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53-704: The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion was an American three-piece rock band from New York City , formed in 1991. The group consisted of Judah Bauer on guitar, backing vocals , harmonica and occasional lead vocals , Russell Simins on drums and Jon Spencer on vocals , guitar and theremin . Their musical style is largely rooted in rock and roll although it draws influences from punk , blues , garage , rockabilly , soul , noise rock , rhythm and blues and hip hop . The band released nine official studio albums, collaborative records with Dub Narcotic Sound System and R.L. Burnside as well as numerous live, singles, out-take albums, compilations, remix albums and, in 2010,

106-410: A band photo used on Mo' Width and the later reissues of Extra Width . It is said that during this time Jon Spencer's stage persona evolved and he established what is now synonymous with a Blues Explosion live performance. Jon had a breakthrough. It was time and art. He got better at it. The James Brown -style show was an old method, but Jon brought it to another level. Before that, it was punk – he

159-474: A large bar or club with a big sound for a much lower price than a large rock and roll band. A power trio, at least in its blues rock incarnation, is also generally held to have developed out of Chicago-style blues bands such as Muddy Waters ' trio. In addition to technological improvements, another impetus for the rise of the power trio was the virtuosity of guitarists such as Eric Clapton , Jimi Hendrix , and Rory Gallagher , who could essentially cover both

212-620: A live album at DPC, Tucson, Arizona, but the performance was plagued with technical problems and was stopped when an audience member threw a stink bomb . Some of the songs were later released on the 2010 reissue of Controversial Negro . In December 1994, they performed live on The Jon Stewart TV Show at MTV Studios in New York City. " Get With It " from this show was released on the 1997 Live Promo Video by Matador Records. The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion played UK shows in March 1995 with

265-613: A plain black card sleeve (with the exception of white text reading 'JACKET ME IN CANA' on the rear). During an interview with Fiz Magazine (Issue #5), Spencer discussed the various editions of the first album and hinted at the origins of the release: "When I was travelling around with the Gibson Bros. last year I had a tape of that with me because we had just done it. I let a few people dub it so maybe something came from that." Dave Thompson , in Alternative Rock , called

318-820: A plain black sleeve. The title refers to the convicted felon William R. Horton who was used extensively for political advertisements during the 1988 presidential campaign. The second session was recorded by Steve Albini at the Waterfront, Hoboken, New Jersey , in November/December 1991. Tracks from both the Kramer and Albini sessions were then officially issued on the Caroline (US) / Hut (UK) release The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion ; in larger amounts by Crypt Records as Crypt Style ; and in an alternate version of Crypt Style by 1 + 2 Records (Japan), including

371-432: A point on tour and you get a bit punch-drunk. That show is broadcast live in the morning! They were all really nice about it though!" In 2010, a new version of this album was released by Shout! Factory / Shove! Records expanded to include b-sides, rare tracks and the previously unreleased "Roosevelt Hotel Blues" featuring Beck and Money Mark . Power trio Most power trios in hard rock and heavy metal music use

424-578: A power trio is Nirvana , whose lead vocalist, Kurt Cobain , played guitar and sang lead vocals. Although four-piece bands such as the Who or Led Zeppelin may function instrumentally as a power trio, with three instrumentalists and a dedicated lead vocalist , these bands are not usually considered as power trios. Recording in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Johnny Kidd and the Pirates were an early rock and roll power trio from England, whose most famous song

477-470: A rockabilly song despite the fact that The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion recording has very little in common with the most well-known recordings of this track (released by Ron Hargrave and The Cochran Brothers ). The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion version is more than likely a cover of the Cochran Brothers version of this song as both tracks feature the words "you are really gone" which do not appear in

530-558: A series of expanded reissues. Throughout the course of their career, this experimental sound and occasionally unconventional recording techniques has allowed the band to work with such artists as Elliott Smith , Beck , Solomon Burke , Steve Albini , Martina Topley-Bird , and Mike D of the Beastie Boys . Originally from Hanover, New Hampshire , US, Jon Spencer attended Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island where he

583-558: A tour with the Gibson Bros. in August 1991. The front cover image on the album is a negative of Clarence Thomas , his wife, and George Bush at Thomas' swearing in ceremony for the Supreme Court on October 19, 1991, with the title and artist written in a typewriter style font. The rear sleeve features hand-written titles and label information over the top of a photograph of a topless woman. Both front and rear artwork are pasted onto

