(updated 8/17/08)
The
history of P, as once shown on the Butthole Surfers' website (below
left),
and
Johnny's description in the 2000 French Studio magazine (below right)
(click images to
enlarge):
Translation
of French Studio item by Jean-Baptiste:
"It is first and foremost a group of four friends who like to laugh,
goof around, and make noise together. There is no real leader in the
group; everyone brings his own contribution. Before becoming an actor,
I was a professional musician. For years, I earned a living playing in
concerts. To reinvest myself in music and record this album in 1995 has
been a very beneficial experience for me. It allowed me to escape a
little and think of something else at a time where I was not really in
shape. And it was a ‘lifesaver’. As P, we
also
performed in some concerts at the Viper Room (see p.91) and we had
great fun. Recording a new album? We are thinking about it. I discussed
it at length with Gibby (Haynes, the band’s vocalist). I
would really like to do country songs."
P made their live debut on March 17, 1993 at the Austin Music Awards at Palmer Auditorium during the SXSW music festival. The lineup consisted of:
In August of 1993, Johnny and Chuck E. Weiss opened The Viper Room in West Hollywood. P was said to have played there on a number of occasions, sometimes with help from the likes of Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols. According to Johnny, they were playing the night that River Phoenix tragically died outside the club. They also reportedly threw Kate Moss a party there for her 21st birthday. In December of 1997, P traveled to Vienna Austria to play at a swanky ballroom called Sofiensäle, where a fashion show was taking place. Conny de Beauclair, a bouncer/rock club icon invited them to play at his club, U4, two nights later. These are P's only known live gigs. (See the On Stage and Bands Photo Galleries for photos from both gigs).
In terms of P's recording history, amid extensive coverage, at least in the Austin Chronicle if nowhere else, P recorded an album and finally released it after some delays, on November 21, 1995. P featured the band members plus guest appearances by Ruth Ellsworth Carter, Flea, Steve Jones, Chuck E. Weiss, and Andrew Weiss, and was produced by Andrew Weiss. The album consisted of 9 originals, as well as covers of the Daniel Johnston song I Save Cigarette Butts and Abba's Dancing Queen. The Japanese release had Mumble as a bonus track. A single was released (a 7" single Michael Stipe b/w Mumble; a CD single added Dancing Queen). The Chronicle also reported that they were to release a video directed by Jim Jarmusch, but as far as I know that never happened. Nor did rumored record release party ever happen. Here is a press kit for the release that was sent out by Capitol Records:
In a January 24, 2008 interview with Rolling Stone, Johnny briefly mentions the album and the lack of support by Capitol Records, which was apparently just fine with him and the band!
On May 8, 2007, P was reissued with almost no publicity on Caroline Records, a subsidiary of EMI that specializes in indie music. It is currently available at most online sites and record stores. A blurb that is appearing on many independent record stores describes the disc as follows: "A reissue of the sole 1995 P album from this supergroup comprised of GIBBY HAINES [sic], BILL CARTER, JOHNNY DEPP, and SAL JENCO. A rambunctious stew of grunge, over-the-top dub, twisted yet reverent covers, mutant blues, faux hillbilly, oddball ballads, and space jams. Features guest spots from FLEA (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS) and STEVE JONES (SEX PISTOLS)."
Besides this reissue, we're still waiting for the possible follow-up that Johnny referred to in 2000!
P made their live debut on March 17, 1993 at the Austin Music Awards at Palmer Auditorium during the SXSW music festival. The lineup consisted of:
- Gibby Haynes - lead vocals; guitar solo on Michael Stipe
- Johnny Depp - bass, guitar
- Bill Carter - guitar, bass
- Sal Jenco - drums
In August of 1993, Johnny and Chuck E. Weiss opened The Viper Room in West Hollywood. P was said to have played there on a number of occasions, sometimes with help from the likes of Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols. According to Johnny, they were playing the night that River Phoenix tragically died outside the club. They also reportedly threw Kate Moss a party there for her 21st birthday. In December of 1997, P traveled to Vienna Austria to play at a swanky ballroom called Sofiensäle, where a fashion show was taking place. Conny de Beauclair, a bouncer/rock club icon invited them to play at his club, U4, two nights later. These are P's only known live gigs. (See the On Stage and Bands Photo Galleries for photos from both gigs).
