This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb
Encyclopedia
This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb was a folk-punk band from Pensacola
, Florida
, USA. Their first recording was released in 1997 on Ghostmeat Records
. Their later releases have been on Plan It X Records
and No Idea Records
, but now appear on their own label Plan-It X South. This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb initially started as a new wave
band, with folk
singer David Dondero
on drums. They quickly switched to playing country music
, but their punk
roots were evident enough in their music that they became one of the premiere bands at the forefront of the folk-punk genre. They did several US tours, played at Geekfest
, and toured to Europe.
On February 3, 2011, Punknews.org
http://www.punknews.org/article/41476 announced that This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb had decided to call it quits. Rymodee and Terry still write and play together in Zippers To Nowhere, based out of Chattanooga.
Much of their music is politically oriented. This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb is staunchly pacifist and concerned with the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and racial equality in general.
police officer spotted a bicycle attached to the Oasis restaurant bearing a promotional sticker for the band. The officer saw the words, "This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb" and became concerned. The area was cordoned off, and part of the campus was closed for several hours. The bicycle was subsequently destroyed by the Athens
bomb squad despite assurances from the bike's owner that it was just a sticker. The owner, a graduate student, was initially charged with inducing panic, a misdemeanor. However, the charges were dropped a few days later. Later the student was awarded money for the damages to his bicycle.
A similar incident occurred in 2001, when a police officer spotted and detained a woman at an Austin, Texas
peace rally. Her bicycle was also labeled with the band's sticker. The woman was released after the band's existence was confirmed.
On March 14, 2006 Bellarmine Hall at Saint Joseph's University
in Philadelphia, PA
was evacuated because of another bicycle with the band's name painted on it. No charges were filed.
On February 16, 2009, Terminal C at Memphis International Airport
was evacuated because of a bicycle with the band's sticker on it. A pilot notified police when he saw the bike, with the band's sticker on it, parked outside of the terminal. Police evacuated the terminal and sent in K9 units; however, no explosive materials were found. Police arrested the owner of the bike but let the owner go a few hours later because he had not committed a crime. After hearing about the incident, the band's lead singer urged fans to use caution when they applied the stickers.
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, USA. Their first recording was released in 1997 on Ghostmeat Records
Ghostmeat Records
Ghostmeat Records was established in South Carolina in 1994 before moving to Georgia in 1995. Ghostmeat was formed by Russ Hallauer, a musician from the band Sunbrain...
. Their later releases have been on Plan It X Records
Plan It X Records
Plan-It-X Records is an independent record label in the United States. Originally based in Georgetown, Indiana, PIX is currently based out of Bloomington, Indiana following brief stints in Olympia, Washington, Gainesville, Florida and Cairo, Illinois. Some consider the label most notable for...
and No Idea Records
No Idea Records
For other uses, see No Idea .No Idea Records is an independent record label based in Gainesville, Florida which produces both vinyl records and compact discs...
, but now appear on their own label Plan-It X South. This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb initially started as a new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band, with folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
singer David Dondero
David Dondero
David Dondero is an American songwriter, guitarist, former lead singer of the band Sunbrain. In 2006, NPR's All Songs Considered named David one of the "best living songwriters" alongside Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney and Tom Waits...
on drums. They quickly switched to playing country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
, but their punk
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...
roots were evident enough in their music that they became one of the premiere bands at the forefront of the folk-punk genre. They did several US tours, played at Geekfest
Geekfest
Geekfest is the name of a series of free, all-ages concerts organized by California indie label S.P.A.M. Records during the 1990s. The first Geekfest was held in June 1996 on the shoreline at Point Molate in Richmond, California...
, and toured to Europe.
On February 3, 2011, Punknews.org
Punknews.org
Punknews.org is a website founded by Aubin Paul which launched in 1999. The website publishes music news and album reviews relating to punk rock, hardcore punk, ska, indie rock and heavy metal...
http://www.punknews.org/article/41476 announced that This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb had decided to call it quits. Rymodee and Terry still write and play together in Zippers To Nowhere, based out of Chattanooga.
Much of their music is politically oriented. This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb is staunchly pacifist and concerned with the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and racial equality in general.
Band members
- Rymodee - 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...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, harmonicaHarmonicaThe 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... - Terry Johnson - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Teddy "Ted" Helmick - drumsDrum kitA 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 ....