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636-521: Is President" on the Mute Records 2000 reissue. During an interview with Dutch magazine Oor , Jon Spencer said that the release of Mo' Width was delayed until two months before the release as the next studio album. Orange was recorded at Waterworks, NYC with Jim Waters and released in October 1994. The original vinyl Matador Records was as a silver-coloured picture disc and first issue of

689-660: The Extra Width , The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion's second studio album, took place in Memphis at Doug Easleys studio on November 23/24 and December 3, 1992 during the Jesus Lizard tour and at Waterworks Recording in New York with Jim Waters where all further overdubs and mixing was done. The album graphic design copies a package of panty hose purchased in Memphis, Tennessee. The original panty hose packaging can be seen in

742-750: The Now I Got Worry tour dates in the UK, Europe and the US in October and November 1996. On October 23, 1996 Lola da Musica, VPRO TV filmed both artists in a pre-show jam session at De Melkweg, Amsterdam. "Boogie Chillun" was later released officially on the Live Promo Video . On October 29, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion recorded a short live set for MTV Studios in London, consisting of Now I Got Worry songs and "Water Main" and "Vacuum of Loneliness". "Love All of Me" and

795-485: The rhythm guitar and lead guitar roles in a live performance. In 1964, Frank Zappa played guitar in a power trio, the Muthers, with Paul Woods on bass and Les Papp on drums. In 1966, the prototypical blues-rock power trio Cream was formed, consisting of Eric Clapton on guitar/vocals, Jack Bruce on bass/vocals, and Ginger Baker on drums. Other influential 1960s-era blues rock / hard rock power trio bands were

848-496: The "Intro" is edited together in the same way as "Tour Diary" on Experimental Remixes and at least two segments appear on both releases. "Curfew Blues" was later released on Jukebox Explosion Rockin' Mid-90s Punkers and the 2010 reissue of Orange includes two VPRO session tracks "Very Rare" and "Woman Love" (title sometimes given as "Frustrate"). In October 1994, the Blues Explosion made their first attempt to record

901-635: The 1970s. Other well-known 1970s-era power trios include the Canadian progressive rock groups Rush and Triumph , the American band ZZ Top , the English heavy metal band Motörhead , and the Robin Trower Band . Emerson, Lake & Palmer (as well as its offshoot Emerson, Lake & Powell ) is usually considered a power trio as Keith Emerson fulfilled the rhythm and lead playing on

954-507: The 1990s, rock trios began to form around different instrumentation, from the band Morphine , featuring a baritone saxophone instead of an electric guitar, to Ben Folds Five 's replacing the guitar with various keyboards, principally the piano . A Reverse Willie Horton A Reverse Willie Horton is either the debut album, or an early bootleg album, by the New York City -based Jon Spencer Blues Explosion . Few copies of

1007-456: The 1997 Live Promo Video . The first album by The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion was the only one to be issued by Caroline Records . In 1992, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion inked a deal with Caroline Records and requested a very specific signing bonus-- the then-new 10xCD Jerry Lee Lewis box set. As band lore has it, Caroline never sprang for the set, and the Blues Explosion's tenure there was short-lived and acrimonious. The first single release

1060-732: The Beastie Boys (including Brixton Academy, London where they would headline in April 2002 on the Plastic Fang tour) and in May they toured the US with The Roots and Beastie Boys. Experimental Remixes EP was released in May 1995 featuring various tracks from Orange reworked by artists including UNKLE , Beck, Mario Caldato Jr. , Mike D, Dub Narcotic Sound System , Moby and GZA (featuring Killah Priest ). By September 1996, Orange had sold 70,000 copies. In 2000, Experimental Remixes

1113-530: The Crypt Records edition had orange-coloured sleeves rather than the usual silver. "Bellbottoms" opens the album and features a string section arrangement by Kurt Hoffman. The song was also issued by Matador Records as a white vinyl 7" only single in the UK and had a music video directed by Tom Surgal. There were also music videos for "Dang" directed by Steve Hanft , "Flavor", directed by Evan Bernard and featuring appearances by Beck (who also appears on

