Chris Barrows

{{short description|American vocalist and songwriter|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Chris Barrows | image = | image_size = | landscape = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | alias = | birth_date =  | birth_place = Wichita, Kansas | origin = Tampa, Florida | genre = Punk rock | occupation = Vocalist, songwriter | instrument = | years_active = 1986–present | label = 24 Hour Service Station | associated_acts = Pink Lincolns, The Jackie Papers, The Spears | website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20140819063442/http://24hourservicestation.com/artist/pink_lincolns Pink Lincolns at 24 Hour Service Station] }}

'''Chris Barrows''' (born Wichita, Kansas) is an American vocalist and songwriter best known as frontman of the punk band Pink Lincolns. Barrows co-founded The Pink Lincolns in 1986 in Tampa, Florida, quickly becoming known for his "trademark snotty humor"<ref name="idfay"/> and stage antics.<ref name="Jailhouse"/> Still active in Florida, the band has released a number of albums and EPs including splits such as ''Screeching Weasel/Pink Lincolns Split'' and ''Live At Some Prick's House'' with The Queers. In 1998 Barrows released one album as vocalist of the group '''The Jackie Papers''', and in 2009 he released the album ''Shove'' while vocalist of the punk group '''The Spears'''. His debut solo album, ''Human Being,'' will be released by 24 Hour Service Station on September 9, 2014.

==Music career==

===1986-97: Founding Pink Lincolns=== {{Main|Pink Lincolns}} Chris Barrows was born in Wichita, Kansas, and later moved to Tampa, Florida. He first started his music career as vocalist of the local punk group Pink Lincolns, which he co-founded with guitarist Dorsey Martin.<ref name="Barrowsmtv"/> Barrows had first met Dorsey while hanging out with the local punk band Not Much; Barrows was friends with their guitarist, and Dorsey was in the band as well.<ref name="BlackandBlue"/> The rest of the Pink Lincoln's lineup has frequently changed and currently includes bassist Kevin Coss and drummer Jeff Fox, who joined in 2005.<ref name="BlackandBlue"/>

{|class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:offwhite; color:black; width:20em; max-width: 40%;" cellspacing="5" |style="text-align: left;"|"The Pink Lincolns quickly established themselves as funny, no-holds-barred purveyors of Ramones-influenced punk rock... the combo of Dorsey Martin and Chris Barrows in the Pink Lincolns has, for 20-plus-years, yielded some of the most exciting and humorous takes on what sometimes is the all-too serious world of punk rock."<ref name="abelsumo"/> |- |style="text-align: left;"|— ''Miami New Times''<ref name="abelsumo"/> |}

Their first album was "Back From The Pink Room", released in 1987.<ref name="livealbum"/> The band has since released four more studio albums, one live album and six EP's as well as splits with Screeching Weasel and The Queers.<ref name="weasels"/><ref name="justaddawter"/> The band's track have appeared on over 20 compilations from labels like Lookout, Stiff Pole and Choking Hazard.<ref name="pinktewnety"/>

About their later EP ''Sumo Fumes,'' released in 1993, ''Miami New Times'' wrote "opening the slab of wax is a raucous rendition of Wire's "Ex-Lion Tamer" that is somehow better and completely owned in the hands of this band... This is followed by the pure rock and roll snot of "Tarzan #2" where they assert themselves with an original take on Edgar Rice Burrough's canon. The band closes out the B-side with another cover, this time of the Psychedelic Furs; 'Pretty in Pink.'"<ref name="abelsumo"/>

The cover for the band's 1994 album ''Suck and Bloat'' was drawn by Iggy Pop, and their 1997 album ''Pure Swank'' was produced by Bill Stevenson of The Descendents.<ref name="allmusicbill"/> Notable songs include "Velvet Elvis", a story about a squabble over a velvet painting of Elvis Presley.<ref name="imagespla"/>

===1998: The Jackie Papers=== Around 1998 Barrows took a break from Pink Lincolns and founded the band The Jackie Papers in Florida. Beyond Barrows on vocals and guitar, there was Jenny Page on guitar, Heidi Flanigan on bass and vocals, and Heather Now on drums.<ref name="idfay"/> About The Jackie Papers, ''Miami New Times'' wrote that "while it can be argued that the music is similar to The Pink Lincolns, there is without a doubt a stronger hardcore edge...chockfull of Barrows' trademark snotty humor."<ref name="idfay"/>

