Skunk (band)

Skunk
GenresAlternative rock, post-hardcore
Years active1986 (1986)-1991 (1991)
LabelsTwin/Tone
Past membersMatt Sweeney
Claude Coleman, Jr.
Matt Quigley
Stephan Apicella-Hitchcock
Tim Aaron
Websitewww.twintone.com/skunk.html

Skunk was an American alternative rock band formed in 1986 in Maplewood, New Jersey. During the group's existence Skunk released two albums on Twin/Tone Records; 1989's Last American Virgin and 1991's Laid.[1]

Skunk was the first band of now respected session guitarist Matt Sweeney, who after their breakup went on to form New York City math rock quartet Chavez,[2] and drummer Claude Coleman, Jr., best known for his decades long tenure playing with Ween.[3] Also in the band for its entire history was bassist Matt Quigley, who later went on to form the art-pop group Vaganza.[3]

Although they were not well known while they were active, Skunk were a favorite group of Billy Corgan of the multi-platinum 90s band Smashing Pumpkins, who in 2001 joined forces with Sweeney to form the band Zwan.[4] In the liner notes to the Pumpkins' Pisces Iscariot LP, Corgan wrote of the song "Frail and Bedazzled"

"frail and bedazzled owes a great debt to the band skunk, from whom i ripped part of this song off. skunk was probably the greatest band that i ever knew/saw that is virtually unknown-even less than the frogs. frogs. skunk. i miss skunk."[5]
  1. ^ unknown. "AllMusic entry for Skunk". AllMusic. Retrieved October 19, 2013.
  2. ^ Cohan, Brad (December 23, 2010). "Q&A: Chavez's Matt Sweeney On How He Ended Up Working With Josh Groban". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2013.
  3. ^ a b "Skunk". Trouser Press. Retrieved October 19, 2013.
  4. ^ McInnes, Gavin. "The Smashing Pumpkins are Dead". Vice. Retrieved October 19, 2013.
  5. ^ "Liner notes to Pisces Iscariot". Smashing Pumpkins Fan Collaborative. Retrieved October 19, 2013.