The Bad Penny (beta)

David Yow’s could very well lingering in obscurity without his iconic tenure as the frontman of the Jesus Lizard (and Scratch Acid) before that. But he’s also sprinkled in some bizarre side projects along the way, including his abstract-art “music” album Tonight You Look Like a Spider, released in June 2013 on Joyful Noise; a stint as the vocalist for L.A. underground rock trio Qui that culminated in their 2007 album Love’s Miracle; and guest appearances at concerts by Shellac, Melvins, the Dicks, Girls Against Boys and Cop Shoot Cop.

But one of the most notable excursions Yow – who self-deported from the U.S. for Portugal during the Trump regime – took in his equally florid and flatulent career was when he took on the role of vocalist for influential punk band and one of Kurt Cobain’s favorite groups, Flipper. After forming in 1979 and taking a decade-long break from 1994 to 2004, Yow filled in for ailing singer Bruce Loose during shows in 2015. Four years later, Yow reprised his role as substitute vocalist for Flipper’s 40th Anniversary Tour in 2019; at that point, Yow was effectively a member of the band, which advertised their shows as “Flipper with David Yow.”

But little do fans know – if any – that Yow wasn’t a shoe-in for Flipper’s replacement vocalist. Chris Spencer, frontman of Unsane – another hugely influential noise-rock band from decades past, along with the Jesus Lizard – recently revealed in an interview with this writer: “I was really a big Flipper fan, despite them having 30-plus members over the years. The ethos of that band was just great.”

Word of Spencer’s affinity for Flipper apparently reached the band, who Spencer said offered him to take on the role of vocalist that Yow also held.

“They actually asked me if I would do it a couple years ago. But I’d rather just go out with Unsane or Human Impact,” his super-group founded in 2019, and featuring Spencer and members of Cop Shoot Cop, Daughters and Swans.”

Stayed tuned for an epic interview with Spencer about Unsane, his battle with heroin addiction and more in the weeks to come.

For more stories on Yow and the Jesus Lizard, check out the below stories … we dare you to find another website with a stronger stable of articles about the vocalist and his band:

• The Bad Penny Interview: Jesus Lizard Vocalist David Yow

• On Tyranny: Jesus Lizard Vocalist David Yow Ditches US for Portugal

* Did David Yow Tell His Version of ‘The Aristocrats’ on The Jesus Lizard’s ‘Lady Shoes’?

• The Jesus Lizard’s 103 Songs, Ranked From the G.O.A.T. to the … Just Don’t

• The Jesus Lizard: A Racket of a Resurrection (Extended Version)

• Jesus Lizard Interview and Exclusive News: The Naked Truth, Pt. 1

• Labyrinth: The History Of The Jesus Lizard

• Jesus Lizard’s Duane Denison: ‘I Can’t Imagine Ever Doing A Reunion Tour’

• Jesus Lizard Guitarist Duane Denison Ignites ‘Challenging’ New Jazz Trio With Ex-Silver Jews, Lambchop Members

• Jesus Lizard Screamer David Yow’s Acting Demo Reel Is Pure Gold

• Wildest Concert Ever: mr.phylzzz Drummer Will Never Forget David Yow Pulling Out His Dong at Jesus Lizard Gig

• Meet Stunt Drummer, Jesus Lizard Superfans Who Are Bringing the Noise-Rock in Portland

• CONSPIRACY REVEALED: Tool’s Maynard James Keenan And David Yow Are Lizard People!

This entry was posted on 09/13/2026 at 5:22 am and is filed under Exclusives, Interviews, News with tags Chris Spencer, David Yow, Flipper, the Jesus Lizard, Unsane. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.