Rapeman

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For the manga, see The Rapeman.
Rapeman
Rapeman circa 1988
Rapeman circa 1988
Background information
OriginChicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres
Years active1987–1989
Labels
Past members

Rapeman was an American noise rock band founded in 1987 and disbanded in 1989. It consisted of Steve Albini (formerly of Big Black) on guitar and vocals, David Wm. Sims (formerly of Scratch Acid) on bass and Rey Washam (formerly of Scratch Acid and Big Boys) on drums. In the years since their brief tenure, Rapeman’s sound has also been described as post-hardcore.[2]

Rapeman were formed as a parallel sister project to the Jesus Lizard, although the latter outlasted Rapeman by several years.[3]

History[edit]

Rapeman was formed in 1987 when drummer Rey Washam and bassist David Wm. Sims relocated to Chicago from Texas after the breakup of their band Scratch Acid.[4] Steve Albini had just ended his group Big Black,[4] and was looking to switch to a musical project with a live drummer, instead of his Roland TR-606 drum machine.

Rapeman's initial 1988 releases included the mostly live recorded Budd EP, the "Hated Chinee" b/w "Marmoset" 7" single, and their sole album, Two Nuns and a Pack Mule.[4] The band recorded in Albini's own home studio, often giving production credit to someone named Fluss, later revealed to be Albini's cat.

All of Rapeman’s records were originally released on Touch and Go Records in the US, Blast First! in the UK, and Au Go Go in Australia. Rapeman left Blast First! in 1990 after Albini had an argument with the label over the release of a Big Black record. Touch and Go started distributing in the UK in 1992 and re-released Rapeman's records there.

The band's final record before their breakup, the "Inki's Butt Crack" instrumental 7" single, was issued in 1989[4] as part of the Sub Pop Singles Club.

Albini later played bass in live iterations of Pete Conway’s solo project, Flour, before going on to form Shellac and expanding his work as a recording engineer. Sims reunited with ex-Scratch Acid vocalist David Yow to form the Jesus Lizard (with Albini recording their albums).[4] Washam went on to drum for former Chrome guitarist Helios Creed. Albini died on May 7, 2024.[5][6]

Name[edit]

The name Rapeman was taken from the Japanese manga series The Rapeman. Albini discovered the manga through a friend who ran an import business, and found its combination of rape fantasies and the superhero genre "simultaneously utterly repellent and fascinating". He described it as "the product of decades of repression and misogyny being expressed through a different cultural tradition".[7]

According to Albini, Rapeman's name drew criticism and and protests at several of their gigs.[8] The band members expressed regret about the name. In a 2020 interview on the Conan Neutron's Protonic Reversal podcast, Albini called it a "flippant choice" that was unconscionable and indefensible. He likened it to getting a bad tattoo.[9] In a 2021 interview with MEL Magazine, Albini said he had been ignorant of women's issues and had falsely assumed that many social problems, such as misogny and homophobia, were "already solved".[7] In a Kreative Kontrol podcast in 2014, Sims said the name was his biggest musical regret.[10]

Discography[edit]

Studio albums[edit]

Singles and EPs[edit]

  • Budd EP (1988, Touch and Go/Blast First!/Au Go Go) UK Indie No. 2[11]
  • "Hated Chinee" 7" single (1988, Touch and Go/Blast First!/Au Go Go)
  • "Inki's Butt Crack" 7" single (1989, Sub Pop Singles Club)[4]

Compilation appearances[edit]

  • Nothing Short Of Total War (Part One) (Blast First) (1987) - "Dutch Courage"
  • The Devil's Jukebox (Blast First) (1989) - "Dutch Courage"
  • Indie Top 20 Vol. VI-Pride Of Independents (Beechwood) (1989) - "Bud(d)"
  • Au-Go-Go sampler #1 cassette (Au Go Go) (1989) - "Hated Chinee"

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Noise Rock Guide: History and Characteristics of Noise Rock". MasterClass. June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  2. ^ Greene Jr., James (June 26, 2010). "The Weakest Cut: Siamese Dream". Crawdaddy Magazine. Archived from the original on March 6, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2010. [...]This is understandable, considering what end of the spectrum Albini hails from. The guy once fronted a post-hardcore outfit called Rapeman and has written too many scathing punk indictments of mainstream society to count. [...]
  3. ^ Warwick, Kevin (December 6, 2017). "The Third Coming of the Jesus Lizard". Chicago Reader. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Indie and New Wave Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 228. ISBN 0-85112-579-4.
  5. ^ Corcocan, Nina; Monroe, Jazz (May 8, 2024). "Steve Albini, Storied Producer and Icon of the Rock Underground, Dies at 61". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  6. ^ Briehan, Tom (May 8, 2024). "Steve Albini Dead At 61". Stereogum. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Burnett III, Zaron (November 8, 2021). "'I'm overdue for a discussion about my role in inspiring 'edgelord' shit': a conversation with Steve Albini". MEL Magazine. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
  8. ^ Interview with Steve Albini (May 6, 1994). "Steve discusses the naming of Big Black and Rapeman". Action Park, quoting Rock Names by Adam Dolgins. Archived from the original on May 5, 2007. Retrieved May 21, 2007.
  9. ^ "Ep150: Steve Albini (Shellac, Big Black, Rapeman)". Radioneutron.com. April 3, 2020. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  10. ^ "Ep. #92: The Jesus Lizard Week with David Wm. Sims". Kreative Kontrol (vishkhanna.com). April 18, 2014. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  11. ^ a b Lazell, Barry (1997) Indie Hits 1980 - 1989, Cherry Red Books, ISBN 0-9517206-9-4
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