Editing GZR

{{For the|the Maltese town|Gżira}}{{Short description|American metal band}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Refimprove|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist
|name            = GZR
|image           = Geezer.jpg
|caption         = Band founder Geezer Butler in 2013
|image_size      = 
|background      = group_or_band
|alias           = g//z/r, geezer
|origin          = [[Houston]], Texas, U.S.
|instrument      = 
|genre           = [[Industrial metal]], [[groove metal]]<ref name="vh1">{{cite web|date=August 12, 2015|url=https://www.vh1.com/news/h0tfpf/90s-post-thrash-groove-metal-scene|title=Rediscovering The '90s Post-Thrash Groove Metal Scene|publisher=VH1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731031546/http://www.vh1.com/news/45371/90s-post-thrash-groove-metal-scene/|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 31, 2018}}</ref>
|occupation      = 
|years_active    = 1995–2006
|label           = [[TVT Records|TVT]]
|website         = 
|past_members = [[Geezer Butler]]<br />Pedro Howse<br />Chad Smith<br />Clark Brown<br />[[Deen Castronovo]]<br />[[Burton C. Bell]]<br />Mario Frasca
}}

'''GZR''' was an American [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]] band founded by and named after [[Black Sabbath]] bassist/lyricist [[Geezer Butler]]. The band has been marketed with three different names on different releases, '''g//z/r''' in 1995, '''geezer''' in 1997, and '''GZR''' in 2005. Most fans refer to the band as "geezer", although Butler himself refers to the band name as "gee-zed-ar". This incarnation of the band is not to be confused with Butler's previous attempt in 1985 to form a solo band, then known as the [[Geezer Butler Band]] – the two outfits are largely unrelated.

== History ==
The band's music is generally of a much harder edge than Butler is known for in Black Sabbath. This is not a surprise, as the vocalist on his first album (''[[Plastic Planet]]'') was [[Burton C. Bell]] from [[Fear Factory]],<ref name="LarkinHR">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=1999|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0257-7|page=199}}</ref> who is known for more driving and harder edged vocals than ever was displayed in Black Sabbath. Before taking on Bell as vocalist for the debut album ''Plastic Planet'', Butler contacted [[Devin Townsend]] to perform vocals. However, due to Townsend's recent stint with [[Steve Vai]], where he had not been a lyricist, he was unwilling to enter into another band where he would have no lyrical input. ''Plastic Planet'' also featured Pedro Howse, Butler's nephew, on guitars, as well as [[Deen Castronovo]] (later of [[Journey (band)|Journey]]) on drums. Bell did not stay with the band past the recording of ''Plastic Planet'', due to Fear Factory commitments.

In 1996, the band re-emerged with an exclusive track for the ''[[Mortal Kombat: More Kombat]]'' compilation titled "Outworld", featuring Anger on Anger vocalist Mario Frasca. This proved to be a one-time collaboration as Frasca was replaced by Clark Brown from the band Symatic for GZR's second album, ''[[Black Science (GZR album)|Black Science]]'', released in 1997. The GZR formation played a few live dates in 1996 and 1997 behind the release of the album, however, this was not a full-fledged tour, as most of the gigs were played concurrent to the [[Ozzfest]] tour of that year, including some dates with Deen Castronovo. Three songs from a 1996 concert in Detroit are included as bonus tracks on the Japanese pressing of Plastic Planet. Live tracks are also included on Geezer Butler’s boxed set Manipulations of the Mind. The band opened for musicians like [[Bruce Dickinson]] who was playing some live gigs at the time. Castronovo was replaced on drums by Chad Smith (not to be confused with the [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]] drummer with the same name).

== Discography ==
*1995: ''[[Plastic Planet]]''
*1997: ''[[Black Science (GZR album)|Black Science]]''
*2005: ''[[Ohmwork]]''
*2021: ''The Very Best Of''
*2021: ''Manipulations of the Mind (The Complete Collection)''

== Appears on ==
*''[[Mortal Kombat (soundtrack)|Mortal Kombat: Motion Picture Soundtrack]]'' (1995) – performing "The Invisible"
*''[[Mortal Kombat: More Kombat]]'' (1996) – performing "Outworld"
*''[[Dog the Bounty Hunter]]'', episode "This Dog Can Hunt" (S2.E13, 2005) - performing "I Believe"

== Band members ==
*[[Geezer Butler]] – bass, keyboards
*Pedro Howse – guitars
*[[Deen Castronovo]] – drums (1995–1997)
*[[Burton C. Bell]] – vocals (1995)
*Mario Frasca – vocals (1996) (credit only, "Outworld")
*J.C. Stokes – vocals (1996) (uncredited, "Outworld")
*Clark Brown – vocals (1997–2006)
*Chad Smith – drums (1997–2006)<!--Not the Red Hot Chilli Peppers drummer-->
*[[Lisa Rieffel]] – vocals (2005) (appearance only, "Pseudocide")

=== Timeline ===
<timeline>
ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:16
PlotArea = left:100 bottom:80 top:10 right:20
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat  = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/1995 till:31/12/2006
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:2 start:1995
ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:2 start:1996

Colors =
 id:vocals  value:red         legend:Lead_vocals
 id:guitar  value:green       legend:Guitars
 id:bass    value:blue        legend:Bass,_keyboards
 id:drums   value:orange      legend:Drums
 id:Lines   value:black       legend:Studio_albums
 id:live    value:gray(0.5)   legend:Live_recordings

BarData =
 bar:Bell   text:"Burton C. Bell"
 bar:Clark  text:"Clark Brown"
 bar:Pedro  text:"Pedro Howse"
 bar:Geezer text:"Geezer Butler"
 bar:Deen   text:"Deen Castronovo"
 bar:Chad   text:"Chad Smith"

PlotData=
 width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(11,-4)
 bar:Bell   from:01/01/1995 till:31/12/1995 color:vocals
 bar:Clark  from:01/01/1997 till:end color:vocals
 bar:Geezer from:01/01/1995 till:end color:bass
 bar:Pedro  from:01/01/1995 till:end color:guitar
 bar:Deen   from:01/01/1995 till:30/06/1997 color:drums
 bar:Chad   from:01/07/1997 till:end color:drums

LineData =
 at:17/10/1995 color:black layer:back
 at:01/07/1997 color:black layer:back
 at:10/05/2005 color:black layer:back
</timeline>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.geezerbutler.com/ Geezer Butler's homepage]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050319085621/http://www.sanctuaryrecords.com/news/gzr.htm Geezer at Sanctuary Records]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051001005614/http://www.tvtrecords.com/artists/?art_id=70 Geezer at TVT Records]
*{{allmusic}}
*{{discogs artist|11609-GZR|GZR}}

{{GZR}}

{{Authority control}}
[[Category:American musical quartets]]
[[Category:Heavy metal musical groups from Texas]]
[[Category:American groove metal musical groups]]
[[Category:American alternative metal musical groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1995]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Houston]]
[[Category:TVT Records artists]]