- Blues Explosion
Infobox musical artist
Name = Blues Explosion
Img_capt = From left to right: Judah, Jon and Russell
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Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin =New York City ,NY ,USA
Years_active = 1990–present
Label = Matador
Associated_acts =Boss Hog Heavy Trash
Pussy Galore
URL = [http://www.thejonspencerbluesexplosion.com http://www.tjsbx.com]
Current_members = Jon Spencer
Judah Bauer
Russell Simins
Past_members =Blues Explosion (formerly The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and sometimes abbreviated JSBX) is a
New York -basedpunk blues trio, made up of ex-Pussy Galore frontman Jon Spencer (vocals, guitar), as well as Judah Bauer (guitar, vocals) and Russell Simins (drums). The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, though retaining much of the noise roots of Pussy Galore, mostly saw Spencer departing from the nihilistic "groovy hate fuck" rock of his previous band and moving towards a less caustic, more groove-oriented approach.Biography
Originally from
Hanover, New Hampshire , Jon Spencer (born Jonathan) moved toWashington, DC where he fronted the band Pussy Galore. After that band's breakup, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion formed in 1990 inNew York City . Members played in bands including The Honeymoon Killers (not to be confused with the avant garde Belgian artists on the Crammed Discs label), Crowbar Massage, andBoss Hog prior to the formation of the Blues Explosion.They signed to
Matador Records shortly after and have gathered a large cult following. They are one of the select notable groups to cultivate apunk blues sound in the 1990s.While on tour in July 1999, the band's tour van was broken into in Vancouver, Canada. A large amount of gear, including several microphones, amps, compressors, and other equipment, as well as Spencer's original 1962 Moog Vanguard
theremin , was stolen. None of the gear was ever recovered.With the release of "Damage" in 2004, the band changed their name simply to Blues Explosion.
ide projects
Russell Simins
Russell has collaborated with
Butter 08 (Cibo Matto 's side project) andLittle Barrie .Russell co-produced
Bang Bang Boom Cake by the pre-teen punk bandTiny Masters of Today and did a stint as their live drummer.Men Without Pants is his new project with
Dan the Automator
*"Public Places" LP/CD (2000 ,Grand Royal )
*"Men Without PantsJudah Bauer
* "Ragged Backyard Classics Played By The Bauer Bros." 3x7" (
1996 )
* "Member of Cat Power & The Dirty Delta Blues Band according to (Matador Records ) (2006 )Under the moniker 20 Miles
* "R.L. Boyce Othar Turner Fife & Drum Spam" LP/CD (
1997 , Fat Possum/Epitaph)
* "I'm a Lucky Guy" LP/CD (1998 , Fat Possum/Epitaph)
* "Keep It Coming" CD (2002 , Fat Possum)
* "Life Doesn't Rhyme" CD (2003 , Fat Possum)Jon Spencer
Jon Spencer is a member of
Heavy Trash , along withMatt Verta-Ray . Spencer is also a member ofBoss Hog with his wife,Cristina Martinez .
* "Sideways Soul (In a Dancehall Style) -Dub Narcotic Sound System Meets The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion" LP/CD (1999 , K Records)
* "Spencer Dickinson - Spencer Dickinson" (2001 ) Japanese release on theToy's Factory label featuringLuther Dickinson ,Cody Dickinson & Jon Spencer (Blues Explosion). (Luther & Cody are in The North Mississippi Allstars). 2001. Received a North American CD release with 7 extra tracks onYep Roc in 2006.
* "Heavy Trash - Heavy Trash" LP/CD (2005 , Yep Roc)
* "Everything Is Under Control - Coldcut" (2005 )Coldcut -Sound Mirrors * "Heavy Trash - Going Way Out With Heavy Trash" LP/CD (
2007 , Yep Roc)Discography
JSBX has one of the most complex and sprawling discographies in all of rock, with numerous EPs, singles, and multiple versions of each album.
