Cows were a

noise rock Noise rock (sometimes called noise punk) is a noise music, noise-oriented style of experimental rock that spun off from punk rock in the 1980s. Drawing on movements such as minimal music, minimalism, industrial music, and New York hardcore, a ...

band from

Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

who formed in 1986 and disbanded in 1998. The band’s music mixed

punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...

with

surreal humour Surreal humour (also called surreal comedy, absurdist humour, or absurdist comedy) is a form of humour predicated on deliberate violations of causality, causal reasoning, thus producing events and behaviors that are obviously illogical. Portra ...

and copious amounts of noise played through distorted amplifiers and trumpet bleats, codifying them as a

band. Throughout their career Cows released nine studio albums, all but one on the Minneapolis-based label

Amphetamine Reptile Records Amphetamine Reptile Records (or AmRep Industries) is a record label founded in 1986 by Tom Hazelmyer in Washington state. The label specializes in noise rock and also released ''Strap It On ''Strap It On'' is the debut studio album by Amer ...

. A star in honor of the Cows is on the outside mural of First Avenue.

History

Cows formed in 1986 with

Kevin Rutmanis Kevin Rutmanis (born October 17, 1958) is an American bass guitarist. He is of Latvian descent. Before getting into music, he was a student teacher. In late 1985, along with his younger brother Sandris Rutmanis, Thor Eisentrager, and then Jayh ...

on bass,

Thor Eisentrager Thor Eisentrager is a founding member and former guitarist for the Minneapolis-based Noise rock-outfit, the Cows. After the release of the Cows's ninth album, '' Sorry in Pig Minor'', Thor announced that he had grown tired of touring and left th ...

on guitar, then front man Norm Rogers on vocals, and on drums Kevin's younger brother Sandris Rutmanis. Norm Rogers left the band in January 1987 to dedicate his time to drumming for

the Jayhawks The Jayhawks are an American alternative country and country rock band that emerged from the Twin Cities music scene in the mid-1980s. Led by vocalists/guitarists/songwriters Gary Louris and Mark Olson, their country rock sound was influentia ...

, later returning to play drums for Cows in 1990.

Shannon Selberg Shannon Scott Selberg (born June 3, 1960) is a noise/punk rock musician known for his unusual antics on stage. Formerly the frontman for the Minneapolis-based group The Cows, Selberg provided lead vocals, trumpet, bugle and hardcore guitar.Robbi ...

become Cows’ front man in February 1987, providing both vocal and

bugle The bugle is a simple signaling brass instrument with a wide conical bore. It normally has no valves or other pitch-altering devices, and is thus limited to its natural harmonic notes, and pitch is controlled entirely by varying the air a ...

duties. Sandris left the band in January 1998 and Cows disbanded thereafter. After disbanding,

went on to front

The Heroine Sheiks The Heroine Sheiks was an American noise rock band based in New York. It began in 1999, as a collaboration between Shannon Selberg, George Porfiris, Norman Westberg and John Fell. Selberg predominantly has been the band's songwriter, whose sou ...

Live performances

Cows were notorious for their raucous live performances. Actions the band have performed onstage include kicking people in the front row, spitting on the stage, throwing the microphone stand into the crowd, throwing food at the crowd, and drawing on themselves, among others. Lead singer

's trademark is that he has a tattoo illustrating the game Hangman on his body that reads "F_CK" and another tattoo of an anchor with the word "DAD" on top of it. One reviewer wrote about the band's shows, "I have no doubt that the Cows know how to play their instruments. What I don't understand is why they refuse to tune them.""Cows: Mark's Record Reviews"
Mark Prindle Review Site. cited August, 2009

Legacy

Cows have been honored with a star on the outside mural of the

nightclub First Avenue, recognizing performers that have played sold-out shows or have otherwise demonstrated a major contribution to the culture at the iconic venue. Receiving a star "might be the most prestigious public honor an artist can receive in Minneapolis," according to journalist Steve Marsh.

Band members

– vocals, bugle, trumpet, trombone (1987–1998) *

– bass (1987–1998) *

– guitar (1987–1998) *David van der Steen – fifth udder (1987–1992) *Sandris Rutmanis – drums (1987–1988) *

Tony Oliveri Cows were a noise rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota who formed in 1986 and disbanded in 1998. The band’s music mixed punk rock with surreal humour and copious amounts of noise played through distorted amplifiers and trumpet bleats, codif ...

– drums (1988–1990) * Norm Rogers – drums (d. 2018) (1990–1995) * Freddy Votel – drums (1995–1998)

Discography

Studio albums

*'' Taint Pluribus Taint Unum'' – Treehouse Records, 1987 *'' Daddy Has a Tail!'' –

, 1989 *''

Effete and Impudent Snobs ''Effete and Impudent Snobs'' is the third album by the Minneapolis-based noise rock band Cows. It was released on March 23, 1990, by Amphetamine Reptile Records. Track listing Personnel Adapted from the ''Effete and Impudent Snobs'' liner no ...

'' – Amphetamine Reptile Records, 1990 *''

Peacetika ''Peacetika'' is the fourth studio album by the Minneapolis-based noise rock band Cows. It was released on March 25, 1991, by Amphetamine Reptile Records. The band supported the album with a North American tour. Critical reception ''Trouser Pres ...

'' – Amphetamine Reptile Records, 1991 *'' Cunning Stunts'' – Amphetamine Reptile Records, 1992 *'' Sexy Pee Story'' – Amphetamine Reptile Records, 1993 *'' Orphan's Tragedy'' – Amphetamine Reptile Records, 1994 *'' Whorn'' – Amphetamine Reptile Records, 1996 *'' Sorry in Pig Minor'' – Amphetamine Reptile Records, 1998

Singles and EPs

*''Chow'' 7" – Treehouse Records, 1988 *''Slap Back'' 7" –

, 1990 *'' Plowed'' EP – Amphetamine Reptile Records, 1992 *''Woman Inside'' 7" – Insipid Records, 1992 *''Cow Island'' 7" – Amphetamine Reptile Records, 1994 *''The Missing Letter Is You'' EP –

Thick Records Thick Records is a Chicago-based independent record label which actively operated from 1994 to 2007. It now exists as a catalog only label for its previous releases. History Thick was formed in 1994 by Detroit native Zak Einstein, who started the ...

, 1998 *'' Sugar Daddy Live Split Series Vol. 2'' – Amphetamine Reptile Records, 2012 (split with the

Melvins Melvins (sometimes the Melvins) are an American rock band formed in 1983 in Montesano, Washington. Their early work was key to the development of both grunge and sludge metal. Primarily a trio, they have also performed as a quartet, with eith ...

)

Compilations

*'' Old Gold 1989-1991'' –

, 1995 *''Orpheus’ Travesty'' – KMFMT Records, 1998 (''A retrospective album put together by

and Freddy Votel and sold before their final concert'') *''Stunning Cunts'' – Amphetamine Reptile Records, 2014 (''Demos from Cunning Stunts'') *''Stunning Cunts Vol. 2'' – Amphetamine Reptile Records, 2015 (''Demos from Cunning Stunts'')

References

External links

The Unofficial COWS Home Page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cows Musical groups established in 1987 Musical groups disestablished in 1998 American noise rock music groups Hardcore punk groups from Minnesota Indie rock musical groups from Minnesota Punk blues musical groups Musical groups from Minneapolis Amphetamine Reptile Records artists Glitterhouse Records artists