Codeine (INN) or 3-methylmorphine (a natural isomer of methylated morphine, the other being the semi-synthetic 6-methylmorphine) is an opiate used for its analgesic, antitussive, and antidiarrheal properties. Codeine is the second-most predominant alkaloid in opium, at up to 3 percent; it is much more prevalent in the Iranian poppy (Papaver bractreatum), and codeine is extracted from this species in some places although the below-mentioned morphine methylation process is still much more common. It is considered the prototype of the weak to midrange opioids.

History

Codeine, or O-methylmorphine, is an alkaloid found in the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum var. album, a plant in the papaveraceae family. Opium poppy has been cultivated and utilized throughout human history for a variety of medicinal (analgesic, anti-tussive and anti-diarrheal) and hypnotic properties linked to the diversity of its active components, which include morphine, codeine and papaverine.

Codeine is found in concentrations of 0.3 to 3.0 per cent in opium prepared by the latex method from unripe pods of Papaver somniferum. The name codeine is derived from the Greek word kodeia for "poppy head." The relative proportion of codeine to morphine, the most common opium alkaloid at 4 to 23 per cent, tends to be somewhat higher in the poppy straw method of preparing opium alkaloids.

Until the beginning of the 19th century, raw opium was used in diverse preparations known as laudanum (see Thomas de Quincey's "Confessions of an English Opium-Eater", 1821) and paregoric elixirs, a number of which were popular in England since the beginning of the 18th century; the original preparation seems to have been elaborated in Leiden, the Netherlands around 1715 by a chemist named Lemort; in 1721 the London Pharmocopeia mentions an Elixir Asthmaticum, replaced by the term Elixir Paregoricum ("pain soother") in 1746.

The progressive isolation of opium's several active components opened the path to improved selectivity and safety of the opiates-based pharmacopeia.

Morphine had been isolated in the early 19th century. Codeine was first isolated in 1832 in France by Pierre Robiquet, a French chemist and pharmacist already famous for the discovery of alizarin, the most widespread red dye, while working on refined morphine extraction processes. This paved the way for the elaboration of a new generation of safer, codeine-based specific antitussive and antidiarrheal potions.

Codeine is currently the most widely used opiate in the world, and probably the most commonly used drug overall according to numerous reports by organizations including the World Health Organization and its League of Nations predecessor agency. It is one of the most effective orally-administered opioid analgesics and has a wide safety margin. Its strength ranges from 8 to 12 percent of morphine in most people; differences in metabolism can change this figure as can other medications, depending on its route of administration.

While codeine can be directly extracted from opium, its original source, most codeine is synthesized from morphine through the process of O-methylation.

By 1972, the effects of the Nixon War On Drugs had caused across-the-board shortages of illicit and licit opiates because of a scarcity of natural opium, poppy straw, and other sources of opium alkaloids, and the geopolitical situation was growing difficult for the United States. After a large percentage of the opium and morphine in the US National Stockpile of Strategic & Critical Materials was tapped in order to ease severe shortages of medicinal opiates — the codeine-based antitussives in particular — in late 1973, researchers were tasked with finding a way to synthesize codeine and its derivatives. They quickly succeeded using petroleum or coal tar and a process developed at the United States' National Institutes of Health.

Numerous codeine salts have been prepared since the drug was discovered. The most commonly used are the hydrochloride (freebase conversion ratio 0.805), phosphate (0.736), sulphate (0.859), and citrate (0.842). Others include a salicylate NSAID, codeine salicylate (0.686), and at least four codeine-based barbiturates, the cyclohexenylethylbarbiturate (0.559), cyclopentenylallylbarbiturate (0.561), diallylbarbiturate (0.561), and diethylbarbiturate (0.619).

Pharmacology

Codeine is considered a prodrug, since it is metabolised in vivo to the primary active compounds morphine and codeine-6-glucuronide (C6G). Roughly 5-10% of codeine will be converted to morphine, with the remainder either free, conjugated to form codeine-6-glucuronide (~70%), or converted to norcodeine (~10%) and hydromorphone (~1%). It is less potent than morphine and has a correspondingly lower dependence-liability than morphine. Like all opioids, continued use of codeine induces physical dependence and can be psychologically addictive. However, the withdrawal symptoms are relatively mild, and, as a consequence, codeine is considerably less addictive than the other opiates.

A dose of approximately 200 mg (oral) of codeine must be administered to give analgesia approximately equivalent to 30 mg (oral) of morphine (Rossi, 2004). However, codeine is, in general, not used in single doses of greater than 60 mg (and no more than 240 mg in 24 hours). When analgesia beyond this is required, stronger opioids such as hydrocodone or oxycodone are favored.

