Pat the Bunny (musician)


Patrick Schneeweis, better known by his former stage name Pat the Bunny, is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and producer. He was the front man of several notable folk punk and anarcho-punk groups including Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains, Wingnut Dishwashers Union, and Ramshackle Glory. He is currently in the band Friends in Real Life. Originally based out of Brattleboro, Vermont, he lived in Tucson, Arizona during the final part of his musical career. His writing often describes topics such as life under capitalism, drug addiction, and the importance of pursuing radical ways of relating socially and economically, usually through anarchism and the DIY ethic.

Biography

Schneeweis was born in Brattleboro, Vermont. He has been playing music with his younger brother, Michael, for a long time. He attended the Putney School for a short period of time. His father, Charlie Schneeweis, plays the trumpet.
In 2009, Schneeweis checked himself into rehab for heroin and alcohol addiction. He stated on his website that he was not sure if he would continue with music after rehab. Once out of rehab, he moved to Tucson, Arizona, and formed Ramshackle Glory. After rehab, Schneeweis released a slew of Ramshackle Glory records, solo acoustic records, and split albums with other DIY musicians. He toured both with Ramshackle Glory and independently for the next five years.
In February 2016, he announced that he was at least temporarily retiring from music, stating that the ideologies of punk rock and anarchism no longer matched his own. Ramshackle Glory played their final show at the final Plan-it-X Fest in June 2016. They released their final album, "One Last Big Job," in December 2016. Patrick Schneeweis announced he will eventually donate the proceeds of his solo work and his band's releases through the social media music platform Bandcamp to bail funds in Vermont and Arizona.
In 2019, Schneeweis was brought out by Ceschi to play "This City Is Killing Me" off of their split EP.
In January 2025, Schneeweis returned with a new band, Friends in Real Life. Their debut album released in February 2025.

Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains

Pat's first major recording project was called "Running with Meat Cleavers" and was inspired by the contemporary Brattleboro punk scene, including bands such as Vomit Dichotomy and Fancy Pants & the Cell Phones. Following this was a band whose name would regularly change and was tongue-in-cheek, with the format of "Johnny ___ and the ___." For example, the band was called "Johnny Sexless and the Virgin Mafia" to reflect the themes of the song "DIY Orgasms." Eventually the name "Johnny Hobo" stuck, despite the vocal irritation of Pat himself at this name. The first demo was primarily solo, with just acoustic guitar played atop programmed drums. The group quickly expanded and became entirely acoustic. Johnny Hobo toured extensively during their career; often, Pat would be the only touring member. Alcohol, drug use, homelessness, politics, suicide, and the punk scene were common themes in Johnny Hobo songs. Song for a Harmony Parking ''Lot may be in reference to a parking lot in Schneeweis's hometown of Brattleboro, where Schneeweis once did a nude sit-in protest and was quoted as saying, "It's too hot to wear clothes." They released four EPs, two splits, a live album, and two compilations before disbanding.
;Demos/EPs
YearTitleLabelFormat
2003 Fire HazardSelf-ReleaseCD-R
2003Anarchy Means I Hate YouSpare Change RecordsCD-R
2004Easter Sunday HangoverSpare Change RecordsCD-R
2005All Power to the WingnutsSpare Change RecordsCD-R
2006Chaos Infiltration SquadSpare Change RecordsCD-R

;Split Albums
YearTitleLabelFormat
2005Live at Bandit H.Q. DIY BanditsCD-R
2005Love Songs for the Apocalypse DIY BanditsCD

;Live
YearTitleLabelFormat
2005Caught in the Act of Not Being AwesomeSpare Change RecordsCD-R
2007Live in CortlandBootlegCassette, Digital

;Compilation
YearTitleLabelFormat
2006...is Dead!Spare Change RecordsCD-R
2009Smash the Plate! Spare Change RecordsCD-R
2019FIGHT LIKE HELL ''DIY BanditsVinyl, Digital

Mr. Michael Motorcycle

Mr. Michael Motorcycle is a solo recording project of Pat's younger brother, Michael, which began when he was 15. It was previously known as the Michael Jordan Touchdown Pass and Michael Jumpshot Touchdown Pass.
Three albums were also released under the name sadjoy. Pat played bass and back-up vocals during live shows. Michael has played with Ramshackle Glory live on at least one occasion.

