Jeffrey Lewis

Infobox musical artist
Name = Jeffrey Lewis

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Img_capt = Jeffrey Lewis performing at The Luminaire, London, England.
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Origin = New York City, New York, U.S.
Genre = Anti-folk
Years_active = 1997–present
Label = Rough Trade
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.thejeffreylewissite.com/ Official Site]

Current_members = Jeffrey Lewis
Jack Lewis
David Beauchamp
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =

Jeffrey Lewis (born November 20, 1975 in New York City) is an American anti-folk singer/songwriter and comic book artist. He attended State University of New York at Purchase and graduated in 1997.

Several of his musical influences have been acknowledged in his songs such as "Williamsburg Will Oldham Horror", "The History of The Fall" and "The Chelsea Hotel Oral Sex Song", concerning the song by Leonard Cohen. Lewis' lyrics are complex and literate, often combining a nihilistic world-view with a hopeful message and sharp wit. Growing up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan Island his songs are also highly informed by his home surroundings, with songs namechecking places such as Williamsburg, the FDR Drive and the East River.

Jeff is often regarded as part of the US antifolk movement, first and foremost because he was one of the many bands and performers (including The Moldy Peaches, Major Matt Mason USA and Lach) who played in the 90s at New York's Sidewalk Cafe and its biannual antifolk festivals and anti-hoot open mic events. His music also possesses certain traits of a perceived antifolk style - a downbeat self-deprecating humour, an off-kilter singing style, a mixture of acoustic and 'punk' songs which feature themes of everyday occurrences and feelings. Jeff himself does not mind the 'antifolk' tag: “I think it’s a cool title. The fact that no one knows what it means, including me, makes it kind of mysterious and more interesting than saying that you’re a singer/songwriter or that you play indie rock.”cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/A6999853 |title=BBC Collective with Jeff Lewis]

After being signed by the British record label Rough Trade in 2001, Jeffrey Lewis released his first official album "The Last Time I Did Acid I Went Insane" and in 2003 he released the album "It's the Ones Who've Cracked That the Light Shines Through". His third record, "City and Eastern Songs", was released in the UK in November 2005 and in the US in September 2006. All three of these albums also include his brother, Jack Lewis, who wrote and sang a number of the songs. In October 2007, Jeffrey released "12 Crass Songs", an album consisting entirely of songs written by the anarcho-pacifist British punk band "Crass", reworked to match Jeffrey's antifolk style.

He has also performed and collaborated with Kimya Dawson of The Moldy Peaches as well as Diane Cluck. Some of his hand-drawn comics appear in the cover art of his CD releases.

Jeffrey has his own comic book series titled 'Fuff' (formerly called 'Guff') available via Olive Juice Music.

In June 2008 Jeffrey Lewis with his brother Jack were the support act for Steven Malkmus and the Jicks in Europe. Other well-known acts that Jeffrey (with or without his band) has performed shows or whole tours with include Devendra Banhart, Black Dice, Adam Green, Thurston Moore, the Fall, Kimya Dawson, Beth Orton, Frank Black, the Fiery Furnaces, Daniel Johnston, Scout Niblett, the Mountain Goats, Dr. Dog, the Moldy Peaches, Cornershop, the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players, Wooden Wand, the Cribs, the Danielson Famile, Herman Dune, Los Campesinos, Giant Drag, Super Furry Animals and others.

Discography

Albums/EPs

*"When Madman Was Good - Version One" (1997)
*"When Madman Was Good - Version Two" (1998)
*"Indie-Rock Fortune Cookie" (1998)
*"Journey to the Center of the Earth" (1999)
*"The Only Time I Feel Right Is When I'm Drawing Comic Books" (2000)
*"I Am, Of Course, Glad" (2000)
*"Kimya Dawson And Jeff Lewis" (2001)
*"Songs From Austin" (2001)
*"Diane Cluck And Jeffrey Lewis" (2001)
*"The Last Time I Did Acid I Went Insane" (2001)
*"Guitar Situations: Musical Conduct" (2002)
*"AntiFolk Collaborations Volume 1" (2002)
*"It's the Ones Who've Cracked That the Light Shines Through" (2003)
*"Jeffrey Lewis "Four Seasons" Box Set" (2004)
*"City and Eastern Songs" (2005)
*"Gas Money EP" (2005) (split with Schwervon!)
*"Tapes From The Crypt" (2006)
*"12 Crass Songs" (2007)
*"City and Eastern Tapes" (2008)

ingles

*"The Chelsea Hotel Oral Sex Song" (2001)
*"Back When I Was Four" (2002)
*"Graveyard/Spirit of Love" (2002)
*"No LSD Tonight/Don't Let The Record Label Take You Out To Lunch" (2003)

Comics

*"Reflections on Tomorrow thus a yesterday Flower Shall Doom" (1998)
*"The Worldwide Comix Scavenger Hunt vol 1" (1998-2003)
*"Reflections #2" (1998-2003)
*"Trip to Key West" (1999)
*"1999 European Travel Diary" (1999)
*"Jeff's Austin Diary" (2001)
*"Come to My Show" (2004)
*"Fuff # 1"
*"Guff # 2"
*"Guff # 3"
*"Fuff # 4"
*"Fuff # 5"
*"Fuff # 6"
*"Fuff # 7"
*"The Art of Touring" (2007)
*"Comic book press kit for Mountain Goats' album 'Heretic Pride" (2008)

Compilation Appearances

*"Antifolk Vol. 1" (2002) - "You Don't Have To Be A Scientist To Do Experiments on Your Own Heart
*"Call It What You Want This Is Antifolk" (2002) - So Long (I'm Gonna Go Draw All Alone In My Shack)
*"The Art Star Sounds Compilation" (2005) - "Williamsburg Will Oldham Horror"
*"Still Unravished- A Tribute to June Brides" (2006) - Waiting For A Change
*"Anticomp Folkilation" (2007) - "The River" (with Diane Cluck)

External links

* [http://www.thejeffreylewissite.com/ The official Jeffrey Lewis website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/jefflewisband Official Jeffrey Lewis Band MySpace page]
* [http://jeffreylewisboard.free.fr/phpBB2/ An unofficial fan-led message board]
* [http://lifeinabungalo.com/2006/02/20/jeffrey-lewis-a-portrait-of-an-indie-rock-superhero/ Interview] in Life in a Bungalo
* [http://www.videology-tv.com/viewclip.php?id=69 Jeff Lewis' Music Video for "Williamsburg Will Oldham Horror" + Interview with director Mark Locke]
* [http://www.downhomeradioshow.com/2007/08/interview-with-jeffrey-lewis/ Internet Radio Interview with Jeffrey Lewis]
* [http://usedwigs.wordpress.com/2008/06/06/usedwigs-radio-podcast-49-jeffrey-lewis-interview/ UsedWigs Radio Podcast 49: Jeffrey Lewis Interview]

References