Boris the Sprinkler
Rev. Nørb, frontman of Boris the Sprinkler
Rev. Nørb, frontman of Boris the Sprinkler
Background information
OriginGreen Bay, Wisconsin, U.S.
GenresPunk rock
Years active1992–2003, 2009–present
Labels
Members
  • Rev. Norb
  • Paul No. 1
  • Paul No. 2
  • Ric Six
Past members
  • Erik No. 1
  • Ronny Johnny Kispert
  • Eric No. 2
  • Tim 00

Boris the Sprinkler is a punk rock band that formed in Green Bay, Wisconsin in 1992.

History

Boris the Sprinkler was founded in Green Bay in 1992 by Reverend Nørb (vocals) and Paul #1 (guitar).[1] Nørb and Paul (born Paul Schroder) initially played with Eric Lee (bass) and Ronny Johnny Kispert (drums); later members included Eric James (bass), Ric 6 (bass), and Paul 2 (drums).[2] Nørb, who was born Norb Rozek,[3] had previously written for the music magazines Sick Teen and Maximum Rocknroll.[1] Nørb's lyrics and the band's style were self-consciously irreverent, tongue-in-cheek, and referential to other aspects of pop culture, influenced by punk rock groups such as The Dickies, The Rezillos, and The Ramones.[1] The group often dressed in flamboyant styles such as "zebra-print tights and gold lamé body suits".[4]

Boris the Sprinkler released eight full-length albums over the period 1994-2000, including 1994's 8 Testicled Pogo Machine (which included a vocal cameo by Wesley Willis on its first track),[5] 1998's End of the Century[6] (which covered the Ramones album of the same name in its entirety),[7] and two albums for Go-Kart Records, 1999's Suck[8] and 2000's Gay.[9] The group also released numerous EPs and singles, among them 1995's Mutant Pop release "Drugs and Masturbation"[10] and 1996's "Kill the Ramones".[11]

In 2013, Nørb published The Annotated Boris: Deconstructing the Lyrical Majesty of Boris the Sprinkler, a "line-by-line analysis" of songs he wrote for Boris the Sprinkler.[3]

The band released a new album, Vespa to Venus, on Beer City Records on September 13, 2019. The release reunited the 1997 Mega Anal lineup of Paul #1, Paul #2, Ric Six, and Reverend Nørb.

Discography

Albums

Live albums

EPs

Singles

Members

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c Cover Story: Boris the Sprinkler. Maximum Ink, July 1999.
  2. ^ Brian Cogan, Encyclopedia of Punk Music and Culture. Greenwood, 2006, p. 26. Google Books link
  3. ^ a b The Quirky Invention of Boris the Sprinkler. Shepherd Express, July 28, 2013.
  4. ^ 12 O'Clock Track: Boris the Sprinkler, "Kill the Ramones". Chicago Reader, December 17, 2012.
  5. ^ Review of 8 Testicled Pogo Machine, Sobriquet Magazine, December 22, 2008.
  6. ^ Review of End of the Century, Allmusic
  7. ^ Interview with Boris the Sprinkler, Ink 19, August 1999.
  8. ^ Suck Review, Allmusic
  9. ^ Gay Review, Allmusic
  10. ^ Review of Drugs and Masturbation, Allmusic
  11. ^ Kill the Ramones review, Allmusic

Further reading