(Young) Pioneers
Encyclopedia
Pioneers (often written as Young Pioneers or The (Young) Pioneers) was an influential American folk punk
band from Richmond, Virginia
, active from 1993–1999.
group Born Against
– singer
/guitar
ist Adam Nathanson
(also ex-Life's Blood
), drummer
Brooks Headley
(also ex-Universal Order of Armageddon
) and harmonica
player Neil Burke
(also ex-Life's Blood
). Burke's tenure was brief, and his departure after the group's debut EP on Vermiform Records
was followed by Avail
singer Tim Barry
joining on bass guitar
in 1994. Barry was replaced in 1995 by bassist Martin Key, aka Marty Violence, shortly before the group signed to California
-based punk rock
label Lookout! Records
. Headley left the group in 1997 and was briefly replaced by Jonathan Fuller (of Sleepytime Trio
) and more permanently by Fred LaPier, who played with the group through their final years. After several tours with bands such as At the Drive-In
, Avail, Peechees, Karp
and The Locust
, they disbanded in February 1999.
(Young) Pioneers was an overtly political band; their lyrics ranged from "superfluous nods to radical heroes like George Jackson
and Carlos the Jackal
" to "describ[ing] the relationship between struggling individuals and the machinery of oppressive politics".
Nathanson and Key continued to perform music together under the name Teargas Rock with drummer Randy Davis (of The Great Unraveling
), although the group did not release any major releases and is currently on hiatus. Key currently plays with Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
, Headley in Wrangler Brutes
and Skull Control, Fuller in Denali
and Engine Down
, and Burke in Men's Recovery Project
, while Barry remained in Avail and became active as a solo artist.
Folk punk
Folk punk , is a fusion of folk music and punk rock. It was pioneered in the late 1970s and early 1980s by The Pogues in Britain and Violent Femmes in America. Folk punk achieved some mainstream success in that decade...
band from Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, active from 1993–1999.
History
The band was formed by three former members of the hardcore punkHardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
group Born Against
Born Against
Born Against was an American hardcore punk band from New York active between 1989–1993. In addition to their radical leftist politics, the group espoused a DIY punk message and challenged what they perceived as problematic within the punk subculture of their time.-History:The group was founded in...
– singer
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
/guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist Adam Nathanson
Adam Nathanson
Adam Nathanson is an American musician currently based in Richmond, Virginia. He is best known as the guitarist in the New York-based hardcore punk band Born Against, and the singer and guitarist in the proto-folk punk band Pioneers.-Musical career:...
(also ex-Life's Blood
Life's Blood
Life's Blood was a hardcore punk band formed by four first year college students in New York City in 1987. It consisted of Adam Nathanson on guitars, Neil Burke on bass, John Kriksciun on drums, and on vocals, Combined Effort promoter and fanzine editor Jason O'Toole...
), drummer
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Brooks Headley
Brooks Headley
Brooks Headley is an American musician and chef, best known as the drummer in several hardcore punk and indie rock bands.Headley is presently the executive pastry chef at Del Posto, a New York Times-rated four-star restaurant, in New York City....
(also ex-Universal Order of Armageddon
Universal Order of Armageddon
Universal Order of Armageddon was an American hardcore band, active in the early to mid 1990s.-History:The band formed in September 1992 and by early 1993, after quickly gaining a small but devoted following, they were recording and touring the East Coast. Known for their extreme short chaotic...
) and harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
player Neil Burke
Neil Burke
Neil Burke is an American musician and artist. He is known as a former member of several hardcore punk and noise rock bands, most notably Born Against and Men's Recovery Project...
(also ex-Life's Blood
Life's Blood
Life's Blood was a hardcore punk band formed by four first year college students in New York City in 1987. It consisted of Adam Nathanson on guitars, Neil Burke on bass, John Kriksciun on drums, and on vocals, Combined Effort promoter and fanzine editor Jason O'Toole...
