the beginning first band second band jam band period the big 5 piece our last drummer now

History of the Band known as SlapHog


The Misty Beginnings

The true history of the rock slopera known and loved by all as 'SlapHog' is a long and twisted skein of tangled plotlines and incestuous band memberage.

It all started with mr. blake and a vision he had way back in 1989. The entire basic plot of the slopera came to him in a dream, ending with the final chase through the 5th dimension. He awoke laughing in hysterics with the vision of the Geezer riding through the various rifts in time, bounding from planet to planet, slapping his Hogsteed in a desperate attempt to keep ahead of his pursuer - Hogsnard riding his guitar, steering it with magical notes.

That dream was followed by three more, resulting in LICKAMACHOPS, GEEZER GREASER and SLAPHOG RISING. More songs quickly followed, and the task of finding a drummer and bass player for recording became apparent.


Ben & Ted

It just so happened that I ran into some college friends, Ben and Ted, who were in a successful local psychedelic band called Shredded Lettuce, and I was able to talk them into helping me with my project. That was in the early 90s, and resulted in several fine recordings, two of which ended up on the current SlapHog CD.

Although the Ben & Ted connection wasn't meant to be a performing band, what with Shredded Lettuce playing so many shows an opportunity soon came up to play at a big monster show called THE HOGWALLOWER'S BALL. It was held at the Clinton Street Theatre, had fire breathers and sword swallowers, Bing Ra, Shredded Lettuce, SlapHog - and my solo acoustic performance of God Bleeds Freedom. There was also a Hog Calling Contest with Dr.Zen Comix as prizes.

I think that was 1993, but I could be mistaken. That show was so successful, with costumes and a light show, that I wanted to form a real performing band, not just a recording project.


Ben & Jesse

Ted felt that he was too busy with Shredded Lettuce & Bing Ra to be in a third band, so Ben and I recruited Ben's girlfriend Jesse to play drums. I call that band SlapHog #2.

Our big show with SlapHog #2 was a Hemp Benefit in the Hand Gallery downtown. Jesse's band Fisted Sister also played. Mole, Signified Monkey & Godless rounded out the bill. That band also played with Shredded Lettuce down at Reed College. Unfortunately for the band Ben and Jesse decided to get married and move to the suburbs, where they now have two kids and a band called Peter Pants.


Eli & Jason & John & Reet

After SlapHog #2 broke up I ended up playing in several jam bands, the slopera being put on hold for a while. The most promising of those bands was Otter, with my friend Jason on bass. That was a heavy heavy band with Soundgarden qualities. Our front man was a real screamer. That band ended when the drummer decided, out of the blue, to give up the drums!

That was followed by a rambunctious jam band called Freak Egg with Eli and I on guitars, John Champlin on Bass, and Reet Rana on drums. Over time it began to turn into SlapHog #3, but just as our sound was ripening both Reet and John decided to give up their instruments. A decision both reversed later, but too late to save the band.


Karen & Dave & Ben & John

I quickly rounded up a new cast of characters, Dave Daly on drums, Ben Salzburg on bass and Karen Lizars on Keyboards and some vocals. I was on guitar and once again singing. Although this was SlapHog #4, we decided to call it The Gnostril 5. We soon added John Champlin on bass, with Ben Salzburg moving over to lead guitar. We played at the Nitrogen Day Festival in April of 1997. Various things came up and that band bit the dust.


Allen & Dick & Eli

Around christmas of 97 I ran into Allen Schwartz, the former singer for TIKKLER, and got he and Eli (now on bass) to form a new Slaphog #5. We tried several drummers before we settled on Dick, whom I met down at KBOO. We practiced like madmen and played at Nitrogen Day 98 and the Reed College Rennaisance Faire. We played at several house parties that summer, and then Allen had to leave the band and move back to central oregon for family reasons. Sigh. So I went back to singing as well as playing guitar.

After losing Allen we played several more house parties and were the guest band on some cable access shows, namely: The Messiah is Dead and Families Against Repugnant Television. We were set to play out at some clubs when Dick had to go to the east coast for family reasons, and I had to build a garage. Every garage band needs a garage.


Steve & Eli & Chris

Then we met Steve, and he became our new drummer. We practiced like crazy through the end of 1999 and actually played at some house parties. Our first big show was Nitrogen Day '00. Then we played at the Delta Cafe and a big July 4th party and a big Halloween party - and some others I'm not at liberty to disclose.

We briefly played with a keyboard player named Chris Phillips, and the recordings made during that two week period resulted in the Galaxy Patrol CD. That was in October of 2000.


Steve & Eli & George

In early 2001 we brought George Renan into the mix. First he played keyboards on some tunes, and sang on others, sharing the vocal duties with myself. We played a few parties, recorded some songs, but the going was slow, since Eli and George both worked at the same place with opposite schedules. Eventually we managed to pull together the songs for Ice Rock.
That was February 2002, and George has run off to Panama.


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