Codeine is metabolized to C6G by uridine diphosphate glucuronosyl transferase UGT2B7, and, since only about 5% of codeine is metabolized by cytochrome P450 CYP2D6, the current evidence is that C6G is the primary active compound. Claims about the supposed "ceiling effect" of codeine doses seemed to rest on the assumption that high doses of codeine saturated CYP2D6, which prevented further conversion of codeine to morphine, which is simply incorrect. There is also no evidence that CYP2D6 inhibition is useful in treating codeine dependence, though the metabolism of codeine to morphine (and hence further metabolism to glucuronide morphine conjugates) does have an effect on the abuse potential of codeine.

Pharmacokinetics

The conversion of codeine to morphine occurs in the liver and is catalysed by the cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP2D6. CYP3A4 produces norcodeine and UGT2B7 conjugates codeine, norcodeine, and morphine to the corresponding 3- and 6- glucuronides. Approximately 6–10% of the Caucasian population, 2% of Asians, and 1% of Arabs are "poor metabolizers"; they have little CYP2D6, and codeine is less effective for analgesia in these patients (Rossi, 2004). Srinivasan, Wielbo and Tebbett speculate that codeine-6-glucuronide is responsible for a large percentage of the analgesia of codeine, and, thus, these patients should experience some analgesia.

The active metabolites of codeine, notably morphine, exert their effects by binding to and activating the μ-opioid receptor.

Indications

Approved indications for codeine include:

Cough, though its efficacy in low dose over the counter formulations has been disputed.

Diarrhea

Mild to moderate pain

Irritable bowel syndrome

Narcolepsy (Off-label)

Codeine is marketed as both a single-ingredient drug and in combination preparations with the analgesic acetaminophen (paracetamol), as co-codamol, paracod, panadeine, or the Tylenol With Codeine series (e.g., Tylenol 3 and 4 tablets and elixir); with the analgesic acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), as co-codaprin; or with the NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) ibuprofen, as Nurofen Plus. These combinations provide greater pain relief than either agent alone (drug synergy). Codeine is also commonly marketed in products containing codeine with other pain killers or muscle relaxers such as Fioricet with Codeine, Soma Compound/Codeine, as well as codeine mixed with phenacetin (Emprazil With Codeine No. 1, 2, 3, and 4), naproxen, indomethacin, diclofenac and others as well as more complex mixtures including such mixtures as aspirin + paracetamol + codeine ± caffeine ± antihistamines and other agents such as mentioned above.

Codeine-only products can be obtained with a prescription as a time release tablet (e.g., Codeine Contin 100 mg and Perduretas 50 mg). Codeine is also marketed in cough syrups with zero to a half-dozen other active ingredients, and a linctus (e.g., Paveral) for all of the uses for which codeine is indicated.

Injectable codeine is available for subcutaneous or intramuscular injection; intravenous injection can cause a serious reaction that can progress to anaphylaxis. Codeine suppositories are also marketed in some countries.

Availability

Codeine phosphate and sulfate are marketed in the United States and Canada. Codeine hydrochloride is more commonly marketed in continental Europe and other regions, and codeine hydroiodide and codeine citrate round out the top five most-used codeine salts worldwide. Codeine is usually present in raw opium as free alkaloid in addition to codeine meconate, codeine pectinate, and possibly other naturally-occurring codeine salts. Codeine bitartrate, tartrate, nitrate, picrate, acetate, hydrobromide and others are occasionally encountered on the pharmaceutical market and in research.

In certain jurisdictions, codeine is available over-the-counter in combination with guaifenesin or promethazine to be sold at the pharmacist's discretion, though many pharmacists decline to do so .

Relation to other opiates

Codeine is the starting material and prototype of a large class of mainly mild to moderately strong opioids such as hydrocodone, dihydrocodeine, and its derivatives such as nicocodeine. Other series of codeine derivatives include isocodeine and its derivatives, which were developed in Germany starting around 1920. As an analgesic, codeine compares moderately to other opiates. Related to codeine in other ways are Codeine-N-Oxide (Genocodeine), related to the nitrogen morphine derivatives as is codeine methobromide, and heterocodeine, which is a drug six times stronger than morphine and 72 times stronger than codeine due to a small re-arrangement of the molecule, viz. moving the methyl group from the 3 to the 6 position on the morphine carbon skeleton. Drugs bearing resemblance to codeine in effects due to close structural relationship are variations on the methyl groups at the 3 position including ethylmorphine a.k.a. codethyline (Dionine) and benzylmorphine (Peronine). While having no narcotic effects of its own, the important opioid precursor thebaine differs from codeine only slightly in structure. Pseudocodeine and some other similar alkaloids not currently used in medicine are found in trace amounts in opium as well.

Adverse effects

Common effects other than analgesia associated with the use of codeine include euphoria, itching, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, dry mouth, miosis, orthostatic hypotension, urinary retention, depression and constipation. Another side effect commonly noticed is the lack of sexual drive and increased complications in erectile dysfunction. Some people may also have an allergic reaction to codeine, such as the swelling of skin and rashes. The rumour that opium increases female libido combined with racism to forge the apparent consensus needed for the first drug regulations from an opium smoking ban in San Francisco in 1875 to the Harrison Narcotics Act of 1914.

Codeine and morphine as well as opium were used for control of diabetes until relatively recently, and still in rare cases in some countries, and the hypoglycaemic effect of codeine, although usually weaker than that of morphine, diamorphine, or hydromorphone, can lead to cravings for sugar.

Tolerance to many of the effects of codeine develops with prolonged use, including therapeutic effects. The rate at which this occurs develops at different rates for different effects, with tolerance to the constipation-inducing effects developing particularly slowly for instance.

A potentially serious adverse drug reaction, as with other opioids, is respiratory depression. This depression is dose-related and is the mechanism for the potentially fatal consequences of overdose. As codeine is metabolized to morphine, morphine can be passed through breast milk in potentially lethal amounts, fatally depressing the respiration of a breastfed baby.

Withdrawal effects

As with other opiate-based pain killers, chronic use of codeine can cause physical dependence. When physical dependence has developed, withdrawal symptoms may occur if a person suddenly stops the medication. Withdrawal symptoms include: drug craving, runny nose, yawning, sweating, insomnia, weakness, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle spasms, chills, irritability, and pain. To minimize withdrawal symptoms, long-term users should gradually reduce their codeine medication under the supervision of a healthcare professional. A support group called Codeine Free exists to help people who have found themselves dependent on codeine.

Recreational use

Codeine can be used as a recreational drug.

In some countries, cough syrups and tablets containing codeine are available without prescription; some potential recreational users are reported to buy codeine from multiple pharmacies so as not to arouse suspicion. A heroin addict may use codeine to ward off the effects of a withdrawal.

Codeine is also available in conjunction with the anti-nausea medication promethazine in the form of a syrup. Brand named as Phenergan with Codeine or in generic form as promethazine with codeine. Called 'syrup', this medication is quickly becoming one of the most highly abused codeine preparations.

Codeine is also demethylated by reaction with pyridine to illicitly synthesize morphine. Pyridine is toxic and possibly carcinogenic, so morphine illicitly produced in this manner (and potentially contaminated with pyridine) may be particularly harmful. Codeine can also be turned into α-chlorocodide, which is used in the clandestine synthesis of desomorphine (Permonid).

Detection of use

Codeine and/or its major metabolites may be quantitated in blood, plasma or urine to monitor therapy, confirm a diagnosis of poisoning or assist in a medicolegal death investigation. Drug abuse screening programs generally test urine, hair, sweat or oral fluid. Many commercial opiate screening tests directed at morphine cross-react appreciably with codeine and its metabolites, but chromatographic techniques can easily distinguish codeine from other opiates and opioids. It is important to note that codeine usage results in significant amounts of morphine as an excretion product. Furthermore, heroin contains codeine (or acetylcodeine) as an impurity and its use will result in excretion of small amounts of codeine. Poppy seed foods represent yet another source of low levels of codeine in one's biofluids. Blood or plasma codeine concentrations are typically in the 50-300 µg/L range in persons taking the drug therapeutically, 700-7000 µg/L in abusers and 1000–10,000 µg/L in cases of acute fatal overdosage.

Controlled substance

In Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Romania, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, and many other countries, codeine is regulated under various narcotic control laws. In some countries it is available without prescription in combination preparations from licensed pharmacists in doses up to 15 mg/tablet in Australia, New Zealand, Poland (Thiocodin, Antidol), Romania (Codamin), and Costa Rica, 12.8  mg/tablet in the UK, 10 mg/tablet in Israel and 8 mg/tablet in Canada and Estonia.

North America

Narcotic content numbers (US & Canada)

The narcotic content number in the US names of codeine tablets and combination products like Tylenol With Codeine No. 3, Emprin With Codeine No. 4, and pure codeine tablets are as follows: No. 1 - 7½ or 8 mg (1/8 grain), No. 2 - 15 or 16 mg (1/4 grain), No. 3 - 30 or 32 mg (1/2 grain), No. 4 - 60 or 64 mg (1 grain). The Canadian "Frosst 222" series is identical to the above list: "222" contains 8 mg codeine, "282" 15 mg, "292" 30 mg, and "293" 60 mg. This system, which is also used at present in the trade names of some dihydrocodeine and ethylmorphine products both in and outside of North America, was inaugurated with the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 and related legislation and refined since.

