Jeff Janiak

Last updated

Jeff Janiak
Jeff Janiak.jpg
Janiak in 2018
Background information
Birth nameJeffrey Richard Janiak
Born (1976-11-04) November 4, 1976 (age 47)
Livingston, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer
Years active
  • 1989–1994
  • 2002–present
Labels
Member of
Formerly of Broken Bones
  • Wasted Life
  • Dead Heros
  • Chaotic Discharge

Jeff "JJ" Janiak (born November 4, 1976) is an American/British singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of hardcore punk band Discharge and darkwave band False Fed. [1] [2] [3] [4] He was also the vocalist for Broken Bones, Dead Heros and Wasted Life. [5] Janiak has contributed to various other musical projects and has toured internationally. [6] His vocal style has been described as shouting, harsh and guttural. [7] [8]

Contents

Life and career

Jeff Janiak was born in Livingston, New Jersey on November 4, 1976, and spent the first years of his life in Irvington, New Jersey until moving to Toms River, New Jersey in the late 1970s. [9] Janiak is a relative of the actor William Campbell. [10] Janiak had a major interest in horror films and occult books during his youth. [11] Janiak described himself to Metal Transistor as "a strange kid that felt like he couldn't fit in anywhere". [12]

Janiak started skateboarding at a young age, and eventually would start skating competitively winning numerous competitions which would land him a sponsorship. Janiak was then recruited by local pro skateboarder Jeff Jones to ride for his demo team, which would see Janiak doing skate demos around the tri-state area. [9]

His introduction to music started when he began listening to his parents records and his mother gave him her copy of The Monster Mash. [10] By the age of ten, Janiak was introduced to punk rock music through skateboarding, then later hearing the Dead Kennedys Plastic Surgery Disasters album which ultimately gained his attention to the genre. [5] At the age of 13, Janiak attended his first punk rock gig watching Ramones at City Gardens in Trenton, New Jersey. [13]

Janiak's introduction to playing music began at the age of 12 when he taught himself how to play the drums, then at the age of 14, he started his first band Chaotic Discharge. [5] Janiak attended Toms River High School East, then at age 17 he dropped out of high school and went missing. Janiak went to Philadelphia for a short period, and was staying in a squat. He briefly returned to New Jersey, only to play his final gig with Chaotic Discharge at The Stone Pony. After the gig, Janiak hitched a ride to the Lower East Side of Manhattan where he had got involved in the anarcho punk scene and ended up squatting in an abandoned community building until it was shut down by the NYPD. [9] After the squat was shut, Janiak spent the remainder of his time in New York City living in and around Tompkins Square Park. During this time, he developed a drug addiction which would last from his late teens to his mid twenties. His whereabouts were discovered when he was seen on a news report about the anniversary of the 1988 Tompkins Square Park riot. [9] Multiple photos of Janiak began to emerge in various publications about punk rock, anarchy and fashion from during his time living in New York. [14] [15] [16]

At age 21, Janiak was arrested and charged with drug possession. He served time at the Garden State Youth Correctional Facility. [9] Upon his release, Janiak cleaned himself up and started a career in the automotive industry spray painting cars. [17] After an eight year hiatus, Janiak returned to writing and playing music. Janiak made his come back not as a drummer, but as a vocalist. He had joined the band Dead Heros in 2002. [18] In 2003, Janiak recorded his first release with the band at Twain Studios with recording engineer Bob Both and producer Marty Munsch who would teach Janiak the basics of recording production. [10] In 2008, Janiak left Dead Heros. He then left the US and moved to Stoke-on-Trent, England. [5]

Janiak (center) with Discharge in 2017 Discharge in 2017.jpg
Janiak (center) with Discharge in 2017

In 2009, he attended a local gig and met members of the punk band Wasted Life and soon joined their ranks as vocalist until 2013. [9] In 2012, Janiak joined the punk / crossover thrash band Broken Bones, [19] and in 2014, Janiak was recruited by punk band Discharge. [20] In 2016, Janiak made his vocal debut with Discharge on the End of Days album which was released by Nuclear Blast Records. [21] The album reached number 10 in the Official UK rock charts and number 23 in The Indie Charts. [22] [23] In October 2016, Discharge did a North American tour in support of the album. [24] Upon the bands arrival in Canada, Janiak was detained at customs due to his previous criminal charges and was initially denied entry into the country. It was then decided in Janiak's favor to grant him a temporary visa which would allow him to play their gig in Vancouver, but he had to leave the country the following day. [25]

During the corona virus pandemic in 2020, Janiak formed the Darkwave / Post-punk band False Fed and was joined by members of Amebix and Ministry. The band recorded their debut album "Let Them Eat Fake" on Neurot Recordings and it was released in October 2023. [26]

