Beowülf
Encyclopedia
This article is about the American heavy metal band. For the epic poem, see Beowulf
; for other uses see Beowulf (disambiguation)
.
Beowülf is a crossover thrash metal band formed Venice Beach, California in 1981 by Michael Alvarado, Dale Henderson, Mike Jensen and Paul Yamada. The group never gained a large mainstream success, but is considered one of the first bands that defined the "Venice Scene" in the 1980s, along with Suicidal Tendencies
, Los Cycos
, Neighborhood Watch
, No Mercy
, Excel
and Uncle Slam
, who all played a mix of skate punk
, hardcore
, heavy metal
and thrash
.
As of 2011, Beowülf has released six studio albums. They split up in 1995, but reformed in 2000. The band has had numerous line-up changes and Henderson has been the only constant member. Their classic line-up is Henderson (vocals), Mike Jensen (guitar), Paul Yamada (bass) and Michael Alvarado (drums).
on vocals and guitar, former Neighborhood Watch
guitar player Mike Jensen on guitar, Paul Tsutomu Yamada on bass and Mike Jensen's cousin, Roger DeGiacomi, on drums. The band played many parties, bars and clubs in Venice in 1981-1982 before DeGiacomi became the band manager and was replaced by Michael Alvarado on drums in 1983, changing the name of the band to Beowülf or BWF (The F being inverted) as they wrote it in Venice "graffiti slang".
's Suicidal Records and recorded two tracks, "Taste the Steel" and "Unicorn", for the legendary Welcome to Venice
compilation. In 1986, they also recorded their first self-titled LP
, which was released on Suicidal Records and featured their trademark sound that was a cross between Suicidal Tendencies
and Motörhead, Dale Henderson's vocals sounding a lot like Lemmy's.
This record had them noticed by Caroline Records
, where they followed Suicidal Tendencies and Excel
. They recorded their second album, Lost My Head... But I'm Back on the Right Track
, which was released in 1988 on Caroline which featured the same line-up and was in the same vein as their first.
, which was released in 1993 on Restless Records
with that line-up.
Un-Sentimental was way less appreciated than the band's first two efforts, notably because there was only one original member in the band and the sound had changed a bit, drifting more to bluesy rock and going away from the hardcore thrash of their beginning.
In 1994 the band line-up underwent changes before recording the band's fourth album in Seattle for Restless Records and hired Buckit to play guitar, childhood friend and former EVOL
bassist Dug Mug Swanson and Denish Chaudhuri to play drums. They released 2 Cents
in 1995, toured Europe, Japan and had a song in the cult film Tank Girl
. Tank-Girl director Rachel Talalay
also did the band's video for the song "2 Cents".
sound. They played clubs and released two albums The Now
, which was nominated for best rock album at the 2002 L.A. Music Awards, and Dirty Movie in 2007.
with one new track recorded in 2004.
They started working on a new record, their second for I Scream, in 2005 while relentlessly touring Europe. Titled Westminister & 5th, it was released in April 2007 and featured Henderson, Rowan and Sullivan with Stefan Crapia on guitar.
Beowülf released their sixth studio album, Jesus Freak, in the summer of 2011. It was produced by frontman Dale Henderson and former Fear Factory
guitarist/bassist Christian Olde Wolbers
. They also announced that longtime bassist Sean Otero had left Beowülf and was replaced by former Suicidal Tendencies
bassist Louiche Mayorga
, who is on the new album.
As of September 2011, according to Beowülf's official website, Mayorga is no longer in the band and his replacement is Fear Factory
bassist Christian Olde Wolbers
.
Beowulf
Beowulf , but modern scholars agree in naming it after the hero whose life is its subject." of an Old English heroic epic poem consisting of 3182 alliterative long lines, set in Scandinavia, commonly cited as one of the most important works of Anglo-Saxon literature.It survives in a single...
; for other uses see Beowulf (disambiguation)
Beowulf (disambiguation)
Beowulf is an Old English epic poem.Beowulf may also refer to:*Beowulf , the main character of the poem*Beowulf , a film starring Christopher Lambert*Beowulf , an animated picture by Robert Zemeckis...
.
Beowülf is a crossover thrash metal band formed Venice Beach, California in 1981 by Michael Alvarado, Dale Henderson, Mike Jensen and Paul Yamada. The group never gained a large mainstream success, but is considered one of the first bands that defined the "Venice Scene" in the 1980s, along with Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies is a U.S. crossover thrash band founded in 1981 in Venice, Los Angeles, California by Mike Muir, its leader and only permanent member. The band is sometimes credited as one of "the fathers of crossover thrash"...
, Los Cycos
Los Cycos
Los Cycos is a U.S. crossover thrash band founded in 1984 in Venice, Los Angeles, California by Suicidal Tendencies frontman Mike Muir. The only recording of the band appears on the rare 1985 release "Welcome to Venice," the debut album and first release from Suicidal Records.-Band biography and...
