The Jesus Lizard
is an alternative rock band formed in 1987 in Chicago, Illinois. After the breakup of the band's first incarnation, Scratch Acid, singer David Yow relocated from Texas to Chicago and teamed up with former Cargo Cult guitarist Duane Denison. Finding his abilities on bass guitar lacking, David Yow recruited ex-Scratch Acid bandmember David Wm. Sims for a new project. The band used a drum machine for their earliest recordings and performances before adding drummer Mac McNeilly after recording their first EP Pure
.
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THE JESUS LIZARD TICKETS
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History
Formation and the Touch and Go years (1987–1994)
Through 1994, the Jesus Lizard's studio recordings were recorded and engineered by
Steve Albini. Albini typically kept vocals "low in the mix," or much less prominent than was typical of rock and roll recordings. In
Our Band Could Be Your Life
, Michael Azerrad writes that "on the Jesus Lizard albums Albini recorded, singer David Yow sounds like a
kidnap victim trying to howl through the
duct tape over his mouth; the effect is horrific." (Azerrad, 344)
[1] While appreciated as a unique vocalist, Yow was more often cited for his confrontational antics on-stage. For example, on the band's first few tours Jesus Lizard's set list included an instrumental titled "Tight and Shiny". Yow would set the mike stand at waist-height, drop his drawers, and stretch his exposed
scrotum tightly across his testicles. The band thundered on, while the song title's relevance crept into the audiences' mind as they had a clear view of Yow's distended genitals and their "tight and shiny" appearance. In 1994, David Yow tried out his acting chops in Jim Sikora's independent feature "Walls In the City" with the soundtrack done by
Denison Kimball Trio and released on SkinGraft Records.
The Capitol years and breakup (1995–1999)
The Jesus Lizard signed a contract with
Capitol Records in 1995. The band also recorded the song, "Panic in Cicero" for the
Clerks
soundtrack, and made appearances at
Lollapalooza. The release of
Shot
in 1996, recorded by
GGGarth, moved the band into new territory on all fronts; artistically, sonically, musically, and lyrically.
Mac McNeilly left the band in 1997 for personal reasons and was replaced by
Jim Kimball, who appeared that year on the Jesus Lizard's self-titled EP (their only album whose title is not a four-letter word) on Jetset Records. The EP featured production and engineering by
Andy Gill of
Gang of Four, John Cale, and Jim O'Rourke.
In 1998, the band released
Blue
, recorded by Andy Gill. A departure for The Jesus Lizard, this was another step in the direction of
Shot
. During the following tour Kimball was replaced by Brendan Murphy. Later that year the band announced that they were breaking up. Their final gig was at the
Umeå Open festival in
Umeå, Sweden, on March 27, 1999.
Post-breakup (2000–2007)
In 2000, Touch & Go issued a CD of 7" tracks and rarities called
Bang
. After the split some of the members moved on to other bands. Denison plays with
Tomahawk, continues to play with Kimball in the Denison Kimball Trio (which is actually a duo), and backed up Hank Williams III on a couple of tours. In 2006 he formed
U.S.S.A. with ex-
Ministry bassist
Paul Barker. The band was signed by former
Babes in Toyland bassist
Maureen Herman to the
Fuzz Artists label in 2007. In 2006, Yow and Sims reformed
Scratch Acid, along with Rey Washam (
Rapeman,
Ministry) and Brett Bradford for the
Touch and Go Records 25th Anniversary Festival in Chicago. A week before the Touch and Go Festival, the reunited
Scratch Acid played to a sold-out crowd at Emo's in their hometown of Austin, TX.
After The Jesus Lizard, drummer Mac McNeilly played drums in
P.W. Long's Reelfoot recording "Push Me Again" and touring with Long. McNeilly also continued to play along with his wife in their band Mouse. McNeilly recorded with
Steve Albini in February 2007 for Denison's
Fuzz label mate Greg Garing. Bassist David Wm. Sims relocated to New York City and now works as an accountant. Vocalist David Yow moved to Los Angeles to work in graphic design for an advertising agency. Yow has joined the Los Angeles band
Qui.
Reunion (2009–present)
The Jesus Lizard scheduled a number of shows in 2009 with their original line-up, including appearances at the
Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, and
All Tomorrow's Parties music festivals in England, and New York including headlining show in London and on Pukkelpop in Belgium
[2]. They are also headlining the in Seattle on July 24, 2009.
Sound and influence
The band took their name from a common nickname for the
basilisk, a type of lizard that can run on
water. While never finding much mainstream success, The Jesus Lizard have been called "a leading
noise rock band in the American independent
underground…[who] turned out a series of independent records filled with scathing, disembowelling, guitar-driven pseudo-
industrial noise, all of which received positive reviews in underground music publications and heavy
college-radio play."
[3]
Their music was a scathing mix of piercing guitar, machine-like drums, propulsive bass guitar, and psychotic vocals. Denison's stinging guitar often served more as texture or coloring than as a melody instrument, while the
rhythm section's stops and starts were simultaneously precise and brutal. David Yow's frenzied, often incoherent vocals were unique, unlike anything past or present. David Sprague suggests that "Yow's disjointed
couplets" are reminiscent of a "
preacher speaking in tongues.
[4]
Discography
Studio Albums
- Head
(1990, Touch and Go)
- Goat
(1991, Touch and Go)
- Liar
(1992, Touch and Go)
- Down
(1994, Touch and Go)
- Shot
(1996, Capitol)
- Blue
(1998, Capitol)
Live Albums
- Show
(1994, Collision Arts)
Compilations
- Bang
(2000, Touch and Go)
- Inch
(2009, Touch and Go)
EPs
- Pure
(1989, Touch and Go)
- Lash
(1993, Touch and Go)
- The Jesus Lizard (EP)
(1998, JetSet)
DVDs
- The Jesus Lizard - Live
(Music Video Distributors 2007)
Chart positions
Albums
Year
| Album
| Chart
| Position
|
1996
| Shot
| Heatseekers (US)
| No. 28
|
Singles
Year
| Single
| Chart
| Position
|
1993
| "Puss/Oh, the Guilt" (split single with Nirvana)
| UK Singles Chart [5]
| No. 12
|
References
- Azerrad, Michael. ''Our Band Could Be Your Life''. Little Brown and Company, 2002. ISBN 0-316-78753-1
- ATP Website "[1]" Retrieved February 27, 2009.
- Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Jesus Lizard". ''Allmusic''. Retrieved June 5, 2005.
- Sprague, David. "JESUS LIZARD". Trouser Press, 2007. Retrieved on March 4, 2009.
- British Hit Singles & Albums