Equivalent scales for labeling stronger opioids such as diacetylmorphine (heroin), morphine, opium salts mixtures, and others were in common use in the past, and on occasion one can find past references to brand names for hydrocodone (invented 1920, introduced in US 1943), hydromorphone (invented 1924), oxycodone (invented 1916), paregoric and similar drugs containing narcotic content numbers. For example. from circa 1900 to 1925, the most common cough medicine was terpin hydrate With Heroin Elixir No. 2.

Contrary to the advertising matter of some pharmacies, 60 mg is No. 4, not No. 6, and tablets with 45 mg of codeine are not No. 4 and would in all likelihood be classified as No. 3½ under that system. Whether the scale goes to No. 5 and higher is moot at this point, as in the United States and Canada single-dose-unit concentrations of more than 64 mg are not manufactured. The United States Controlled Substances Act of 1970 does place dosage unit strengths of 90 mg of codeine and higher in Schedule II, even if mixed with another active ingredient. Oral tablets, hypodermic tablets, liquid forms, and capsules of less common doses such as 5, 10, 12, 20, 25, 40, 45, 50, 75, 80, 90, 96, 100, 105, 120 and 128 mg and others and in some cases the equivalent dihydrocodeine, dionine, benzylmorphine, and opium dosages were previously available in North America (and in most cases still are in other countries, particularly the 45 mg paracetamol/codeine and 50 and 100 mg single-ingredient codeine tablets).

Canada

In Canada, codeine preparations must be sold only at a pharmacy and be either behind the dispensing counter (or elsewhere, like in a back room) or on shelves in an area of the store that can be seen from the dispensing counter. Further, codeine can be sold over the counter only in combination with two or more ingredients, which has resulted in the prevalence of co-codaprin (or "AC&C;"), which contains acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), codeine, and caffeine, and similar combinations using acetaminophen (paracetamol) rather than acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin). Caffeine, being a stimulant, tends to offset the sedative effects of codeine. It also can increase the effectiveness and absorption rate of analgesics in some circumstances. Co-codaprin containing 8 mg codeine is often requested and sold as "Frosst 222" at pharmacies, where it is generally available over the counter. Formulations containing more than 8 mg of codeine are available by prescription only.

United States

In the United States, codeine is regulated by the Controlled Substances Act. It is a Schedule II controlled substance for pain-relief products containing codeine alone or more than 90 mg per dosage unit. Tablets of codeine in combination with aspirin or acetaminophen (paracetamol/Tylenol) made for pain relief are listed as Schedule III; and cough syrups are Schedule III or V, depending on formula. The paracetamol/codeine pain-relief elixir is a Schedule IV controlled substance.

Preparations for cough or diarrhea containing small amounts of codeine in combination with two or more other active ingredients are Schedule V in the US, and in some states may be dispensed in amounts up to 4 fl. oz. per 48 hours (one or two states set the limit at 4 fl. oz. per 72 hours) without a prescription. Schedule V specifically consigns the product to state and local regulation beyond certain required record-keeping requirements (a dispensary log must be maintained for two years in a ledger from which pages cannot easily be removed and/or are pre-numbered, and the pharmacist must ask for a picture ID such as a driving licence) and also maintain controlled substances in the closed system at the root of the régime intended by the Controlled Substances Act of 1970; the codeine in these products was a Schedule II substance when the company making the Schedule V product acquired it for mixing up the end-product.

In locales where dilute codeine preparations are non-prescription, anywhere from very few to perhaps a moderate percentage of pharmacists will sell these preparations without a prescription. However, many states have their own laws that do require a prescription for Schedule V drugs. The December 2008 issue of The Bulletin of the National Codeine OTC Lobby (Vol. XVIII, No. 4) listed 12 states with some kind of OTC access to codeine, noting that small independent pharmacies are the most likely to have it. This situation is roughly equivalent to that in February 1991, when the aforementioned organisation undertook its first comprehensive study of Schedule V and overall codeine, dihydrocodeine, ethylmorphine, and hydrocodone availability.

Other drugs that are present in Schedule V narcotic preparations like the codeine syrups are ethylmorphine and dihydrocodeine. Paregoric and hydrocodone were transferred to Schedule III from Schedule V even if the preparation contains two or more other active ingredients, and diphenoxylate is usually covered by state prescription laws even though this relative of pethidine is a Schedule V substance when adulterated with atropine to prevent abuse.

Codeine is also available outside the United States as an over-the-counter drug in liquid cough-relief formulations. Around the world, codeine is, contingent on its concentration, a Schedule II and IV drug under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.

Australia

In Australia, codeine preparations must be sold only at a pharmacy. The item is given over the counter, no prescriptions. The strongest available over the counter preparation containing codeine has 12.5 mg (with ibuprofen, brand name Nurofen Plus), anything stronger requires a prescription.