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1166-487: The Gibson Bros. which was already evident in the last Pussy Galore album. "That final Pussy Galore album exuded a very Gibson Brothers-bent version of what was to come with Spencer's next, more successful venture the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion." "...after five years of Pussy Galore I was able to connect to rock ’n’ roll in some way that I wasn't able to before," he remembers those formative days. "I

1219-632: The Japanese release featured "Get With It" and "Cool Vee" as bonus tracks. During this time, Matador releases were distributed by Capitol in an article about this Marc Burton, buyer for Minneapolis’ Electric Fetus, said "I think with the extra exposure he’ll get through wider distribution, Spencer could hit as big as Beck did." Capitol / Matador released a promo-only 7” single of five different radio promo spots. R.L. Burnside would also join The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion for

1272-589: The Jimi Hendrix Experience , Blue Cheer , Grand Funk Railroad , the James Gang featuring Joe Walsh, and Taste . Edgar Broughton Band were a British blues rock power trio founded in Warwick in 1968, and in their initial form were operative through to 1976. The group were also a significant influence on the emerging politically conscious and spiritually aware proto punk scene of

1325-481: The UK although they have released material on a number of different labels including the 2010 reissues on Shout Factory in the US and Shove Records in the UK. The band had been playing together for six months when they had their first recording session with Kramer at Noise NY, New York in July 1991 and recorded fourteen songs over the course of three hours, "only doing second takes here and there, we didn't even go to

1378-567: The afternoon of February 6, 1996, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion recorded the album A Ass Pocket of Whiskey with R.L. Burnside and Kenny Brown at Lunati Farms in Holly Springs, Mississippi. A further two tracks, "Alice Mae" and "Highway 7", also recorded at Lunati Farms in February 1996, would be released on the 1997 R.L. Burnside album Mr Wizard . Both albums featured cover artwork by Derek Hess . The musical arrangements used on

1431-425: The album "deliciously downplayed racket, purposely recorded to sound like a pile of old blues records, rattling through the cheapest speakers in the world." Spin acknowledged the mystery surrounding the recording and called it better than anything that Spencer's former band, Pussy Galore , had ever released. Pointing out that many of the songs appeared on the band's Caroline album, Trouser Press advised that

1484-503: The album were produced; many songs appear on the group's next album, 1992's The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion , albeit in a different mix or recording altogether (the sound of A Reverse Willie Horton is closer to Crypt Style ). All three albums are made up of tracks recorded in 1991 by producer Kramer and engineer Steve Albini (in separate sessions). The album was released as a black vinyl LP in an edition of 500 copies. The front and rear art work are two separate images pasted onto

1537-504: The audience, around the set and destroying the "Blues Explosion" back drop. Jon Spencer was asked about this particular performance in a June 2010 issue of the UK music weekly NME : "Which song were you playing with Jon Spencer Blues Explosion when you trashed a TV studio in Melbourne in '97?" "We may have started with another song and went into 'Flavour'. It wasn't planned, it just kinda hit me. It may have just been exhaustion. You reach

1590-523: The band introduction were officially released on the Live Promo Video . "2Kindsa Love" was the first UK single released from Now I Got Worry by Mute Records issued on pink vinyl 7" and CD in November 1996 with music video directed by Mike Mills it reached 122 in the UK charts. "Wail" was released in the UK by Mute Records on May 10, 1997 as a CD and two 7" singles (grey and green vinyl). The incorrectly spelled "John Spencer Blues Explosion" cover artwork

1643-477: The earliest heavy metal bands, and, according to Garry Sharpe-Young were a seminal influence on many acts of that scene, particularly the new wave of British heavy metal , and later acts such as Metallica , who covered " Breadfan " and "Crash Course in Brain Surgery" on their album Garage Inc. The band have been noted as "among the heaviest metal of its day". After the 1970s, the phrase "power trio"

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1696-484: The electric guitar player in two roles; during much of the song, they play rhythm guitar, playing the chord progression for the song and performing the song's important riffs , and then switching to a lead guitar role during the guitar solo . While one or more band members typically sing while playing their instruments, power trios in hard rock and heavy metal music generally emphasize instrumental performance and overall sonic impact over vocals and lyrics. An example of

1749-430: The guitarist/singer in 1995. "You definitely get the feeling you're playing for him, rather than with him. It was pretty much the same with Rufus Thomas." Now I Got Worry was produced by Jon Spencer and Jim Waters and recorded at Easley Studio, Memphis; G-Son, Los Angeles; and Waterworks West, Tucson. These sessions were mostly between February 5 and 13, 1996 (the same time as the recording with R.L. Burnside). The album

