Fishbone (band)
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Fishbone is an American
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
band from
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, California. Formed in 1979, the band plays a fusion of
ska Ska (; , ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a w ...
,
punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
,
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...
,
metal A metal () is a material that, when polished or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, electricity and thermal conductivity, heat relatively well. These properties are all associated wit ...
,
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...
, and
soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...
.
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
has described the group as "one of the most distinctive and eclectic
alternative rock Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...
bands of the late 1980s. With their hyperactive, self-conscious
diversity Diversity, diversify, or diverse may refer to: Business *Diversity (business), the inclusion of people of different identities (ethnicity, gender, age) in the workforce *Diversity marketing, marketing communication targeting diverse customers * ...
, goofy sense of humor, and sharp
social commentary Social commentary is the act of using rhetorical means to provide commentary on social, cultural, political, or economic issues in a society. This is often done with the idea of implementing or promoting change by informing the general populace ab ...
, the group gained a sizable
cult following A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The latter is often called a cult classic. A film, boo ...
". Fishbone first assembled as school students in 1979 with John Norwood Fisher (bass), his brother Philip "Fish" Fisher (drums),
Angelo Moore Angelo Christopher Moore (born November 5, 1965) is an American musician, best known for his work as lead singer and saxophonist for the Los Angeles ska and funk metal band Fishbone. Moore also performs and records under the stage name Dr. MadV ...
(vocals, saxophones,
theremin The theremin (; originally known as the ætherphone, etherphone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox) is an electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact by the performer (who is known as a thereminist). It is named aft ...
), Kendall Jones (guitar), "Dirty" Walter A. Kibby II (vocals, trumpet), and Christopher Dowd (keyboards, trombone, vocals). They achieved their greatest commercial success in the late 1980s and early 1990s, after which they went through many personnel changes. From 2003 to 2010, John Norwood Fisher and Angelo Moore were the last remaining original members of the band. In the 2010s, all the other original members except Kendall Jones rejoined the band for various reunion tours and anniversary activities. As of March 2025, the lineup consists of Moore, Dowd, guitarist Tracey "Spacey T" Singleton, drummer Hassan Hurd, trumpeter JS Williams, and bassist James Jones.


History


Early career (1979–1987)

Fishbone got started in 1979 as a "disparate, all-black oddball crew" when the members were in junior high school. The Fisher brothers, Jones, Dowd, and Kibby were all from
South Central Los Angeles South Los Angeles, also known as South Central Los Angeles or simply South Central, is a region in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, lying mostly within the city limits of Los Angeles, south of Downtown Los Angeles, downtown. It is de ...
and were included in a school busing program that sent them daily to the
San Fernando Valley The San Fernando Valley, known locally as the Valley, is an urbanized valley in Los Angeles County, Los Angeles County, California. Situated to the north of the Los Angeles Basin, it comprises a large portion of Los Angeles, the Municipal corpo ...
, where they met Moore, who was native to the area. After first using the name Megatron with Titus Norris on vocals, the sextet adopted the name Fishbone and formed a unique stew of different styles that became popular in the Los Angeles club scene and was a great influence on several subsequent alternative bands. Their first club date was at Madame Wong's, the influential venue in Los Angeles's Chinatown that had been a showcase for a variety of seminal punk bands in the 1980s. They formed strong friendships with Los Angeles bands like
Red Hot Chili Peppers The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1982, consisting of Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Flea (musician), Flea (bass), John Frusciante (guitar), and Chad Smith (drums). Their music incorporates elements of a ...
, Thelonious Monster, and
Psi Com Psi Com was an American post-punk band of the early 1980s, consisting of Perry Farrell (vocals), Aaron Sherer (drums and percussion), Vince Duran (guitar) and Kelly Wheeler (bass). Prominent in the underground Los Angeles music scene, the group ...
. Fishbone were signed to
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...
in 1983 after being spotted at a club gig by Brian O'Neal of
The BusBoys The BusBoys is an American rock and roll band known for its association with Eddie Murphy and performing in the film ''48 Hrs.''. The band's best known songs are "New Shoes", "The Boys Are Back in Town", which appeared in ''48 Hrs'' and in ''E ...
. Their first release was the 1985 single " Party at Ground Zero", followed by a self-titled EP, ''
Fishbone Fishbone is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1979, the band plays a fusion of ska, punk, funk, metal, reggae, and soul. AllMusic has described the group as "one of the most distinctive and eclectic alternative ...
'' produced by
David Kahne David Kahne is an American record producer, musician, composer, and former record company executive. Professional career Kahne started his musical career as a working musician and soon became Director of A&R for America's first punk and ne ...
. They released their first full-length album '' In Your Face'' in 1986, and the following year they performed "Jamaica Ska" in the
Annette Funicello Annette Joanne Funicello (October 22, 1942 – April 8, 2013) was an American actress and singer. She began her professional career at age 12, becoming one of the most popular Mouseketeers on the original ''The Mickey Mouse Club, Mickey Mouse Cl ...
/
Frankie Avalon Francis Thomas Avallone (born September 18, 1940), better known as Frankie Avalon, is an American singer, actor and former teen idol. He had 31 charting U.S. ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' singles from 1958 to late 1962, including Record ...
reunion movie ''
Back to the Beach ''Back to the Beach'' is a 1987 American comedy film starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, directed by Lyndall Hobbs. The original music score is composed by Steve Dorff. The film generated a total domestic gross of $13,110,903. It ...
''. Fishbone's first major international tour was as the opening act for
Beastie Boys The Beastie Boys were an American Hip-hop, hip hop and Rap rock, rap rock group formed in New York City in 1979. They were composed of Ad-Rock, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (vocals, guitar), Adam Yauch, Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Mike D, ...
on the 1987 ''Licensed to Ill'' tour.


