Dillinger Four Explained

Dillinger Four
Image Upright:	1.25
Origin:	Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Genre:	Punk rock^[1] melodic hardcore^[2] hardcore punk^[3]
Years Active:	1994–present
Label:	Hopeless, No Idea, Fat Wreck Chords
Current Members:	Patrick Costello Erik Funk Bill Lane Pederson
Past Members:	Sloan Lorsung

Dillinger Four (sometimes abbreviated as D4)^[1] is an American punk rock band formed in 1994 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They have released four full-length studio albums. Since 1996,^[4] the band's lineup has been Patrick Costello on bass guitar and vocals, Erik Funk and Bill ^[5] on guitars and vocals, and Lane Pederson on drums.^[6]

History

Dillinger Four was formed in 1994 by guitarist Erik Funk and bassist Patrick Costello. The two had previously played together in the Chicago-based hardcore band Angerhouse.^[7]

The original lineup, which also included guitarist Sloan Lorsung and drummer Lane Pedersen, released the 1995 debut 7" single Higher Aspirations: Tempered and Dismantled. Lorsung was replaced by Bill Morrisette before the 1996 follow-up EP The Kids Are All Dead. A series of subsequent singles and compilation appearances were later collected on 1999's This Shit is Genius. In June 1998, Dillinger Four joined As Friends Rust and Discount on a leg of their American tour.^{[8] [9]}

The band was signed to California hardcore label Hopeless Records on the strength of what Hopeless founder Louis Posen called its "international following."^[10] The label released Dillinger Four's first two full-length records, 1998's Midwestern Songs of the Americas and 2000's Versus God. The band moved to Fat Wreck Chords for 2002's Situationist Comedy and 2008's Civil War.

Funk founded and co-owned the influential Minneapolis music venue Triple Rock Social Club, which opened in 1998 and closed in 2017. Dillinger Four played the venue's final concert in November 2017.^[11]

Dillinger Four has been honored with a star on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue,^[12] recognizing performers that have played sold-out shows or have otherwise demonstrated a major contribution to the culture at the iconic venue.^[13]

Discography

Studio albums

• Midwestern Songs of the Americas (Hopeless Records, 1998)
• Versus God (Hopeless Records, 2000)
• Situationist Comedy (Fat Wreck Chords, 2002)
• Civil War (Fat Wreck Chords, 2008)

Live albums

• Live at First Avenue (2003)
• The End. Live At The Death Of The Triple Rock (2020)

Compilation albums

• This Shit Is Genius (No Idea Records, 1999)

EPs

• Higher Aspirations: Tempered and Dismantled (Cerebellum Records, 1995)
• The Kids Are All Dead (Cerebellum Records, 1996)
• More Songs About Girlfriends and Bubblegum (Mutant Pop Records, 1997)
• D4! The Bootleg (Chadwick Records, 2010)

Split releases

• The Rebel's Choice (split with The Strike) (THD Records, 1997)
• Dillinger Four / Pinhead Gunpowder (Adeline Records, 2000)
• Masters of War (credited as "Dylanger Four") with Brother Mark Treehouse and Atmosphere (2004)

Compilation appearances

• "Farts are Jazz to Assholes" on Short Music for Short People (1999)
• "Our Science is Tight" and "Maximum Piss and Vinegar" on Hopelessly Devoted to You Vol. 3 (2000)
• "Like Sprewells on a Wheelchair" on Rock Against Bush, Vol. 2 (2004)

Videography

• Belt Fighting the Man (with Toys That Kill and Rivethead
• Plea for Peace/Take Action Vol. 2

Notes and References

1. Web site: Loren . Dillinger Four - 25th anniversary . Scene Point Blank . August 19, 2022.
2. Web site: Frankel . Ricky . Dillenger Four - Midwestern Songs Of The Americas . Punknews.org . July 31, 2022.
3. Web site: Ozzi . Dan . In Dillinger Four We Trust . . July 31, 2022 . November 26, 2015.
4. Web site: Dillinger Four Biography – ARTISTdirect Music. www.artistdirect.com. January 24, 2018.
5. Web site: Dillinger Four. Punknews.org. Punknews.org. January 24, 2018.
6. Sutherland, Sam."The Comforts of Dillinger Four", Exclaim!, November 2008.
7. Web site: Anthony . David . Dillinger Four's 'Midwestern Songs of the Americas' Spawned a Scene of Copycats . Noisey . Vice Media Group . 28 February 2023.
8. Book: Prenger, Joe . Interview with Damien Moyal of As Friends Rust and Culture . September 5, 1998 . Reflections . Netherlands . 40–44 . 12.
9. Web site: Julien . Alexandre . Alexander Julien . January 10, 2020 . As Friends Rust - A skeletal repository of As Friends Rust's timeline . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20220506055852/http://www.abridgedpause.com/as-friends-rust . May 6, 2022 . May 6, 2022 . Abridged Pause Blog . en-US.
10. News: Richardson . Jake . 11 Things Hopeless Records Has Taught Us Over the Past 25 Years . . . July 25, 2020 .
11. News: Lunney . Tigger . November 22, 2017 . The Triple Rock ends its 19-year run with Dillinger Four and Negative Approach . . . July 25, 2020 .
12. Web site: The Stars . . First Avenue & 7th Street Entry . May 10, 2020.
13. News: Bream . Jon . 10 things you'll learn about First Avenue in new Minnesota History Center show . . Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota . May 3, 2019 . May 10, 2020 .