Formed by drummer Skinny in 1993, Mushroomhead was originally a side-project for members of other Cleveland bands. They played their first show on October 22nd of that year. The members wore a variety of masks to hide their identity and for theatrical impact. One of the vocalists, J Mann, eventually stopped wearing a mask and just put white make-up on his face with black make-up on his mouth and around his eyes, similar to make-up worn in the movie Dead Presidents.
Mushroomhead quickly became one of Cleveland's top local acts and developed a devoted fanbase. Mushroomhead's self-titled debut album was released independently in 1995, followed by Superbuick in 1996 and M3 in 1999. Over the course of those 3 albums the band had several line-up changes: Bassist Mr Murdernickel was replaced by Pig Benis after the first album, female dancer Roxy left, guitarist Dinner was replaced by Gravy, male dancer Bronson went to playing samples and then took over as 2nd Guitarist when J.J. Righteous left. During this time Mushroomhead was the #1 underground band in Cleveland.
Roadrunner Records approached Mushroomhead with a record contract which they declined. The band eventually got signed to Eclipse Records in 2000, and their next album, XX (a "best of" compilation), came out the following year. In 2001, Mushroomhead's members included drummer/founder Skinny, lead vocalists J. Mann and Jeffrey Nothing, guitarists Bronson and Gravy, keyboardist Shmotz, bassist Pig Benis, and sample provider Stitch when they signed to Universal Records to re-release XX. During this time Jeffrey Nothing also ditched his trademark goat / devil masks in favor of face paint.
Their first proper effort for the label was 2003's dynamic XIII, but the band soon parted ways with not only Universal, but also vocalist J. Mann during a subsequent tour. Undeterred, Mushroomhead pressed on with their D.I.Y. ethos intact and welcomed new frontman Waylon, formerly of 3 Quarters Dead, into the fray. Second guitarist Bronson would depart not long after Waylon's entry, leaving to study in film school. The DVD Mushroomhead, Volume 1 followed in mid-2005 before the guys returned in September 2006 with Savior Sorrow, released through New York-based indie Megaforce Records.
Mushroomhead released another DVD titled Volume 2 on October 28th 2008 and the band released the album Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children in 2010 via Megaforce Records.
Late in 2013, it was announced via social media that original vocalist J.Mann would be returning to the band. This leaves Mushroomhead with 3 active vocalists. There were some other lineup changes along the way, with new members Church stepping in on guitar, Dr. F on bass, and Roberto Diablo on percussion.
In May of 2014, the band will release their 7th studio album, The Righteous and the Butterfly, once again via Megaforce Records. This album will be the first to feature all 3 vocalists and the rest of the newer members.
Current
"Jeffrey Nothing" – Vocals (1993 - present)
"Waylon" – Vocals (2004 - present)
"J Mann" - Vocals (1993 - 2004, 2013 - present)
"Church" - Guitars (2012 - present)
"Dr. F" - Bass (2012 - present)
"Shmotz" – Keyboards (1993 - present)
"ST1TCH" – Turntables, Electronics, Samples, water drums (2001 - present)
"Skinny" – Drums, Percussion (1993 - present)
"Roberto Diablo" - Percussion (2013 - present)
Former
"Gravy" – Guitars (1999 – present)
"Pig Benis" – Bass (1995 - present)
"DJ Virus" - turntables (1993 – 1995)
"Mr. Murdernickel" - bass (1993 – 1995)
"Dinner" - guitars (1993 – 1998)
"Roxy" - dancing, electronics (1993 – 2000)
"J.J. Righteous" - guitars (1993 – 2001) (R.I.P.-J.J. passed away on October 28th 2010)
"Bronson" - dancing, samples (1993 – 2001), guitars (2001 – 2006)
A little more history:
Since 1999, Mushroomhead has had an on-and-off rivalry with Iowa-based band Slipknot. The feud erupted due to the image similarities between the bands. Many fans of Mushroomhead claim Slipknot stole their 'masked' look, and vice-versa. In an interview with Soundbites, then lead singer of Mushroomhead Jason Popson stated, "It seems a little strange, because they look so much like us and they have the same number of members and some of the same masks, and it was a little too strange that their record label had all of our material. I think it's obvious that they borrowed material from our show."
An incident between Mushroomhead fans and Slipknot themselves occurred when Slipknot trekked to Cleveland as part of their tour in support of their debut album. Mushroomhead fans flocked to the concert and peppered Slipknot with batteries, rocks, bottles of piss, etc., forcing them off-stage. In a press conference, Slipknot lead singer Corey Taylor stated that members of Mushroomhead had encouraged fans to do these acts. However, Mushroomhead has publicly stated that the band in no way encourages this sort of behavior, nor were any band members even at the show where the incident took place.
In a May 2007 interview it Imhotep.com, singer Jeffrey Nothing stated that the day after the Cleveland incident, his then girlfriend went down to the venue and the members of Slipknot and some of their crew harassed her saying: "You're wearing a Mushroomhead shirt, what do you know?" And they said it was our idea that you stole and now you are mocking us that we stole this masked-looking from you?, "The bottom line is: here is our city, our fans support us completely! They felt just as fucked over by these puny 'Clowns' as us and they aren't afraid to show it. "Welcome to Cleveland bitches." In 2005 Mushroomhead dressed as Slipknot for three shows in the northeast Ohio area, avidly mocking the band.