Rise to fame (1988–1994)

Fishbone was primarily considered a
ska Ska (; , ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a w ...
and
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...
band during their early years, but later became more guitar-driven with a focus on rock and soul music. The 1988 album ''
Truth and Soul ''Truth and Soul'' is the second studio album by American Rock music, rock band Fishbone. It was released on September 13, 1988. As is typical of the band's history of music the album features a wide array of genres including punk rock, punk, sk ...
'' brought Fishbone wide critical acclaim. With this album, the band also added
social commentary Social commentary is the act of using rhetorical means to provide commentary on social, cultural, political, or economic issues in a society. This is often done with the idea of implementing or promoting change by informing the general populace ab ...
to their lyrics, covering topics such as the breakup of families, contemporary racism,
fascism Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hie ...
,
nuclear war Nuclear warfare, also known as atomic warfare, is a War, military conflict or prepared Policy, political strategy that deploys nuclear weaponry. Nuclear weapons are Weapon of mass destruction, weapons of mass destruction; in contrast to conven ...
, and oppression in lower income housing projects. The album was highlighted by a hard rock-inspired version of
Curtis Mayfield Curtis Lee Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Dubbed the " Gentle Genius", he is considered one of the most influential musicians of soul and socially conscious Afric ...
's classic "
Freddie's Dead "Freddie's Dead" is a song by Curtis Mayfield. It was the first single from his 1972 soundtrack album for the film '' Super Fly''. The single was released before the ''Super Fly'' album, and before the film was in theaters. The song peaked at #4 ...
" from the film '' Super Fly''. The music video, directed by Douglas Gayeton, became the band's first hit on MTV. That same year, the group toured with Red Hot Chili Peppers and became nationally known in the burgeoning alternative music scene. Also that year, Fishbone and
Little Richard Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American singer, pianist, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the "Ar ...
recorded the
Lead Belly Huddie William Ledbetter ( ; January 1888 or 1889 – December 6, 1949), better known by the stage name Lead Belly, was an American folk music, folk and blues singer notable for his strong vocals, virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the ...
song "
Rock Island Line "Rock Island Line" ( Roud 15211) was originally sung as a spiritual by slaves on the plantations of the Mississippi River Valley, and was first transcribed as a folk song in 1929. The first recording was made by John Lomax, who was traveling amo ...
" for the tribute album '' Folkways: A Vision Shared''. The band added former
Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th century music, 20th-century music. Davis ado ...
sideman John Bigham on guitar and keyboards in 1989. The 1991 album '' The Reality of My Surroundings'' was a critical and commercial success, reaching #49 on the Billboard albums chart. One month before the album's release, the group played a performance on ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' of " Sunless Saturday," a song which later featured an
MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
video directed by
Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, and author. His work has continually explored race relations, issues within the black community, the role of media in contemporary ...
. The song " Everyday Sunshine" also became a modest hit on radio and MTV. While the band retained their roots in funk and ska, the 1993 album ''
Give a Monkey a Brain and He'll Swear He's the Center of the Universe ''Give a Monkey a Brain and He'll Swear He's the Center of the Universe'' is the fourth studio album by American rock band Fishbone. It was the last album to feature all six original members, as guitarist Kendall Jones left the band a few months ...
'' included songs with free jazz, hard rock, punk, and heavy metal elements. At the time of the album's release, the band began to tear apart internally. Just before Fishbone joined the 1993
Lollapalooza Lollapalooza () is an annual American four-day music festival held in Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park in Chicago. It originally started as a touring event in 1991, with Chicago becoming its permanent location beginning in 2005. Music genres i ...
tour, guitarist Kendall Jones was accused of mental instability and quit the band, moving to Northern California. Bassist John Norwood Fisher tracked Jones down in the belief that he needed rescue from a religious cult, only to be charged with attempted kidnapping; Fisher was acquitted at trial. A benefit concert to help with Fisher's legal expenses featured
Porno for Pyros Porno for Pyros was an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992, following the first break-up of Jane's Addiction. The band currently consists of Jane's Addiction members Perry Farrell (vocals) and Stephen Perki ...
, Primus,
Tool A tool is an Physical object, object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many Tool use by animals, animals use simple tools, only human bei ...
, and
Alice in Chains Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AiC) is an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1987. Since 2006, the band's lineup has comprised vocalist/guitarists Jerry Cantrell and William DuVall, bassist Mike Inez, and drummer Sean Kinney. Voca ...
. Keyboardist Christopher Dowd left Fishbone in 1994 and released an album titled ''Puzzle'' in 1997 under the name The Seedy Arkhestra, with various guests including
Jeff Buckley Jeffrey Scott Buckley (raised as Scott Moorhead; November 17, 1966 – May 29, 1997) was an American musician. After a decade as a session guitarist in Los Angeles, he attracted a cult following in the early 1990s performing at venues in ...
and
N'Dea Davenport N'Dea Davenport (born September 22, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and producer. She was the lead vocalist in the UK acid jazz band The Brand New Heavies and made pioneering contributions to the genre of acid jazz. Early life ...
. The album included an anti-Fishbone song called "Flog Your Dead Horse."


Post-Sony years (1995–2002)