Germany, Switzerland and Austria

Codeine is listed under the Betäubungsmittelgesetz in Germany and the similarly-named narcotics and controlled substances law in Switzerland. In Austria, the drug is listed under the Suchtmittelgesetz in categories corresponding to their classification under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. Dispensing of products containing codeine and similar drugs (dihydrocodeine, nicocodeine, benzylmorphine, ethylmorphine etc.), in general, require a prescription order from a doctor or the discretion of the pharmacist. Municipal and provincial regulations may impact availability, in particular in Austria and Switzerland, which allows cities and provinces to regulate the selling of the least-regulated schedule of the SMG/BtMG; and, of course, individual chemists' shops can opt out of providing them or imposing volume, frequency, or single-purchase limitations and other things of the same store. Plain codeine hydrochloride tablets (which in the USA would share CSA Schedule II with drugs like morphine, cocaine, hydromorphone, and bezitramide) as well as other non-injectable forms of codeine and its midrange derivatives can be dispensed in this way; the same goes for most chemical classes of benzodiazepines, the majority of non-barbiturate sedative/hypnotics, and at least a handful of barbiturates.

Title 76 of the Schengen treaty has made it possible for countries within the signatory states to import and export drugs with various provisos, recording and ordering requirements, and various other rules.

France

In France, codeine is available over the counter. Most products containing codeine include Néocodeion (cuff pills), Codoliprane (codeine with paracetamol) and Prontalgine (codeine, paracetamol and caffeine).

Greece

Codeine is classed as an illegal drug in Greece, and individuals possessing it could conceivably be arrested, even if they were legitimately prescribed it in another country.

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, codeine is regulated under Schedule 1 of Hong Kong's Chapter 134 Dangerous Drugs Ordinance. It can be used legally only by health professionals and for university research purposes. The substance can be given by pharmacists under a prescription. Anyone who supplies the substance without prescription can be fined $10,000 (HKD). The maximum penalty for trafficking or manufacturing the substance is a $5,000,000 (HKD) fine and life imprisonment. Possession of the substance for consumption without license from the Department of Health is illegal with a $1,000,000 (HKD) fine and/or 7 years of jail time.

However, codeine is available without prescription from licensed pharmacists in doses up to 0.1% (5 mg/5ml) according to Hong Kong "Dangerous Drugs Ordinance".

Italy

Codeine tablets or preparations require a prescription in Italy. A preparation of paracetamol and codeine is available in Italy as CoEfferalgan.

Japan

Codeine and similar mid-level centrally acting agents in combination with non-opioid analgesics, antihistamines, vitamins, inert GI agents like kaolin & pectin, mild laxatives, antacids, and herbal preparations, can be purchased over the counter, with 10 mg being the ceiling for OTC dispensing. This is also true of ethylmorphine and dihydrocodeine, and also diphenoxylate, some weak relatives of the thiambutene opioid family.

Spain

Codeine tablets or preparations require a prescription in Spain although it's often not enforced and many pharmacies will sell codeine products without the requirement of a prescription.

Turkey

Codeine is available by a doctor's prescription. It is still possible to find some pharmacies who sell codeine without any prescription. In big cities, pharmacies often don't sell the drug at all. For OTC codeine containing combinations, the choice is up to the pharmacist.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, higher-strength codeine formulations - such as 30/500 co-codamol, where 30 mg of codeine phosphate is combined with 500 mg paracetamol - are prescription-only medicines (POM). Lower-strength combinations, such as 8/500 (various brands) or 12.8/500 (Panadol Ultra, Solpadeine MAX and others) are available as pharmacy supervised ("behind the counter") medicines. Codeine is also available combined with Ibuprofen; a common formulation is 12.8 mg Codeine alongside 200 mg Ibuprofen.It is also available 'behind the counter' with aspirin in doses of 8mg Codeine phosphate and 500Mg aspirin (Codis). Codeine Linctus of 15 mg per 5ml is also available behind the counter at some pharmacies, although a purchaser would have to request it specifically from the pharmacist. Intramuscular injection of codeine is a controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

Other countries

Most national controlled-substance laws are implementations of requirements in the Single Convention and related treaties. The aforementioned dilute preparations are scheduled in such a way that in many countries preparations, liquid or solid, of codeine, dihydrocodeine, nicocodeine, nicodicodeine, benzylmorphine, propoxyphene, panadeine, dextropropoxyphene, and acetyldihydrocodeine may be non-prescription and/or over the counter; some local, provincial and national regulations and registry programmes in various European and Pacific Rim countries may provide for even stronger analgesic preparations of the aforementioned drugs to be dispensed by the senior chemist without prescription or after an initial prescription with certain volume, documentation, and record-keeping requirements.

