Jesus Jones

Last updated

Jesus Jones
Jesus Jones 2011.jpg
Jesus Jones performing in 2011
Background information
Origin Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, England
Genres
Years active1988–present
Labels
Members
  • Mike Edwards
  • Jerry De Borg
  • Al Doughty
  • Iain Baker
  • Gen (Simon Matthews)
Past membersTony Arthy
Website www.jesusjones.com

Jesus Jones are a British alternative rock band from Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire, formed in late 1988, who continue to record and perform, as of 2021. [5] [6] Their track "Right Here, Right Now" was an international hit, and was subsequently globally licensed for promotional and advertising campaigns. The single was also nominated for a Grammy award at the 34th Annual Grammy Awards in 1991, as was its album, Doubt . [7] They also achieved chart success with the songs "Real Real Real", "International Bright Young Thing" and "Info Freako".

Contents

Career

Formation and Liquidizer (1986–1989)

Incorporating elements of electronic music styles such as house and techno to an indie rock format, along with fellow British groups such as The Shamen, Pop Will Eat Itself and EMF, Jesus Jones were one of the leading purveyors of the early 1990s alternative dance scene. In late 1988, while on holiday in Spain, Mike Edwards, Gen, and Al Doughty decided to leave the band they were in at the time, and form their own band. The name of the band came about when they realised that they were three "Joneses" sitting on a beach in Spain surrounded by people called Jesus. Back in London they advertised in the music press for a guitarist, and Jerry De Borg joined the band. Edwards had recently met Iain Baker in a pub in North London, they had got talking as they recognised each other as skateboarders, due to their footwear. Edwards asked Baker to join as the keyboardist and the line-up was complete.

They achieved initial critical acclaim with their 1989 album Liquidizer , and in particular, the single "Info Freako", which featured buzzing rock guitars with samples and a hip-hop sensibility, relatively new at the time. [5] The track was particularly championed by Bruno Brookes on his BBC Radio 1 programme.

Doubt and Perverse (1990–1995)

In the spring of 1990, Jesus Jones recorded their second album, Doubt , but their record label was forced to delay its release until the beginning of 1991.[ why? ] The album sold well, due to the success of "Right Here, Right Now". The song is about the swift end of the Cold War, and reached No. 2 in the US and No. 31 in the UK. [8] [9] In June 1990, Jesus Jones appeared at the Glastonbury Festival. [10]

Other singles from Doubt included "Real, Real, Real" and "International Bright Young Thing", which became two of their biggest hit singles in the UK, reaching No. 19 and No. 7 respectively in the UK Singles Chart. [9] In 1991, Jesus Jones were the only UK winners when they won the Best New Artist award at the MTV Awards. [11] In April 1991, the British music magazine NME reported that their US tour had sold out before Jesus Jones arrived in the country. [12]

The follow-up to Doubt was Perverse (1993), a darker and more industrial based album, which, though a big seller, did not reach the worldwide hit status of Doubt. Perverse was one of the first rock albums recorded entirely digitally. [13]

Already and London (1996–2003)

After the release of the Perverse album, Jesus Jones took an extended hiatus and did not return to the recording studio until December 1996. After the recording of their fourth album, drummer Gen left the band before the album was released. They released their fourth album, titled Already , in 1997 after which Jesus Jones and their record label EMI parted company. The final months of the band are chronicled in the PDF book written by Mike Edwards "Death Threats From An 8 Year Old In The Seychelles", which was available for a time from the band's website. The band remained in contact and came back with a new drummer Tony Arthy with the low-selling London in 2001 on the indie record label Mi5 Recordings. EMI issued Never Enough: the Best of Jesus Jones, a greatest hits compilation album whilst the band moved from the North American-only Mi5 to the newly established Mi5 Recordings UK.

Later activities (2004–present)

With the exception of the release of the Culture Vulture EP in 2004, no new material from the band had been released between 2001 and 2018. However, in 2010, a series of download albums were released to Amazon.co.uk. The release consisted of six different albums containing "in concert" performances at the BBC. Most were EPs but a few were live albums.