, jokes, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Zine author Aaron CometbusAaron CometbusAaron Elliott , better known as Aaron Cometbus, is an American drummer, lyricist, self-described "punk anthropologist," novelist, and author of punk rock zine Cometbus.-Personal life:...
has been known to play drums for the band on occasion. - Spot - FidolaFidola1. The fidola is a musical instrument invented in the 1980’s by luthier Alan Carruth of Newport, New Hampshire. It is shaped like a guitar, but is the size of a viola, and has five strings strung like a standard violin and viola . It is played with a standard viola bow, preferably strung with black...
Discography
- S/T 7" Ghost Meat Records , 1997 Out Of Print
- Dance Party With... CD Plan-It-X Records , 1999
- Dance Party With... 10" Troy from Vancouver , 2004
- Of Chivalry and Romance in a Dumpster 10" Fab Records , 1999 Out Of Print
- Black Panther Party 7" Arkam Records , 2001
- This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb/The Devil Is Electric Split 7" Risk Records , 2001 Out Of Print
- Front Seat SolidarityFront Seat SolidarityFront Seat Solidarity is an LP by Florida folk-punk band This Bike is a Pipe Bomb. It was released in 2002 on Plan-It-X Records and was their second CD release.-Track listing:# "This is What I Want"# "Selma"# "Body Count"# "Trains and Cops"# "Mouseteeth"...
LP Plan-It-X Records , 2002 Out Of Print (repressed on No Idea Records in 2007) - Front Seat SolidarityFront Seat SolidarityFront Seat Solidarity is an LP by Florida folk-punk band This Bike is a Pipe Bomb. It was released in 2002 on Plan-It-X Records and was their second CD release.-Track listing:# "This is What I Want"# "Selma"# "Body Count"# "Trains and Cops"# "Mouseteeth"...
CD Plan-It-X Records , 2002 - Songs Of Our Soil CD and zine (self-released), 2002
- This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb/Carrie Nations Split 7" Shake/Plan-It-X Records , 2004 Out Of Print
- Three Way Tie for a Fifth CD Plan-It-X Records , 2004
- Three Way Tie for a Fifth LP No Idea Records , 2005
- Convertible CD Plan-It-X Records , 2008
- Convertible LP No Idea Records , 2009
- Radon/This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb/Vaginasore Jr./King Friday Split Fast Crowd Records, 2008 (contributed the song "Bright One")
In the news
On March 2, 2006 at 5:30 am an Ohio UniversityOhio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
police officer spotted a bicycle attached to the Oasis restaurant bearing a promotional sticker for the band. The officer saw the words, "This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb" and became concerned. The area was cordoned off, and part of the campus was closed for several hours. The bicycle was subsequently destroyed by the Athens
Athens, Ohio
Athens is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Athens County, Ohio, United States. It is located along the Hocking River in the southeastern part of Ohio. A historic college town, Athens is home to Ohio University and is the principal city of the Athens, Ohio Micropolitan Statistical Area. ...
bomb squad despite assurances from the bike's owner that it was just a sticker. The owner, a graduate student, was initially charged with inducing panic, a misdemeanor. However, the charges were dropped a few days later. Later the student was awarded money for the damages to his bicycle.
A similar incident occurred in 2001, when a police officer spotted and detained a woman at an Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
peace rally. Her bicycle was also labeled with the band's sticker. The woman was released after the band's existence was confirmed.
On March 14, 2006 Bellarmine Hall at Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located partially in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia and partially in Lower Merion Township and located in the Pennsylvania Main Line, Pennsylvania, United States.The school was founded in 1851 as Saint...
in Philadelphia, PA
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
was evacuated because of another bicycle with the band's name painted on it. No charges were filed.
On February 16, 2009, Terminal C at Memphis International Airport
Memphis International Airport
Memphis International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Memphis, a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States....
was evacuated because of a bicycle with the band's sticker on it. A pilot notified police when he saw the bike, with the band's sticker on it, parked outside of the terminal. Police evacuated the terminal and sent in K9 units; however, no explosive materials were found. Police arrested the owner of the bike but let the owner go a few hours later because he had not committed a crime. After hearing about the incident, the band's lead singer urged fans to use caution when they applied the stickers.
External links
- Plan-it-X Records
- Ghostmeat Records
- No Idea Records
- This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb collection at the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
's live music archive