Now a five-piece, Fishbone was dropped by
Sony Records Sony Records was a record label founded by R&B duo Ike & Tina Turner in 1963. It was not affiliated with Sony Group Corporation. Ike Turner produced singles by members of the Kings of Rhythm and the Ikettes on Sony Records. Records on the la ...
(formerly Columbia) in 1995, upon presenting their next album. The band added more heavy metal and hardcore punk influences to their sound on the 1996 concept album '' Chim Chim's Badass Revenge'', released by
Rowdy Records Rowdy Records is a record label distributed through Motown Records and Republic Records. It was founded by record producer Dallas Austin in 1992, and the precursor to his entertainment company, Freeworld Entertainment. History Formed in 1992 by ...
and produced by
Dallas Austin Dallas L. Austin (born December 29, 1970) is an American songwriter, record producer, and film producer from Columbus, Georgia. Biography Early life During a 2019 interview with DJ Vlad, Dallas Austin detailed previously unknown or unconfir ...
. The album went largely unnoticed by the general public, peaking at just #158 on the Billboard albums chart. In 1996, the band contributed to the
AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...
benefit album '' Silencio=Muerte: Red Hot + Latin'' produced by the
Red Hot Organization ''Red Hot Organization'' (RHO) is a non-profit, 501(c) 3, international organization with goals to promote diversity through equal access to healthcare through pop culture. Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors ...
. In 1998 the band lost another founding member, drummer Philip "Fish" Fisher, who became a session drummer and later appeared in the heavy metal band
Wicked Wisdom Wicked Wisdom is an American nu metal band from Los Angeles, California, formed by Jada Pinkett Smith in 2002. History Actress Jada Pinkett Smith (under the name Jada Koren) formed the band in 2002. It consists of Pinkett Smith (lead voca ...
. After brief periods with various drummers, the position was filled definitively by John Steward. John Bigham also left the band during this period to pursue his own career, later founding the band The Soul of John Black; Bigham was replaced by former
Sound Barrier The sound barrier or sonic barrier is the large increase in aerodynamic drag and other undesirable effects experienced by an aircraft or other object when it approaches the speed of sound. When aircraft first approached the speed of sound, th ...
and
Mother's Finest Mother's Finest is an American funk rock band founded in Atlanta, Georgia, by the vocal duo of Joyce "Baby Jean" Kennedy and Glenn "Doc" Murdock in 1970 when the pair met up with guitarist Gary "Moses Mo" Moore and bassist Jerry "Wyzard" Seay. ...
guitarist Tracey "Spacey T" Singleton. Keyboardist and horn player Anthony Brewster (The Untouchables) was a member of the group from 1997 to 1998, while John McKnight (from
Ben Harper Benjamin Charles Harper (born October 28, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae, and rock music, and he is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, liv ...
's band) joined on keyboards, trombone, and guitar. During the latter part of the 1990s, Fishbone was without a recording contract and earned their keep through constant touring. Fishbone maintained their dedicated fan base and achieved another major record deal with
Hollywood Records Hollywood Records is an American record label owned by the Disney Music Group which focuses on pop, rock, alternative, hip hop and country genres, also specializing in recordings for a more mature audience not suitable for the flagship Wal ...
in 2000. They were given the chance to record a new album with several special guests, including H.R. of
Bad Brains Bad Brains are an American punk rock band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1976. They are widely regarded as pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members have objected to the use of this term to describe their music. They are also an ade ...
,
Gwen Stefani Gwen Renée Stefani Shelton ( ; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani rose to fame as a member and lead vocalist of the band No Doubt, whose hit singles include " Just a Girl", " Spiderwebs", an ...
, George Clinton,
Rick James James Ambrose Johnson Jr. (February 1, 1948 – August 6, 2004), better known by his stage name Rick James, was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, James began his musical career in his tee ...
,
Donny Osmond Donald Clark Osmond (born December 9, 1957) is an American singer, dancer, actor, television host and former teen idol. He gained fame performing with four of his elder brothers as the Osmonds, earning several top ten hits and gold albums. In the ...
, and
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs Los Fabulosos Cadillacs (, ) is an Argentine musical group from Buenos Aires. Their music fuses ska with Latin rock and various other styles. Background and style Formed in 1985, they released their first album, ''Bares y Fondas'' (Bars and ...
. The resulting album, '' Fishbone and the Familyhood Nextperience Present: The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx'', saw poor sales, though
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
called it the band's best album in a decade. The band was dropped from Hollywood Records and headed back on the road. John McKnight left the band in 2001, and the group continued as a five-piece. In 2002, on their own independent record label, they released '' Live at the Temple Bar and More'' which contained all new songs recorded live throughout 2001 and 2002. This was later complemented by a live CD/DVD, '' Live in Amsterdam'', containing most of their hits and filmed at the 2002
Cannabis Cup The ''High Times'' Cannabis Cup is a cannabis festival sponsored by ''High Times'' magazine. The event features judges from around the world who sample and vote for their favorite marijuana varieties, with cups (trophies) being awarded to the ove ...
Festival in
Amsterdam, Netherlands Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the urban area and 2,480,394 in the metropolitan area. Located in the D ...
.


Shifting membership and a documentary (2003–2015)