See also

Pierre Robiquet, discoverer of codeine

Thomas de Quincey

Methylmorphine

CYP2D6

Drug addiction

Hydromorphone

Morphine

Opiate comparison

Opioid

Laudanum

Oxycodone

Hydrocodone

Hydrocodone compound

6-monoacetylcodeine

References

Category:French inventions Category:Antitussives Category:Antidiarrhoeals Category:Natural opium alkaloids Category:Prodrugs Category:World Health Organization essential medicines Category:Phenol ethers Category:Morphinans Category:Alkenes

Name	The Barracudas
Background	group_or_band
Origin	London, England
Genre	Garage rock revival, Surf rock, Jangle pop
Years active	1979-1984, 1989, 2005-present
Label	EMICloser RecordsFlicknife RecordsNDN Records
Current members	Jeremy GluckRobin WillsChris WilsonRob CoyneYan Quellien
Past members	Nick TurnerDavid BuckleyJim DicksonTerry Smith Steve Robinson

The Barracudas are an English based Anglo-Canadian band formed in the late 1970s.

The band's original lineup consisted of: Jeremy Gluck (vocals), Robin Wills (guitar and vocals), David Buckley (bass and vocals) and Nick Turner (drums).

They are notable for their summer 1980 hit single "Summer Fun", which started with an excerpt from a spoof 1960s advertisement for the Plymouth Barracuda, in which one of the announcers has difficulty pronouncing the word barracuda. The single reached number 37 in the UK Singles Chart

Originally perceived as a novelty surf act due to the first album, subsequent recordings showed them to be a fierce garage rock and roll band, in the mold of the 13th Floor Elevators and The Seeds. The band split in 1984, but reformed in 1989 to record "Wait For Everything", and then again in 2005 for the self titled album on NDN. Throughout their career their live performances have been energetic and frenetic.

Discography

7" Singles

"I Want My Woody Back" / "Subway Surfin" Cells CELLOUT 1 (February 1979)

"Summer Fun" / "Chevy Baby" Zonophone Z5 (July 1980)

"His Last Summer" / "Barracuda Waver" / "Surfers Are Back" Zonophone Z8 (September 1980)

"(I Wish It Could Be) 1965 Again" / "Rendezvous" Zonophone Z11 (November 1980)

"I Can't Pretend" / "K.G.B. (Made a Man Out of Me)" Zonophone Z17 (January 1981)

"Inside Mind" / "Hour Of Degradation" Flicknife FLS027 (February 1982)

"I Can't Pretend EP" Voxx/Bomp EP3303 (June 1982)

"The Way We've Changed" / "Laughin At You" Closer CL0006 (March 1984)

"Stolen Heart" / "See Her Eyes Again" Closer CL7-15 (September 1984)

"Live EP" Record Runner RRR-002 (1984)

"Very Last Day" / "There's A World Out There" Bucketful Of Brains BOB7 (June 1985) Free with magazine

"Hear Me" / "She Knows" Dog Meat Records Dog022 (1989)

"Next Time Around" / "Takes What He Wants" Sympathy for The Record Industry SFTRI49 (July 1990)

"I Thought You Sounded That Way Yesterday" Shake SAL202 (January 1991)

"What You Want is What You Get" / "Somebody '05" NDN NDN040 (2005)

12" Singles and EPs

"House Of Kicks" Flicknife FLEP103 (May 1983)

"Live In Madrid" El Piso K9EP13 (July 1984)

"Stolen Heart" Closer CL12-15 (September 1984)

"Grammar Of Misery" Shakin' Street YEAHUP015 (October 1990)

Albums

Drop Out with The Barracudas LP Zonophone ZONO103 (February 1981)/ Voxx 200.009 (1982)

Drop Out with The Barracudas CD EMI Gold 8757582 (May 2005) remaster with bonus tracks/ Voxx VCD2009 (June 1994) different bonus tracks

Mean Time LP Closer CL001 (February 1983)/CD Mau Mau (June1995) inc bonus tracks/CD Airmail (November 2006) remaster with more bonus tracks

Live '83 LP Coyote COR021 (October 1983)

Endeavour To Persevere LP Closer CL009 (April 1984)/CD Mau Mau (June 1995) inc bonus tracks/CD Airmail (November 2006) remaster with more bonus tracks

The Big Gap LP Coyote COR022 (July 1984)

Los Angeles and Vicinity Vol 1 (Live in Le Havre 1982/09/18) LP 66 Records MP1002 (1985) Bootleg

(I Wish It Could Be) 1965 Again LP GMG 75003 (January 1985)

The World's A Burn LP Trust Minitrust1 (April 1985)

Live In Madrid LP Impossible A4-25 (July 1985)