Official studio albums
* "Jon Spencer Blues Explosion" (
1992 )
* "Crypt Style " (1992; LP and CD have different tracklistings)
* "Extra Width " (1993)
* "Orange" (1994 )
* "Now I Got Worry " (1996 )
* "ACME" (1998 )
* "Plastic Fang " (2002 )
* "Damage" (2004 , as Blues Explosion, featuring vocals fromMartina Topley-Bird and Chuck D and production by Steve Jordan,Jay Braun ,Dan the Automator , David Holmes &DJ Shadow )Other releases
* "A Reverse Willie Horton" (
1991 )
* "Mo' Width" (Australia only LP,1993 ; later appended to the European reissue of "Extra Width")
* "Experimental Remixes " (EP,1995 , featuring remixes byUNKLE ,Moby ,Mike D andBeck ,GZA , Dub Narcotic and others)
* "Controversial Negro: Live in Tucson" (1997 )
* "Acme Plus (UK)" (1999 )
* "Xtra Acme USA" (1999)
* "Sideways Soul: Dub Narcotic Sound System Meets the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion in a Dancehall Style" (1999, with Dub Narcotic Sound System)JSBX were also
R. L. Burnside 's backing band on the albums "A Ass Pocket of Whiskey " and "Mr. Wizard". They also worked together withAndre Williams who is also credited as executive producer of "Acme".The Blues Explosion have released a series of jukebox 7" 45s through In the Red Records. The records have the following tracklistings - ITR001 "Shirt-Jac, Latch On", ITR002 "Son of Sam, Bent", ITR003 "Train # 3, Train # 1", ITR004 "Get With It, Down Low" and ITR005 "Ghetto Mon, Dya Wanna Get It?". These were later released (along with a few other songs) in a 2007 compilation called "Jukebox Explosion".
Compilations
* 2006 - "Silver Monk Time - A Tribute To The Monks" - released on [http://www.playloud.org/silvermonktime.html Play Loud! Productions] , this album features them covering a track by
The Monks , alongside 28 other bands
* 2007 - "Jukebox Explosion" - released onIn The Red Records , this collection contains all of the songs that featured on what was known as the "Jukebox Series" - a number of 7" singles released on the same label throughout the mid/late 90s and early 00s (also contains some rarities and album out-takes)Trivia
* Spencer's singing is sometimes described as sounding like that of an
Elvis impersonator .Fact|date=May 2007
*Winona Ryder ,Giovanni Ribisi andJohn C. Reilly are featured as lead singer, guitarist and drummer in the music video "Talk about the Blues."
* Jon Spencer trashed a TV studio inMelbourne, Australia , during a live performance of "2Kindsa Love / Flavor" on September 6, 1997 on Recovery. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbwxLGohUM0 Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, "2 Kindsa Love", Performed on Recovery, ABC TV, 1997 (YouTube)] ] This recording has become a favourite of guest programmers on ABC's Rage.Fact|date=May 2007
* The band was parodied by theShirehorses , operating as the Frank Spencer Blues Explosion as well as referenced in the name of the band The John & Spencer Booze Explosion.
* The band made the theme song to the Travel Channel's withAnthony Bourdain .
* Jon Spencer is the brother of Muffin, the lead vocalist for the band Brassy.
* At the end of the "Flavor" video (which features Beck and Mike D), a full moon appears with an image ofFlavor Flav on it.
* Spencer duetted withNancy Sinatra on "Ain't No Easy Way," featured on her 2004 self-titled album.
* Their collaboration withWu-Tang Clan affiliateKillah Priest , entitled Greyhound Part 2, was extensively featured on the originalExtreme Championship Wrestling 's Hardcore TV program, during self-promotional commercials and hype segments.References
External links
* [http://www.thejonspencerbluesexplosion.com Official website]
* [http://www.matadorrecords.com/jsbx/ Blues Explosion] atMatador Records
* [http://www.pop-catastrophe.co.uk/ Pop-Catastrophe.co.uk: Jon Spencer Blues Explosion: Discography (and all things JSBX) website]
* "The Spencer Report", a complete list of [http://www.geocities.com/yodaono/JSBX_The_Spencer_Report_Songs.htm songs] and [http://www.geocities.com/yodaono/JSBX_The_Spencer_Report_Releases.htm releases] these appear on, 1991-95.
* [http://www.jimdero.com/OtherWritings/Spencer.htm "The Truth About The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion"] article that was published in "Penthouse (magazine) "
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