Painkiller (stylized as PainKiller, previously known as Pain Killer) is an avant-garde jazz and grindcore band that formed in 1991.Spicer, D. Jazzwise.com Painkiller article accessed 3 October 2024. Later albums incorporated elements of ambient and dub.Christie, I. Trouserpress.com Painkiller entry accessed 22 July 2008.
The three primary members of Painkiller were John Zorn on saxophone, Bill Laswell on bass guitar and Mick Harris on drums. Zorn and Laswell work in the New York avant-garde jazz music scene. Harris was the drummer for the grindcore band Napalm Death. Harris' blast beats inspired Zorn to create his signature style, forming improvisational groups like Naked City that merged disparate genres into a unique scene. Several musicians have made guest appearances both live and in the studio, including Buckethead, Kevin Sharp of Brutal Truth, Yamatsuka Eye, Mike Patton, Koichi Makigami of Hikashu, Justin Broadrick and G. C. Green of Godflesh, Fred Frith, and Keiji Haino of Fushitsusha.
Harris left the band in 1995 to dedicate himself to electronic music. Zorn and Laswell resurrected Painkiller and played with Yoshida Tatsuya of Ruins on drums.http://magaibutsu.com/mgb/pain-killer/ Magaibutsu website|accessed 3 October 2024 Hamid Drake joined the band for Zorn's 50th Birthday shows at Tonic in New York City. That show (which also featured Patton as a guest) was released as a live album by Tzadik.https://www.tzadik.com/index.php?catalog=5012 Tzadik Records 50th Birthday Celebration Volume Twelve|accessed 3 October 2024
On June 23, 2008, Painkiller performed Their Last Show In Citè de la musique Paris, France with the original line-up of Zorn, Laswell, and Harris, along with an appearance by Fred Frith and Patton.
In early 2024 the band reunited again, though with Harris on electronics and effects rather than a conventional drum kit. They announced the release of a new album, Samsara, in November 2024.
Band members Current lineup John Zorn – saxophone, vocals Bill Laswell – bass guitar , samples Mick Harris – drums, vocals , electronics, effects
Former members Hamid Drake – drums Tatsuya Yoshida – drums, vocals
Guest/session musicians Justin Broadrick – guitar, drum machine, vocals G.C. Green – bass Keiji Haino – guitar, vocals Koichi Makigami – vocals Buckethead – guitar Kevin Sharp – vocals Yamatsuka Eye – vocals Mike Patton – vocals Fred Frith – guitar
Timeline
Discography Guts of a Virgin (Earache, 1991) Buried Secrets (Earache, 1992) Rituals: Live in Japan (Toy's Factory, 1993) Execution Ground (Subharmonic, 1994) Talisman: Live in Nagoya (Tzadik, 2002) 50th Birthday Celebration Volume 12 with Hamid Drake and Mike Patton (Tzadik, 2005) The Prophecy: Live in Europe with Yoshida Tatsuya (Tzadik, 2013) Samsara (Tzadik, 2024) The Equinox (Tzadik, 2025) The Great God Pan (Tzadik, 2025)
Compilations Collected Works (Tzadik, 1998) Guts of a Virgin & Buried Secrets (Earache, 1998)
References