The Jesus Lizard

Infobox musical artist
Name = The Jesus Lizard


Img_capt = David Yow, Duane Denison, Mac McNeilly, and David Wm. Sims
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Origin = Chicago, Illinois, United States
Genre = Noise rock, post-punk, alternative rock
Years_active = 1987–1999
Label = Touch and Go Capitol
Associated_acts = Scratch Acid
URL =
Current_members = David Yow David Wm. Sims Duane Denison Mac McNeilly
Past_members =
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The Jesus Lizard was a rock music group formed in 1987 in Chicago, Illinois. After the breakup of 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 bassist David Wm. Sims for a new project. The trio called themselves The Jesus Lizard; using a drum machine for their earliest recordings and performances, before adding drummer Mac McNeilly after recording their first EP "Pure".

ound 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." [Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. " [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=Byif1zfsheh4k The Jesus Lizard] ". "Allmusic". Retrieved June 5, 2005.]

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 quite unique, unlike anything past or present. David Sprague suggests that "Yow's disjointed couplets" are reminiscent of a "preacher speaking in tongues." [http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=jesus_lizard]

History

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) [Azerrad, Michael. "Our Band Could Be Your Life". Little Brown and Company, 2002. ISBN 0-316-78753-1] 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 Jesus Lizard signed a contract with Capitol Records in 1995, an action which caused a falling out with Albini, famous for his dislike of major record companies. With the major label backing, the band put the song "Panic in Cicero" on 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

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.

Discography

tudio 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)

EP's

*"Pure" (1989, Touch and Go)
*"Lash" (1993, Touch and Go)
*"The Jesus Lizard (EP)" (1998, JetSet)

DVDs

*"The Jesus Lizard - CRAZY!!" (2007)

Chart positions

Albums

ingles

ee also

* List of alternative music artists
* Rapeman
* The Love Interest
* Firewater
* Hank Williams III
* Helmet
* Melvins
* Tomahawk
* Qui

External links

* [http://www.thejesuslizard.net Fansite]
* [http://www.touchandgorecords.com/bands/band.php?id=78 Touch & Go Records]
* [http://www.furious.com/perfect/jesuslizard.html "Legacy of the Jesus Lizard"]
* [http://www.myspace.com/ussaband USSA MySpace page]

References