, Neighborhood Watch
Neighborhood Watch (band)
Neighborhood Watch is a crossover thrash metal and punk band from Palms, Los Angeles, California who defined the "Venice Scene" in the '80's with bands like Suicidal Tendencies, Beowülf, No Mercy and Excel, who all played a mix of skate punk, hardcore, heavy metal and thrash...
, No Mercy
No Mercy (American band)
No Mercy are a thrash metal band from Venice, California, the brainchild of guitar player Mike Clark, who later played in Suicidal Tendencies.-History:...
, Excel
Excel (band)
Excel was a punk/metal fusion band from Venice, California founded in 1983 by singer Dan Clements and guitarist Adam Siegel. They were influenced by famous 70's punk rock musicians like The Police and The Sex Pistols, and heavy metal bands like Black Sabbath, Trouble, Slayer, Corrosion of...
and Uncle Slam
Uncle Slam
Uncle Slam was an American crossover thrash band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1984 under the name The Brood. They were influenced by punk rock bands of the '80s like Suicidal Tendencies , D.R.I., Corrosion of Conformity, Black Flag and the Circle Jerks, as well as heavy metal bands like...
, who all played a mix of skate punk
Skate punk
Skate punk is a sub genre of punk rock, originally a derivative of the West Coast hardcore punk scene, that is named after its popularity among skateboarders and association with skateboarding culture. Skate punk most commonly describes the sound of melodic hardcore bands from the 1990s with an...
, hardcore
Hardcore 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...
, heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
and thrash
Thrash
Thrash may refer to:*Thrashing , where increasing resources are used to do a decreasing amount of work*Thrash , mascot of the Atlanta Thrashers-Music:*Thrash metal, a subgenre of heavy metal music...
.
As of 2011, Beowülf has released six studio albums. They split up in 1995, but reformed in 2000. The band has had numerous line-up changes and Henderson has been the only constant member. Their classic line-up is Henderson (vocals), Mike Jensen (guitar), Paul Yamada (bass) and Michael Alvarado (drums).
Early years (1981-1984)
The band started in 1981 as Black Sheep with Dale HendersonDale Henderson
Dale Henderson is an American musician. He is best known as the frontman and guitarist of the crossover thrash band Beowülf where he is the only constant member. He composed the music and wrote the lyrics on all of Beowülf's albums....
on vocals and guitar, former Neighborhood Watch
Neighborhood Watch (band)
Neighborhood Watch is a crossover thrash metal and punk band from Palms, Los Angeles, California who defined the "Venice Scene" in the '80's with bands like Suicidal Tendencies, Beowülf, No Mercy and Excel, who all played a mix of skate punk, hardcore, heavy metal and thrash...
guitar player Mike Jensen on guitar, Paul Tsutomu Yamada on bass and Mike Jensen's cousin, Roger DeGiacomi, on drums. The band played many parties, bars and clubs in Venice in 1981-1982 before DeGiacomi became the band manager and was replaced by Michael Alvarado on drums in 1983, changing the name of the band to Beowülf or BWF (The F being inverted) as they wrote it in Venice "graffiti slang".
The "classic" line-up-era (1985-1989)
In 1985, they were signed to Mike MuirMike Muir
Mike Muir is the lead vocalist of the Venice skate punk bands Suicidal Tendencies Los Cycos and the funk rock band Infectious Grooves...
's Suicidal Records and recorded two tracks, "Taste the Steel" and "Unicorn", for the legendary Welcome to Venice
Welcome to Venice
Welcome to Venice is a crossover thrash album that features local Venice Beach, California punk and metal bands. It was released in 1985 on Suicidal Records.-Album History:...
compilation. In 1986, they also recorded their first self-titled LP
Beowülf (album)
Beowülf is the debut album by the band of the same name, released in 1986.Like many Beowülf albums, the recording is out of print. In 2004, the album was re-released as the first half of the The Re-Releases compilation, along with its follow-up Lost My Head.....
, which was released on Suicidal Records and featured their trademark sound that was a cross between Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies is a U.S. crossover thrash band founded in 1981 in Venice, Los Angeles, California by Mike Muir, its leader and only permanent member. The band is sometimes credited as one of "the fathers of crossover thrash"...
and Motörhead, Dale Henderson's vocals sounding a lot like Lemmy's.
This record had them noticed by Caroline Records
Caroline Records
Caroline Records started out as a subsidiary of Richard Branson's Virgin Records label during the early to mid 1970s. The label originally specialized in putting out budget price LPs by mainly progressive rock and jazz artists generally not considered to have a great deal of 'mainstream' or...
