-21534-the-quirky-invention-of-boris-the-sprinkler.html The Quirky Invention of Boris the Sprinkler
- http://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2012/12/17/12-oclock-track-boris-the-sprinkler-kill-the-ramones 12 O'Clock Track: Boris the Sprinkler, "Kill the Ramones"
- https://music.sobriquetmagazine.com/2008/12/boris-sprinkler-8-testicled-pogo.html Review of 8 Testicled Pogo Machine
- http://www.allmusic.com/album/end-of-the-century-mw0001058402 Review of End of the Century
- http://www.ink19.com/issues_F/99_08/ink_spots/010_boris_the_sprinkler.shtml Interview with Boris the Sprinkler
- http://www.allmusic.com/album/suck-mw0000046555 Suck Review
- http://www.allmusic.com/album/gay-mw0000103496 Gay Review
- http://www.allmusic.com/album/drugs-and-masturbation-mw0000945453 Review of Drugs and Masturbation
- http://www.allmusic.com/album/kill-the-ramones-kill-the-sex-pistols-mw0000942579 Kill the Ramones review