In late 2003 Fishbone lost another founding member when Walter Kibby left the band. Guitarist Tracy Singleton departed as well. After leaving Fishbone, Kibby released two albums with his band Dirty Walt & The Columbus Sanitation: ''To Put It Bluntly'' (2000) and ''Still Smokin' ''(2009). Kibby and Singleton also collaborated in the band Year of the Dragon, releasing the albums ''A Time to Love Is a Time to Bleed'' (2006) and ''Blunt Force Karma'' (2009). Together, they also recorded tracks with Swade G (Kibby's younger brother Wade Antonio Kibby) for the album ''Ghetto Life'' (2010). After the 2003 departure of Kibby and Singleton, the last two founding members John Norwood Fisher and Angelo Moore, along with drummer John Steward, restarted Fishbone with
Rocky George Leonard F. George (born January 9, 1965), best known by his stage name Rocky George, is an American guitarist who has been a member of several notable musical acts, including Suicidal Tendencies, where he was their lead guitarist from 1984 to th ...
of
Suicidal Tendencies Suicidal Tendencies is an American crossover thrash band formed in 1980 in Venice, California, by vocalist Mike Muir. The band has undergone various lineup changes, with Muir as the only remaining original member. Their current lineup includes ...
and Tori Ruffin of The Time on guitars (though Ruffin left soon thereafter), and Dre Gipson on keyboards. In 2005 John McKnight returned on trombone and guitar. Trumpet players during this period were PaDre Holmes, Fernando Pullum, Mervin Campbell, and Curtis Storey. The line-up of Fisher, Moore, Steward, George, Gipson, Storey, and McKnight recorded the studio album ''
Still Stuck in Your Throat ''Still Stuck in Your Throat'' is a 2006 studio album by Fishbone, released in Europe on October 16, 2006, and in the United States on April 24, 2007. It was their first album since '' Fishbone and the Familyhood Nextperience Present: The Psycho ...
'' with producer
David Kahne David Kahne is an American record producer, musician, composer, and former record company executive. Professional career Kahne started his musical career as a working musician and soon became Director of A&R for America's first punk and ne ...
, who had worked on the band's early albums. The album was released in October 2006 in Europe, and in April 2007 in the United States. Music videos were recorded for the cover song "
Date Rape Date rape is a form of acquaintance rape and dating violence. The two phrases are often used interchangeably, but date rape specifically refers to a rape in which there has been some sort of romantic or potentially sexual relationship between ...
" by Sublime, and for the song "Let Dem Ho's Fight." In 2008 and 2009, departed original members Walter Kibby, Christopher Dowd, and Kendall Jones joined Fishbone on stage on various occasions, most notably for the shoot of the Pepsi "Pass" commercial, which aired in January 2009. In April 2008, Stephan Kraemer directed the shoot of a live CD/DVD recorded in Bordeaux, France. The DVD '' Fishbone Live'' was released on May 10, 2009. In January 2010, John McKnight left Fishbone for the second time. During this period original member Walter Kibby returned on trumpet and vocals. During a 2011 tour, Tom "Tom-Bone" Ralls, formerly of Weapon of Choice, filled in on trombone. Tori Ruffin also briefly returned to play guitar in place of Rocky George, who was unable to tour. After the tour, Jay Armant, a former student of Fernando Pullum, joined as the new trombone player. Fishbone released a seven-track EP titled ''Crazy Glue'' on October 11, 2011. Current and former members of the band were deeply involved in the making of the documentary film '' Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone'', directed by Lev Anderson and Chris Metzler. Narrated by
Laurence Fishburne Laurence John Fishburne III (born July 30, 1961) is an American actor. Throughout his career, he has gained recognition for his roles on stage and screen as militant and authoritative characters. List of awards and nominations received by Laur ...
and featuring interviews with
Les Claypool Leslie Edward Claypool (born September 29, 1963) is an American rock music, rock musician. He is the founder, lead singer, bassist, and primary songwriter of the band Primus (band), Primus. Listed as one of the greatest bassists of all time by ...
,
Gwen Stefani Gwen Renée Stefani Shelton ( ; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani rose to fame as a member and lead vocalist of the band No Doubt, whose hit singles include " Just a Girl", " Spiderwebs", an ...
,
Flea Flea, the common name for the order (biology), order Siphonaptera, includes 2,500 species of small flightless insects that live as external parasites of mammals and birds. Fleas live by hematophagy, ingesting the blood of their hosts. Adult f ...
,
Branford Marsalis Branford Marsalis (born August 26, 1960) is an American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, he also performs frequently as a soloist with classical ens ...
, George Clinton,
Ice-T Tracy Lauren Marrow (born February 16, 1958), known professionally as Ice-T (or Ice T), is an American rapper and actor. He is active in both hip hop music, hip hop and heavy metal music, heavy metal. Ice-T began his career as an underground r ...
, and
Gogol Bordello Gogol Bordello is an American punk rock band from the Lower East Side of Manhattan, formed in 1999 by musicians from all over the world and known for theatrical stage shows and persistent touring. Much of the band's sound is inspired by Roma ...
, the film debuted at the Los Angeles Film Festival on June 19, 2010. The film has screened at more than 100 film festivals in twenty countries, winning 12 awards for Best Documentary. One of the top-reviewed documentaries of 2011–2012, the film has a ranking of 100% on RottenTomatoes.com and was nominated for a Golden Tomato Award. The film was rolled out in United States theaters nationwide with bookings in over seventy-five cities, including extended runs in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, plus week-long engagements in 20+ cities including Chicago, Boston, Seattle, Portland, Detroit, New Orleans, Baltimore, and Kansas City. A DVD was released by
The Cinema Guild The Cinema Guild Inc. is an American film distribution company. It was established by Philip Hobel and Mary-Ann Hobel, producers known for their work in documentaries and features, including the film '' Tender Mercies''. Since 1968, the Cinem ...
on February 21, 2012, and received a national TV broadcast on the public television series ''AfroPoP''. In February 2013, keyboardist Dre Gipson left the band after nine years to focus on a new project called Hunter Green. Fishbone was in the midst of a US tour, and reggae musician Freddie Flint filled in temporarily on keyboards. In July 2013, Paul Hampton (formerly of The Skeletones) joined as Fishbone's new keyboardist. In February 2014, federal judge
Jan E. DuBois Jan Ely DuBois (born January 17, 1931) is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Education and career A native of Philadelphia, DuBois graduated from the University of ...
ruled that Fishbone had to pay $1.4 million to a woman who suffered a fractured skull and
collarbone The clavicle, collarbone, or keybone is a slender, S-shaped long bone approximately long that serves as a strut between the shoulder blade and the sternum (breastbone). There are two clavicles, one on each side of the body. The clavicle is the ...
during a 2010 concert in Philadelphia when Angelo Moore stage-dove and landed on top of her. A five-track EP titled ''Intrinsically Intertwined'' was released on April 22, 2014.


Original lineup reforms and disbands again (2016–present)

On November 18, 2016, founding member and original drummer Philip "Fish" Fisher played his first show with the band since his departure in 1998. On November 26, Fishbone performed at a Jimi Hendrix tribute concert at Harlem's
Apollo Theater The Apollo Theater (formerly the Hurtig & Seamon's New Theatre; also Apollo Theatre or 125th Street Apollo Theatre) is a multi-use Theater (structure), theater at 253 125th Street (Manhattan), West 125th Street in the Harlem neighborhood of U ...
, at which time drummer John Steward departed Fishbone after 18 years to make room for the returning Fish. In January 2017 the band announced a tour to commemorate the 1996 album '' Chim Chim's Badass Revenge''. Former guitarist John Bigham returned to the band, after which Rocky George departed after 14 years of service. In late 2017 Moore, Kibby, and John Norwood Fisher were featured on the song "Creatures of Habit" by John Heintz's funk-rock supergroup The Big Ol' Nasty Getdown. Their song "Creatures of Habit" was chosen for the ''New York Times'' top ten playlist on January 5, 2018. Fisher played bass for The Big Ol' Nasty Getdown song "Mantra" while he and Moore have made several appearances on subsequent albums by the supergroup. In January 2018, Christopher Dowd made a guest appearance with the band onstage and decided to rejoin, thus replacing both trombonist Jay Armant and keyboardist Paul Hampton. The band's 2018 lineup consisted of Angelo Moore, John Norwood Fisher, Fish, Walter Kibby, Christopher Dowd, and John Bigham, thus recreating the classic Fishbone lineup minus Kendall Jones. In December 2019, John Bigham announced that he was no longer playing with Fishbone to focus on his solo work. Guitarist Mark Phillips joined the band shortly thereafter. In November 2020, Kendall Jones made a rare appearance with the band for a performance of "
Them Bones "Them Bones" is a song by American rock band Alice in Chains. It was released as the second single from their second studio album, ''Dirt'' (1992). "Them Bones" peaked at No. 24 on ''Billboard''s Mainstream Rock chart and at No. 30 on the Mod ...
" by
Alice in Chains Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AiC) is an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1987. Since 2006, the band's lineup has comprised vocalist/guitarists Jerry Cantrell and William DuVall, bassist Mike Inez, and drummer Sean Kinney. Voca ...
for a tribute to the band arranged by the
Museum of Pop Culture The Museum of Pop Culture (or MoPOP) is a nonprofit museum in Seattle, Washington, United States, dedicated to contemporary popular culture. It was founded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in 2000 as the Experience Music Project. Since then ...
. Phillip "Fish" Fisher left the group again in late 2021, after which John Steward rejoined on drums. On May 26, 2023, Fishbone released a self-titled EP, including one song in collaboration with
NOFX NOFX () was an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983. Bassist/lead vocalist Fat Mike, rhythm guitarist Eric Melvin and drummer Erik Sandin were original founding and longest-serving members of the band, who have appeared on every ...
. In January 2024, Steward left the band for a second time. On April 25, 2024, Fishbone made a vague post on Facebook, indicating a major lineup change for their upcoming live dates. The following day, Dowd revealed that Fisher and Kibby had left the band due to disagreements over songwriting and recording schedules. Dowd and Moore vowed to continue, alongside new musicians to be announced, as Fishbone. This left Moore as the only member who has been with Fishbone throughout its entire history; Dowd was also a founding member but with a lengthy hiatus before rejoining. New members Aroyn Day, Hassan Hurd, and JS Williams were added. Guitarist Mark Phillips left the band four months later, and was replaced by Tracey "Spacey T" Singleton who had previously left the band in 2003. In October 2024, the new lineup released the single "Racist Piece of Shit", denouncing
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
.On April 25, 2025, the group released the single "Last Call in America" which features George Clinton. Both this song and "Racist Piece of Shit" will be featured on the band's upcoming studio album ''Stockholm Syndrome'' which is due for release on June 27, 2025 and it will be the band's first new studio album since 2006's ''Still Stuck in Your Throat''.