). Burke's tenure was brief, and his departure after the group's debut EP on Vermiform Records
Vermiform Records
Vermiform Records was an American independent record label that specialized in releasing punk rock music from 1990 until 2002. Over the course of those twelve years Vermiform released 57 albums and relocated many times, being headquartered in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Rhode Island and...
was followed by Avail
Avail
Avail is a punk band from Richmond, Virginia. Originally from Northern Virginia, the band formed in 1987, its members including Joe Banks, Doug Crosby, Brian Stewart, and Mikey Warstler. The only original remaining member, guitar player Joe Banks, teamed up with rival band LDK's Tim Barry...
singer Tim Barry
Tim Barry
Tim Barry is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is the former lead singer of the Richmond, Virginia-based punk rock band Avail. In addition to performing with Avail, he was the bass guitarist in the Richmond-based folk punk band Pioneers from 1994-1995...
joining on bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
in 1994. Barry was replaced in 1995 by bassist Martin Key, aka Marty Violence, shortly before the group signed to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
-based punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
label Lookout! Records
Lookout! Records
-History:Larry Livermore and David Hayes formed the label in 1987. From the start, Lookout released punk rock records, but over time expanded its scope to include various types of pop rock, reggae fusion, acoustic rock, pop punk, and indie rock...
. Headley left the group in 1997 and was briefly replaced by Jonathan Fuller (of Sleepytime Trio
Sleepytime Trio
Sleepytime Trio is a punk band formed in 1994 in Harrisonburg, Virginia, after the demise of Maximillian Colby.-History:Following the demise of Maximillian Colby, Sleepytime Trio was started with Drew Ringo on guitar and vocals, Ben Davis on bass guitar and vocals, and Jonathan Fuller on drums...
) and more permanently by Fred LaPier, who played with the group through their final years. After several tours with bands such as At the Drive-In
At the Drive-In
At the Drive-In was an American rock band from El Paso, Texas, considered part of the post-hardcore genre and active from 1993 to 2001. They were known for their extremely energetic stage shows which hearkened back to the 1980s hardcore scene...
, Avail, Peechees, Karp
Karp
-People:*Algo Kärp , Estonian cross-country skier*Barrie Karp , U.S. philosopher and visual artist*Bob Karp , U.S. comics writer*Brad S. Karp , U.S. litigator*Carol Karp , U.S...
and The Locust
The Locust
The Locust is a musical group from San Diego, California, United States known for their unique mix of grindcore speed and aggression, mathcore complexity, and new wave weirdness.- Style :...
, they disbanded in February 1999.
(Young) Pioneers was an overtly political band; their lyrics ranged from "superfluous nods to radical heroes like George Jackson
George Jackson (Black Panther)
George Lester Jackson was an American convict who became a left-wing activist, Marxist, author, a member of the Black Panther Party, and co-founder of the Black Guerrilla Family prison gang...
and Carlos the Jackal
Carlos the Jackal
Ilich Ramírez Sánchez , better known as Carlos the Jackal, is a Venezuelan pro-Palestinian currently serving a life sentence in France for shooting to death two French secret agents and a Lebanese informer in 1975....
" to "describ[ing] the relationship between struggling individuals and the machinery of oppressive politics".
Nathanson and Key continued to perform music together under the name Teargas Rock with drummer Randy Davis (of The Great Unraveling
The Great Unraveling (band)
The Great Unraveling were an American post-punk rock band from Baltimore, Maryland, a later project from Tonie Joy of Moss Icon, Universal Order of Armageddon and Born Against. The band was active from 1995–1997.-History:...
), although the group did not release any major releases and is currently on hiatus. Key currently plays with Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists are an American rock band formed in 1999 in Washington, D.C. and currently recording for Matador Records. They have released six full-length studio albums and have toured internationally...
, Headley in Wrangler Brutes
Wrangler Brutes
The Wrangler Brutes were an American hardcore punk band formed in 2003 in Los Angeles, California.-History:Wrangler Brutes were formed around vocalist Sam McPheeters , drummer Brooks Headley , guitarist Andy Coronado and...
and Skull Control, Fuller in Denali
Denali (band)
Denali is an American indie band that formed in April 2000 in Richmond, Virginia. The group disbanded in 2004, but reunited in 2008 for several performances.-History:The band was founded by Cam DiNunzio, Jonathan Fuller, Keeley Davis and Maura Davis...
and Engine Down
Engine Down
Engine Down was a four-piece rock band from Richmond, Virginia, active from 1996-2005. They were a part of the Washington, D.C. area post-hardcore movement, along with bands like The Dismemberment Plan, Q and Not U, and Faraquet...