1802-533: The keyboards that would usually fall on the guitarist, while bassist (and occasional guitarist) Greg Lake on vocals. In 1968, the power trio Manal was formed in Argentina , and were the first group that composed blues music in Spanish. Budgie were a Welsh Blues rock heavy metal band from Cardiff who formed in 1967. The band are considered a classic power trio who released ten albums. Budgie were one of

1855-523: The lyrics sung by Ron Hargrave. When the band signed with Matador Records they "asked for the 9xCD Stax-Volt Complete Singles 1959–1968...Matador made good with Stax, and the band enjoyed a decade-long partnership with the label". In late 1992 Jon Spencer Blues Explosion embarked on a long tour in the US supporting the Jesus Lizard . Frank Kozik designed posters for shows at Emo's, Austin, Texas and Kennel Club, San Francisco. Recording sessions for

1908-446: The mixing board". This session was issued in its entirety as the first album by The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, A Reverse Willie Horton . This was an unofficial album issued by "Pubic Pop Can", at some point between late 1991 and early 1992, in an edition of 500 or 1000 copies (the figure varies between sources). It has been suggested that the source of the bootleg was a dubbed copy of a cassette that Jon Spencer let somebody copy during

1961-568: The recording. On September 11, 1993 The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion appeared at Blast First event The Lost Weekend at London Astoria 2 with The Afghan Whigs , God Machine and Hair & Skin Trading Company. The accompanying Lost Weekend compilation album was limited to 3000 copies and included the song "Afro". 2000 copies were given to attendees of the two-day event and the remaining 1000 were sold via (now defunct) UK music weekly Melody Maker for £1.50 each. Their first TV appearance

2014-413: The rest of the band could also play at higher volumes while still being able to hear the bass. This allowed a three-person band to have the same sonic impact as a large band but left far more room for improvisation and creativity, unencumbered by the need for detailed arrangements. As with the organ trio , a 1960s-era soul jazz group centered on the amplified Hammond organ , a three-piece group could fill

2067-558: The song) and Mike D of the Beastie Boys . In August 1994, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion played a number of tour dates in Australia and New Zealand with Beck. In September 1994, they played in the Netherlands at Vera, Groningen on the 18th and recorded a live set for VPRO radio on the 25th. The VPRO session was issued as an unofficial 10" bootleg which included otherwise unreleased songs "Curfew Blues" and "Wriggle and Move" and

2120-422: The track "Colty" which was unavailable elsewhere until the 2010 Shout! Factory release of Year One which compiled every released track from both sessions with the exception of an alternate take of "Feeling of Love" (released on Dirty Shirt Rock N Roll: The First Ten Years ). The band made a music video for the song "Rachel" directed by Jim Spring and Jens Jurgensen which was later issued by Matador Records on

2173-457: The tracks "2 Brothers" and "Tojo Told Hitler" from A Ass Pocket of Whiskey would evolve into The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion song "Cool Vee" which was released as a b-side to "2Kindsa Love". "Have You Ever Been Lonely?" is a jam based on "Vacuum of Loneliness" originally released on the 1992 self-titled album. "It was pretty intimidating to go down [to Mississippi] and record with R.L. since he's such an idol of mine," says Spencer, who toured with

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2226-418: Was " Shakin' All Over ", memorable for opening guitars and solo from Joe Moretti . The rise of the power trio in the 1960s was made possible in part by developments in amplifier technology that greatly enhanced the volume of the electric guitar and bass. Particularly, the popularization of the electric bass guitar defined the bottom end and filled in the gaps. Since the amplified bass could also now be louder,

2279-482: Was "Shirt Jac" on In The Red Records (1992) also from the second recording session with Steve Albini. This was the first of the Explosion Juke Box Series singles inspired by "a similar series of Charlie Feathers released in the 70s" (the third single in the series, "Get With It", was actually an arrangement of a Feathers single from 1956). The b-side "Latch On" is a Jon Spencer arrangement of