Members

*
Angelo Moore Angelo Christopher Moore (born November 5, 1965) is an American musician, best known for his work as lead singer and saxophonist for the Los Angeles ska and funk metal band Fishbone. Moore also performs and records under the stage name Dr. MadV ...
– vocals, saxophones, theremin, percussion (1979-present) * Christopher Dowd – keyboards, trombone, vocals (1979–1994, 2018–present) * Tracey "Spacey T" Singleton - guitar (1997–2003, 2024–present) * Hassan Hurd – drums (2024–present) * JS Williams – trumpet, vocals (2024–present) * James Jones - bass (2025–present)


Discography


Studio albums


Live albums

*'' Live at the Temple Bar and More'' (2002) *'' Live in Amsterdam'' (CD/DVD – 2005 – recorded live in November 2002) *'' Fishbone Live (in Bordeaux)'' (CD/DVD – 2009 – recorded live in April 2008) *''Live at The Independent'' (2012)


Compilation albums

*''
Singles Singles are people not in a committed relationship. Singles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series * ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe * ''Singles'' ...
'' (Japan only, 1993) *'' Fishbone 101: Nuttasaurusmeg Fossil Fuelin' the Fonkay'' (1996) *''The Essential Fishbone'' (2003)


EPs

*''
Fishbone Fishbone is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1979, the band plays a fusion of ska, punk, funk, metal, reggae, and soul. AllMusic has described the group as "one of the most distinctive and eclectic alternative ...
'' (1985) *'' It's a Wonderful Life'' (1987) *'' Set the Booty Up Right'' (1990) *'' Fishbone and the Familyhood Nextperience Present: The Friendliest Psychosis of All'' (2002) *''Crazy Glue'' (2011) *''Intrinsically Intertwined'' (2014) *''Fishbone'' (2023)


Singles


Music videos

* Modern Industry (1985) * Party At Ground Zero (1985) * V.T.T.L.O.T.F.D.G.F. (1985) * When Problems Arise (1986) * It's a Wonderful Life (1987) * Jamaican Ska (1987) * Freddie's Dead (1988) * Ma and Pa (1988) * Fight the Youth (1991) * Sunless Saturday (1991) * Everyday Sunshine (1991) * Swim (1993) * Servitude (1993) * Unyielding Conditioning (1993) * Alcoholic (1996) * Date Rape (2006) * Let Dem Ho's Fight (2007) * Crazy Glue (2011) * All We Have Is Now (2023) * Racist Piece of Shit (2024) * Lost in America (featuring George Clinton) (2025)


DVDs

*'' The Reality of My Surroundings - Past to Present'' (1991) *'' Critical Times - Fishbone's Hen House Sessions'' (2001) *'' Live in Amsterdam'' (CD/DVD – 2005 – recorded live in 2002) *'' Fishbone Live (in Bordeaux)'' (CD/DVD – 2009 – recorded live in April 2008) *'' Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone'' (Documentary – 2012)


