More Info on MalfunkshunSimilar Alternative MusicSearch Artistopia
Biography
Infobox musical artist|name = Malfunkshun|image =|caption = Malfunkshun, circa 1980-1988|image_size =|background = group_or_band|origin = Bainbridge Island, Washington |genre = Alternative rock , grunge , glam& nbsp;rock |years_active = 1980 - 1988, 2006 - present|label = C/Z Records Loosegroove Records |associated_acts = Mother Love Bone Brad (band)|Brad Satchel (band)|Satchel Pigeonhed Hater Devilhead Fire Ants Kevin Wood & From the North All Hail the Crown|website = http://malfunkshun.org Malfunkshun's Website|current_members = Kevin Wood Jeff Loftis Mike Stone Gus McIntosh |past_members = Andrew Wood (singer)|Andrew Wood , Regan Hagar Dave Hunt Dave Reese Shawn Smith Mike Hommel Thorsten Rock Rob Day|notable_instruments = Malfunkshun is a band formed in 1980 by Andrew Wood (singer)|Andrew Wood and his brother Kevin Wood. Malfunkshun, along with Skin Yard , Green River (band)|Green River , U-Men , and Melvins are considered the "godfathers" of grunge, with Malfunkshun being the first of those bands to form.Citation needed|date=January 2010
History
Bainbridge Island, WA brothers Andrew and Kevin Wood, along with Dave Hunt and Dave Rees formed Malfunkshun, originally as a four-piece and not the power trio they became known as. David Hunt and Dave Rees played with Malfunkshun for only one show, the former on drums and the latter on bass. After Rees and Hunt left, Andy took over bass and drummer Regan Hagar was recruited from Maggot Brains.
During performances, each band member had an alter ego. Andrew's was L'Andrew the Love Child, Kevin was Kevinstein and Regan became Thundarr. Kevin's stage persona wasn't as carved-in-stone as Andy's or Regan's, referred to sometimes as "the Axe-Handler" and even an early Malfunkshun poster cite web|title=Malfunkshun flyer|publisher=Two Feet Thick: Pearl Jam for the impassioned fan |url= http://www.twofeetthick.com:80/style/images/malfunkshun/malfunkshun_flyer_500.jpg hand-drawn by Andy Wood names him "Led Springsteen". Using makeup and flashy glam-style clothing in a nod to Kiss (band)|KISS , and other favorite bands, Malfunkshun was known for their dynamic live shows. As L'andrew, Andy was unpredictable and would wander the crowd during shows with his wireless Steinberger bass, and even stop shows to eat cereal, and throw the rest out to the crowd. Andrew became increasingly involved with drugs and in 1985 he checked into drug rehab, during which time Malfunkshun was put on hold.
When Andy returned from rehab, the band started up again and contributed "With Yo' Heart (Not Yo' Hands)" and "Stars-n-You" to the Deep Six (album)|Deep Six compilation by C/Z Records . Notwithstanding their densely distorted sound, Sub Pop , the label known as "the" grunge label, never took much interest in the band, turning them down for not being Grunge enough.cite This was fine with the band as they never thought of themselves as grunge to begin with.cite Although they were beginning to gain popularity they rarely headlined for their own shows.
Dissolving, but never formally disbanding, Malfunkshun took a back seat to the jam sessions Andy Wood and Regan Hagar had begun with Green River (band)|Green River members Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament . These sessions were the beginnings of Lords Of The Wasteland, which would become Mother Love Bone after the addition of Greg Gilmore and Bruce Fairweather . Kevin formed Fire Ants in 1992 with his brother Brian, bassist Dan McDonald, and former Nirvana (band)|Nirvana drummer Chad Channing . Later Kevin and Brian joined Ben Shepherd of Soundgarden , to form Hater . The brothers later formed Devilhead . Hagar moved on, playing in Satchel (band)|Satchel , with Shawn Smith , and in Brad (band)|Brad , also with Shawn Smith and with Stone Gossard .
A grouping of Malfunkshun demos and recordings from the early-to-mid 1980s were released on Stone Gossard and Regan Hagar 's Loosegroove Records|Loosegroove label in 1995, as Return to Olympus , which was the largest major label release of the band's material.
In 2005, a documentary entitled Malfunkshun: The Andrew Wood Story ,cite web|title= Malfunkshun:The Andrew Wood Story Website|url= http://www.malfunkshun.com debuted at the Seattle International Film Festival . The documentary is available on DVD in a boxed set with the reissued CD entitled Return to Olympus and the never before released Andrew Wood CD entitled Melodies and Dreams . This boxed set is a digipak set of 3 discs (1 DVD/2 CD's) entitled Malfunkshun: The Andrew Wood Story released on July 19, 2011 by Universal Music Enterprises.
On October 24, 2006, surviving Malfunkshun members Kevin Wood and Regan Hagar , with vocalist Shawn Smith and bassist Cory Kane, began writing new music using lyrics written by Andrew Wood before his death, for the release a new album, after which they planned to go on tour. The band had originally intended to use the name Malfunkshun, soon changing it to Subfunkshun or The Subfunkshun Project, and eventually settling on From The North (Von Nord).cite web|first=Kevin|last=Wood|title=Wammybox|url= http://wammybox.com/pag/news.htm
At 3:33 pm on Feb. 19th, 2011 Malfunkshun announced on their website that Jeff Loftis would be taking over vocals for both Malfunkshun and From the North. On March 14, 2011 the Kevin and Jeff recorded the song Jezebel Woman and on March 19, 2011 recorded Until the Ocean . They have posted both songs on YouTube under the name "Malfunkshun 2011".
On May 15, 2011 Malfunkshun posted on their website, that Regan officially stepped down as the drummer.
On May 24, 2011 Malfunkshun posted on their website naming Mike Stone as Regan's replacement on drums.
Members
Lineup 1980
Andrew Wood (singer)|Andrew Wood - lead vocals
Kevin Wood - guitar
Dave Rees - bass guitar
Dave Hunt - drums
Lineup 1980-1988
Andrew Wood (singer)|Andrew Wood - lead vocals, bass guitar
Kevin Wood - guitar
Regan Hagar - drums
Lineup 2006-2010
Shawn Smith - lead vocals
Kevin Wood - guitar
Mike Hommel - drums
Thorsten Rock- guitar
Rob Day - bass guitar
Lineup 2011-Present
Kevin Wood - guitar
Jeff Loftis - lead vocals
Mike Stone - drums
Gus McIntosh - bass
Discography
Albums
Return to Olympus (Loosegroove Records, 1995 ).
Malfunkshun: The Andrew Wood Story (Hip-O-Select/UMe, 2011 ).
Compilation contributions
"With Yo' Heart (Not Yo' Hands)" and "Stars-N-You" on Deep Six (album)|Deep Six ( C/Z Records , 1986 ).
"My Only Fan" and "Shotgun Wedding" on Another Pyrrhic Victory: The Only Compilation Of Dead Seattle God Bands ( C/Z Records , 1989 ).
References
reflist
Interview with http://www.fullinbloommusic.com/kevinwood.html Kevin Wood on http://www.fullinbloommusic.com.
Interviews from the movie http://www.malfunkshun.com "Malfunkshun: The Andrew Wood Story"
External links
http://malfunkshun.org Malfunkshun's Official Website