, where they followed Suicidal Tendencies and Excel
Excel (band)
Excel was a punk/metal fusion band from Venice, California founded in 1983 by singer Dan Clements and guitarist Adam Siegel. They were influenced by famous 70's punk rock musicians like The Police and The Sex Pistols, and heavy metal bands like Black Sabbath, Trouble, Slayer, Corrosion of...
. They recorded their second album, Lost My Head... But I'm Back on the Right Track
Lost My Head... But I'm Back on the Right Track
Lost My Head... But I'm Back on the Right Track is the second album Beowülf, released in 1988.Like the previous album, Beowülf, Lost My Head is regarded by fans as Beowülf's best album, and a classic from the golden age of the Venice, California scene...
, which was released in 1988 on Caroline which featured the same line-up and was in the same vein as their first.
Later years (1990-1995)
Around the beginning of the 1990s, conflicts reported arose between the band members and they separated. Dale Henderson kept the Beowülf name and hired Clint Schuyler to play guitar, Kevin Sullivan to play bass and Rich Rowan to play drums and he recorded Un-SentimentalUn-Sentimental
Un-Sentimental is the third album by Beowülf, released in 1993. It is the only official Beowülf album to be released under the band name BWF. This album marked a change for the band, drifting more to bluesy rock and abandoning from their classic hardcore thrash style...
, which was released in 1993 on Restless Records
Restless Records
Restless Records was started in El Segundo, California in 1981 by Enigma Records and primarly released alternative, metal and punk records. Restless also licensed and released records from Bar/None Records, Metal Blade Records and Mute Records...
with that line-up.
Un-Sentimental was way less appreciated than the band's first two efforts, notably because there was only one original member in the band and the sound had changed a bit, drifting more to bluesy rock and going away from the hardcore thrash of their beginning.
In 1994 the band line-up underwent changes before recording the band's fourth album in Seattle for Restless Records and hired Buckit to play guitar, childhood friend and former EVOL
EVOL
Evol is the third studio album by American alternative rock band Sonic Youth, released in 1986 on SST Records, and recorded and mixed by New York recording icon Martin Bisi. The album cover features a picture of Lung Leg, a still taken from Submit to Me, a film by Richard Kern...
bassist Dug Mug Swanson and Denish Chaudhuri to play drums. They released 2 Cents
2 cents
2 cents may refer to 2 subunits of currencies where the subunit is called a cent; several currencies have coins of this value. The value is also the basis for the phrase "my two cents", a popular idiom.-Coins:* Two cent coin...
in 1995, toured Europe, Japan and had a song in the cult film Tank Girl
Tank Girl
Tank Girl is a British comic created by Jamie Hewlett and Alan Martin. Originally drawn by Jamie Hewlett, it has also been drawn by Rufus Dayglo, Ashley Wood, and Mike McMahon.The eponymous character Tank Girl drives a tank, which is also her home...
. Tank-Girl director Rachel Talalay
Rachel Talalay
-Filmography:* Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare * Ghost in the Machine * Tank Girl -Television credits:* Ally McBeal* Boston Public* Cold Case* Crossing Jordan* The Dead Zone* Dice* The Division...
also did the band's video for the song "2 Cents".
Post-break up (1996-1999)
Unfortunately in 1995, original bass player Paul Yamada died of a drug overdose and that had a huge effect on Dale Henderson, who decided he was over with Beowülf. He concentrated on another project, the band Kool-Whip. He called back Rowan and Sullivan (from the Un-Sentimental line-up) and added Gimmi on second guitar and the new band had a more hard rockHard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
sound. They played clubs and released two albums The Now
The Now
The Now are a late 1970s English punk rock group from Peterborough, England. Whilst never officially disbanding, they ceased recording and performing in 1979. In 2004, The Now recorded all of their original material and released as the Fuzztone Fizzadelic album in 2005 on the Damaged Goods record...
, which was nominated for best rock album at the 2002 L.A. Music Awards, and Dirty Movie in 2007.
Reunion (2000-present)
Despite Kool-Whip's apparent success, Dale Henderson, purportedly struck with nostalgia and ready to play the old Beowülf songs again, the band returned to the name Beowülf and started touring again playing the Beowülf music, keeping the same personnel. They also re-released the first two LP's as one CD called The Re-Releases in 2004 on I Scream RecordsI Scream Records
I Scream Records is a label founded by Laurens Kusters in 1994 in Brussels, Belgium. The label has an extensive catalogue and is one of the leading punk and hardcore labels in Western Europe.- History :...
with one new track recorded in 2004.
They started working on a new record, their second for I Scream, in 2005 while relentlessly touring Europe. Titled Westminister & 5th, it was released in April 2007 and featured Henderson, Rowan and Sullivan with Stefan Crapia on guitar.