Appearances on soundtracks and "various artists" compilations

* "Jamaica Ska", with
Annette Funicello Annette Joanne Funicello (October 22, 1942 – April 8, 2013) was an American actress and singer. She began her professional career at age 12, becoming one of the most popular Mouseketeers on the original ''The Mickey Mouse Club, Mickey Mouse Cl ...
, on ''
Back to the Beach ''Back to the Beach'' is a 1987 American comedy film starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, directed by Lyndall Hobbs. The original music score is composed by Steve Dorff. The film generated a total domestic gross of $13,110,903. It ...
'' soundtrack (1987) (Fishbone appear in the film) * "He's a Fly Guy", with
Curtis Mayfield Curtis Lee Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Dubbed the " Gentle Genius", he is considered one of the most influential musicians of soul and socially conscious Afric ...
, on ''
I'm Gonna Git You Sucka ''I'm Gonna Git You Sucka'' is a 1988 American blaxploitation parody film written, directed by and starring Keenen Ivory Wayans in his directorial debut. Featured in the film are several noteworthy African-American actors who were part of the ...
'' soundtrack (1988) (Fishbone appear in the film: they are outside the prison when Flyguy gets out) * "Slow Bus Moving" on ''
Tapeheads ''Tapeheads'' is a 1988 comedy film directed by Bill Fishman and starring John Cusack, Tim Robbins, Clu Gulager, Doug McClure, Jessica Walter, Mary Crosby, Sam Moore and Junior Walker. The film was produced by Michael Nesmith, who briefly appea ...
'' soundtrack (1988) (Fishbone appear in this film: they are in a bar playing this song) * "
Rock Island Line "Rock Island Line" ( Roud 15211) was originally sung as a spiritual by slaves on the plantations of the Mississippi River Valley, and was first transcribed as a folk song in 1929. The first recording was made by John Lomax, who was traveling amo ...
", with
Little Richard Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American singer, pianist, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the "Ar ...
, on Folkways: A Vision Shared compilation (1988) * "Skankin' to the Beat" on '' Say Anything...'' soundtrack (1989) * Live version of "Freddie's Dead" on ''Genrecide: A Compilation, Vol. 1'' (1993) * "Swim" on ''
Last Action Hero ''Last Action Hero'' is a 1993 American fantasy action comedy film directed and produced by John McTiernan and co-written by Shane Black and David Arnott. It is a satire of the action genre and associated clichés, containing several parodies ...
''
soundtrack A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television show, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of m ...
(1993) * " Let the Good Times Roll" on '' The Mask'' soundtrack (1994) * "Fled" on ''
Fled ''Fled'' is a 1996 American Buddy film, buddy action comedy film directed by Kevin Hooks. It stars Laurence Fishburne and Stephen Baldwin as two prisoners chained together who flee during an escape attempt gone bad. Plot An interrogator prepa ...
'' soundtrack (1996) * "
What's New Pussycat? ''What's New Pussycat?'' is a 1965 screwball comedy film directed by Clive Donner, written by Woody Allen in his first produced screenplay, and starring Allen in his acting debut, along with Peter Sellers, Peter O'Toole, Romy Schneider, Capuc ...
" with
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs Los Fabulosos Cadillacs (, ) is an Argentine musical group from Buenos Aires. Their music fuses ska with Latin rock and various other styles. Background and style Formed in 1985, they released their first album, ''Bares y Fondas'' (Bars and ...
on Silencio=Muerte: Red Hot + Latin compilation (1996) * " Crazy Bald Heads" o
Ska Island
compilation (1997) * "I'm a Weed Plant", later reworked into "Where'd You Get Those Pants", o
Steady Sounds from the Underground
compilation (1998) * "Critical Time" o
Hen House Studios Anthology Volume II, 2002
* "Cheyenne Star Forever Moore" o
Rising Son: The Legend of Skateboarder Christian Hosoi: Music Inspired by the Film
compilation (2006) * "Dead Ones (Scene 3) – Revenge" and "Night Out (Scene 5) – Connects" (as Mega*Nut) on
Lifesavas Lifesavas is a hip hop group from Portland, Oregon. Their style exhibits tag-team rhymes, matter-of-fact storytelling and a soulful production. The emcee's styles and song writing skills are showcased in the arrangements of a funky collection ...
' ''Gutterfly'' soundtrack (2007) * "Changes" (not to be confused with "Change" from
Truth and Soul ''Truth and Soul'' is the second studio album by American Rock music, rock band Fishbone. It was released on September 13, 1988. As is typical of the band's history of music the album features a wide array of genres including punk rock, punk, sk ...
) o
The ChangeRing Compilation
(2008) * " Our House", o
New Wave '80s Hits
an
Generation Rubik's Cube
compilations (2009)


Guest appearances

*" Fix" ( Blackstreet featuring
Ol' Dirty Bastard Russell Tyrone Jones (November 15, 1968 – November 13, 2004), known professionally as Ol' Dirty Bastard (often abbreviated as ODB), was an American rapper. He was one of the founding members of the New York rap group Wu-Tang Clan, which forme ...
,
Slash Slash may refer to: * Slash (punctuation), the "/" character Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Slash (Marvel Comics) * Slash (''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'') Music * Harry Slash & The Slashtones, an American rock band * Nash th ...
and Fishbone) (1997) *'' Amoeba Cleansing Syndrome'' ( Joi) (1997) *''
Boggy Depot ''Boggy Depot'' is the debut solo album by Alice in Chains guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell. The vinyl edition was released on March 31, 1998, and the CD was released on April 7, 1998, through Columbia Records. The album was named after the ...
'' (
Jerry Cantrell Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. (born March 18, 1966) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the founder, lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist, and main songwriter of the rock band Alice in Chains. The band rose to internatio ...
) (1998) Tracks 2. and 12. feature
Angelo Moore Angelo Christopher Moore (born November 5, 1965) is an American musician, best known for his work as lead singer and saxophonist for the Los Angeles ska and funk metal band Fishbone. Moore also performs and records under the stage name Dr. MadV ...
on horns. Tracks 4. and 5. feature John Norwood Fisher on drums. *'' The Crucial Conspiracy'' ( The Dingees) (2001) Multiple tracks feature
Angelo Moore Angelo Christopher Moore (born November 5, 1965) is an American musician, best known for his work as lead singer and saxophonist for the Los Angeles ska and funk metal band Fishbone. Moore also performs and records under the stage name Dr. MadV ...
on vocals, horns, and
theremin The theremin (; originally known as the ætherphone, etherphone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox) is an electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact by the performer (who is known as a thereminist). It is named aft ...
. *'' Purple Onion'' (
The Les Claypool Frog Brigade Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade (also known as The Les Claypool Frog Brigade) is a musical project with rotating personnel, led by American singer/bassist Les Claypool. The Frog Brigade was formed during a hiatus from Claypool ...
) (2002) Tracks 5. and 8. feature Phillip "Fish" Fisher on drums. Track 8. features John Norwood Fisher on bass. *'' Sunny Disposition'' (
Avenged Sevenfold Avenged Sevenfold (abbreviated as A7X) is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1999. The band's current lineup consists of vocalist M. Shadows, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance, lead gui ...
) (2016)


