Pailhead was an Americanhardcore punk band. It was a short-livedside project ofAl Jourgensen ofMinistry that featuredDischord Records founder and formerMinor Threat frontmanIan MacKaye on vocals. The band's sound was a combination ofindustrial beats andhardcore punk, presaging what Ministry would later do withJello Biafra in another side project,Lard.

WhileAlain Jourgensen was living in London, he met Ian MacKaye. MacKaye had been in Washington D.C. punk bandsThe Teen Idles,Minor Threat,Skewbald/Grand Union,Egg Hunt andEmbrace and was on the verge of formingFugazi, while Jourgensen was taking his band Ministry into new territory—away from the morepop sound ofWith Sympathy and toward the harder sound ofThe Land of Rape and Honey. The two found common ground both musically and politically and decided to collaborate on a project that would fuse elements ofindustrial music withhardcore punk.^[1]

Pailhead released the single "I Will Refuse" / "No Bunny" (released in both 7" and 12" formats) in 1987 and the 4-song EPTrait in 1988, both on the Wax Trax! record label. The CD edition ofTrait also incorporates both sides of the "I Will Refuse" / "No Bunny" single. The drummer for "No Bunny" was Eric Spicer ofNaked Raygun.^[2] These tracks were later re-released on Ministry's odds-and-ends compilationSide Trax.

MacKaye stated on an episode of the Kreative Kontrol podcast that he has never played live with the band.^[3]

• Chris Connelly's first work with Jourgensen was to record vocals for the track that would later emerge as "I Will Refuse." Connelly released this version, which he called "Stick" and attributed to theRevolting Cocks, on hisInitials C.C. album. In his memoirs, he says he was not offended when MacKaye rerecorded the vocals with new lyrics, saying "It was an honor to be erased by Ian."
• The song "I Will Refuse" was used in theZero Skateboards videoMisled Youth (1999).
• In the gameMat Hoffman's Pro BMX, songs were also featured in the Streets on Fire skateboard video (Santa Cruz Skateboards). These songs included "Man Should Surrender", and "Don't Stand in Line".
• The song "I Will Refuse" was used in the premiere episode ofCold Case's fourth season, "Rampage".
• "I Will Refuse" was covered bySoulfly and featured as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of their album,3.
• Spinnerette's cover version of "I Will Refuse" was released with their song "All Babes Are Wolves".

• I Will Refuse" b/w "No Bunny 7" and 12" single (1987)
• "Man Should Surrender" b/w "Anthem" 7" single (1988)
• "Don't Stand in Line" b/w "Ballad" 7" single (1988)
• Trait 12" EP (comprising Pailhead's last two singles) and CD (made up of all 3 singles) (1988)

• Ian MacKaye: vocals
• Al Jourgensen: guitar, backing vocals
• Paul Barker: bass
• Bill Rieflin: drums
• Eric Spicer: drums

• Rock music supergroups
• Musical groups established in 1987
• Musical groups disestablished in 1988
• American hardcore punk groups
• American industrial rock musical groups
• Wax Trax! Records artists

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