Influence

Janiak has stated that Jim Morrison of The Doors was the biggest influence on his vocal style. [27]

Discography

False Fed

Studio albums

Discharge

Studio albums

Singles

Live albums

Music videos

DVD

Broken Bones

EPs

Music videos

Wasted Life

Studio albums

EPs

Music videos

Dead Heros

Singles

Live albums

Compilation

Demos

Chaotic Discharge

Collaborations

Jeff Janiak studio collaborations
YearSongArtist
2017"Let's Hang"Suspect
2019"Alphabetty Spaghetti" Paranoid Visions
2019"Conspiracy" Blitzkrieg
2020"Free Speech for the Dumb"Deafbrick [39]
2020"Deflated"Star Control [40]
2020"Pharamaceutikill"Unholy Alliance

Live

Film and TV appearances

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bad Brains</span> American rock band

Bad Brains are an American band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1976. They are widely regarded as pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members have objected to the use of this term to describe their music. They are also an adept reggae band, while later recordings featured elements of other genres like funk, heavy metal, hip hop, and soul. Rolling Stone magazine called them "the mother of all black hard-rock bands", and they have been cited as a seminal influence to numerous other subgenres in addition to hardcore punk, including various subgenres of heavy metal, such as thrash/speed metal, alternative metal, and funk metal. Bad Brains are followers of the Rastafari movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suicidal Tendencies</span> American crossover thrash band

Suicidal Tendencies is an American crossover thrash band formed in 1980 in Venice, Los Angeles, California, by vocalist Mike Muir. The band has undergone various lineup changes, with Muir as the only remaining original member. Their current lineup includes Muir, guitarists Dean Pleasants and Ben Weinman, bassist Tye Trujillo and drummer Greyson Nekrutman. Notable musicians who have contributed to the band's studio or live activities include guitarists Rocky George and Mike Clark, bassists Louiche Mayorga, Robert Trujillo, Ra Díaz, Josh Paul and Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner, and drummers Amery Smith, Jimmy DeGrasso, Brooks Wackerman, David Hidalgo Jr., Thomas Pridgen, Dave Lombardo, Brandon Pertzborn and session musician Josh Freese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Killswitch Engage</span> American metalcore band

Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbanding of Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, bassist Mike D'Antonio, and drummer Justin Foley. The band has released eight studio albums and three live performance albums. Their eighth studio album, Atonement, was released on August 16, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stiff Little Fingers</span> Northern Irish punk rock band

Stiff Little Fingers are an Ulster punk rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK). They formed in 1977 at the height of the Troubles, which informed much of their songwriting. They started out as a schoolboy band called Highway Star, doing rock covers, until they discovered punk. They were the first punk band in Belfast to release a record – the "Suspect Device" single came out on their own independent label, Rigid Digits. Their album Inflammable Material, released in partnership with Rough Trade, became the first independent LP to enter the UK top 20.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Exploited</span> Scottish punk rock band

The Exploited are a Scottish punk rock band from Edinburgh, formed in 1978 by Stevie Ross and Terry Buchan, with Buchan soon replaced by his brother Wattie Buchan. They signed to Secret Records in March 1981, and their debut EP, Army Life, and debut album, Punks Not Dead, were both released that year. The band maintained a large cult following in the 1980s among a hardcore working class punk and skinhead audience. Originally a street punk band, the Exploited eventually became a crossover thrash band with the release of their album Death Before Dishonour in 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drowning Pool</span> American rock band

Drowning Pool is an American rock band formed in Dallas, Texas, in 1996. The band was named after the 1975 film The Drowning Pool. Since its formation, the band has consisted of guitarist C.J. Pierce, bassist Stevie Benton, and drummer Mike Luce, as well as a revolving cast of vocalists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metal Church</span> American heavy metal band

Metal Church is an American heavy metal band formed in 1980. Originally based in San Francisco, California, they relocated to Aberdeen, Washington the following year and briefly called themselves Shrapnel. Led by guitarist and songwriter Kurdt Vanderhoof, the band has released thirteen studio albums and is considered to be an integral part of the Seattle heavy metal music scene of the 1980s. They achieved considerable popularity that decade, with two of their first three albums entering the Top 100 on the US Billboard 200 chart. The band's early lyrical topics such as conflict and paranoia later expanded into philosophical, political and social commentary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duff McKagan</span> American musician (born 1964)