Wingnut Dishwashers Union

With the ending of Johnny Hobo, Pat continued writing songs and formed the Wingnut Dishwashers Union. Similar to Johnny Hobo, Wingnut Dishwashers Union toured constantly, often just with Pat. In contrast to Johnny Hobo, many songs used electric rather than acoustic guitar. The influential Pennsylvania band Endless Mike and the Beagle Club accompanied Pat on “Burn the Earth, Leave it Behind!” They released three full-length albums, two splits, and a compilation during their two-year career, in addition to a solo rendition of their debut album by Pat. Their song topics diverged slightly from Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains with a more hopeful view of the future. Wingnut Dishwashers Union broke up when Pat entered rehab at the end of 2009.
;Full-length albums
YearTitleLabelFormat
2007Toward a World Without DishwashersSpare Change RecordsCD-R
2008Never Trust a Man Who plays GuitarSpare Change RecordsCD-R, Digital
2009Burn the Earth! Leave it Behind!DIY BanditsCD, Digital

;Split Albums
YearTitleLabelFormat
2008Wingnut Dishwashers Union / James K. Polk and the Family- SplitTriumph of Life7"
2009Partner in Crime No. 2 Crafty Records7"

;Live
YearTitleLabelFormat
2007Live in Plattsburgh, NYSpare Change RecordsDigital
2008Kalamazoo, MI BootlegDigital

;Compilation
YearTitleLabelFormat
2009Smash the Plate! Spare Change RecordsCD-R

Playtime Posse

"The Green Mountain State's second-best rap crew, shattering all preconceptions and slanderous chatter, is a hot buttery corn muffin of rhyme." A humorous hip-hop side-project formed by Pat and several friends.
;Full-length album
YearTitleLabelFormat
2010Summertime Sounds of the Playtime PosseRhymetonia RecordsDigital

Solo

Shortly after discharge from an in-patient drug treatment facility, Schneeweis moved to Tucson, Arizona, and began writing new material about political agitation and his battles with drug addiction.  Most of these songs were used by the band Ramshackle Glory. However, during Ramshackle Glory's hiatus, Pat began focusing on a solo path. In 2012, he started releasing new solo music. From the beginning of 2014 until his retirement, Pat was touring frequently as a solo act. After his South Eastern United States tour in October 2015, Pat announced that he would be taking a long break from shows and touring, though he would be releasing a final album with Ramshackle Glory.
In February 2016, Pat announced that he would be ending his music career altogether, stating a change in identity in contrast to his former persona as "Pat the Bunny."
;Full-length album
YearTitleLabelFormat
2011Die the NightmareSavage Wasteland Music CollectiveCD-R, Digital
2014Probably Nothing, Possibly EverythingSavage Wasteland Music Collective, Plan-It-X RecordsCD, Cassette, Vinyl, Digital

;Split album
YearTitleLabelFormat
2016Ceschi / Pat The Bunny split 12"DIY BanditsVinyl
2016Surprise! Moon Bandits / Pat The Bunny Postcard SplitMoon BanditsFlexi Disc, Digital

;Demos/EPs
YearTitleLabelFormat
2013The Mark InsideSavage Wasteland Music CollectiveCD-R, Digital
2013The Volatile Utopian Real Estate MarketSavage Wasteland Music CollectiveCD-R, Digital
2014Dividing the Sand Savage Wasteland Music CollectiveDigital
2014This City is Killing me, ft. Ceschi Savage Wasteland Music CollectiveDigital
2015Cocoon MusicSelf-ReleaseDigital

;Live
YearTitleLabelFormat
2011Pat the Bunny Live @ Tuscan 2/3/11BootlegDigital

;Compilation
YearTitleLabelFormat
2014The Volatile Utopian Real Estate Market Savage Wasteland Music CollectiveCD, Vinyl, Digital