The single "Right Here, Right Now" was resurrected in 2006 as an advertising jingle for the American retailer Kmart, in an image campaign for CBS News, and in promotional advertisements for the now defunct television channel, TechTV. Ford Motor Company used "Right Here, Right Now" in their 2010 televisual advertising campaign. A cover of the song was also recorded by New Zealand band The Feelers to use in advertising for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. [14] In 2011 the band released The Collection & Other Rarities , which included many of their B-side tracks as well as demos and rarities. [15]

In November 2014, EMI reissued all four of the band's albums in a special CD+DVD bundle. In addition to the original album's tracks the reissues feature radio sessions, long-deleted b-sides, rare remixes and alternate versions. The DVDs include rare live concert footage and other extras. [16]

In a 2015 interview for the online periodical Soot Magazine band leader Mike Edwards acknowledged that, besides re-recording some older tracks with new arrangements, he was in the process of writing material for a new album: "I am writing new stuff – I was actually writing some new material yesterday and I have loads of little bits and pieces ticking over." [17]

Since the mid-2000s, Jesus Jones have continued performing live. In August 2011, the band went on a short tour (dubbed on one poster "The World's Smallest World Tour"), playing three shows in Australia before closing with a show in Japan. In November 2011, the band were due to perform in the UK in Birmingham and London, but the dates were postponed due to bass player Al Doughty being ill. They took place in January 2012. The band also toured the UK in December 2013 as part of The Wonder Stuff's Sleigh The UK tour. In March 2015, the band again returned to Australia and New Zealand for a five city tour. [18]

On 24 December 2013, the band announced the resignation of drummer Tony Arthy. Having been with the band for 13 years, Arthy had replaced original drummer Simon "Gen" Matthews who had left after the rocky completion of Already . On 1 January 2014, the band announced that Matthews would be rejoining the band. [19]

The band announced that a new album called Passages would be released in 2017. On 9 November 2017, Iain Baker posted an update via PledgeMusic.com that the album release was being postponed until 20 April 2018 due mainly to the logistics of the release.[ citation needed ] The album was finally released 20 April 2018 via PledgeMusic.

Band members

Former members

Discography

[20]

Studio albums

TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions Certifications
UK
[21]
AUS
[22] [23]
CAN
[24]
EUR
[25]
FIN
[26]
GER
[27]
NED
[28]
NZ
[29]
SWE
[30]
US
[31]
Liquidizer
  • Released: 2 October 1989
  • Label: Food (#FOOD3)
  • Formats: LP, CS, CD
32118
Doubt
  • Released: 26 January 1991
  • Label: Food (#FOOD5)
  • Formats: LP, CS, CD
1233510625
Perverse
  • Released: 25 January 1993
  • Label: Food (#FOOD8)
  • Formats: LP, CS, CD
6323839139663502959
Already
  • Released: 18 August 1997
  • Label: Food (#FOOD22)
  • Formats: CS, CD
161
London
  • Released: 9 October 2001
  • Label: Mi5
  • Formats: CD
Passages
  • Released: 20 April 2018
  • Label: Jesus Jones Recordings
  • Formats: LP, CD, download
"—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Compilation albums

EPs

YearTitleTracksPeak chart positions
UK
[21]
1989Food Christmas63
2004 Culture Vulture
  • "Culture Vulture"
  • "Find The Dial"
  • "Head In The Sand"
  • "Halfway House"
2016 How's This Even Going Down?
  • "How's This Even Going Down?"
  • "Stripped"
  • "Fall"
"—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Singles

YearTitlePeak chart positionsAlbum
UK
[21]
AUS
[22] [23] [36]
CAN
[37]
EUR
[38]
FIN
[26]
GER
[39]
NED
[28]
NZ
[29]
US
[31]
US
Alt.

[31]
1989"Info Freako"42Liquidizer
"Never Enough"42
"Bring It on Down"46
1990"Real Real Real"1911710485937426Doubt
"Right Here, Right Now"313518871384612921
"International Bright Young Thing"7795829226
1991"Who? Where? Why?"211678248
"Right Here, Right Now" (re-issue)3187
1992"The Devil You Know"1054473477151Perverse
1993"The Right Decision"368812
"Zeroes and Ones"3078
1997"The Next Big Thing"49Already
"Chemical No.1"71
2002"Nowhere Slow"London
"Come on Home"
"In the Face of All of This"
2005"Right Here Right Now"
(Robbie Rivera featuring Jesus Jones)
Non-album single
2016"How's This Even Going Down?"Passages
"Suck it Up"
"—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Video albums

Other

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Real Real Real</span> 1990 single by Jesus Jones

"Real Real Real" is a song by UK band Jesus Jones from their second album, Doubt (1991). It was released in March 1990 as the first single from Doubt, just prior to the release of the album. "Real Real Real" peaked at No. 19 on the UK Singles Chart and became the band's second top-10 US hit, peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1991.

