Johnny Depp Rocks: Gibby Haynes

(updated 12/3/09)

Gibby Haynes is a Texas-born musician most famous for being a co-founder of the band The Butthole Surfers in 1981. The son of a children's show personality, "Mr. Peppermint," he was originally studying to become an accountant. Haynes met fellow Trinity University student Paul Leary, and they began playing together. Along with drummer King Coffey, they soon formed the core of The Butthole Surfers, which has also included a number of other musicians over the years. The music is a blend of electronic, metal, punk and psychedelic genres infused with a lot of off-color humor. Their most recent album was released in 2001. In 2004, Gibby hinted that there will likely be another Butthole Surfers album; however, to date, none has been released.
Gibby met Johnny Depp when Johnny was in Texas to film What's Eating Gilbert Grape. Together with Bill Carter and Sal Jenco, they formed a band called P, which performed at SXSW in 1993, at a number of shows at Depp's Viper Room during the mid 90's, and at two shows in Vienna, Austria in 1997. (See the Johnny Depp Rocks! P page for more!). Gibby has appeared in two movies with Johnny: Dead Man and The Brave. He and Johnny also co-directed a shortform video, entitled Stuff, about Red Hot Chili Peppers band member John Frusciante.
More recently, Gibby formed a new band called Gibby Haynes and his Problem, releasing an album in 2004. He has also been involved with a sideproject as a member of the industrial band, The Revolting Cocks. And in July 2007 he served as a DJ at the Siren Music Festival on Coney Island, NY. In a more interesting collaboration, he recently did background vocals for Tiny Masters Of Today, a brother and sister act (ages 13 and 11) who released their first feature-length album in September of 2007. He also appears in their Hologram World video. In 2009, he produced an album of cover songs by The Lemonheads called Varshons; the album evolved from many mixtapes Gibby has given to Evan Dando over the years. He also guested on a new album by an electronic group called Soulsavers.
In February of 2008, he joined the Paul Green School Of Rock All Stars (aged 11-17) for six concerts, playing Butthole Surfers music. (See below for links to YouTubes from some of the shows). Gibby must have enjoyed playing with the All Stars, because in June and July of 2008, he once again joined them for a 14 date tour, with shows in the US and Europe. This time, Gibby brought along the classic 1980's lineup of the Butthole Surfers, reuniting for the first time since 2002! Toward the end of the final concert at Webster Hall in New York, Gibby was escorted offstage by security following an altercation with the club's soundman, leaving the All Stars and the remaining Surfers to finish the show. Ah, just like the good old days! They also performed in Austin for the first time in this lineup since 1989, at Stubb's on September 27, 2008. A full North American tour took place in the fall of 2009, with the tour opener (Sept. 24 in Houston) and closer (Oct. 31 in Austin) both taking place in Texas.
An established artist as well as musician (Gibby created the artwork for the P album), his works were featured in the Business Unusual II: Room At the Top show in NYC in 2005, at the Power Pathos show at the Station Museum of Contemporary Art in Houston TX in 2006, the Draw Tour at the Gallery Lombardi in Austin TX in 2007, and the Rock Paper Scissor Exhibition at the Robert Berman Gallery in 2009. Gibby has also collaborated with the improv comedy troupe Upright Citizens Brigade.

In a rare moment of clarity, Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers once quipped that "art is merely the last three letters in fart."

Photos (click to enlarge):

Gibby Haynes and his Problem album cover, 2004:

Gibby Haynes and his Problem group shot:

with his Burning Poppies piece at the Power Pathos exhibit, 2006:

Paul Green School Of Rock All Stars concerts, February 2008:

Paul Green School Of Rock All Stars concerts, June-July 2008:

Gibby at the MoMA's Second Annual Film Benefit, Honoring Tim Burton, November 17, 2009

Some helpful sites for Gibby Haynes and The Butthole Surfers:

(see YouTube for links to other related videos with The Butthole Surfers, Gibby Haynes and his Problem, and the School Of Rock Allstars)

Links to some of Gibby's art at exhibits:

Gibby Haynes Compositions

Most of the Butthole Surfers releases contain authorship attributed to several band members including Gibson Jerome Haynes. See the copyright records here. Similarly, Gibby is listed as an author of the P album as well as (Peaches vs.) Gibby Haynes and his Problem(s) (see records here). It is therefore impossible to tease out what Gibby's exact contributions were to these compositions, relative to the other band members. However, I think it's safe to assume that his input was considerable.

Discography - The Butthole Surfers

1983	Butthole Surfers (EP)
1984	Live PCPPEP (EP)
1985	Psychic... Powerless... Another Man's Sac
1985	Cream Corn from the Socket of Davis (EP)
1986	Rembrandt Pussyhorse
1987	Locust Abortion Technician
1988	Hairway to Steven
1989	Double Live
1989	Widowermaker (EP)
1990	The Hurdy Gurdy Man (EP)
1991	Pioughd
1993	Independent Worm Saloon
1995	The Hole Truth...And Nothing Butt (originally a bootleg)
1996	Electriclarryland
2001	Weird Revolution
2002	Humpty Dumpty LSD (outtakes compilation)

Discography - Other

1990	The Jackofficers: Digital Dump
1995	P: P
2004	Gibby Haynes and his Problem

Discography - Guest Appearances

1992	Ministry: Keianh (Psalm 69) (Jesus Built My Hotrod)
1997	Choreboy: Good Clean Fun My Ass (vocals)
2004	Dan Hicks: Selected Shorts (That Ain't Right - Gibby Phones It In Mix)
2006	Revolting Cocks: Cocked and Loaded
2007	Revolting Cocks: Cocktail Mixxx
2007	Psychic TV: Hell Is Invisible... Heaven Is Here (background vocals)
2007	Tiny Masters Of Today: Bang Bang Boom Cake (Texas)
2009	Soulsavers: Broken

Discography - Producer

1993	Reverend Horton Heat: The Full Custom Gospel Sounds
1999	Reverend Horton Heat: Holy Roller
2005	Whatever: The '90s Pop & Culture Box
2009	The Lemonheads: Varshons

Please

if you have any corrections or additions!