Jimmy Pop

James Moyer Franks (born August 27, 1972), better known by his stage name Jimmy Pop (originally Jimmy Pop Ali[1]), is an American rapper, musician, singer and composer. He is best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, primary songwriter, and one of the founding members of the comedic pop-rock band Bloodhound Gang.

Jimmy Pop
Pop performing in 2009
Background information
Birth name	James Moyer Franks
Also known as	Jimmy Pop Ali (1991–1997)
Born	(1972-08-27) August 27, 1972 Trappe, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres	Comedy rock punk rock rap rock electronica synth-pop alternative hip hop pop punk
Occupation(s)	Rapper musician guitarist singer composer
Instruments	Vocals guitar keyboard
Years active	1988–present
Associated acts	Bloodhound Gang The DiCamillo Sisters Scooter

Early life

Pop was born in Trappe, Pennsylvania, the son of Alice Ann (born Moyer) and Richard Lee Franks.[2][3][4] He is of German and Native American heritage,[5] with Jewish ancestry.[6][7] He was raised Lutheran, but ceased practicing as soon as his parents approved his request to do so.

He graduated from Perkiomen Valley High School in 1990 and commenced studies in mass communication and history at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he met future Bloodhound Gang bassist Evil Jared Hasselhoff.[8]

Music career

Bang Chamber 8

Pop (then still going by his real name) played in a Depeche Mode cover band called Bang Chamber 8 with Mike Bowe (later known as Daddy Long Legs). Pop played guitar, while Bowe played bass and sang. In 1990, Bang Chamber 8 released a cassette of four original songs: "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "Birthday Boy", "Ice Cubes" and "War Chimes". These songs had nothing in common, lyrically or musically, with the Bloodhound Gang. "War Chimes" was written about Operation Desert Storm and featured a guitar solo from Pop at the end, who also provided the lead vocals. The synth line from "Birthday Boy" would be reused on a Bloodhound Gang track, "I'm the Least You Could Do", in 2005.

Bang Chamber 8 split in 1991. In 1992, Pop and Daddy started a hip-hop group called the Bloodhound Gang which later became more of an alternative rock band. Daddy Long Legs left the Bloodhound Gang to start Wolfpac in 1997.

Bloodhound Gang

Main article: Bloodhound Gang

Side projects

Pop collaborated with Bam Margera, Brandon DiCamillo, and Jess Margera as The DiCamillo Sisters to record a Christmas single titled "But Why's It So Cold?" along with an accompanying video. Pop collaborated with dance artist Tomcraft for a song called "Broadsword Calling Danny Boy" in 2006. The song is featured on Tomcraft's official MySpace. In 2007, Pop collaborated with German group Scooter for a song titled "The Shit That Killed Elvis", which was featured on their album The Ultimate Aural Orgasm. Bam Margera can also be heard in the song's intro. The song reached number 2 in the German Hip Hop chart and remained there for two weeks. In 2010, Pop collaborated with German group Die Atzen for an English version of the song "Disco Pogo" which was featured on the Jersey Shore soundtrack.

Acting career

Pop made an appearance in the CKY series of films, during a shopping cart race scene and slap fight in CKY 4. He also appeared in an episode of Viva La Bam titled "Limo vs Lambo", in which Pop borrowed Bam Margera's Lamborghini without telling him, causing Margera to accuse his close friends (specifically Ryan Dunn) of doing the deed. Pop also appeared for a total of about five seconds in the "State of Bam" episode of Viva La Bam. He also appeared in the Viva La Bam episode in which a scavenger hunt took place (which ended in the arrests of himself, Margera, Evil Jared Hasselhoff, and others). He also appeared on the Viva La Bam episode "Rockstars", in which Don Vito and Phil Margera attempt to become rock stars, leading Jimmy Pop to French kiss Don Vito onstage.

Pop can be seen twice in the final episode of Bam's Unholy Union. Pop can first be seen greeting Margera, and is later seen speaking with Dave England. Pop has appeared on The Dudesons, being one of the people throwing darts during the human dart board stunt with Jarppi Leppälä. Pop appeared with fellow Bloodhound Gang member Evil Jared Hasselhoff in the film Minghags: The Movie,[9] directed by Bam Margera. They are credited in the film as "The Bloodhound Gang". The trailer for the movie was shown at most venues on one of the band's UK tour and featured Pop and Evil Jared as part of an ambulance crew. Pop also appears in Bam Margera's movie called Where The#$&% Is Santa?. He appears in the music video for the Oleander song "Boys Don't Cry".

Filmography

Year	Title	Role
1995	The Chick That Was Naked	Sleazy interviewer
1997	The Howard Stern Show	Jimmy Pop
1998	Kin	Don
1998	MTV Rocks Off	Guest panelist
2000	Die Harald Schmidt Show	Himself
2002	CKY4: The Latest and Greatest	Jimmy Pop
2003	One Fierce Beer Run	Himself
2003–2005	Viva la Bam	Jimmy Pop
2004	Bam Margera Presents HIM: The Making of 'The Sacrament'	Himself
2004–2008	Radio Bam	Jimmy Pop
2005	TV Total	Musical Guest
2005	Video On Trial	Himself
2005	Cribs	Jimmy Pop
2006	Howard Stern on Demand	Jimmy Pop
2006	The Dudesons	Jimmy Pop
2007	Bam's Unholy Union	Jimmy Pop
2007	Die Niels Ruf Show	Musical Guest
2007	Howard Stern On Demand	Jimmy Pop
2008	Minghags: The Movie	Paramedic
2008	Bam Margera Presents: Where the#$&% Is Santa?	Jimmy Pop

Music videos

Year	Song	Artist	Role
1999	"Boys Don't Cry"	Oleander	Apartmant tenant
2000	"Forever as One"	Vengaboys	Himself

References

1. SPIN Magazine. SPIN Media LLC. May 1997.
2. "Jimmy Pop brings R-rated rock". Retrieved 16 August 2016.
3. "RICHARD L. FRANKS's Obituary on The Wellsboro Gazette". Retrieved 16 August 2016.
4. "Richard-Holcombe-PA - User Trees - Genealogy.com". Retrieved 16 August 2016.
5. http://www.newstimes180.com 2005-12-30 "I have American Indian in me and lots of German, which works really well with the Jew. It's just a big mixed bag"
6. Jimmy Pop age, biography | Last.fm https://www.last.fm/music/Jimmy+Pop/+wiki According to an article by David Friedman, Jimmy Pop is not Jewish. "I have the blood in me, but I'm not considered part of the tribe. When my family came over here, on my father's side they were all rabbis. They changed their name from Hershell to Hershey and one of their younger grandchildren or whatever became the ...
7. Jimmy Pop brings R-rated rock - NewsTimes https://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Jimmy-Pop-brings-R-rated-rock-67263.php Oct 21, 2005 - Born James Franks on Aug. 27, 1972, Jimmy Pop is the son of Alice and Richard Franks . The couple has owned a resort in upstate Pennsylvania for the past 20 years. Before that, they owned a drug company; Richard used to be an auctioneer. Jimmy Pop's ancestors include Jews, Germans and Native ...
8. "James Franks (Jimmy Pop) op Myspace". Myspace.com. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
9. Minghags on IMDb

External links

• Jimmy Pop on IMDb