History Music / ButtholeSurfers

* CreditsGag: the labels on their first two [=EPs=] (self-titled and ''PCPPEP'') claim that the records should be played at "69 RPM" [[note]]record players usually have settings for 33 RPM and 45 RPM, with singles usually played at the speed of 45 RPM and albums being at 33 - 69 RPM is just a sex joke[[/note]].

The Surfers began in 1980, when lead man Gibby Haynes met Paul Leary while going to college in Texas, where they became friends due to their shared overall weirdness and interest in strange music. They published a magazine, ''Strange V.D.'', with a lot of [[{{Squick}} pictures of strange diseases and illnesses]], long before they actually started playing in 1981. Throughout TheEighties, they built up a cult following in the college rock world.

Their mainstream commercial breakthrough finally came in TheNineties, when big labels were scrambling to sign AlternativeRock acts in the wake of Music/{{Nirvana}}'s success. After a decade of releasing their music on small indies, they signed with Creator/CapitolRecords; their second Capitol album, ''Electriclarryland'', contained their first big hit "Pepper", which topped the ''Billboard'' Modern Rock charts in 1996. Afterwards, they became featured on many movie soundtracks, such as ''Film/WilliamShakespearesRomeoAndJuliet'' and Creator/JohnCarpenter's ''Film/EscapeFromLA''.

* SelfTitledAlbum: Their first release (a 12" EP that came out on Music/JelloBiafra's Alternative Tentacles label in 1983) was originally this, but was retroactively named ''Brown Reason to Live''.

* CreditsGag: the labels on their first two [=EPs=] (self-titled and ''PCPPEP'') claim that the records should be played at "69 RPM" [[note]]record plays usually have settings for 33 RPM and 45 RPM, with singles usually played at the speed of 45 RPM and albums being at 33 - 69 RPM is just a sex joke[[/note]].

* CreditsGag: the labels on their first two [=EPs=] (self-titled and ''PCPPEP'') claim that the records should be played at "69 RPM" [[note]]33 RPM and 45 RPM are the usual record speeds- 69 RPM is just a sex joke[[/note]].

* CreditsGag: the labels on their first two [=EPs=] (self-titled and ''PCPPEP'') claim that the record should be played at "69 RPM" [[note]]33 RPM and 45 RPM are the usual record speeds- 69 RPM is just a sex joke[[/note]].

* CreditsGag: the labels on their first two EPs (self-titled and ''PCPPEP'') claim that the record should be played at "69 RPM" [[note]]33 RPM and 45 RPM are the usual record speeds- 69 RPM is just a sex joke[[/note]].

-->''"Crazy, crazy fuckin' world! HA HA HA HA! Crazy goddamn world! HA HA HA HA!"''

* AnimatedMusicVideo[=/=]DeragnedAnimation[=/=]SurrealMusicVideo: The video for "Who Was In My Room Last Night" combines all these tropes.

** Their cover of Music/{{Donovan}}'s "Hurdy Gurdy Man" from ''pioughd'' also parodies the original versions delayed vocal effect by turning it UpToEleven, deliberately distorting it beyond comprehension.

* SurrealMusicVideo[=/=]DerangedAnimation: The video for "Who Was In My Room Last Night".

* EpicRocking: [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] in the case of "They Came In"; It's technically 22:23, but it's real 4 minutes of "They Came In", 17 minutes of silence, and then a short reprise of "The Last Astronaut". As for actual examples:

** Their longest track is "Jimi" from ''Hairway to Steven" at 12:38. It beats "P.S.Y." from ''pioughd'' (12:12) by more than 30 seconds.

--->I'm gonna potty train the Chairman Mao

* PunBasedTitle: ''Hairway to Steven'' is a play on the title of the Music/LedZeppelin classic "Stairway To Heaven".

[[quoteright:318:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Butthole_Surfers_4157.jpg]]

* TheSomethingSong: "The Annoying Song", "The Wooden Song"
** "Fast" is also known as "The Fart Song" among fans.

* TitleOnlyChorus: "Kuntz" again, if you consider that to be a chorus.
** Also "Hay", except its the ''[[UpToEleven ENTIRE SONG.]]''
* ToiletHumor: Starting with the band name.
* WordSaladLyrics: "The Annoying Song", "Lady Sniff", "I Saw an X-Ray Of A Girl Passing Gas"...hell, a decent chunk of their discography have WordSaladLyrics.

