Mysterious Frustrating Image by A Mysterious Frustrator
UPDATE: MORE BUNKER PHOTOS SURFACE ON FACEBOOK! CLICK HERE!
The world of music is somewhat familiar with Green Day’s “alleged” other bands such as The Network and The Foxboro Hot Tubs and Billie Joe’s side project, Pinhead Gunpowder. While these three bands get a bit more fanfare, Mike Dirnt’s Green Day-side project, The Frustrators, gets a bit less of it. They have been around since 1999, mostly playing in their garages and drinking beer, though they have played live a few times over the past ten years. I can’t say that I had heard of them prior to my crazy 21st Century Breakdown plunge starting last year, but my life has been much funnier and happier since I got their two CDs this past December when Adeline Records had a stupid awesome sale on stupid awesome merchandise and music.
Frustrators' Manager, Jimmy Zeus
The Frustrators have one great album out, Achtung Jackass (2002) and an excellent EP entitled Bored in the USA (2000) both of which appear on the Adeline label as well as a song called “Trout” that appears on Adeline’s Might As Well… Can’t Dance compilation from 2000. The song is presented backwards as an added bonus track on Achtung Jackass just cause it sounds as good backwards as it does forward. (You can hear the forward version of “Trout” on the Frustrator’s Myspace site.) The records feature the hysterical (as in funny) lead vocals and rhythm guitar of musician, graphic and comic book artist, Jason Chandler, Terry Lineham (backup vocals and lead guitar), Mike Dirnt on bass, and Art Tedeschi on drums. A brief history of the Frustrators, written by Netty, can be found here.
The band’s self-deprecating lyrics, mixed with a pounding bass and drum section, and blazing lead guitar, makes for some intense and hilarious songs. Chandler’s rye sense of humor, whether singing about getting lost in the Texas desert (“West of Texas”), pirates (“Pirate Song”), tossing midgets (“The Great Australian Midget Toss”), Terry’s lovelife (“I Slept with Terry”), or forlornly singing about a girl who walked away… whether real or imaginary (“Then She Walked Away”)… is a treat and always manages to make me laugh and want to dance. It’s very manly music, too. I am not quite sure how to define “manly” in regards to it, but don’t a lot of manly men long to sing songs of pirates?
Jimmy Zeus, the cigar chomping, monkey manager of the Frustrators, recently posted the mysterious image above on the Frustrators Facebook page. The photo, along with some mysterious and frustrating statements from Zeus (and Chandler, who shows up on Facebook here and there) may be of the band possibly recording tracks during a bit of downtime from Green Day’s ongoing tour. Yawzah!
I hunted Chandler down from within his Zombie-protected bunker to ask what was up, and though he’s tight-lipped about stuff regarding the future of the Frustrators …no doubt because his zombies have eaten his lips away… he managed to three-finger type the following response:
Basically, we’d all love to do another record. We’ve all got some ideas. And actually by crazy strokes of luck we’ve been able to hang out recently. But writing and recording is a long process and can be tricky once you consider all the little difficulties with people’s schedules and my own deep personality problems… So who knows?
–Jason Chandler, from somewhere deep underground (aka Facebook)
So there you have it! Something is up with The Frustrators, though how, when, where, and what are yet to be determined. Why is a bit more simpler… because we need more Frustrators in our lives!
The Frustrators Live – “Best Friend’s Girlfriend” –
I swear there is a lead singer there somewhere in the dark…
“West of Texas” – Bored in the USA – The Frustrators – My favorite Frustrators song
Green Day Mind 
March 1st, 2010 at 8:52 am
Nice. Its all about the “side project” shows for me now…bring em on! Im desperate for another reason to go out to Berkeley.
March 1st, 2010 at 9:04 am
Well, don’t expect anything soon from them. I think they have only played live about five or six times, and it’s going to take a while for them to actually finish this up, if they do. Jason is one of the funniest people ever, and yes, just another excuse to go out to Berkeley and hear music and act crazy. God, I love that place! And I’d love to hear them play!
March 1st, 2010 at 11:40 am
I am sooooooo confused(nothing new for me!). i’ve been wandering around from Green Day Blog to Green Day Blog, and now have everyone confused! okay, ramblerock is Abbey, Delfina had nothing wrong with me — who does it now?–Annie k’s is annie k’s, lol, but this sounds like Abbey! Oh well, perhaps someday i will figure this out. in the meantime, i finally got around to listening to the Frustrators and jason’s band(blanking here), and love them both. She’s my best friend’s girl is one of my favorite Cars songs, so i get 2 for one. Well, just wanted to say thanks to all of you for your great blogs.
