| Alabama Thunderpussy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Alabama Thunder Pussy, ATP |
| Origin | Richmond, Virginia, USA |
| Genres | Stoner Metal, Southern Metal, Hard Rock, Southern Rock |
| Years active | 1996 - 2008 |
| Labels | Man's Ruin Records, Eccentric Man, Game Two, Relapse |
| Associated acts | Trouble, Windhand, Backwoods Payback, Hail!Hornet, Drip, Pitts Vs. Preps, Exhorder, Axehandle, Brown Sabbath, Stank, The Mighty Nimbus, Bullistic, Serpents of Secrecy |
| Website | |
Alabama Thunderpussy (Originally known as Alabama Thunder Pussy) was a southern/stoner metal band from Richmond, Virginia, USA. Formed initially as a trio and quickly morphing into a five-piece band, ATP play a brand of music billed as "dirty, kick-ass rock and roll" inspired by a mix of heavy metal, stoner rock and southern music.
Throughout the band's 12-year tenure the group managed to release six studio albums and exhibit three different eras with only Erik Larson and Bryan Cox being active in the group the entire time. Quickly signing to Man's Ruin by the end of the 20th Century and attaining a name for themselves the group gained further notoriety upon signing to Relapse in the early 2000s after Man's Ruin went under.
History[]
1996, Richmond, Virginia. On a dirt floor basement, Bryan Cox, Erik Larson (ex-Avail ) and Asechiah Bogdan founded Alabama Thunderpussy. Fueled by a desire to play dirty, kick ass rock and roll, they began playing the local circuit without a singer. Shortly thereafter, bassist Bill Storms joined the band and after several failed attempts to find the right vocalist, the band recruited Johhny Throckmorton.
With a full band intact, ATP entered the studio and recorded a six-song demo. One of these tapes landed in the hands of Frank Kozik of Man’s Ruin Records and an offer was made to release the demo tape as a CD EP. ATP was already in the habit of constantly writing songs, and in the fall of 1997 the band’s first full length Rise Again was recorded and released on 28 June 1998. Between the recording and release of Rise Again, Bill Storms was asked to leave the band and was replaced by Sam Krivanec. Re-invigorated by the new line-up, ATP returned to the studio and recorded the River City Revival LP (just prior to the release of Rise Again and it's subsequent southern U.S. tour), which was released on 9 February 1999. Within a month of the release, ATP was on tour supporting the album, which featured a stop at the prestigious SXSW Festival where the band met with rave reviews. ATP then headed back into the studio once again in August of 1999 to record again and embarked on their first tour of Europe alongside High On Fire, performing 28 shows in 29 days (With 50 bottles of whiskey consumed between the band!).
Summer 2000 saw the band on the road for full U.S. and UK tours. ATP then delivered split EPs with Halfway to Gone and Orange Goblin, a third studio album in Constellation (Released 7 Match 2000) and completed another full U.S tour with support provided by Suplecs and Dixie Witch. A line-up change brought in guitarist Ryan Lake and bassist John Peter giving the band a richer guitar sound and more vocal harmonies. A string of shows would happen in the UK again with The Dukes of Nothing and Sloth. With Man's Ruin going under in 2001, ATP would quickly be signed by Relapse Records, who'd release their fourth studio album Staring at the Divine on 14 August 2001 to positive reviews. The band would aggressively hit the road in 2002, touring the USA with Orange Goblin[1] and even make an appearance at Wacken Open Air that year.
A major lineup change would befall the band as Throckmorton would amicably leave the group on 11 April 2003.[2] before this departure the band made appearances at The Relapse Contamination Festival, MacRock Festival and Beers Bongs and Bandanas.[3] Eventually with new vocalist Johnny Weils in tow, ATP began work on their fifth studio album. Fulton Hill would be released via Relapse on 13 May 2004, with the band touring that fall in Europe. Relapse would also compose re-releases of the band's first three studio albums with new artwork and unreleased bonus tracks.
2005 would see the band hitting Europe that spring, including an appearance at Roadburn Festival and a host of touring throughout that year. At some point in 2006, Weils would be replaced with former Exhorder singer Kyle Thomas as the band began recording their sixth album and touring with their third singer. Open Fire would be released via Relapse Records on 6 March 2007 and praised by stoner critics.[4][5] Touring would follow that spring including appearances at SXSW and Emissions from the Monolith. Further touring with Obituary and Firebird would close out the year, with the band's last known live performance on 23 November 2007 at Rosenkeller in Jena, Germany.
Kyle Thomas would depart from the group in early 2008 to concentrate on family and a forthcoming Exhorder reunion (Also later joining Trouble), leaving the group once again without a singer. After a few months of deliberation, Alabama Thunderpussy was laid to rest on 9 September 2008.[6]
Discography[]
- Rise Again (Studio Album) (1998, Man's Ruin Records)
- River City Revival (Studio Album) (1999, Man's Ruin Records)
- Orange Goblin / Alabama Thunderpussy (Split 7" with Orange Goblin) (2000, Eccentric Man)
- Constellation (Studio Album) (2000, Man's Ruin Records)
- Alabama Thunderpussy / Halfway To Gone (Split CD with Halfway To Gone) (2000, Game Two)
- Staring at the Divine (Studio Album) (2001, Relapse Records)
- Fulton Hill (Studio Album) (2004, Relapse Records)
- Open Fire (Studio Album) (2007, Relapse Records)
- Live From The Relapse Contamination Festival (Live Album) (2008, Relapse Records)
Members[]
- Erik Larson - Guitars (1996 - 2008)
- Bryan Cox - Drums (1996 - 2008)
- Asechiah Bogdan - Guitars (1996 - 2001)
- Bill Storms - Bass (199? - 1998) (Died 2001)
- Johnny Throckmorton - Vocals (199? - 2002)
- Sam Krivanec - Bass (1999 - 2000)
- Ryan Lake - Guitars (2001 - 2008)
- John Peters - Bass (2001 - 2005?)
- Johnny Weils - Vocals (2002 - 2005?)
- Mikey Bryant - Bass (2006? - 2008)
- Kyle Thomas - Vocals (2006? - 2008)
List of Known Tours[]
- Rise Again Southern USA Tour (1998)
- River City Revival USA Tour (1999)
- 1999 European Tour (With High on Fire) (1999)
- Constellation North American Tour (2000)
- Constellation UK Tour (2000)
- Constellation Summer/Fall North American Tour (With Suplecs, Dixie Witch) (2000)
- Constellation Fall UK Tour (With The Dukes of Nothing, Sloth) (2000)
- Staring Into The Divine USA Tour (With Orange Goblin) (2002)
- Fulton Hill European Tour (2004)
- 2005 Winter North American Tour (2005)
- 2005 European Tour (2005)
- 2005 North American Tour (2005)[7][8]
- Stonebreakers & Hellraisers (With Crowbar, Corrosion of Conformity, Weedeater) (2005)
- Fall 2006 North American Tour (2006)[9]
- Open Fire North American Tour (2007)[10]
- Summer 2007 North American Tour (With W.A.S.P.) (2007)
- Fall 2007 North American Tour (With Obituary, Full Blown Chaos) (2007)[11]
- Fall 2007 European Tour (With Firebird) (2007)[12]