Surf and Destroy LP/CD GMG 270 (June 1987)

The Garbage Dump Tapes LP/CD Shakin' Street YEAH HUP 006 (January 1990)

The Complete EMI Recordings CD EMI C2-95 185 (January 1991)

Wait For Everything LP/CD Shake 203 (February 1992)

Two Sides of a Coin 1979-84 CD Flicknife/Anagram CDM M GRAM 62 (March 1993)

Through The Mysts Of Time: Rarities 1979-81 CD Voxx VCD2072 (October 1999)

This Ain't My Time: Anthology '79-'90 CD Castle (2001)

The Barracudas LP/CD NDN NDN41 (October 2005)

References

External links

http://www.flamin-groovy.com/ Chris Wilson official website

The Barracudas' punknet77 entry

1998 interview with Jeremy Gluck

A Barracudas photo gallery

The Barracudas' punkmodpop.free.fr entry

Category:British New Wave musical groups Category:English rock music groups Category:English pop music groups Category:Musical groups established in 1979 Category:Surf groups Category:Garage punk

Name	Jon Fratelli
Alias	Jon Fratelli, Jon Lawler
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	John Paul Lawler
Born	March 04, 1979
Origin	Glasgow, Scotland
Instrument	Guitar, piano, vocals
Genre	Alternative rock, Post-punk revival
Occupation	Musician, songwriter
Years active	2005–present
Associated acts	The Fratellis, Codeine Velvet Club
Notable instruments	Fender Telecaster Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty
Current members	Jon FratelliWill FosterRoss MacFarlaneLewis GordonMince Fratelli

Jon Fratelli (born John Paul Lawler on March 4, 1979 in Glasgow, Scotland) is a Scottish musician and songwriter best known for his work with the band The Fratellis. He has also played with Codeine Velvet Club before moving onto a new solo career.

Early years

Little is known about Lawler's life before he joined the Fratellis. He attended St. Maurice's High School and visited Cumbernauld College when it opened its new music studio in September 2007. Before joining the Fratellis, he released a solo album entitled Free Urban Clown.

Music career

The Fratellis (2005 - 2009)

In 2005, Jon responded to an advert placed in a music shop by drummer Gordon McRory, which stated "Opportunity of a lifetime ... seeks band to make our mark on the music industry". On this advert he put his name as "Graeme" to avoid detection of his then current band mates finding out he was seeking a new band. After calling the number, asking for "Graeme" he got told repeatedly that he had the wrong number, he nearly gave up but tried one more time and got a hold of McRory and the band started to form, with Barry Wallace joining the band on Bass.

Jon's role in the band is songwriter, lead vocalist and lead guitarist. He was initially accompanied on guitar by the man now called Mince Fratelli (Gordon McRory), but Mince switched to drums after the initial drummer didn't work out. Writing credits for the first album are for The Fratellis, however, for the second album, they are solely credited to him.

After playing the Coachella festival in California in 2007, during promotion of Fratellis' debut album Costello Music, Jon decided to flee from the US tour and return to Glasgow, stating that he was too tired to continue the rest of the tour. He later saw this as a mistake, but it allowed him to be even more grateful for the success of the band. The band are currently on hiatus while the band members pursue other projects.

For The Fratellis' debut album, Costello Music, Jon mainly used a Fender Telecaster, with the exception of a few songs in which he used a Gibson Les Paul and a Gibson ES-335.

For the second album, Here We Stand, he used a Fender Telecaster, Fender Stratocaster, Gibson Firebird, Rickenbacker 12 string, Gibson Les Paul, and an ES-335 for his electrics. For the acoustic performances, he used a Gibson SJ-200, a Gibson Hummingbird, and a Gibson J-45. During promotional performances of the album, Jon was mainly using a Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty with Bareknuckle Mississippi Queen pickups (humbucker sized P-90's)

Codeine Velvet Club (2009 - 2010)

During promotion of Here We Stand, Jon stated that he wished to create a solo album to keep himself busy once the band were done touring the album, with the band scheduled to take a break. It later emerged that he planned on teaming up with singer-songwriter Lou Hickey, who he met due to her friendship with Jon's wife, and creating an album.

It emerged in an NME article that the band was set to be called Codeine Breakfast Club, however, on August 23, 2009, it was confirmed that the band had changed its name to Codeine Velvet Club and their debut album was to be released on November 16, 2009 (however, this was later pushed back to December 28, 2009). This album sees Jon sharing songwriting duties with Lou for about half the tracks on the album, penning the other half by himself (one track, "Nevada" was composed by Will Foster).

