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
Qwerty
Mushroomhead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gonna bring it to a head
Gonna show the world what it was
Once said
Whatever the cost
We will never surrender
Leave abandoned the loss
When the rich wage war
Dig their own grave
For their own sake
Another casualty
Another travesty
Another motherfucking German shepherd
Growling with his teeth steppin
Bitch slappin smack rappin
Kick you in the bass drum BOOM Boom
Alpha to Zulu
I'm here to say FUCK YOU
I had a bad day
With her angel wings
I had a bad day
With her angel wings
I had a bad day
With her angel wings
I had a bad day
With her angel wings
Fall in line glorify
Patriotic parasite
Punishment don't fit the crime of
Being bred to lead to slaughter
One shot heard around the world
Gonna bring it to a head
Gonna show the world that it was
Once said
Whatever the cost
We will never surrender
Leave abandoned the loss
When the rich wage war
And the patriotic whores
Dig their own grave
For their own sake
Another casualty
Another travesty
Another motherfucking German shepherd
Growling with his teeth steppin
Bitch slappin smack rappin
Kick you in the bass drum BOOM Boom
Alpha to Zulu
I'm here to say FUCK YOU
I had a bad day
Fall in line glorify
Patriotic parasite
Punishment don't fit the crime of
Being bred to lead to slaughter
One shot heard around the world
Gonna bring it to a head
Gonna show the world what it was
Once said
Whatever the cost
We will never surrender
Leave abandoned the loss
When the rich wage war
And the patriotic whores
Dig their own grave
For their own sake
Another casualty
Another travesty
Another motherfucking German shepherd
Growling with his teeth steppin
Bitch slappin smack rappin
Kick you in the bass drum BOOM Boom
Alpha to Zulu
I'm here to say FUCK YOU
I had a bad day
With her angel wings
I had a bad day
With her angel wings
I had a bad day
With her angel wings
I had a bad day
With her angel wings
The lyrics of Mushroomhead's song Qwerty depict a sense of rebellion against the elite powers abusing their authority and the people that blindly follow them. The song highlights that even a single shot heard around the world can bring people together to stand up against injustice. The lyrics emphasize that the cost of fighting against such powers doesn't matter because surrendering to their dominance is not an option. The song portrays that the patriotic supporters of the elite are only digging their own graves, being blind to their exploitation.
The lyrics also mention the use of force by the authorities, symbolized by the "German shepherd growling with his teeth steppin". The artist speaks out against this use of aggression, making it clear that it doesn't bring any positive change, but further devastation. The chorus repeats the phrase "I had a bad day with her angel wings," hinting at a sense of loss or despair, which may have fueled the artist's inspiration to write this song.
In summary, Mushroomhead's Qwerty is a strong message against the abuse of power and the blind followers of the elite. The song calls for people to unite and stand up against injustice, even if it comes at a cost.
Line by Line Meaning
One shot heard around the world
A significant event that will be noticed globally
Gonna bring it to a head
Going to come to a forceful conclusion
Gonna show the world what it was Once said
Going to prove that a statement made previously was true
Whatever the cost
No matter the price or sacrifice required
We will never surrender
We will not give up, no matter what
Leave abandoned the loss
Abandon any prior failures or losses
When the rich wage war And the patriotic whores Dig their own grave For their own sake
When the privileged and nationalistic become involved in conflicts, they do so at their own peril
Another casualty Another travesty Another motherfucking German shepherd Growling with his teeth steppin Bitch slappin smack rappin Kick you in the bass drum BOOM Boom Alpha to Zulu I'm here to say FUCK YOU
Another instance of disastrous consequences and aggression fueled by anger, and a defiance to others
I had a bad day With her angel wings
Despite the presence of positivity represented by her angel wings, I still experienced a terrible time
Fall in line glorify Patriotic parasite Punishment don't fit the crime of Being bred to lead to slaughter
Conforming to nationalist beliefs is like being a parasite, and the punishment for it doesn't equate to the consequences of being blindly controlled into dangerous situations
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEVE FELTON, JEFF HETRICK, WAYLON R. REAVIS, JASON J. POPSON, TOMAS EUGHENE CHURCH, RYAN FARRELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@noneofyerbisness8702
Lyrics:
One shot heard around the world
Gonna bring it to a head
We're gonna show the world that it was once said
Whatever the cost
We will never surrender
Leave abandoned the loss
When the, when the rich wage war
And the patriotic whores
Dig their own graves, for their own sake
Another casualty
Another travesty
Another motherfucking German Shepherd growling with his teeth steppin'
Bitch slappin' smack rappin'
Kick you in the bass drum "boom, boom"
Alpha to Zulu
I'm here to say "fuck you"
I had a bad day
With her angel's wings (I had a bad day)
With her angel's wings (I had a bad day)
With her angel's wings (I had a bad day)
With her angel's wings
Fall in line, glorify
Patriotic parasite
Punishment don't fit the crime of being bred to lead to slaughter
One shot heard around the world
Gonna bring it to a head
We're gonna show the world that it was once said
Whatever the cost
We will never surrender
Leave abandoned the loss
When the, when the rich wage war
And the patriotic whores
Dig their own graves, for their own sake
Another casualty
Another travesty
Another motherfucking German Shepherd growling with his teeth steppin'
Bitch slappin' smack rappin'
Kick you in the bass drum "boom, boom"
Alpha to Zulu
I'm here to say "fuck you"
I had a bad day
Fall in line glorify
Patriotic parasite
Punishment don't fit the crime of being bred to lead to slaughter
One shot heard around the world
Gonna bring it to a head
We're gonna show the world that it was once said
Whatever the cost
We will never surrender
Leave abandoned the loss
When the, when the rich wage war
And the patriotic whores
Dig their own graves, for their own sake
Another casualty
Another travesty
Another motherfucking German Shepherd growling with his teeth steppin'
Bitch slappin' smack rappin'
Kick you in the bass drum "boom, boom"
Alpha to Zulu
I'm here to say "fuck you"
I had a bad day
With her angel's wings (I had a bad day)
With her angel's wings (I had a bad day)
With her angel's wings (I had a bad day)
With her angel's wings
@TheDRAGOMANIA
my favorite slipknot song. Kurt Cobain has a really good voice! And Dimebag's solo is awesome!
@tjparagon9500
triggering intensifies
@franco6487
:v
@dylantrevor3538
oh yea, i love Donald Trump's vocals in this song... it is so (sic).
@salsaviolencia
Yeah man, the Beegees are fucking awesome in this song...
@codelife676
Jeff Hanneman' s drumming on this song is great too.
@DoomPach
Both Slipknot and Mushroomhead are excellent bands, neither was copied from the other, each one has its own style and they are very good
@8.21productions9
I mean if you want to be technical, slipknot was the second coming. mushroomhead was doing the masks and face paint since like 94.
@TucaNelson
It's just me, or Hollywood Undead reminds much more Mushroomhead then Slipknot?
@criminalchicken499
@Foreign Beggar If you wanna get real technical, there was a band BEFORE mushroomhead doing the masks.