In September 1998 the band recorded their only album at Morrisound Studios along with producer Steve Heritage. Mixing was handled by Bill Stevenson and Stephen Egerton. About their album ''Uckfay Ooyay'', released that year on Stiff Pole Records, ''Miami New Times'' wrote, "The midsection of the album is an instrumental piece titled 'Coolio Iglesias' that is pretty cool and sloppy garage rock with metal tinges. Their cover of Screeching Weasel's 'Hey Suburbia' is amped-up in a slightly more hardcore vein. 'Addiction' does a good job of Heidi's vocals and it comes off as a creepy intersection of L7 and The Breeders."<ref name="idfay"/>

===2005-09: Pink Lincolns albums=== After an eight-year hiatus from studio recording, the Pink Lincolns got together and recorded the original album ''No Lo Siento'' in 2004.<ref name="BlackandBlue"/> It was their last studio recording, and released in 2005 on Hazzard Records.<ref name="Jailhouse"/> Bill Stevenson produced.<ref name="BlackandBlue"/> Afterwards several of their albums were remastered and released by Jailhouse, starting with ''Back From The Pink Room'' in 2008 and ''Suck And Bloat'' in 2009, both released on vinyl and CD.<ref name="Jailhouse"/>

About when they release album, and their habit of not syncing tours with album releases, Barrows has stated, "We got back together and had new stuff so we were going to do an album. When we have an album's worth of shit, we'll do it. We're on our own schedule. We don't have to put out an album every year whether it sucks or not, ya know. We just.... when we have shit we wanna do, we do it."<ref name="BlackandBlue"/>

===2007-09: The Spears=== On September 15, 2009, he released the album ''Shove'' as part of the punk group The Spears, which he co-founded around 2007<ref name="afSpears"/> Signed to Jailhouse Records, The Spears lineup consisted of Barrows on vocals, Sam Williams (Down By Law) on guitar, Gary Strickland (vocalist of Hated Youth) on bass, and Rob Rampy (D.R.I.) on drums.<ref name="spearsjail"/> A remastered version of ''Shove'' was released in 2013.

===2012-14: ''Yinz'' and ''Human Being''=== In 2012 the Pink Lincolns released their first live album on 24 Hour Service Station. Recorded live at Pittsburgh's 31st Street Pub on April 21, 2005, ''Yinz: The Live Album'' has a lineup featuring bassist Kevin Coss and drummer Jeff Fox.<ref name="pinktewnety"/> Among many of their original tracks, the album includes a cover of Flipper's "Sex Bomb."<ref name="livealbum"/>

Barrows' first solo album, ''Human Being'', is due out September 9, 2014 on 24 Hour Service Station.<ref name="Barrowsmtv"/> The album features guest vocals by Ben Weasel of Screeching Weasel on the track "Not It," while The Dwarves' He Who Cannot Be Named contributes Farfisa organ to the track "Be My Girl" and "Human Being."<ref name="mvdb"/> Among the tracks are "Champs," are cover of the Wire song from the ''Pink Flag'' album, with Lianna Hoffman contributing cello.<ref name="mvdb"/>

==Style and equipment== According to Jailhouse Records, "Although frequently lumped into the pop punk category, many fans identify [Pink Lincolns] as hardcore, which given Chris Barrows stage antics, insanely rowdy shows and almost famously raucous crowds over the years, the hardcore label definitely seems appropriate."<ref name="Jailhouse"/>

==Discography==

===Solo material=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+ Albums by Chris Barrows ! Year ! scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:10em;"| Album title ! scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:18em;"| Release details |- |2014 ! {{nobold|'' Human Being ''}} | * Released: Sep 9, 2014 * Label: 24 Hour Service Station * Format: digital |-

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+ Selected songs by Chris Barrows ! scope="col" rowspan="1" | Year ! scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:10em;" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="1" | Album ! scope="col" rowspan="1" | Certifications |-

|rowspan="2"|2014 !scope="row"|"Human Being" |rowspan="2"|'' Human Being'' || |- !scope="row"|"Short Attention Span" | |-  |}

