Jeff "J.D." Pinkus (born October 26, 1967) is an American bassist best known for his work with
Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers are an American rock band formed in San Antonio, Texas, by singer Gibby Haynes and guitarist Paul Leary in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but its core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has ...
from 1985 to 1994 and since their 2009 reunion.
In 1990, he and Butthole Surfers' lead vocalist
Gibby Haynes
Gibson Jerome Haynes (born September 30, 1957) is an American musician, radio personality, painter, author and the lead singer of the band Butthole Surfers.
Early life and career
Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Gibby Haynes is the son of acto ...
released ''
Digital Dump'', the only album from their psychedelic house music side project
The Jackofficers.
Upon leaving Butthole Surfers, Pinkus worked full-time with the Austin trio Daddy Longhead, which he had assembled during his waning months in the band, and which included longtime Atlanta associate Jimbo Young on guitar and
Rey Washam on drums. Daddy Longhead retired after 10 years, leaving Pinkus free to explore other projects including Skinny Leonard and Areola 51. Pinkus played with
Helios Creed
Barry Johnson (born on November 3, 1953), known professionally as Helios Creed, is an American guitarist, singer and bandleader. He first came to prominence in the mid-1970s with the San Francisco band Chrome, who were considered an early influ ...
on his albums ''NUGG: The Transport'' and ''Activated Condition'', and has also collaborated with
Bad Livers frontman
Danny Barnes several times in a live setting.
He was leader of the band Honky and during 2008 played weekly in
Austin, Texas
Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...
, with an assortment of other musicians called the Guit Down Syndrome.
On their 30th anniversary tour in 2013, Pinkus joined
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 ...
in place of
Jared Warren (on paternity leave) as well as performing with the opening Honky. He subsequently joined the Melvins full-time, touring with them in 2014 in support of the album ''
Hold It In'', which also featured Butthole Surfers founder
Paul Leary, and again in 2015. He also plays on the song "Captain Come Down" which was first released in 2015 on ''Chaos as Usual'', a split release with
Le Butcherettes
Le Butcherettes is a Mexican Garage punk (fusion genre), garage punk band formed in 2007 in Guadalajara by Teri Gender Bender.
History
Le Butcherettes was created by vocalist/guitarist Teri Gender Bender, who later recruited drummer Auryn Jolene ...
, and later included on the 2016 album ''
Basses Loaded''.
In 2018, J.D. Pinkus released a solo album, ''Keep on the Grass'' on cassette tape on Minner Bucket Records and compact disc on Heavy Feather Records. It was recorded entirely on banjo and features a rendition of the song "Bride of Crankenstein" from the Melvins album ''
Hold It In''. The CD release show with
Sleep
Sleep is a state of reduced mental and physical activity in which consciousness is altered and certain Sensory nervous system, sensory activity is inhibited. During sleep, there is a marked decrease in muscle activity and interactions with th ...
in San Pedro was on September 15, 2018. The b-side "11:11" was used on the Coup Sur Coup Records Various Artists compilation ''Feedback Through A Magnifying Glass Volume I'' in 2018.
On February 12, 2018, the Melvins announced that Pinkus would be joining them, alongside current bassist
Steven McDonald (
Redd Kross
Redd Kross is an American Rock music, rock band from Hawthorne, California, who had their roots in 1978 in a punk rock band called the Tourists, which was started by brothers Jeff and Steven Shane McDonald, Steve McDonald while Steve was still i ...
), on their next album and subsequent tour. Released on April 20, 2018, the aptly titled ''
Pinkus Abortion Technician'' features both bass players and four songs written or co-written by Pinkus.
On August 27, 2021, the band Tiny Tree released "XI" and JD Pinkus performed on the track titled "December" through the label Onama Media Group.
Select discography
Butthole Surfers
*1987 – ''
Locust Abortion Technician
''Locust Abortion Technician'' is the third studio album by American rock music, rock band Butthole Surfers, released in March 1987. The album was originally released on both gramophone record, vinyl and CD on Touch and Go Records, Touch and Go, ...
''
*1988 – ''
Hairway to Steven''
*1989 – ''
Double Live''
*1989 – ''
Widowermaker'' (EP)
*1991 – ''
piouhgd''
*1993 – ''
Independent Worm Saloon''
The Jackofficers
*1990 – ''Digital Dump''
Daddy Longhead
*1991 – ''Cheatos''
*1997 – ''Supermasonic''
*1998 – ''Classic''
*2021 – ''Twinkle''
Areola 51
*2014 – ''Areola 51''
*2014 – ''The Double D Sides''
*2015 – ''Bootleg Series Vol 3: Areola 51 at Headhunters''
Honky
*1998 – ''Honky''
*2000 – ''Attacked by Lesbians in a Chicago Bowling Alley''
*2001 – ''House of Good Tires''
*2005 – ''Balls Out Inn''
*2012 – ''421''
*2016 – Corduroy
Melvins
*2014 – ''
Hold It In''
*2016 – ''
Basses Loaded'' (on the song "Captain Come Down")
*2018 – ''
Pinkus Abortion Technician''
*2021 – ''
Five Legged Dog'' (on "
Everybody's Talking" and "Don't Forget to Breathe")
Pure Luck
*2017 – Pure Luck
Tall Tall Trees
* 2023 – ''Ponder Machine''
Solo
* 2018 – ''Keep on the Grass'' (Minner Bucket/Heavy Feather)
* 2021 – ''Fungus Shui'' (Heavy Feather/Shimmy Disc)
* 2024 – ''Grow A Pear'' (Shimmy Disc)
References
External links
JD Pinkus official website*
Areola 51 on MAXBRODYWORLD.COM/bandcamp
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pinkus, Jeff
Butthole Surfers members
American rock bass guitarists
American male bass guitarists
Living people
1967 births
Musicians from Austin, Texas
Hardcore punk musicians
Noise rock musicians
Guitarists from Texas
American male guitarists
Melvins members
Coup Sur Coup Records artists