Michael Andrew "Duff" McKagan is an American musician. He was the bassist of hard rock band Guns N' Roses for twelve years, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. McKagan rejoined the band in 2016, following their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Cheap Sex is an American street punk band formed in December 2002, based in San Diego, California. Besides releasing three albums, the band participated in some compilations, including the Pure Punk Rock DVD, released by Punk Core Records, also featuring Action, the Casualties, Blood or Whiskey, Defiance, the Havoc, Lower Class Brats, the Messengers, the Scarred and the Virus, the last one being Mike Virus' previous band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Discharge (band)</span> English punk band

Discharge are an English hardcore punk band formed in 1977 in Stoke-on-Trent, England. The band is known for influencing several sub-genres of extreme music and their songs have been covered by some of the biggest names in heavy metal and other genres. The musical sub-genre of D-beat is named after Discharge and the band's distinctive drumbeat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carcass (band)</span> British extreme metal band

Carcass are an English extreme metal band from Liverpool, formed in 1985. The band have gone through several line-up changes, leaving guitarist Bill Steer and bassist-vocalist Jeff Walker as the only constant members. They broke up in 1996, but reformed in 2007 without one of their original members, drummer Ken Owen, due to health reasons. To date, the band have released seven studio albums, two compilation albums, four EPs, two demo albums, one video album, and six music videos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crowbar (American band)</span> American sludge metal band

Crowbar is an American sludge metal band formed in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1990. The band is fronted by vocalist/guitarist Kirk Windstein, Crowbar's sole constant member. Through infusing a slow, low-keyed, brooding doom metal sound with the aggression of hardcore punk, they pioneered a style known as sludge metal – albeit Windstein admitted a mild dislike to the term – alongside other bands of the New Orleans heavy metal scene such as Eyehategod, Soilent Green, Acid Bath, and Down.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Hanneman</span> American guitarist (1964–2013)

Jeffrey John Hanneman was an American musician, best known as a founding member and guitarist of the thrash metal band Slayer. Hanneman composed both music and lyrics for every Slayer album until his death in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trouble (band)</span> American doom metal band

Trouble is an American doom metal band from Aurora, Illinois, formed in 1981. They are often considered one of the pioneers of doom metal, and have been referred to as one of the genre's "big four" alongside Candlemass, Pentagram and Saint Vitus. The band created a distinct style, taking influences of the British heavy metal bands Black Sabbath and Judas Priest, and psychedelic rock of the 1960s.

Broken Bones are an English hardcore punk band, formed in 1983 by Anthony "Bones" Roberts. He soon recruited his brother Terence "Tezz" Roberts. Bones and Tezz had previously played in the band Discharge. They took their influences from their time in Discharge as a basis for Broken Bones, but infused a faster and more "metal" influenced sound, helping evolve the genre known as crossover. They have released eight albums, three EPs and a number of singles. The band has had a number of line-up changes over time and have toured internationally.

Nancy Vandal is an Australian punk rock band, which was formed in 1993 by Mike Foxall and Jeff Moore. The band were named successively as Meataxe, Hard Axe to Follow and Nancy Vandal and the Popgun Assassins before settling on its shorter form. They disbanded in 2001, had a reunion performance in 2003 and reformed in 2009.

Bob Both is an American recording engineer and record producer, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1970s.

<i>Dystopia</i> (Megadeth album) 2016 studio album by Megadeth

Dystopia is the fifteenth studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth. It was released on frontman and guitarist Dave Mustaine's Tradecraft label via Universal on January 22, 2016. It is the first Megadeth album to feature guitarist Kiko Loureiro, the only album with drummer Chris Adler, and their last with bassist David Ellefson. The album was produced by Mustaine and Chris Rakestraw and features cover artwork by Brent Elliot White.

<i>End of Days</i> (Discharge album) 2016 studio album by Discharge

End of Days is the seventh studio album by English hardcore punk band Discharge, released on 29 April 2016 by Nuclear Blast.