Jon and Lou took their band (consisting of Ross MacFarlane on drums, Will Foster on keys and guitar, Lewis Gordon on bass and various horn players known as 'The Velvet Horns') for a tour of the UK in 2009 and the US in 2010. However, Jon decided that he couldn't commit to the band anymore and called an end to the band, finishing off what live dates they had and announcing his solo career.

Solo (2010 - Present)

On April 24, 2010, Jon announced via his Twitter that he had set up a MySpace page, which had a demo of "Bonnie & Clyde" on it. Jon stated in an interview for the Sun where the demise of Codeine Velvet Club was announced that he will be pursuing a career as a solo artist. He is taking the backing band from Codeine Velvet Club with him as he has a fondness for working with the musicians. His website is currently offering a free demo track, "Sometimes You Just Can't Win" by signing up to his mailing list.

He has recorded his debut solo album in LA with Tony Hoffer, who produced the Fratellis' first album. During this time, he kept people up to date on the progres of the album via his Twitter page. During the end of 2010, Jon played a handful of solo shows both before and after recording the album, mixing new tracks in with his back catalogue of Fratellis' and Codeine Velvet Club songs. The album is expected to be released in the first half of 2011 by Island Records in the UK and Dangerbird Records in the US. Jon recently announced that his Fratellis' bandmate Mince would be joining him during live shows in 2011, sharing drumming duties with Ross MacFarlane.

Personal life

Jon likes to keep his personal life private and not many details of what he does outside of music is known. He resides in the town of Cumbernauld, north-east of Glasgow with his wife, Heather, whose burlesque name "Chelsea" he used for the Fratellis' hit single, Chelsea Dagger. Jon has a son named Jamie, born 1999 to a girl Jon was seeing when he was 18.

Discography

With The Fratellis

Costello Music (September, 2006)

Here We Stand (June, 2008)

With Codeine Velvet Club

Codeine Velvet Club (December 2009)

References

Category:Scottish rock musicians Category:1979 births Category:Living people Category:People from Cumbernauld

Name	Jason Isbell
Background	solo_singer
Origin	Greenhill, Alabama
Instrument	GuitarElectronic KeyboardVocals
Genre	RockProgressive countryAlternative country
Occupation	Singer-songwriterGuitarist
Years active	2001 – present
Label	New West Records, Lightning Rod Records
Associated acts	Drive-By TruckersJason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Url	http://www.jasonisbell.com/

Jason Isbell (born February 1, 1979 ) is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Greenhill, Alabama, near Muscle Shoals.

Background

Almost all of Isbell's family, except his parents, were musicians, and his father was an avid music listener. After some work as a songwriter, in 2001 Isbell joined the rock band Drive-By Truckers while they toured in support of their album Southern Rock Opera. Isbell recorded and wrote with the Truckers for their next three albums, and for most of this time was married to Shonna Tucker, who joined the band as a bassist after Isbell. The two later divorced.

On April 5, 2007 Isbell announced that he was no longer a member of Drive-By Truckers. The following day, Patterson Hood confirmed the break on the band's official site. In his letter to the fans, Hood described the parting of ways as "amicable" and expressed the hope that fans would continue to support Drive-By Truckers as well as Jason's solo efforts.

Jason Isbell released his first solo album, Sirens of the Ditch, on July 10, 2007.

Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit's eponymous album was released on February 17, 2009 on Lightning Rod Records. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit is Isbell's second solo release and his first release with his band The 400 Unit. Matt Pence of Centro-Matic serves as co-producer, drummer and engineer.

Emergence of the 400 Unit

The "400 Unit" was the former colloquial name of the psychiatric ward of Florence, Alabama's Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital, which is now named the Behavioral Health Center, or One North, and is located on the hospital's first floor.

Isbell's current band, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, is primarily made up of other Alabama musicians. The lineup is:

Derry DeBorja (keyboards)

Jimbo Hart (bass)

Browan Lollar (guitar)

Ryan Tillery (2007–08), Robert Walbourne (European tour '08), Mike Dillon, Chad Gamble, Matt Pence (drums)

Discography

Sirens of the Ditch (2007)

Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit (2009)

Guitar Equipment

Guitars

Fender Stratocaster

First Act Custom Delgada w/ Bigsby

First Act Custom Delia LS w/ Bigsby

First Act Delia LS (standard fixed-bridge version)

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Gibson ES-335

Reverend Buckshot

Reverend Flatroc w/ Les Trem

Amps

Sommatone Roaring 40 2x12 Combo

Other Gear

Mr. B's Bottleneck Guitar Slides

Sources

External links

Official website

Interview March 2008

Jason Isbell live review on Citizen Dick

Category:American rock guitarists Category:American rock singer-songwriters Category:American male singers Category:People from the Florence – Muscle Shoals metropolitan area Category:Musicians from Alabama Category:Living people Category:1979 births Category:New West Records artists