March 1st, 2010 at 11:58 am
Hi Barb,
No, Abbey comments here a lot (thank goodness, or I’d be talking with myself!), but it’s just me here. My name is Tanya and this blog is basically just for the Green Day tour, until it ends sometime in the future. I started writing it back in June. I didn’t know that Abbey had a blog! She never told me, I’m going to have to check it out! I don’t know who does Nothing Wrong With Me now, unfortunately. And Annie K is certainly Annie K herself. There are a lot of blogs out there regarding Green Day, though I only keep track of a few of them, but most specifically forums like Green Day Community, the Green Day Authority, and the Idiot Club.
Do you mean Jason’s band as in “Violent Anal Death?” Ha, if so, I have heard them yet… but I do so love the Frustrators. You can hear more of them on Youtube, and a few more songs are on the Facebook page. And please, do stop by again so I won’t get so lonely and start bouncing off of the virtual walls around here, ‘kay?
Tanya
March 1st, 2010 at 12:16 pm
Haha, I am still here(or rather, i put this on automatic email — (great idea) and was in my email when it came. That is why i was confused — you comment on nothing wrong with me a lot, so i am semi-familiar, ha ha! Also, i had no idea that Green Day Community was different from GDA, and just found it, so added it to my faves(your is there from yesterday, when I found you). Yes, I will be back. No, i meant jason White’s band — hadn’t heard of Violent Anal Death — do I really want to check them out with that name? Ha! read your reason for being yesterday, and really related. Too bad you will end your blog, though.
Oh, I found Abbey’s blog from Nothing Wrong With Me It is Duck! Ramblerock(something). Ooops, conference call. yes, I will be back! Take care
March 4th, 2010 at 8:20 am
[…] friends over at Green Day Mind asked Jason Chandler if the band was recording or not and this is the responce that they got: […]
June 7th, 2010 at 11:45 pm
Barb~did you ever find the name of Jason’s band? I see you meant Jason White. So many Jasons (Freese, White, Chandler), so little time. lol.
I think White’s had a few bands, including the Influents? Haven’t really heard their stuff, here is a link: http://www.theinfluents.net/
I remember back when Green Day had downtown in the winter that the went to Arkansas and played a gig with a band, but I don’t remember the name of the band. There was some video posted on Youtube.
Anyway, hope you are well!
June 8th, 2010 at 12:31 am
Hi Tanya. Yes, I was talking about the influents, and did find them. Too bad they aren’t playing any more. I really like them as well. Things are no good, actually. Haven’t been on since my son became ill. He’s had two psychotic breaks in the last two months. It is either bi-polar 1 or schizoaffective disorder. Either way, it has been the most awful heartache. Hoping against hope that they will find medications that work. Unfortunately, he doesn’t know he is ill, so doesn’t want to take medication. My beautiful, sweet, kind brilliant son has changed into a stranger. Sorry for unloading. It’s all I mainly think of. Oh, anyone want two great tickets(seats) for the Green Day show in France? Had to cancel my trip. They are free.
June 8th, 2010 at 10:23 am
Wow, Barb, I’m glad you found the Influents, but so sad about your son. I really hope that situation gets better for you and him. Mental health is so important, and it sounds like he’s going through it bad right now, but I’m sure it will get better. It has too! And I’m with you regarding France. I have to give up my ticket to Wembley, too, because I can’t go either. And don’t worry about unloading, I’m just glad to hear from you! All the best and good luck with the situation. Maybe you can see a Green Day show here in the States and take your mind off of things!
June 17th, 2010 at 11:38 pm
[…] Back in March I reported that there were mysterious and frustrating images appearing on the Frustrators’ Facebook page. The photos were a series of shots with bits and pieces of band equipment and body parts. And lunch. Since the photos appeared, wild rumors of a new album from the Frustrators have been running rampant among the zombies in the bunker, and we’re all… uh, THEY are all… waiting with baited breath (if they could breathe) to hear what’s up with the Frustrators. […]
October 31st, 2010 at 11:56 am
[…] for a bit? Maybe Mike Dirnt and his bandmates, Jason Chandler, Art Tesdesci and Terry Lineham, from The Frustrators will finish their new album, too! So, don’t be sad, be happy! Celebrate the future! It is […]
January 13th, 2011 at 9:06 am
[…] project band whooped it up something fierce and spread the news far and wide that the Frustrators, rumored since early 2010 to be recording in the studio bunker, were at it in full force. And by full force, that means, well, actual new songs on both vinyl and […]