Huntington Beach, California-based punks Guttermouth formed in 1989, comprising vocalist Mark “Mercury” Adkins, guitarists Derek Davis and Scott Sheldon, bassist Stever Rapp (who replaced original bassist Clint Weinrich), and drummer Captain James T. Nunn. Debuting a year later with the single “Puke,” Guttermouth issued their debut LP, Full Length, in 1992, followed in 1994 by Friendly People, their first effort for new label Nitro Records. Guttermouth resurfaced in 1996 with Teri Yakimoto, followed a year later by Musical Monkey; their first concert LP, Live from the Pharmacy, appeared in 1998. Their sixth album, Gorgeous, was issued a year later, featuring new drummer Ty Smith; Covered with Ants followed in mid-2000, marking their first for Epitaph.
Guttermouth are studio hounds; they returned to the punk rock scene in fall 2002 when the ambitious Gusto was released, and came back for more in 2004 with the scathing Eat Your Face (with guitarist Don Horne and ex-Slick Shoes bassist Kevin Clark now on board). That same summer saw the departure of drummer Smith to concentrate on his side project Bullets and Octane; the outspoken band also reportedly got kicked off the Warped Tour in August. Adkins later clarified that they left the tour by choice, sickened by the ignorant political comments spouted during various bands’ sets. After departing Epitaph Records, the group was officially added to the Volcom Entertainment roster in late 2005. Guttermouth then contributed the track “April 29th, 1992” to the Sublime tribute album Forever Free, and released their installment of the Beyond Warped Live Music Series in January 2006. The band’s tenth album, Shave the Planet, appeared that August, with Adkins, Sheldon, and Horne joined by original bassist Weinrich and drummer Ryan Farrell. After promotion for Shave, the band didn’t issue new material for a full decade. When they re-formed, the new lineup consisted of Adkins, bassist Justin Van Westbroek, and guitarist Geoff Armstrong. The outfit released a pair of EPs in 2016: Got It Made arrived that summer, while New Car Smell was issued that winter. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi