Skwert Gunn
Skwert Gunn | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Skwert, Skwert Gunn |
| Origin | Boston, MA |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Drums, Guitar, vocals, keyboard |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Labels | Tent City Records |
| Associated acts | |
Skwert Gunn is an American musician best known as the drummer for the influential punk band Choking Victim and as the founder and lead vocalist of the New Jersey-based ska-core band Public Serpents. He has been a prominent figure in the East Coast punk and ska scenes since the early 1990s.
Early life
Skwert Gunn was born in 1974, had a troubled childhood that led him to run away from home at the age of 12. After fleeing, he ended up in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, where he found shelter at the now-legendary squat at 731 E 9th St. That experience marked the beginning of a transient lifestyle, exposing him to a mix of punk, anarchist, and alternative subcultures.[1]
He soon became immersed in the squatter scene, living on the margins of society. His time in the Lower East Side shaped his worldview and introduced him to the DIY punk ethos that would fuel his future music career. Eventually, he joined his first band, Maggot, and traveled across the U.S., continuing to live a nomadic lifestyle, staying in squats, abandoned buildings, under bridges, or wherever he could find shelter.[1]
Music career
Early Career
Skwert first played with a band called Maggot, traveling and performing while living a squatter lifestyle.
Choking Victim
In 1993, Skwert joined Choking Victim as the band's drummer. The band, known for its fusion of ska and hardcore punk—a style often referred to as "crack rock steady"—was active from 1992 to 1998. Choking Victim gained notoriety for their politically charged lyrics and association with the C-Squat, a well-known squat in Manhattan's Lower East Side. They released their only studio album, No Gods, No Managers, in 1999, during the recording of which, the band broke up.[2]
InDK
Shortly after the break-up of Choking Victim, Skwert performed in the short-lived skate-punk band InDK (International Noise Death Kill) with other members of the New York punk scene, including ex-Choking Victim guitarist, Ezra Kire.The band released one EP, In Decay in 1999, and one album Kill Whitey!, which was released in 2002 after the band had broken up during its recording sessions.[3]
Public Serpents
In 2008, Skwert formed Public Serpents, which carried forward the raw, politically charged ska-punk sound. However, their progress was frequently stalled due to Skwert's personal hardships, including homelessness and legal troubles.[4]
After being released from prison in 2018, Skwert refocused his energy on reviving Public Serpents. Despite ongoing struggles—financial instability, the breakdown of his marriage, and bouts of homelessness, Public Serpents signed with SBÄM Records in 2022 and the following year released their second studio album, The Bully Puppet was released. and began touring again, gaining new momentum across the U.S. and Europe.[5]
After a 15-year hiatus from releasing full-length albums, Public Serpents released their sophomore album, The Bully Puppet, in 2023 under SBÄM Records.[6]The album's lead single, "Not Forever," marked the band's return to the music scene and was followed by a U.S. tour .[7]
Discography
Albums
With Choking Victim
- No Gods, No Managers (1999)
With InDK
- In Decay (EP) Tent City Records, 1999.
- Kill Whitey! (LP) Go-Kart Records, 2002.
With Public Serpents
- Feeding of the Fortune 5000 (2008)
- The Bully Puppet (2023)
Compilations
- Give 'Em the Boot, ( Infested) Hellcat Records, 1997.
Featured On
- So Ya Wanna Be a Cop By Morning Glory, (2001)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Foster homes, homelessness, the rise and fall: a portrait of Skwert Gunn (Public Serpents, ex-Choking Victim) - IDIOTEQ.com". 2023-03-02. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ↑ Gentile, John (6/2/2025). Architects of Self-Destruction: The Oral History of Leftöver Crack. Rare Bird Books (published 8/10/2021). p. 11. ISBN 978-1644281109. Check date values in:
|date=, |publication-date=(help) Search this book on
- ↑ Punknews.org. "INDK". Punknews.org. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
- ↑ Phinky (2023-03-24). "Public Serpents Return With New Album "The Bully Puppet"". ThePunkSite.com. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
- ↑ "Foster homes, homelessness, the rise and fall: a portrait of Skwert Gunn (Public Serpents, ex-Choking Victim) - IDIOTEQ.com". 2023-03-02. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ↑ Brewpunk (2023-03-18). "Public Serpents releases new album The Bully Puppet". Retrieved 2025-06-02.
- ↑ Tierney, Eugene (2023-01-24). "New Jersey's PUBLIC SERPENTS Release "Not Forever," The First Single Off Upcoming Debut 'The Bully Puppet' Out March 24th - Nyrdcast.com". Retrieved 2025-06-02.
External Links
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