Film and television appearances

* Angelo Moore appeared briefly in the 1984 movie '' Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo''. * In 1985, Angelo Moore and Walter Kibby appeared in the
Eurythmics Eurythmics were a British New wave music, new wave duo formed in 1980, consisting of Scottish vocalist Annie Lennox and English musician and producer Dave Stewart (Eurythmics), Dave Stewart. They were both previously in the Tourists, a band t ...
video "Would I Lie to You?" * Angelo Moore appeared in the 1986 music video for " Do Fries Go with That Shake?" by George Clinton. * The band is featured in the 1987 movie ''
Back to the Beach ''Back to the Beach'' is a 1987 American comedy film starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, directed by Lyndall Hobbs. The original music score is composed by Steve Dorff. The film generated a total domestic gross of $13,110,903. It ...
'', performing a rendition of "Jamaica Ska" with
Annette Funicello Annette Joanne Funicello (October 22, 1942 – April 8, 2013) was an American actress and singer. She began her professional career at age 12, becoming one of the most popular Mouseketeers on the original ''The Mickey Mouse Club, Mickey Mouse Cl ...
singing lead vocals. * In 1987, the band has a brief cameo in the
Hank Williams Jr. Randall Hank Williams (born May 26, 1949), known professionally as Hank Williams Jr. or Bocephus, is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style has been described as a blend of rock, blues, and country. He is the son of count ...
music video "Young Country", appearing on a merry-go-round, raising their cowboy hats as they pass by the camera. * Fishbone appears in the 1988
John Cusack John Paul Cusack ( ; born June 28, 1966)(28 June 1996)Today's birthdays ''Santa Cruz Sentinel'', ("Actors John Cusack is 30") is an American actor. With a career spanning over four decades, he has appeared in over 80 films. He began acting in f ...
/
Tim Robbins Timothy Francis Robbins (born October 16, 1958) is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Andy Dufresne in the film '' The Shawshank Redemption ''(1994), and Jacob Singer in '' Jacob's Ladder'' (1990), as well as winning an Academy ...
film ''
Tapeheads ''Tapeheads'' is a 1988 comedy film directed by Bill Fishman and starring John Cusack, Tim Robbins, Clu Gulager, Doug McClure, Jessica Walter, Mary Crosby, Sam Moore and Junior Walker. The film was produced by Michael Nesmith, who briefly appea ...
'' as "Ranchbone" in the bar scene, playing the song "Slow Bus Movin' (Howard Beach Party)". They supplied an incidental score for the film as well. * In the 1988
blaxploitation In American cinema, Blaxploitation is the film subgenre of action movie derived from the exploitation film genre in the early 1970s, consequent to the combined cultural momentum of the black civil rights movement, the black power movement, ...
- spoof ''
I'm Gonna Git You Sucka ''I'm Gonna Git You Sucka'' is a 1988 American blaxploitation parody film written, directed by and starring Keenen Ivory Wayans in his directorial debut. Featured in the film are several noteworthy African-American actors who were part of the ...
'', members of Fishbone appear on the street as hecklers of Antonio Fargas' character Flyguy, and also as a back-up band. * The January 1989 performance at Brixton Academy, London, UK was shown on UK TV in February 1989 in the second episode of Channel 4's ''Big World Cafe'' introducing the group to a wider UK audience. * Frontman Angelo Moore made a cameo in the 1989 music video for the ''
Red Hot Chili Peppers The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1982, consisting of Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Flea (musician), Flea (bass), John Frusciante (guitar), and Chad Smith (drums). Their music incorporates elements of a ...
'' song, " Knock Me Down" * Angelo Moore joins
Living Colour Living Colour is an American rock music, rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. The band consists of guitarist Vernon Reid, lead vocalist Corey Glover, drummer Will Calhoun and bassist Doug Wimbish who replaced Muzz Skillings in 1992. T ...
live on stage for their performance of "Elvis Is Dead" on a 1990 episode of ''
The Arsenio Hall Show ''The Arsenio Hall Show'' is an American syndicated late-night talk show created by and starring comedian Arsenio Hall. There have been two different incarnations of ''The Arsenio Hall Show''. The original series premiered on January 3, 1989 ...
''. This performance of the song also features a live guest appearance of
Little Richard Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American singer, pianist, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the "Ar ...
on vocals. *
Angelo Moore Angelo Christopher Moore (born November 5, 1965) is an American musician, best known for his work as lead singer and saxophonist for the Los Angeles ska and funk metal band Fishbone. Moore also performs and records under the stage name Dr. MadV ...
has several appearances in the music video for the Sublime song, "Wrong Way". * The song "
Swim Swim or SWIM may refer to: Movement and sport * Swim, a fad dance * Aquatic locomotion, the act of biologically propelled motion through a liquid medium * Human swimming, the useful or recreational activity of movement through water * Swimming ( ...
" was featured in the 1993 film ''
Last Action Hero ''Last Action Hero'' is a 1993 American fantasy action comedy film directed and produced by John McTiernan and co-written by Shane Black and David Arnott. It is a satire of the action genre and associated clichés, containing several parodies ...
''. *
Angelo Moore Angelo Christopher Moore (born November 5, 1965) is an American musician, best known for his work as lead singer and saxophonist for the Los Angeles ska and funk metal band Fishbone. Moore also performs and records under the stage name Dr. MadV ...
and John Norwood Fisher both appear in the music video for
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (informally referred to as The Bosstones and often stylized as The Mighty Mighty BossToneS) were an American ska punk band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1983. From the band's inception, lead vocalist Dicky ...
' 1993 cover of the ''
Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, he fused elements of reggae, ska and rocksteady and was renowned for his distinctive voca ...
'' song "Simmer Down". * A woman wears a Fishbone t-shirt in the 1991 Richard Linklater film ''
Slacker A slacker is someone who habitually work aversion, avoids work or lacks work ethic. Origin According to different sources, the term "slacker" dates back to about 1790 or 1898. "Slacker" gained some recognition during the UK, British Gezira Sche ...
''. * In 1994 Fishbone plays "Let the Good Times Roll" in the
Chuck Russell Charles Russell (born May 9, 1958) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for directing the films ''A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors'' (1987), ''The Blob (1988 film), The Blob'' (1988), ''The Mask ...
film '' The Mask''. Fishbone is also on the film's soundtrack. * Fishbone performed "Sunless Saturday" on ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' on March 23, 1991. * The band appeared on the March 6, 1995, edition of WWF's ''
Monday Night Raw ''WWE Raw'', also known as ''Monday Night Raw'' or simply ''Raw'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE. It currently airs live every Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on Netflix. The show features character ...
'' to promote their upcoming performance of "
America the Beautiful "America the Beautiful" is an American patriotic song. Its lyrics were written by Katharine Lee Bates and its music was composed by church organist and choirmaster Samuel A. Ward at Grace Church (Newark), Grace Episcopal Church in Newark, New ...
" at
WrestleMania XI WrestleMania XI was a 1995 professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It was the 11th annual WrestleMania and took place on April 2, 1995, at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, ...
. The band was ultimately replaced by Special Olympian Kathy Huey. * Fishbone is mentioned by Janeane Garofalo as the musical guest on February 12, 1997, episode of ''
The Larry Sanders Show ''The Larry Sanders Show'' is an American television sitcom set in the office and studio of a fictional late-night talk show. Created by Garry Shandling and Dennis Klein, the show ran for six seasons and List of The Larry Sanders Show episodes, ...
'' entitled "Pain Equals Funny". * Angelo Moore, John Norwood Fisher, and John Steward appear in the 2006 film '' Idlewild'' as members of the band led by Rooster, the character played by
Big Boi Antwan André Patton (born February 1, 1975), known professionally as Big Boi, is an American rapper and record producer. Born in Savannah, Georgia, and raised in Atlanta, he was one half of the Southern hip-hop duo Outkast along with rapper ...
of
OutKast Outkast (sometimes written as OutKast) was an American hip-hop duo formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1992, consisting of Big Boi (Antwan Patton) and André 3000 (André Benjamin, formerly known as Dré). Widely regarded as one of the greatest an ...
. * In 2007 Fishbone appeared in the
David Arquette David Arquette (; born September 8, 1971) is an American actor, producer, and retired professional wrestler. Arquette's breakout came with his starring role as Dewey Riley in the slasher film '' Scream'' (1996), a role which he later reprised i ...
movie ''
The Tripper ''The Tripper'' is a 2006 American comedy slasher film directed by David Arquette, and starring Jaime King, Thomas Jane and Lukas Haas. The film, Arquette's directorial debut, is about a group of hippies at a music festival who get stalked by a m ...
''. * Marlon Wayans (in the role of Seymour Stewart) wears a Fishbone T-shirt in ''
Mo' Money ''Mo' Money'' is a 1992 American comedy-drama film directed by Peter Macdonald, and written by Damon Wayans, who also starred in the film. The film co-stars Stacey Dash, Joe Santos, John Diehl, Harry Lennix, Bernie Mac (in his film debut), ...
'' (1992). * The characters Freddie and Lena of ''
A Different World ''A Different World'' is an American sitcom television series and a spin-off of '' The Cosby Show''. It aired for six seasons on NBC from September 24, 1987, to July 9, 1993. The series originally centered on Denise Huxtable ( Lisa Bonet) an ...
'' were depicted as fans and could be seen wearing Fishbone band shirts. *
John Cusack John Paul Cusack ( ; born June 28, 1966)(28 June 1996)Today's birthdays ''Santa Cruz Sentinel'', ("Actors John Cusack is 30") is an American actor. With a career spanning over four decades, he has appeared in over 80 films. He began acting in f ...
wears a Fishbone shirt in the film '' Say Anything...''. The movie's iconic "boombox" scene originally featured Fishbone's "Turn the Other Way" blaring from the radio.
Peter Gabriel Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and human rights activist. He came to prominence as the original frontman of the rock band Genesis. He left the band in 1975 and launched a solo career wit ...
's "
In Your Eyes In Your Eyes may refer to: Film * ''In Your Eyes'', a 2004 film featuring Michael DeLorenzo * In Your Eyes (2010 film), ''In Your Eyes'' (2010 film), a Philippine romantic drama * In Your Eyes (2014 film), ''In Your Eyes'' (2014 film), a film writt ...
" replaced the song during editing. * In the movie ''
Bull Durham ''Bull Durham'' is a 1988 American romantic comedy sports film written and directed by Ron Shelton. The film stars Kevin Costner as "Crash" Davis, a veteran catcher from the AAA Richmond Braves, brought in to teach rookie pitcher Ebby Calv ...
'',
Tim Robbins Timothy Francis Robbins (born October 16, 1958) is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Andy Dufresne in the film '' The Shawshank Redemption ''(1994), and Jacob Singer in '' Jacob's Ladder'' (1990), as well as winning an Academy ...
' character Ebby "Nuke" Laloosh is wearing a Fishbone T-shirt with his suit while giving his first interview after getting called up to the big leagues. * In 2010's ''
Hot Tub Time Machine ''Hot Tub Time Machine'' is a 2010 American science fiction comedy farce film directed by Steve Pink and written by Josh Heald, Sean Anders, and John Morris. John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, and Clark Duke star in the film as four ...
'', Cusack pulls out and clearly advertises a black T-shirt with the band's logo from his character's suitcase. * In the TV show ''
Northern Exposure ''Northern Exposure'' is an American comedy-drama television series about the eccentric residents in the fictitious town of Cicely, Alaska, that originally aired on CBS from July 12, 1990, to July 26, 1995, with a total of 110 episodes. It rec ...
'', Ed Chigliak (
Darren E. Burrows Darren E. Burrows (born September 12, 1966) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Ed Chigliak in the television series ''Northern Exposure''. He also appeared in the films ''Cry-Baby'', '' Amistad'', ''Sunset Strip'', '' Forty Shade ...
) is frequently spotted with a Fishbone shirt under his leather jacket. * Early episodes of ''
Beverly Hills, 90210 ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (often referred to as ''90210'') is an American teen drama television series created by Darren Star and produced by Aaron Spelling via his production company Spelling Television. The series ran for 10 seasons on Fo ...
'' had scenes filmed against a set of lockers that featured a Fishbone sticker in almost every shot. * On November 21, 2011, Republican presidential candidate
Michele Bachmann Michele Marie Bachmann (; née Amble; born April 6, 1956) is an American politician who was the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for from 2007 until 2015. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican P ...
was played on to ''
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show was the third installment of the '' Late Night'' franchise. Hosted by Jimmy Fallon,
'' to the Fishbone song "Lyin' Ass Bitch".
The Roots The Roots are an American Hip-hop, hip hop band formed in 1987 by singer Black Thought, Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and drummer Questlove, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Roots serve as the house band on NBC's ''T ...
drummer
Questlove Ahmir K. Thompson (born January 20, 1971), known professionally as Questlove (stylized as ), is an American drummer, record producer, disc jockey, filmmaker, music journalist, and actor. He is the drummer and joint frontman (with Black Thought ...
later explained that the playing of the song was "tongue in cheek." Fallon and the NBC network later apologized. * In the video for the
Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band formed in the New York City neighborhood Forest Hills, Queens in 1974. Known for helping establish the punk movement in the United States and elsewhere, the Ramones are often recognized as one of th ...
song "I Believe in Miracles" the band's name appears as part of the scrolling text on the upper and lower part of the screen. Fishbone members are also seen in a cameo in this music video.


References


External links


Official band websiteFishboneLive.org
– collaborative Fishbone encyclopedia (semi-official)
Fishbone at Legacy RecordingsFishbone on the Live Music Archive
– Fishbone's section of archive.org's free live concert recordings. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Fishbone 1979 establishments in California African-American rock musical groups Alternative rock groups from California American funk metal musical groups American funk rock musical groups American ska punk musical groups Musical groups established in 1979 Musical groups from Los Angeles Sibling musical groups