, and Burke in Men's Recovery Project
Men's Recovery Project
Men's Recovery Project was an American experimental noise rock band formed by Sam McPheeters and Neil Burke in Richmond, Virginia, active from 1993–2002...
, while Barry remained in Avail and became active as a solo artist.
Band members
- Adam NathansonAdam NathansonAdam Nathanson is an American musician currently based in Richmond, Virginia. He is best known as the guitarist in the New York-based hardcore punk band Born Against, and the singer and guitarist in the proto-folk punk band Pioneers.-Musical career:...
– vocals, guitar, harmonica, keyboards (1993–1999) - Tim BarryTim BarryTim Barry is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is the former lead singer of the Richmond, Virginia-based punk rock band Avail. In addition to performing with Avail, he was the bass guitarist in the Richmond-based folk punk band Pioneers from 1994-1995...
– bass, vocals (1994–1995) - Marty Key – bass, guitar, drums, vocals, keyboards (1995–1999)
- Neil BurkeNeil BurkeNeil Burke is an American musician and artist. He is known as a former member of several hardcore punk and noise rock bands, most notably Born Against and Men's Recovery Project...
– harmonica (1993–1994) - Brooks HeadleyBrooks HeadleyBrooks Headley is an American musician and chef, best known as the drummer in several hardcore punk and indie rock bands.Headley is presently the executive pastry chef at Del Posto, a New York Times-rated four-star restaurant, in New York City....
– drums, vocals (1993–1997) - Jonathan Fuller – drums (1997)
- Fred LaPier – drums (1997–1999)
Albums
- First Virginia Volunteers LP/CD (1995, Vermiform RecordsVermiform RecordsVermiform Records was an American independent record label that specialized in releasing punk rock music from 1990 until 2002. Over the course of those twelve years Vermiform released 57 albums and relocated many times, being headquartered in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Rhode Island and...
) - Crime Wave 10"/CD (1996, Vermiform Records – compilation of singles and obscure tracks)
- Free the Young Pioneers Now! LP/CD (1998, Lookout! RecordsLookout! Records-History:Larry Livermore and David Hayes formed the label in 1987. From the start, Lookout released punk rock records, but over time expanded its scope to include various types of pop rock, reggae fusion, acoustic rock, pop punk, and indie rock...
)
Singles
- Young Pioneers 7"(1993, Vermiform Records)
- We March! 7" (1995, Vermiform Records)
- Employeers Blacklist 7" (1995, Whirled Records/Irony Recordings)
- V.M.Live Series Presents.. 7" (1996, V.M.Live Recordings)
- On Trial 7" (1997, Lookout! Records)
Split releases
- Split with The Van PeltThe Van PeltThe Van Pelt is an American Indie band, who formed in 1993 at New York University. The band released two albums, Stealing From Our Favorite Thieves and Sultans Of Sentiment, on Gern Blandsten Records in 1996 and 1997 respectively...
7" (1995, Whirled Records) - The Fall of Richmond split with AvailAvailAvail is a punk band from Richmond, Virginia. Originally from Northern Virginia, the band formed in 1987, its members including Joe Banks, Doug Crosby, Brian Stewart, and Mikey Warstler. The only original remaining member, guitar player Joe Banks, teamed up with rival band LDK's Tim Barry...
7" (1997, Lookout! Records) - Split with Drunk 7" (1997, What Else? Records)
Compilations
- The Last Great Thing You Did compilation (1997, Lookout! RecordsLookout! Records-History:Larry Livermore and David Hayes formed the label in 1987. From the start, Lookout released punk rock records, but over time expanded its scope to include various types of pop rock, reggae fusion, acoustic rock, pop punk, and indie rock...
) - Forward Till Death compilation (1999, Lookout! RecordsLookout! Records-History:Larry Livermore and David Hayes formed the label in 1987. From the start, Lookout released punk rock records, but over time expanded its scope to include various types of pop rock, reggae fusion, acoustic rock, pop punk, and indie rock...
)