{{short description|American music group}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Marijuana Deathsquads | image = | caption = | origin = Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. | years_active = 2009–present | genre = {{hlist|Electronic|noise|improvisation|experimental}} | label = Totally Gross National Product | associated_acts = | website = {{URL|marijuanadeathsquads.com}} | current_members = * Ryan Olson * Isaac Gale * Stef Alexander * Ben Ivascu * Mark McGee * Jeremy Nutzman | past_members = }}
'''Marijuana Deathsquads''' is an American music group based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The group's sound has been described by ''City Pages'' as "ear-bending improv/dance grooves that defied listener expectations and spit in the face of easy categorization."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.citypages.com/2011-11-02/calendar/marijuana-deathsquads-record-release/|title=Marijuana Deathsquads (record-release)|website=City Pages|first=Tigger|last=Lunney|date=November 2, 2011|accessdate=|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111223165901/http://www.citypages.com/2011-11-02/calendar/marijuana-deathsquads-record-release/|archivedate=December 23, 2011}}</ref> NPR described the group as "a thrilling, relentless bombardment of sight and sound."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2013/11/08/243958236/marijuana-deathsquads-live-in-concert|title=Marijuana Deathsquads, Live in Concert|website=NPR.org}}</ref>
==History== Formed in 2009,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mndaily.com/ae/music/2014/02/27/music-make-you-high|title=Music to make you high - Marijuana Deathsquads makes party music for party people|website=Minnesota Daily|first=Grant|last=Tillery|date=February 27, 2014|accessdate=}}</ref> the band consists of Ryan Olson of Gayngs, Isaac Gale, Stef Alexander (a.k.a. P.O.S), Ben Ivascu of Poliça, Mark McGee of To Kill a Petty Bourgeoisie, and Jeremy Nutzman (a.k.a. Velvet Negroni).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radiok.org/features/weekly-release-spotlight/marijuana-deathsquads/|title=Weekly Release Spotlight - Marijuana Deathsquads|website=Radio K|first=Aaron|last=Bolton|date=December 9, 2013|accessdate=}}</ref> Frequent collaborators include Channy Leaneagh and Drew Christopherson of Poliça, Har Mar Superstar, and Jim Eno.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/music/232929461.html|title=Marijuana Deathsquads come into the light|website=Star Tribune|first=Chris|last=RiemenSchneider|date=November 24, 2013|accessdate=}}</ref>
In 2011, the group released its first studio album, ''Crazy Master''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2011/11/marijuana_deathsquads_crazy_master.php|title=Marijuana Deathsquads release Crazy Master tonight at Nick and Eddie|website=City Pages|first=Jeff|last=Gage|date=November 4, 2011|accessdate=|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120919041233/http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2011/11/marijuana_deathsquads_crazy_master.php|archivedate=September 19, 2012}}</ref> In 2011, singer Isaac Gale won the ''City Pages'' Best Male Vocalist award, his singing described as "a poltergeist creeping out of a snowy, crackling television screen, Gale's tortured, throaty hollering is the stuff of zombie nightmares, simultaneously gut-wrenching and enthralling."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.citypages.com/bestof/2011/award/best-vocalist-male-1841469/|title=Minneapolis Best Vocalist (Male)|website=City Pages|year=2011|accessdate=|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110426090901/http://www.citypages.com/bestof/2011/award/best-vocalist-male-1841469/|archivedate=April 26, 2011}}</ref>
In 2012, the group released the ''Tamper Disable Destroy'' mixtape.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2012/09/download-marijuana-deathsquads-tamper-disable-destroy-mixtape/|title=Download: Marijuana Deathsquads – Tamper. Disable. Destroy. mixtape|website=Consequence of Sound|first=Chris|last=Coplan|date=September 13, 2012|access-date=}}</ref>
In 2013, the group released ''Music Rocks I & II'', two EPs featuring Ryan Olson, Isaac Gale, Jason Power, Ben Ivascu, Channy Leaneagh, Mark McGee, Jeremy Nutzman, Stefon Alexander, and Madden.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reviler.org/2013/05/31/review-free-download-marijuana-deathsquads-music-rocks-i-ii/|title=Review & Free Download: Marijuana Deathsquads "Music Rocks I & II"|website=Reviler|first=Josh|last=Keller|date=May 31, 2013|accessdate=}}</ref>
In that year, the group released ''Oh My Sexy Lord'', a studio album that ''Spin'' called "ferocious" and described as fusing "jagged grooves, scratchy analog effects, and robo-warped vocals into a full-length, experimental freakout."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2013/10/marijuana-deathsquads-oh-my-sexy-lord-album-stream/|title=Stream Marijuana Deathsquads' Ferocious New Album 'Oh My Sexy Lord'|website=Spin|first=Kyle|last=McGovern|date=October 14, 2013|accessdate=}}</ref> The album features guest appearances from Bon Iver frontman Justin Vernon, Poliça frontwoman Channy Leaneagh, and Har Mar Superstar.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2013/10/marijuana_deathsquads_interview.php|title=Marijuana Deathsquads: Everyone's got that fucking crazy animal in them|website=City Pages|first=Reed|last=Fischer|date=October 9, 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016052540/http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2013/10/marijuana_deathsquads_interview.php|archivedate=October 16, 2013}}</ref>
In 2016, the group contributed a cover of the song "Truckin'" to ''Day of the Dead'', a Grateful Dead tribute album.
In 2018, the group released ''Tuff Guy Electronics'', which was recorded at Pioneer Works (Brooklyn) and Funkhaus (Berlin).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/pioneer-works-launching-record-label-w-releases-by-miho-hatori-marijuana-deathsquads-more/|title = Pioneer Works launching record label w/ Releases by Miho Hatori & Marijuana Deathsquads}}</ref>
==Style and influences== Chris Reiemenschneider of ''Star Tribune'' stated that "Marijuana Deathsquads has been steadily blowing eardrums, breaking drum heads and tearing at the seams of conventional music-making since its semi-mysterious inception."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/printarticle/?id=112666974|title=The Big Gigs|website=Star Tribune|first=Chris|last=Riemenschneider|date=December 30, 2010|accessdate=}}</ref>
==Discography== ===Studio albums=== * ''Crazy Master'' (2011) * ''Oh My Sexy Lord'' (2013) * ''Tuff Guy Electronics'' (2018) * ''MDS Sports'' (2024)
===Mixtapes=== * ''Tamper Disable Destroy'' (2012)
===EPs=== * ''Music Rocks I & II'' (2013)
===Singles=== * "The River" (2013)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-river-single/740805407|title=The River - Single by Marijuana Deathsquads|website=Apple Music|date=29 October 2013|accessdate=February 17, 2020}}</ref> * "The World Beyond" (2019)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://joyfulnoise.bandcamp.com/album/the-world-beyond|title=The World Beyond|website=Bandcamp|accessdate=February 17, 2020}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://marijuanadeathsquads.com Official website] * [http://totallygrossnationalproduct.com/artists/marijuana-deathsquads Marijuana Deathsquads] at Totally Gross National Product * {{Discogs artist|Marijuana Deathsquads|Marijuana Deathsquads}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Musical groups established in 2009 Category:Electronic music groups from Minnesota Category:Musical groups from Minneapolis