2332-840: Was applied to the new wave group the Police , grunge band Nirvana , extreme metal bands Hellhammer and Gallhammer , alternative rock bands Hüsker Dü and Concrete Blonde , mod revivalists the Jam , hard rock/progressive metal band King's X , post-grunge band Silverchair , alternative bands the Presidents of the United States of America , Goo Goo Dolls , Primus , Everclear , Muse , and Eve 6 , pop punk bands such as Green Day , Blink-182 , Alkaline Trio and MxPx , and Argentine rock bands like Soda Stereo , Divididos , A.N.I.M.A.L. , and From Power Project. Also, by

2385-485: Was into it, but he was coy. he finally crossed over and became a full-fledged performer. He wanted to be watched. Extra Width was released in June 1993. "Afro" was later released as a 7" only single in the UK in 1994 and had a music video directed by Tom Surgal. This was the only single to be released from the album and featured b-side "Relax-Her" which is labelled as "Incidental" on the test pressing and introduced as such on

2438-463: Was issued in July 1994 by Au Go Go Records and made-up of out-takes from the Extra Width -era featuring covers of "There Stands The Glass" ( Webb Pierce ), "Beat of The Traps" (Teri Rodd & MSR Singers) and Ole Man Trouble ( Otis Redding ), an alternate mix of "Afro" with a much more prominent organ solo and "Rob K" features Rob Kennedy from The Workdogs and the song was later titled "Rob K

2491-465: Was on Channel 4 UK TV show The Word (Season 4, Episode 12) in February 1994, performing "Afro" and "History of Sex". Afterwards presenter Mark Lamarr said "they're the best live band I've ever seen." Also in early 1994 In The Red Records released "Train No. 3" and "Train No. 1" as the third installment of the Explosion Juke Box Series ("Train No. 2" appeared Extra Width ). Mo' Width

2544-545: Was part of the noise rock band Shithaus, with Tod Ashley ( Cop Shoot Cop , Firewater ), before moving to Washington, D.C. in 1985 where he formed the band Pussy Galore with Julia Cafritz , relocating to New York in May 1986. Spencer played and recorded with Gibson Bros., Boss Hog and The Honeymoon Killers prior to the formation of the Blues Explosion. Judah Bauer, from Appleton, Wisconsin , had been in an early line-up of The Spitters, and with Russell Simins, from Queens, New York , recorded as part of Crowbar Massage. It

2597-478: Was pissed off about a lot of things...so much shitty rock ’n’ roll that angered me, and Pussy Galore was kicking against that. With the Blues Explosion, there was some of that, but now I was into celebrating it." – Jon Spencer They were signed to the large independent label Matador Records between 1993 and 2002 in the US, Crypt Records between 1992 and 1994 in Germany and Mute Records between 1996 and 2005 in

2650-435: Was reissued with new remixes on CD and double vinyl and Orange was reissued on CD with an enhanced section featuring "Dang", "Flavor" and "Bellbottoms" music videos and on the vinyl edition was packaged with a poster. The album was reissued again in 2010 by Shout! Factory (US) / Shove Records (UK) as a double CD set this time combining Orange , Experimental Remixes and several rare, live and previously unreleased tracks. On

2703-405: Was released by Matador Records and Mute Records in October 1996 (reaching number 50 in the UK album chart) and features appearances by Thermos Malling of Doo Rag (credited with "Bang" on "2Kindsa Love"), Rufus Thomas and Money Mark and a cover version of "Fuck Shit Up" originally by Dub Narcotic Sound System with Judah Bauer on lead vocals. The Korean edition did not include "Fuck Shit Up" and

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2756-466: Was with Jerry Teel's Honeymoon Killers that Bauer, Simins and Spencer would all perform and record and from which they would go on to form The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Russell and I would rehearse with Honeymoon Killers and the rehearsal would be over and Russell and I would keep playing, eventually inviting Simins' friend Bauer to join in. The sound of The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion was informed by previous bands with influence taken from working with

2809-663: Was written in Tipp-Ex on an escalator hand-rail at Tottenham Court Road underground station in London (there was also a second part a bit further down the which just said "Damn"). Each of the covers features a slightly different photo by William Bankhead of the same text. The music video for "Wail" was directed by Weird Al Yankovic , reaching number 66 in the UK singles chart. In Melbourne , Australia , on September 6, 1997 The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion performed "2Kindsa Love" / "Flavor" on ABC's national, weekly morning youth program, Recovery . Jon Spencer can be seen running through

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