» Edit Band Information
» Edit Albums
» Add a Review
» Add an Album
» Add News | Jawbox
Jawbox was a post-hardcore band which formed in 1989 in Washington D.C., United States. The band consisted of J Robbins(vocals, guitar),Bill Barbot (guitar), Kim Colleta (bass)and Adam Wade (drums). The band split in 1997.In their eight-year existence, Jawbox released four studio albums of increasingly skillful post-punk, not necessarily carryingthe torch of theirWashington DC, elders (Minor Threat,Embrace, Rites of Spring), but instead building on the tradition ofChicago’s thriving early-’80s scene (BigBlack, Naked Raygun, Effigies). Highly and perhaps unfairly scrutinized forbeing thefir ...read more
Jawbox was a post-hardcore band which formed in 1989 in Washington D.C., United States. The band consisted of J Robbins(vocals, guitar),Bill Barbot (guitar), Kim Colleta (bass)and Adam Wade (drums). The band split in 1997.In their eight-year existence, Jawbox released four studio albums of increasingly skillful post-punk, not necessarily carryingthe torch of theirWashington DC, elders (Minor Threat,Embrace, Rites of Spring), but instead building on the tradition ofChicago’s thriving early-’80s scene (BigBlack, Naked Raygun, Effigies). Highly and perhaps unfairly scrutinized forbeing thefirst act to leave über-indie Dischord Records, the bandproved cynics wrong by releasing two excellent LPs for Atlantic thateasily surpassed their Dischord output, all thewhile retaining theirintegrity and creative control.Ex-Government Issue bassist J. Robbins formed Jawbox in the summer of 1989. Deciding to switch to guitar and vocals, thefirst lineup wasfilled out by friends Adam Wade ondrums and Kim Coletta on bass. Their first recording, a self-titled four-track7” EP, was released in thespring of 1990 on their own DeSoto imprint.Immediately after having written 12 new songs, the band headed into Inner Ear with engineer Eli Janney (Girls Against Boys)to record theirdebut LP for Dischord later that year.Not regarded as a blunder in hindsight by the band, but still seen as anunfocused recording, Grippe isnonetheless a record that rewards repeated listening, despite its formativenature.Shortly after the recording of Grippe, the band considered adding a second guitarist to the lineup. Drummer Wade obliged byintroducing BillBarbot of Clambake, which promptlybroke up, enabling Barbot to join the fold. Adding Barbot as secondguitarist immediately opened windowsfor the band, allowing for a more texturized sound and providing anotherstrong creativeforce for the group.In January of 1992, Jawbox recorded Novelty with producer Iain Burgess, who had worked on some of the band’s favoriterecords. A moodieraffair than Grippe, the dual force ofRobbins’ and Barbot’s guitars is sacrificed in the mix, leaving thelistener a bit frustrated. The songwritingis improved and more varied. It was regarded as a marked improvementover theband’s debut.Adam Wade soon left the band to join fellow D.C. scenesters Shudder to Think. Jawbox superfan Zach Barocas had recentlymoved from NewYork to D.C. to attend university, andhe had been rooming with Coletta. Wanting to concentrate on hisstudies, Barocas hesistantly draggedout his drum kit and soon found himself a member of one of his favoritebands. Adding aunique, jazz-inflected touch to the band, includingremarkable creative input, Barocas made the songwriting process moreorganic than before.During the punk/alternative band shopping spree of the early ’90s that took place in lieu of the signings of undergroundheroes Nirvana andHelmet, Atlantic Records came a-courting,and the major label-leery band weighed its options intensely.Having been a self-sufficient machinefrom day one, the band outlined its needs and wants before signing on the dottedline.Being control freaks, the band signed a contract thatrefused tour support and retained all their independent powers. Signingto Atlantic enabled the foursome to treat Jawboxas a full-timeendeavor, and it also allowed them to take their dynamite liveshow to previously unvisited countries. Needless to say, these were all mootpoints to a fair amount of“indie-or-death”-minded fans, and the move engendered sour grapes among some of their close-minded admirers.One “fan” wrote to wishthem death in a fiery van accident, andanother quoted the Clash’s “Complete Control,” painfully unaware that theyweren’ton SST or Touch and Go, but a highly corporate outfit as well.Most of the songs for their major-label debut had been written prior to Atlantic’s involvement with the band, and thepresence of Barocassolidified what Robbins referred to as a“mystical communication” within the band. With the help of TedNicely, Jawbox recorded For Your OwnSpecial Sweetheart, a phenomenal record that easily stands as one of thebestreleases to come out of the fertile D.C. scene of the ’80s and’90s. A thoroughly excellent recording from top to toe, itsgenesis was surely aided by the increased studio time theband had due to theirmajor label contract.An onslaught of touring surrounded the release of Sweetheart (the band regularly toured eight months a year), exposing theband to itsregular crowds and some new ones, thanksto an opening stretch with labelmates Stone Temple Pilots. MinimalMTV rotation for a couplevideos introduced Jawbox to a select few, but the record went shamefully unnoticedoutside of theusual indie community.Jawbox recorded their fourth LP in the winter of 1995/1996 with John Agnello, who had worked with everyone from Earth,Wind and Fire toChavez. A somewhat glossy sheenpervades Jawbox, but the incessant touring gave way to a band capableof playing magically together intheir sleep. Thankfully, the record is still the work of a vital, passionate band.The songs arenearly as good as those on Sweetheart, but thepolished sound sacrifices some of the blood and sweat that likely went intothe recording. If it was an attempt to bemore accessible to radio,it didn’t work; despite the customary critical approval,Jawbox went DOA in the shops with unfamiliar consumers.Yet more touring ensued through the beginning of 1997. In April of that year, the band decided to call it quits, a decisionbased on aculmination of several events. Least amongthem was being dropped by their label; chief among them was Barocas’decision to move back toNew York for film school. Robbins quickly formed Burning Airlines, eventuallyinviting Barbot along forthe ride. Barbot and Coletta continued torun DeSoto Records, who released My Scrapbook of Fatal Accidents, a solidpackage of odds and ends. Barocasalso became a part of the Upon In.In december, 2009 Jawbox reunited briefly for an appearance on a late night television show in celebration of the reissue ofFor Your OwnSpecial Sweetheart. « hide |
Similar Bands: J. Robbins, Burning Airlines, Channels, Shudder To Think, Office Of Future Plans Contributors: Mort., Beauers, TheStig23, discovolante, porch, Spec, Willie, greyspot19, Supercoolguy64, Voivod, Satellite,
|