The Surfers began in 1980, when lead man Gibby Haynes met Paul Leary while going to college in Texas, where they became friends due to their shared overall weirdness and interest in strange music. They published a magazine, ''Strange V.D.'', with a lot of [[{{Squick}} pictures of strange diseases and illnesses]], long before they actually started playing in 1981. Throughout TheEighties, they built up a cult following in the college rock world; their mainstream commercial breakthrough finally came when their album ''Electriclarryland'' was released, containing their first big hit, "Pepper", which topped the ''Billboard'' Modern Rock charts in 1996. Afterwards, they became featured on many movie soundtracks, such as ''Film/WilliamShakespearesRomeoAndJuliet'' and Creator/JohnCarpenter's ''Film/EscapeFromLA''.

* Teresa Nervosa - drums, 1983-1989, 2008-present

* SensoryAbuse: Arguably, in the case of their music. The earlier into the band's discography you go, the more likely their music will fall under this category, especially to those who aren't used to noise rock.

The Surfers began in 1980, when lead man Gibby Haynes met Paul Leary while going to college in Texas, where they became friends due to their shared overall weirdness and interest in strange music. They published a magazine, Strange V.D., with a lot of [[{{Squick}} pictures of strange diseases and illnesses]], long before they actually started playing in 1981. They were small names until their album ''Electriclarryland'' was released, containing their first big hit, "Pepper", which topped the Billboard Modern Rock charts in 1996. Afterwards, they became featured on many movie soundtracks, such as ''Film/WilliamShakespearesRomeoAndJuliet'' and Creator/JohnCarpenter's ''Film/EscapeFromLA''.

* CoverVersion: Of a more interesting version, "Dum Dum" is basically an original composition over the drum beat from Music/BlackSabbath's "Children of the Grave". They'd revisit the idea of sampling portions of Sabbath songs later in their career when they slightly altered the main riff to "Sweet Leaf" for the opening track of ''Locust Abortion Technician'', appropriately titled "Sweat Loaf".

* UsefulNotes/KuKluxKlan: Mentiuoned in the lyrics of "P.S.Y.".

* StudioChatter: "Birds" begins with Gibby Haynes saying "alright, what are we doin' here?" over the intro, then laughing and clearing his throat, before starting the song more properly [[CarefulWithThatAxe with a scream]].

* SurprisinglyGentleSong: "The Wooden Song", a FolkRock-influenced ballad featuring acoustic guitar, is probably the straightest example they have.

** Also Hay, except its the ''[[UpToEleven ENTIRE SONG.]]''

** ''Sweat Loaf'' is a parody of ''Sweet Leaf'' by Music/BlackSabbath. Bonus points for (sort of) using the same riff.

* NoPronunciationGuide: ''piouhgd'' again. An official press release stated that it was meant to be pronounced "pee-owed", as in the euphemism for "pissed off", but nothing on the actual album let you know that... And [[WordOfGod Jeff Pinkus]] claimed that this pronunciation was fabricated by the label without the band's knowledge, and that they intended the album title to be TheUnpronounceable.

* NoPronunciationGuide: ''pioughd'' again. It's supposed to be pronounced [[WordOfGod "Pee-Owed"]], as in the euphemism for "pissed off", but the album doesn't let you know that.

* NoPronunciationGuide: ''piouhgd'' again. It's supposed to be pronounced [[WordOfGod "Pee-Owed"]], as in the euphemism for "pissed off", but the album doesn't let you know that.

** Music/{{Donovan}}'s "Hurdy Gurdy Man" from ''pioughd''.

The Surfers began in 1980, when lead man Gibby Haynes met Paul Leary while going to college in Texas, where they became friends due to their shared overall weirdness and interest in strange music. They published a magazine, Strange V.D., with a lot of [[{{Squick}} pictures of strange diseases and illnesses]], long before they actually started playing in 1981. They were small names until their album ''Electriclarryland'' was released, containing their first big hit, "Pepper", which topped the Billboard Modern Rock charts in 1996. Afterwards, they became featured on many movie soundtracks, such as ''WilliamShakespearesRomeoAndJuliet'' and Creator/JohnCarpenter's ''Film/EscapeFromLA''.

** Their live shows during the 1980's on the other hand, are ''undoubtedly'' examples of this trope. For starters, the band would be playing at absurdly loud volumes, flashing strobe lights at the audience at speeds that would induce ''nausea and seizures in some members of the audience'', and displaying a combination of 16mm films Gibby had fraudulently obtained[[note]][[BavarianFireDrill He pretended to be a doctor in order to get films meant to be seen by people in medical school, for example]][[/note]] of things like male to female sex change operations, autopsy footage, driver's ed gore, medical examinations of people with sexually transmitted diseases, and even "innocent" things like episodes of shows like Series/CharliesAngels - played upside down in reverse, of course. The band would then compliment this with a series of props/stunts (flaming cymbals, dual-drummers, papier-mache dummies being ripped to shreds, copious amounts of fog, a naked dancer...), and improvised various other stunts on top of that to create a complete hellscape of a live show.