===With Pink Lincolns=== {{Main|Pink Lincolns#Discography}} {{col-begin}}{{col-break}} ;Albums *1988: ''Back From the Pink Room'' *1989: ''Headache'' *1994: ''Suck and Bloat'' *1997: ''Pure Swank'' *2005: ''No Lo Siento'' *2012: ''Yinz: The Live Album'' {{col-break|gap=3em}} ;EPs *1987: ''Cotton Mather'' *1989: ''Tragedy for Tea Free'' *1993: ''Sumo Fumes'' *1995: ''Sumo Fumes 2'' *1995: ''V.M. Live'' *1996: ''Sumo Fumes 3'' {{col-end}} ;Split EPs *1993: ''Screeching Weasel/Pink Lincolns Split'' (with Screeching Weasel) *1994: ''Live At Some Prick's House'' (with The Queers) *1997: ''Submachine/Pink Lincolns Split'' (with Submachine)

===With The Jackie Papers=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+ ! Year ! scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:10em;"| Album title ! scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:18em;"| Release details |- |1998 ! {{nobold|'' Uckfay Ooyay ''}} | * Released: 1998 * Label: Stiff Pole Records * Format: CD |- | 1999 ! {{nobold|'' I'm In Love '' EP}} | * Released: * Label: Panic Button/Lookout * Format: CD, 12" vinyl |- |}

===With The Spears=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+ Albums by The Spears ! Year ! scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:10em;"| Album title ! scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:20em;"| Release details |- |2009 ! {{nobold|'' Shove ''}} | * Released: Sep 15, 2009<ref name="afSpears"/> * Label: Jailhouse Records * Format: LP, CD, digital<ref name="spearsjail"/> |- |2013 ! {{nobold|'' Shove: Remastered ''}} | * Released: Jun 25, 2013 * Label: 24 Hour Service Station * Format: CD |- |}

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+ Singles by The Spears ! scope="col" rowspan="1" | Year ! scope="col" rowspan="1" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="1" | Album ! scope="col" rowspan="1" | Release details |-

|rowspan="1"|2007 !scope="row"|"People Are Bad" | {{NA|N/A}} || Choking Hazard Records, 7" vinyl |-  |}

===Guest appearances=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;font-size:100%;" |+ Selected guest appearances by Chris Barrows ! Yr ! | Release title ! Artist(s) ! Label, date ! Role |- | 2008 || ''Goodbye Sanity'' EP || Teenage Rehab ||Jailhouse Records ||Guest vocals |- | 2009 || ''Let's Be Enemies'' || Teenage Rehab ||Jailhouse Records ||Lyrical contributions |- | 2013 || '' Punk Is Not Dead'' || Sack ||24 Hour Service Station || Vocals |-  |}

==Further reading== ;Interviews and reviews *{{cite news | title = Blast From the Past: The Pink Lincolns - Sumo Fumes 2 | url = http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/crossfade/2010/08/pink_lincolns_stiff_pole_records.php | newspaper = Miami New Times | date = August 4, 2010 }} *{{cite news | title = Blast From the Past: The Jackie Papers - Uckfay Ooyay | url = http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/crossfade/2010/09/blast_from_the_past_the_jackie.php | newspaper = Miami New Times | date = September 13, 2010 }} *{{cite news | title = Interview: Pink Lincolns (Chris Barrows, Dorsey Martin, Kevin Coss) | url = http://theblackandbluepress.blogspot.com/2008/10/interview-pink-lincolns-chris-barrows.html | publisher = Black and Blue | date = March 2012 }}

;Discographies *[http://www.allmusic.com/artist/chris-barrows-mn0000105767/credits Chris Barrows] at Allmusic *[http://www.discogs.com/artist/1034798-Chris-Barrows Chris Barrows] at Discogs

==See also== *Pink Lincolns

== References == {{reflist|2| refs =

<ref name="afSpears"> {{cite news | title = Shove | url = http://www.interpunk.com/item.cfm?Item=172363& | publisher = Interpunk | date = September 15, 2009 | accessdate = 2014-08-13 }}</ref>