Here are some articles
detailing P's trip to Vienna, and other Vienna info:
In terms of P's recording history, amid extensive coverage, at least in the Austin Chronicle if nowhere else, P recorded an album and finally released it after some delays, on November 21, 1995. P featured the band members plus guest appearances by Ruth Ellsworth Carter, Flea, Steve Jones, Chuck E. Weiss, and Andrew Weiss, and was produced by Andrew Weiss. The album consisted of 9 originals, as well as covers of the Daniel Johnston song I Save Cigarette Butts and Abba's Dancing Queen. The Japanese release had Mumble as a bonus track. A single was released (a 7" single Michael Stipe b/w Mumble; a CD single added Dancing Queen). The Chronicle also reported that they were to release a video directed by Jim Jarmusch, but as far as I know that never happened. Nor did rumored record release party ever happen. Here is a press kit for the release that was sent out by Capitol Records:
In a January 24, 2008 interview with Rolling Stone, Johnny briefly mentions the album and the lack of support by Capitol Records, which was apparently just fine with him and the band!
On May 8, 2007, P was reissued with almost no publicity on Caroline Records, a subsidiary of EMI that specializes in indie music. It is currently available at most online sites and record stores. A blurb that is appearing on many independent record stores describes the disc as follows: "A reissue of the sole 1995 P album from this supergroup comprised of GIBBY HAINES [sic], BILL CARTER, JOHNNY DEPP, and SAL JENCO. A rambunctious stew of grunge, over-the-top dub, twisted yet reverent covers, mutant blues, faux hillbilly, oddball ballads, and space jams. Features guest spots from FLEA (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS) and STEVE JONES (SEX PISTOLS)."
Besides this reissue, we're still waiting for the possible follow-up that Johnny referred to in 2000!
A wealth of
information about P can be found in the Austin Chronicle, particularly
in
Ken Lieck's regular column, Dancing About Architecture. In some of the links below,
you may have to scroll down to find content about P:
Scans from P official releases and promos:
Ken Lieck's regular column, Dancing About Architecture. In some of the links below,
you may have to scroll down to find content about P:
- April 27, 1995: P plans an Easter Egg Hunt in Austin
- May
11, 1995: Jim Jarmusch rumored to direct P's video
- June 1, 1995: another item about Jarmusch directing a video
- Aug. 24, 1995: rumors of the video and release party
- Oct. 12, 1995: what's the holdup on the release?
- Jan. 4, 1996: record released to "deafening silence"
- March 6, 1997: History of the Austin Music Awards, featuring Bill Carter there's also a photo of P's 1993 SXSW gig there-scroll down
- Dec. 25, 1997: Taking a P in the Snow - the Vienna P shows
- March 12, 1998: P's Austin food recommendations
- June 4, 1998: rumors of a P show being organized in France
- Sept. 17, 1998: rumors of British documentary makers interested in P
- Nov. 17, 2000: Johnny plays at a show with Gibby's friends Egypt in Austin
Here are a few reviews of
the P album:
Films have been made about both Jim Carroll, the
composer of People Who Died, one of the songs of the P '93 SXSW set,
and Daniel Johnston,
who wrote I Save Cigarette Butts, from the P album. The
Basketball Diaries,
starring Leonardo DiCaprio, is a 1995 film based on Carroll's book of
the same name, chronicling his adolescence and descent into drug
addiction. The film is said to have altered many of the
details,
however. In 2005, a documentary was released called The Devil And Daniel Johnston.
It tells the story of Johnston, a musician and artist long
troubled by manic depression and other mental illness.
A cute (if somewhat inaccurate...
"Lost City Angels"??) article on P from Live
And Kicking, a mag associated with a UK kids' program:
Scans from P official releases and promos:
Don't
forget to check out these sections of 
Have any corrections or additions? Please
Photos would be
especially appreciated!
