Rancid's Tim Armstrong, Tippa Lee & J Bonner Join Forces As "Animated Punk Rock Band" Landfill Crew (Hellcat/Pirates Press Records)
Landfill Crew is a fictional animated Punk Rock band set during the mid-80's heyday of the formative East/West Coast Punk & Hardcore scenes. Landfill Crew AKA LFC's self-titled debut 2x7-inch EP was originally recorded on March 12, 1987 in Bagga's Basement, although, it was just properly released earlier this week on Pirates Press & Hellcat Records. According to the record's inserts, Landfill Crew consists of frontman Anthony "Hux" Campbell, guitarist & vocalist Bagger "Bagga Bullets" Russell, drummer Jennifer "Jenny" Arellano, guitarist Cliff "Pakman" Esmond, and bassist Horace "Baby" Harringtton. Its reverse sleeve denotates the 2x7-inch EP was produced by Tim "Timebomb" Armstrong, with artwork & layout by J Bonner, and sends a very "special thanks to Clarence for bringing the donuts." However, much in the same vein as like-minded animated Alternative Rock/Hip-Hop band Gorillaz, it has, in fact, been revealed that Landfill Crew, actually, consists of real-life members Tim Armstrong, Tippa Lee & J Bonner on vocals/guitar, vocals, and bass, respectively. Landfill Crew's 2x7-inch EP's "secret" reverse sleeve, also, reveals that said recordings feature contributions from Scott Abels, Kevin Bivona (The Interrupters,) Dan Boer, Joey Castillo (Danzig,) Dash Hutton, and John Morrical, as well. Tim Armstrong has, of course, been actively recording music with his Berkeley-based Punk Rock/Ska band Rancid for the past 28 years.
Tim Armstrong has, also, recorded and released music with Operation Ivy, Dancehall Crashers, Transplants, The Aggrolites, Tim Timebomb & Friends, and Armstrongs with Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, Joey & Rey Armstrong. He has, additionally, produced music for everyone from Joe Walsh (The Eagles) to The Interrupters. Much of Tim Armstrong's music, over the years, has been released on Lookout! Epitaph, Pirates Press, and his own Hellcat Records formed with Bad Religion's Brett Gurewitz. Tippa Lee, on the other hand—who's real name is, actually, Anthony Campbell!—is a Reggae/Dancehall vocalist hailing from Kingston, Jamaica. Tippa has been actively recording and releasing music since 1983 and has appeared on-record with the likes of Toyan, Johnny Slaughter, Rappa Robert, Gladstone Anderson & Muddie's All-Stars, The Barry Clarke Ensamble, and Moses Livingston. It appears as though Jason A. "J Bonner" primarily functions as a graphic designer/artist, but has been part of countless bands including Engine Room, Rhygin' Rockers, The Aggrolites, The Black Emeralds, and The Vessels. J Bonner has, also, previously appeared on a number of Tim Armstrong-produced records from Hellcat's critically-acclaimed Give 'Em The Boot series, Jimmy Cliff, Tim Timebomb, and most recently, The Interrupters' Fight The Good Fight. Landfill Crew's self-titled 2x7-inch EP is now available in limited quantities, as well as digital download, from Hellcat & Pirates Press Records. It features two music videos for "The Landfill Crew" & "Poets In The Night" expertly animated by LFC's J Bonner himself.
"Tippa Lee, me & J Bonner. The Landfill Crew is a fictional animated Punk Rock band set in the 1980's. I play one of the characters named Bagga and my friend Tippa Lee plays the character Hux. Tippa Lee is one of my favorite Jamaican vocalists that has been recording Reggae music in Kingston since the early 80's. J Bonner animated the videos and helped develop the characters. Hope you guys enjoy this 4-song EP it as much as we do!"
- Tim Armstrong (@landfillcrewofficial)