Mushroomhead's 2006 Midnight Halloween performance started with an announcement over the PA: “Due to unforeseen circumstances, Slipknot will not be appearing tonight,” which was greeted by chants of “Fuck Slipknot!” from the sold-out Agora Theatre. Soon after, the lights came up, revealing their Nightmare Before Christmas-themed set, complete with falling snow. St1tch and Little Dan (Skinny’s drum tech and drummer for Ventana) came out wearing masks from two members of Slipknot. Dan wearing Chris Fehn’s mask with the Pinocchio-style nose, Stitch wearing Shawn “Clown” Crahan’s mask.
Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Inevitable
Mushroomhead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
i cut myself to the bone, again cut it too close to the heart quicksand
might look like it's safe there's always a downside i fool myself again,
again i fool myself the fairytale is like life you're in the ground by the end
you're crucified by your friends hanging high all these aches
and pains attempting to abstain away from all their games success
is self contained proving I'm to blame it's time i bear this shame
i feel whole this way so throw it all away as i lie awake
i fool myself again again i fool myself it's coming to a close
that's just the way it goes like when the red wine flows
i know I'm not alone we're drowning drunk and stoned embracing
the unknown no time left to atone a chain is only as strong athis
has gone on too long where'd it all go wrong you've got your life in your hands
you'll come back just like pretend surprise hold on to what you can remember,
remember make sense of what you can decipher,
decipher concentrate on accomplishing miracles
and just be happy with what you get everything has a downside to it
that's just the way it goes like when the red wine flows i know
I'm not alone we're drowning drunk and stoned there is a god
I've never known the fairytale is like life this is the way the story goes
it's coming to a close you're crucified by your friends
this is the way the story goes it's coming to a close
The song "Inevitable" by Mushroomhead talks about how life is not all sunshine and rainbows. There is always a downside to everything, and there are times when we fool ourselves into believing otherwise. The lyrics suggest that it's better to face the harsh realities of life rather than living in a fairytale, where one is bound to be disappointed. The line "you're in the ground by the end, you're crucified by your friends" means that in the end, one will be alone and can only rely on oneself, as friends may not always be there when needed. The line "drowning drunk and stoned embracing the unknown no time left to atone" talks about surrendering to the uncertainty of life and accepting that there is no time left to fix past mistakes. The song encourages us to focus on the positive things in life, be happy with what we have, and concentrate on accomplishing small miracles.
Overall, the song "Inevitable" by Mushroomhead is a thought-provoking piece that reminds us that life is not always perfect and that we need to embrace the uncertainties and downsides of life.
Line by Line Meaning
There's always a downside impossible together not ever happy apart
No matter what, there will always be negative consequences that cannot be avoided. Sometimes it seems like being together with someone else is impossible, but being alone is no better.
i cut myself to the bone, again cut it too close to the heart quicksand
I hurt myself emotionally again, almost to the point of no return, just like quicksand that can easily sink you in deeper and deeper when you struggle.
might look like it's safe there's always a downside i fool myself again
Things might seem good on the surface, but there's always something negative lurking underneath. And despite knowing this, I continue to deceive myself.
again i fool myself the fairytale is like life you're in the ground by the end
Once again, I succumb to the illusion of a perfect fairytale life. But like every story, there's always an end, and eventually, we all die.
you're crucified by your friends hanging high all these aches and pains
Your friends can be just as harmful as your enemies, and sometimes their actions can cause you more pain than physical torture.
attempting to abstain away from all their games success is self contained proving I'm to blame
I try to distance myself from the toxic games that people play, but in doing so, I've isolated myself and prevented myself from succeeding. I'm the only one to blame for this isolation.
it's time i bear this shame i feel whole this way so throw it all away as i lie awake
I realize it's time to confront and take responsibility for my shame. But in doing so, I feel complete, so I'm willing to throw away everything else that's holding me back, even if it keeps me up at night.
with every breath you take every promise you break as i call your name i fool myself again
Every time I trust you, you let me down, yet I continue to deceive myself into thinking that you'll change. I'm putting my faith in something that's bound to fail.
it's coming to a close that's just the way it goes like when the red wine flows i know i'm not alone
Everything eventually comes to an end, and it's just a natural part of life. But there's comfort in knowing that I'm not the only one going through it, just like the shared experience of drinking red wine.
we're drowning drunk and stoned embracing the unknown no time left to atone
We're lost in our vices, indulging in drugs and alcohol, and ignoring the consequences of our actions. There's no more time left to make up for our mistakes.
a chain is only as strong athis has gone on too long where'd it all go wrong you've got your life in your hands
A relationship is only as strong as its weakest link, and this one has been struggling for far too long. We're both wondering where it all went wrong, but ultimately we're responsible for our own lives and choices.
you'll come back just like pretend surprise hold on to what you can remember
You'll come back eventually, just like you always do, and act as if it's a surprise. But even in these uncertain times, I'll hold onto the memories of happier moments with you.
remember make sense of what you can decipher concentrate on accomplishing miracles
Remember the past and try to make sense of it, learn from it. And focus on the present, work towards doing something incredible.
and just be happy with what you get everything has a downside to it
Be content with what you have, because no matter what it is, there's always going to be a negative side to it.
that's just the way it goes like when the red wine flows i know i'm not alone
Similar to before, this line is repeating the idea that everything eventually comes to an end. But just like the comforting camaraderie of drinking with friends, it's easier to bear this ending when you're not alone.
there is a god i've never known the fairytale is like life
Although I don't believe in God, I still recognize the idea that there's something more powerful and mysterious out there. And despite my doubts, I can't shake my desire for a fairytale life.
this is the way the story goes it's coming to a close
This is how every story ends, with closure and finality.
Contributed by Olivia T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.