References

  1. ↑ "Discharge: Interview with singer Jeff Janiak of the D-Beat Legend". magazine.awayfromlife.com. March 8, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  2. ↑ "INTERVIEW WITH J.J. JANIAK OF DISCHARGE". www.metal-rules.com. February 12, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  3. ↑ "DISCHARGE Vocalist JEFF 'JJ JANIAK Discusses Joining Band, Signing To NUCLEAR BLAST, 'End Of Days' Album". www.blabbermouth.net. May 27, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  4. ↑ "DISCHARGE Frontman JEFF JANIAK Talks New Album End Of Days – "It Stands Up To A Lot Of The Earlier Stuff"". bravewords.com. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Interview: Discharge". invictamagazine.com. February 6, 2019. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  6. ↑ Mark Freebase. "New World Order". Down For Life Magazine. p. 72. Spring 2020, Big Cheese Publishing
  7. ↑ "Iggy Pop, Fidlar, Discharge highlight Punk Rock Bowling". reviewjournal.com. May 31, 2017. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Discharge – End of Days (Album Review)". wallofsoundau.com. April 8, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 The NYHC Chronicles LIVE! Ep. #58 Jeff "JJ" Janiak (Discharge / Broken Bones / Dead Heros). stonefilmsnyc. September 9, 2020. Archived from the original on April 24, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022– via YouTube.
  10. 1 2 3 "Talking Heads: Discharge". Record Collector Magazine. Diamond Publishing Ltd. 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2021.[ date missing ][ page needed ]
  11. ↑ "The 11 best Misfits songs according to Discharge's JJ". loudersound.com. May 2, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Discharge – "Absolute freedom, non-conformity"". www.metaltransistor.com. January 11, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Interview: Discharge". February 6, 2019. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  14. ↑ Wojcik, Daniel Dean (1995). Punk And Neo-Tribal Body Art (1st ed.). University Press Of Mississippi. p. 43. ISBN   0-87805-736-6.
  15. ↑ Cubana, Gloria. Days Of War Nights Of Love (2nd ed.). Crimethink Inc. p. 68.
  16. ↑ Swid, Jill. "Hair Club". Spin Magazine. p.113. September 1994 Published by Bob Guccione Jr.
  17. ↑ Ebersole, Stewart Dean (October 2012). Barred For Life: How Black Flag's Iconic Logo Became Punk Rocks Secret Handshake (1st ed.). PM Press. p. 292. ISBN   978-1-60486-394-9.
  18. ↑ Helge Schreiber (2015). "Discharge". Artcore fanzine. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  19. ↑ Miles Hackett. "Bones Brigade". Vive Le Rock (magazine). p. 28. Issue 22, 2014, Big Cheese Publishing
  20. ↑ Eugene Butcher. "Sonic Violence". Vive Le Rock (magazine). p. 38. 2016, Big Cheese Publishing
  21. ↑ "DISCHARGE Signs With NUCLEAR BLAST". blabbermouth.net. November 4, 2015. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". officialcharts.com. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". officialcharts.com. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  24. ↑ "DISCHARGE's North American Tour With EYEHATEGOD And TOXIC HOLOCAUST Is Back On". metalinjection.net. July 8, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  25. ↑ "DISCHARGE Banned from Canada; plays final Canadian show!". allabouttherock.co.uk. October 6, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  26. ↑ "Full Album Stream: False Fed – "Let Them Eat Fake"". decibelmagazine.com. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Soundtracks of My Youth Part 3". metalcrypt.com. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  28. ↑ "DISCHARGE To Release 'End Of Days' Album In April". blabbermouth.net. February 10, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  29. ↑ "DISCHARGE – "New World Order" video". idioteq.com. June 7, 2015. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  30. ↑ "Discharge stream new track 'Hatebomb'". distortedsoundmag.com. March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  31. ↑ "DISCHARGE Releases Official Music Video For 'The Broken Law'". blabbermouth.net. November 24, 2017. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  32. ↑ "New documentary on the iconic punk band Discharge set for release". therockpit.net. October 7, 2019. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  33. ↑ BROKEN BONES - TREAD ON ME - HARDCORE WORLDWIDE (OFFICIAL HD VERSION HCWW). HARDCORE WORLDWIDE. September 8, 2014. Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2022– via YouTube.
  34. ↑ "Wasted Life – It Means Nuthin' When You're Dead". punknews.org. March 20, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  35. ↑ Wasted Life - "Bad Habits" STP Records. BlankTV. January 7, 2014. Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2022– via YouTube.
  36. ↑ Wasted Life - Why Me (2011). FALSE FLAG. February 22, 2011. Archived from the original on April 30, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2022– via YouTube.
  37. ↑ Paradise, Thomas Dean. Wax & Violence Discography: U.S. Streetpunk, Oi ! & Bootboy Rock 'n' Roll (1st ed.). p. 99.
  38. ↑ Paradise, Thomas Dean. Wax & Violence Discography: U.S. Streetpunk, Oi ! & Bootboy Rock 'n' Roll (1st ed.). p. 98.
  39. ↑ "DEAFBRICK is the Language of the Acid-Gods". cvltnation.com. September 2, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  40. ↑ "New band ! Desks: New music from Evil Blizzard Mark & Friends". louderthanwar.com. March 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  41. ↑ "LIVE REVIEW: Max & Iggor Cavalera @ O2 Academy 2, Birmingham". distortedsoundmag.com. December 30, 2019. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  42. ↑ "Listen/Watch: Members of Megadeth, Amon Amarth, Dragonforce, Discharge, and More Cover Motörhead's "Ace of Spades"". metalsucks.net. July 21, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.