Bongzilla
{{Short description|American stoner metal band}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{refimprove|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Bongzilla
| image = Bongzilla @ Roadburn Festival 2017 10.jpg
| caption = Bongzilla at Roadburn Festival 2017
| image_size =
| alias =
| origin = Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
| genre = Stoner metal, sludge metal{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bongzilla-mn0000085271/biography|title = Bongzilla | Biography & History| website=AllMusic }}
| years_active = 1995–2009, 2015–present
| label = Relapse, Ritual, Barbarian
| associated_acts = Weedeater, Buzzov*en, Sourvein, Droids Attack, Cuda
| website =
| current_members = Mike "Muleboy" Makela
Jeff "Spanky" Schultz
Dirty Mike "Magma" Henry
| past_members = Dave "Dixie" Collins
Cooter "Black Bong" Brown
Nate "Weed Dragon" Dethlefsen
Nate Bush
}}
Bongzilla is an American stoner metal band that formed in Madison, Wisconsin in 1995. They released their debut extended play, Mixed Bag, the following year through Rhetoric Records. Much of Bongzilla's lyrics are centered around cannabis use and similar themes.{{Cite web|title=Bongzilla|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/75314-Bongzilla|access-date=July 31, 2021|website=Discogs|language=en}} Following a six-year hiatus, the band reformed in 2015 and embarked upon a North American tour.{{cite web|title=Just wanting to really play slow: Bongzilla's Michael Makela|url=http://www.tonemadison.com/articles/just-wanting-to-really-play-slow-bongzillas-michael-makela/|website=toneroom.com|date=February 17, 2016 |accessdate=October 26, 2016}} The band's most recent album, Dab City, was released in 2023 through the label Heavy Psych Sounds.
Members
;Current
- Mike "Muleboy" Makela – vocals (1995–2009, 2015–present), bass (2020–present), guitar (1995–2009, 2015–2020)
- Jeff "Spanky" Schultz – guitar (1995–2009, 2015–present)
- Mike "Magma" Henry – drums (1995–2009, 2015–present)
;Former
- Nate Bush – bass (1995)
- Nate "Weed Dragon" Dethlefsen (a.k.a. Meanstreak) – bass (1995–2001)
- Cooter "Black Bong" Brown – bass (2001–2005, 2015–2020)
- Dave "Dixie" Collins (of Weedeater) – bass (2005–2006)
;Timeline
{{#tag:timeline|
ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:20
PlotArea = left:110 bottom:80 top:0 right:15
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/1995 till:{{#time:d/m/Y}}
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4
ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1995
ScaleMinor = increment:2 start:1995
Colors =
id:V value:red legend:Vocals
id:LG value:teal legend:Lead_guitars
id:RG value:brightgreen legend:Rhythm_guitars
id:B value:blue legend:Bass
id:D value:orange legend:Drums,_percussion
id:Lines value:black legend:Albums
id:Lines1 value:gray(0.6) legend:Other_releases
id:Bars value:gray(0.95)
Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4
BackgroundColors = bars:bars
ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1995
ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:1995
LineData =
at:06/06/1996 color:lines1 layer:back
at:06/06/1997 color:lines1 layer:back
at:27/01/1998 color:lines1 layer:back
at:01/03/1998 color:lines1 layer:back
at:01/05/1998 color:lines1 layer:back
at:01/07/1998 color:lines1 layer:back
at:14/08/1998 color:lines1 layer:back
at:01/09/1998 color:lines1 layer:back
at:01/01/1999 color:lines1 layer:back
at:20/04/1999 color:black layer:back
at:01/01/2001 color:lines1 layer:back
at:11/05/2001 color:black layer:back
at:01/01/2002 color:lines1 layer:back
at:03/09/2002 color:black layer:back
at:23/11/2004 color:lines1 layer:back
at:27/09/2005 color:black layer:back
at:01/01/2007 color:lines1 layer:back
at:01/06/2007 color:lines1 layer:back
at:20/04/2021 color:black layer:back
at:02/06/2023 color:black layer:back
BarData =
bar:Mike text:"Muleboy"
bar:Jeff text:"Spanky"
bar:Bush text:"Nate Bush"
bar:Weed text:"Weed Dragon"
bar:Cooter text:"Cooter Brown"
bar:Dixie text:"Dixie Collins"
bar:Magma text:"Magma"
PlotData=
width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(11,-4)
bar:Mike from:01/01/1995 till:01/01/2009 color:V
bar:Mike from:01/01/1995 till:01/01/2009 color:RG width:3
bar:Mike from:01/01/2015 till:end color:V
bar:Mike from:06/03/2020 till:end color:B width:3
bar:Mike from:01/01/2015 till:06/03/2020 color:RG width:3
bar:Jeff from:01/01/1995 till:01/01/2009 color:LG
bar:Jeff from:01/01/2015 till:end color:LG
bar:Jeff from:06/03/2020 till:end color:RG width:3
bar:Bush from:01/01/1995 till:01/06/1995 color:B
bar:Weed from:01/06/1995 till:01/08/2001 color:B
bar:Cooter from:01/08/2001 till:01/01/2005 color:B
bar:Cooter from:01/01/2015 till:06/03/2020 color:B
bar:Dixie from:01/01/2005 till:01/01/2009 color:B
bar:Magma from:01/01/1995 till:01/01/2009 color:D
bar:Magma from:01/01/2015 till:end color:D
}}
Discography
;Studio albums
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Title !Label |
| 1999
|Stash |
| 2000
|Relapse Records |
| 2002
|Relapse Records |
| 2005
|Relapse Records |
| 2021
|Weedsconsin |Heavy Psych Sounds |
| 2023
|Dab City |Heavy Psych Sounds |
;EPs and splits
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Title !Label !Notes |
| 1996
|Mixed Bag |Rhetoric Records | |
| 1997
|"Budgun/THC" |Pinecone Records |Released as a split with Meatjack |
| 1998
|"Brownie/Gungeon" |Rhetoric Records |Released as a split with Cavity |
| 1998
|"Witch Weed" |HG Fact Records |Released as a split with Hellchild |
| 1998
|"Hemp for Victory" |Thunder Lizard Records | |
| 1998
|Methods for Attaining Extreme Altitudes |Relapse Records |Re-released in 2007 by Modus Operandi |
| 2021
|"Nectar Collector" |Gungeon Records | |
;Compilation albums
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Title !Label |
| 2001
|Shake: The Singles |Barbarian Records |
| 2007
|Nuggets |Barbarian Records |
| 2007
|Stash/Methods for Attaining Extreme Altitudes |Relapse Records |
| 2018
|Thank You, Marijuana |Gungeon Records |
;Live albums
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Title !Label |
| 2004
|Live from the Relapse Contamination Festival |Relapse Records |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{Official website|https://bongzilla666.com}}
- {{allmusic}}
- [http://shop.relapse.com/artist/artist.aspx?ArtistID=10013 Bongzilla] on Relapse Records
- [http://www.myspace.com/bongzilla420 Bongzilla] at Myspace
- [http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/music/artist/card/0,,657410,00.html Bongzilla] at Artistdirect
- [http://www.spirit-of-metal.com/groupe-groupe-Bongzilla-l-en.html Bongzilla] at Spirit of Metal
{{Bongzilla}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Heavy metal musical groups from Wisconsin
Category:American musical quartets
Category:American sludge metal musical groups
Category:American stoner rock musical groups
Category:Relapse Records artists
Category:Rock music groups from Wisconsin
{{US-metal-band-stub}}