<i>Perverse</i> (album) 1993 studio album by Jesus Jones

Perverse is the third studio album by British rock band Jesus Jones, released in 1993 on Food Records. After their international success following the release of Doubt (1991), Jesus Jones, especially band leader Mike Edwards, conceived Perverse as a darker, more contemporary album. Fusing rave and techno music into more traditional rock and pop song structures, the album is heavier than its predecessors with a much greater inclusion of industrial music and features lyrics that concern the future. Edwards wrote the lyrics of the album during the band's 1991 tour, using a Roland W-30 sampler to conceive songs in their earliest stages.

<i>Already</i> (Jesus Jones album) 1997 studio album by Jesus Jones

Already is the fourth album by the British rock band Jesus Jones, first released in 1997.

<i>London</i> (Jesus Jones album) 2001 studio album by Jesus Jones

London is the fifth album by the British rock band Jesus Jones in 2001 through Koch Records. Following the commercial failure of 1997's Already which led to the band and EMI parting ways, the band took a hiatus before regathering for the recording of London for Koch/Mi5 Recordings, with a more alternative rock approach as opposed to the techno sounds on their previous albums. The album had low-key promotion, initially only being released in the United States. Two EP's were released from the album, "Nowhere Slow" and "In the Face Of All This".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Right Here, Right Now (Jesus Jones song)</span> 1990 single by Jesus Jones

"Right Here, Right Now" is a song by British alternative dance band Jesus Jones from their second studio album, Doubt (1991). It was released as the album's second single on 24 September 1990. Although it spent only nine nonconsecutive weeks on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 31, it became a top-10 hit in the United States; it topped the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1991. The single sold over one million copies, won a BMI award, and was the song most played on college radio in 1991.

<i>Never Enough: The Best of Jesus Jones</i> 2002 compilation album by Jesus Jones

Never Enough: The Best of Jesus Jones is a compilation album/greatest hits album by British alternative rock/dance band Jesus Jones, released by the band's former record label EMI on 27 May 2002.

"International Bright Young Thing" is a song by British alternative dance band Jesus Jones. It was released as the third single from their second album, Doubt. The song was included on Jesus Jones's compilation album Never Enough: The Best of Jesus Jones, released in 2002.

References

  1. Raggett, Ned (3 October 2011). "Right There, Right Then: Jesus Jones' Alternative History of 1991". PopMatters . Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  2. Greene, Jo-Ann. "Jesus Jones - Live at the Marquee". AllMusic . Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  3. "The Year In Music". Spin . 9 (9). December 1991.
  4. Thornton, Tim (2009). The Alternative Hero. Knopf Doubleday. p. 181. ISBN   978-0307272362.
  5. 1 2 Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. p. 504. ISBN   1-84195-017-3.
  6. "Jesus Jones: Tour Dates". Jesus Jones. 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  7. "Jesus Jones". GRAMMY.com. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  8. Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 486. CN 5585.
  9. 1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 282. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  10. Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 471. CN 5585.
  11. Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 488. CN 5585.
  12. Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 483. CN 5585.
  13. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Perverse – Jesus Jones | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  14. "Jesus Jones tune massacre". nzherald.com. 4 April 2010.
  15. "The Collection – Jesus Jones | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  16. "Album Reissues with Extras CD+DVD packs". Jesus Jones. 9 October 2014. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  17. "Quick & Dirty: Jesus Jones – Soot MagazineSoot Magazine". Sootmagazine.com. 21 December 2015. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  18. "touring Australia and New Zealand in March 2015". Jesus Jones. 30 October 2014. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  19. "Jesus Jones". Facebook. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  20. "Jesus Jones: Discography". Jesus Jones. 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  21. 1 2 3 UK chart peaks:
  22. 1 2 Australian chart peaks:
    • Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
    • "Australian chart peaks". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  23. 1 2 "Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing 7 October 1991" . Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  24. Canadian albums chart peaks:
  25. European albums chart peaks:
  26. 1 2 "Finnish chart peaks". suomenlistalevyt. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  27. German albums chart peaks:
    • "Perverse". offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  28. 1 2 "Dutch chart peaks". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  29. 1 2 "New Zealand chart peaks". charts.nz. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  30. "Swedish chart peaks". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  31. 1 2 3 "US chart peaks". Billboard . Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  32. 1 2 "Certified Awards Search". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved on 15 October 2020. Note: User needs to enter "Jesus Jones" in the "Search BPI Awards" field and press Enter
  33. "Music Canada > Gold & Platinum > Jesus Jones". Music Canada . Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  34. "New Zealand Certification - Jesus Jones (Doubt)". RMNZ . Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  35. "RIIA: Searchable database (Jesus Jones)". RIAA . Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  36. "Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing 30 March 1992". Bubbling Down Under. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  37. Canadian singles chart peaks:
  38. European singles chart peaks:
  39. German singles chart peaks:

Further reading