Beowülf released their sixth studio album, Jesus Freak, in the summer of 2011. It was produced by frontman Dale Henderson and former Fear Factory
Fear Factory
Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
guitarist/bassist Christian Olde Wolbers
Christian Olde Wolbers
Christian Olde Wolbers , is the guitarist of the metal band Arkaea. He is the former bassist and guitarist of the industrial metal band Fear Factory, and is now in Beowülf.-Biography:...
. They also announced that longtime bassist Sean Otero had left Beowülf and was replaced by former Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies is a U.S. crossover thrash band founded in 1981 in Venice, Los Angeles, California by Mike Muir, its leader and only permanent member. The band is sometimes credited as one of "the fathers of crossover thrash"...
bassist Louiche Mayorga
Louiche Mayorga
Louiche Mayorga is best known for his bass playing in the Venice punk band "Suicidal Tendencies."He co-wrote many of their earlier songs including the punk classic "Institutionalized" from their 1983 debut album on Frontier, as well as" "War Inside My Head," "Possessed To Skate." and the title...
, who is on the new album.
As of September 2011, according to Beowülf's official website, Mayorga is no longer in the band and his replacement is Fear Factory
Fear Factory
Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
bassist Christian Olde Wolbers
Christian Olde Wolbers
Christian Olde Wolbers , is the guitarist of the metal band Arkaea. He is the former bassist and guitarist of the industrial metal band Fear Factory, and is now in Beowülf.-Biography:...
.
Current members
- Dale HendersonDale HendersonDale Henderson is an American musician. He is best known as the frontman and guitarist of the crossover thrash band Beowülf where he is the only constant member. He composed the music and wrote the lyrics on all of Beowülf's albums....
- Vocals, guitar (1981–present) - Stephan Mark Anthony - GuitarGuitarThe 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...
(2006–present) - Christian Olde WolbersChristian Olde WolbersChristian Olde Wolbers , is the guitarist of the metal band Arkaea. He is the former bassist and guitarist of the industrial metal band Fear Factory, and is now in Beowülf.-Biography:...
- BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(2011–present) - Rich Rowan - DrumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s (1991–1994, 2000–present)
Former members
- Mike Jensen - Guitar (1981–1991)
- Clint Schuyler - Guitar (1991–1994) (R.I.P.)
- Buckit - Guitar (1994–2000)
- Gimmi - Guitar (2001–2006)
- Paul Yamada - Bass (1981–1991) (R.I.P. 1966-1995)
- Kevin Sullivan - Bass (1991–1994)
- Dug Mug Swanson - Bass (1994–2000)
- Sean Otero - Bass (2000–2010)
- Louiche MayorgaLouiche MayorgaLouiche Mayorga is best known for his bass playing in the Venice punk band "Suicidal Tendencies."He co-wrote many of their earlier songs including the punk classic "Institutionalized" from their 1983 debut album on Frontier, as well as" "War Inside My Head," "Possessed To Skate." and the title...
- Bass (2010–2011) - Roger DeGiacomi - Drums (1981–1983)
- Michael Alvarado - Drums (1983–1991)
- Denish Chaudhuri - Drums (1994–2000)
Albums and EPs
| Year | Title | Notes |
| 1986 | Beowülf Beowülf (album) Beowülf is the debut album by the band of the same name, released in 1986.Like many Beowülf albums, the recording is out of print. In 2004, the album was re-released as the first half of the The Re-Releases compilation, along with its follow-up Lost My Head..... |
Debut album. |
| 1988 | Lost My Head... But I'm Back on the Right Track Lost My Head... But I'm Back on the Right Track Lost My Head... But I'm Back on the Right Track is the second album Beowülf, released in 1988.Like the previous album, Beowülf, Lost My Head is regarded by fans as Beowülf's best album, and a classic from the golden age of the Venice, California scene... |
Last album recorded with the classic line-up. |
| 1993 | Un-Sentimental Un-Sentimental Un-Sentimental is the third album by Beowülf, released in 1993. It is the only official Beowülf album to be released under the band name BWF. This album marked a change for the band, drifting more to bluesy rock and abandoning from their classic hardcore thrash style... |
First album on Restless and also with Dale as the only constant member. |
| 1995 | 2 Cents 2 cents 2 cents may refer to 2 subunits of currencies where the subunit is called a cent; several currencies have coins of this value. The value is also the basis for the phrase "my two cents", a popular idiom.-Coins:* Two cent coin... |
Second album on Restless and last studio album before disbanding. |
| 2007 | Westminister & 5th | First studio album since the reunion. |
| 2011 | Jesus Freak | Second studio album since the reunion. |
Compilations
- Welcome to VeniceWelcome to VeniceWelcome to Venice is a crossover thrash album that features local Venice Beach, California punk and metal bands. It was released in 1985 on Suicidal Records.-Album History:...
(1985) - The Re-Releases (2004)
- Farewell to Venice (2006)
- Welcome 2 Venice (2007)