Armisen began his career in 1988 when he moved from New York to Chicago to play drums for the punk rock band, Trenchmouth. In the 1990s, he played drums with Blue Man Group in Chicago. His transition from music to comedy occurred with the 1998 short film Fred Armisen’s Guide to Music and South by Southwest. The film featured Armisen's trip to the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas, where he captured reactions while posing as a music journalist. In 2004, he appeared in the film Eurotrip.
Armisen also had a memorable role in the Wilco documentary I Am Trying to Break Your Heart, which featured footage from his stint opening for frontman Jeff Tweedy's 2001 solo tour.
Armisen became famous to many when he began his role as a repertory player on Saturday Night Live.
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