Jeff Pinkus

Jeffrey David "J.D." Pinkus (born October 26, 1967) is an American bassist best known for his work with Butthole Surfers from 1985 to 1994 and since their 2009 reunion.

In 1990, he and Butthole Surfers' lead vocalist Gibby Haynes released Digital Dump, the only album from their psychedelic house music side project The Jackofficers.

Upon leaving Butthole Surfers, Pinkus worked full-time with the Austin trio Daddy Longhead, which he had assembled during his waning months in the band, and which included longtime Atlanta associate Jimbo Young on guitar and Rey Washam on drums. Daddy Longhead retired after 10 years, leaving Pinkus free to explore other projects including Skinny Leonard and Areola 51. Pinkus played with Helios Creed on his albums NUGG: The Transport and Activated Condition, and has also collaborated with Bad Livers frontman Danny Barnes several times in a live setting.

He was leader of the band Honky and during 2008 played weekly in Austin, Texas, with an assortment of other musicians called the Guit Down Syndrome.

On their 30th anniversary tour in 2013, Pinkus joined Melvins in place of Jared Warren (on paternity leave) as well as performing with the opening Honky. He subsequently joined the Melvins full-time, touring with them in 2014 in support of the album Hold It In, which also featured Butthole Surfers founder Paul Leary, and again in 2015. He also plays on the song "Captain Come Down" which was first released in 2015 on Chaos as Usual, a split release with Le Butcherettes, and later included on the 2016 album Basses Loaded.

In 2018, J.D. Pinkus released a solo album, Keep on the Grass on cassette tape on Minner Bucket Records and compact disc on Heavy Feather Records. It was recorded entirely on banjo and features a rendition of the song "Bride of Crankenstein" from the Melvins album Hold It In. The CD release show with Sleep in San Pedro was on September 15, 2018. The b-side "11:11" was used on the Coup Sur Coup Records Various Artists compilation Feedback Through A Magnifying Glass Volume I in 2018.

On February 12, 2018, the Melvins announced that Pinkus would be joining them, alongside current bassist Steven McDonald (Redd Kross), on their next album and subsequent tour. Released on April 20, 2018, the aptly titled Pinkus Abortion Technician features both bass players and four songs written or co-written by Pinkus.

On August 27, 2021, the band Tiny Tree released "XI" and JD Pinkus performed on the track titled "December" through the label Onama Media Group.

Select discography

Butthole Surfers 1987 – Locust Abortion Technician 1988 – Hairway to Steven 1989 – Double Live 1989 – Widowermaker (EP) 1991 – piouhgd 1993 – Independent Worm Saloon

The Jackofficers 1990 – Digital Dump

Daddy Longhead 1991 – Cheatos 1997 – Supermasonic 1998 – Classic 2021 – Twinkle

Areola 51 2002 – Areola 51 2014 – The Double D Sides 2015 – Bootleg Series Vol 3: Areola 51 at Headhunters

Honky 1998 – Honky 2000 – Attacked by Lesbians in a Chicago Bowling Alley 2001 – House of Good Tires 2005 – Balls Out Inn 2012 – 421 2016 – Corduroy

Melvins 2014 – Hold It In 2016 – Basses Loaded (on the song "Captain Come Down") 2018 – Pinkus Abortion Technician 2021 – Five Legged Dog (on "Everybody's Talking" and "Don't Forget to Breathe")

Pure Luck 2017 – Pure Luck

Tall Tall Trees 2023 – Ponder Machine

Solo 2018 – Keep on the Grass (Minner Bucket/Heavy Feather) 2021 – Fungus Shui (Heavy Feather/Shimmy Disc) 2024 – Grow A Pear (Shimmy Disc)