<ref name="abelsumo"> {{cite news | title = Blast From the Past: The Pink Lincolns - Sumo Fumes 2 | first = Abel | last = Folgar | url = http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/crossfade/2010/08/pink_lincolns_stiff_pole_records.php | newspaper = Miami New Times | date = August 4, 2010 | accessdate = 2014-08-13 }}</ref>

<ref name="idfay"> {{cite news | title = Blast From the Past: The Jackie Papers - Uckfay Ooyay | first = Abel | last = Folgar | url = http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/crossfade/2010/09/blast_from_the_past_the_jackie.php | newspaper = Miami New Times | date = September 13, 2010 | accessdate = 2014-08-13 }}</ref>

<ref name="BlackandBlue"> {{cite news | title = Interview: Pink Lincolns (Chris Barrows, Dorsey Martin, Kevin Coss) | url = http://theblackandbluepress.blogspot.com/2008/10/interview-pink-lincolns-chris-barrows.html | publisher = Black and Blue | date = March 2012 | accessdate = 2014-08-13 }}</ref>

<ref name="livealbum"> {{cite news | title = Yinz: The Live Album | url = http://mvdb2b.com/s/PinkLincolnsYinzTheLiveAlbum/AUDIO68 | publisher = MVDB2B.com | date = | accessdate = 2014-08-13 }}</ref>

<ref name="Jailhouse">{{cite news | title = Pink Lincolns | url = http://www.jailhouserecords.com/newsite/pink-lincolns/ | publisher = Jailhouse Records | date = | accessdate = 2014-08-13 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130622110133/http://www.jailhouserecords.com/newsite/pink-lincolns/ | archive-date = 2013-06-22 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

<ref name="pinktewnety"> {{cite news |title = Pink Lincolns |url = http://24hourservicestation.com/artist/pink_lincolns |publisher = 24 Hour Service Station |accessdate = 2014-08-13 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20140819063442/http://24hourservicestation.com/artist/pink_lincolns |archivedate = 2014-08-19 }}</ref>

<ref name="spearsjail">{{cite news | title = The Spears | url = http://www.jailhouserecords.com/newsite/the-spears/ | publisher = Jailhouse Records | date = | accessdate = 2014-08-13 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130623115122/http://www.jailhouserecords.com/newsite/the-spears/ | archive-date = 2013-06-23 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

<ref name="mvdb"> {{cite news | title = Human Being | url = http://mvdb2b.com/s/ChrisBarrowsHumanBeing/AUDIO83 | publisher = MVDB2B.com | date = 2014 | accessdate = 2014-08-13 }}</ref>

<ref name="Barrowsmtv"> {{cite news | title = Chris Barrows | url = http://www.mtv.com/artists/chris-barrows/ | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140819105604/http://www.mtv.com/artists/chris-barrows/ | url-status = dead | archive-date = August 19, 2014 | publisher = MTV | date = | accessdate = 2014-08-13 }}</ref>

<ref name="weasels">[http://weasels.littletype.com/docs.ktm-liner-notes.php Kill The Musicians - Orig. Liner Notes-ScreechingWeasel.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511234721/http://weasels.littletype.com/docs.ktm-liner-notes.php |date=2008-05-11 }}</ref>

<ref name="justaddawter">[http://www.justaddwaterrecords.net/collectables.html Just Add Water Records: Collectables] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050912042946/http://www.justaddwaterrecords.net/collectables.html |date=2005-09-12 }}</ref>

<ref name="allmusicbill">[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p128608|pure_url=yes}} allmusic ((( Bill Stevenson > Credits )))]</ref>

<ref name="imagespla">{{cite book|last=Plasketes|first=George|title=Images of Elvis Presley in American Culture, 1977-1997: The Mystery Terrain|year=1997|pages=47–48|publisher=Psychology Press |isbn=9781560249108|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ABTk3bzu0pgC&q=%22Pink+Lincolns%22&pg=PA48}}</ref>

}}

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20140819063442/http://24hourservicestation.com/artist/pink_lincolns Pink Lincolns] at 24 Hour Service Station *[https://www.facebook.com/thespearsrule The Spears] on Facebook

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barrows, Chris}} Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Tampa, Florida Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Musicians from Wichita, Kansas Category:Writers from Wichita, Kansas