Luscious Jackson

Last updated
Luscious Jackson
Luscious Jackson, 2014.jpg
Luscious Jackson in 2014
Background information
Origin Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Genres
Years active1991–2000, 2011–2017
Labels Grand Royal, Capitol
Members
Past members Vivian Trimble
Website lusciousjackson.us

Luscious Jackson is an alternative rock/rap-rock group formed in 1991. [2] The band's name is a reference to former American basketball player Lucious Jackson. [3]

Contents

The original band consisted of Jill Cunniff (lead vocals, bass), Gabby Glaser (vocals, guitar), and Vivian Trimble (keyboards, vocals). Drummer Kate Schellenbach joined the band midway through the recording of their 1992 debut EP In Search of Manny . [2]

Between 1993 and 2000, the band released one EP, three full-length LPs, and ten singles on the Beastie Boys' Grand Royal label. Their biggest hit—and only Billboard Hot 100 entry—was "Naked Eye". Other singles include "Here", "Daughters of the Kaos", "Citysong", "Under Your Skin" and "Ladyfingers".

Keyboardist Vivian Trimble left the group in 1998, [4] and in 2000 the group announced their breakup, after releasing one album as a trio. February 2007 saw the release of the group's Greatest Hits .

In 2011, the three remaining members announced that they had reunited and were planning to make new music. [5] The band released two new albums, including a children's album, in November 2013.

History

1991–1993

In 1991, Jill Cunniff and Gabby Glaser (the niece of graphic designer Milton Glaser) created the first Luscious Jackson demo with tip money from their restaurant jobs. The band's name was derived from a malapropism of the name of former American basketball player Lucious Jackson, after the band members heard an announcer on ESPN's SportsCenter mispronounce Jackson's first name as "Luscious" and thought it would make for a great band name. [3] Their first live performance was opening for Beastie Boys and Cypress Hill at the now-defunct Building in lower New York City. The Beastie Boys asked Luscious Jackson to be the first band on their Grand Royal label.

Former Beastie Boys band member Kate Schellenbach soon joined Luscious Jackson on drums, while Vivian Trimble took keyboard and backing vocal duties. [6]

Three tracks from the original Luscious Jackson demo, along with four new songs, were released in 1992 as the In Search of Manny EP. [2] "Let Yourself Get Down" and "Daughters of the Kaos" were issued as promotional singles, while a video was also filmed for the latter.

1994–1995

After previewing two new recordings from their forthcoming album on the promotional Daughters of the Kaos EP, Luscious Jackson released their first full-length LP for the Grand Royal label, Natural Ingredients (1994). [7] The album spawned three minor hits with "Citysong", "Deep Shag" and "Here", the latter featured in the film Clueless (1995). In addition, all three singles had music videos which received airplay on MTV.

The years 1994 and 1995 brought continued success for the band. They took part in the Lollapalooza tour and were the musical guest on numerous television shows, including Saturday Night Live , Viva Variety and MTV's 120 Minutes . They were also featured in a fashion segment on MTV's House of Style and on the Nickelodeon series The Adventures of Pete and Pete in the episode titled "Dance Fever", where the band performed "Angel", "Satellite", "Pele Merengue" and "Here" at Little Pete's first junior high dance.

While on tour in 1995, Trimble and Cunniff recorded a collection of mellow, acoustic-driven songs under the name Kostars, titled Klassics with a "K" . [2] The album was released in 1996 and featured contributions by Schellenbach and Glaser, as well as Gene and Dean Ween of Ween, and was produced by Josephine Wiggs, bass player of the Breeders.

1996–1997

The time between 1996 and 1997 was Luscious Jackson's most commercially successful period. While promoting the release of their second full-length album, 1996's Fever In Fever Out (produced by Daniel Lanois), [2] they scored their first Billboard Top 40 hit with "Naked Eye". Two follow-up singles were released: "Under Your Skin" and "Why Do I Lie?", the latter of which was featured in the Gus Van Sant film Good Will Hunting (1997).

During this time, Luscious Jackson's "Nice Duds" fan club members received a 10-track CD album of demos and live rarities titled Tip Top Starlets.

1998–2000

In 1998, Luscious Jackson recorded George Gershwin's "I've Got a Crush on You" for the Red Hot Organization's compilation album Red Hot + Rhapsody , a tribute to Gershwin which raised money for various charities devoted to increasing AIDS awareness and fighting the disease. Luscious Jackson were featured in an ad campaign for the Gap throughout 1998 and 1999. Their Christmas ad "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" was voted the most popular of the campaign in TV Guide .

In April of that year, Trimble left Luscious Jackson to pursue other interests, stating that she had grown tired of touring and wanted to ground herself in New York City. [4] Two years later, Trimble and Josephine Wiggs released a self-titled album under the name Dusty Trails.

In 1999, Luscious Jackson (recording as a trio) released their third full-length LP, Electric Honey . [8] The single "Ladyfingers" was a moderate success, with the video put into heavy rotation on VH1. "Ladyfingers" was also featured in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series episode "Beer Bad", as well as the "Witch Trial" episode of Charmed . A second single, "Nervous Breakthrough", was issued without a music video or commercial single release. Plans for releasing "Devotion" as the third single from Electric Honey were scrapped as interest in the album waned, although a radio/single remix was prepared.

The band embarked upon a tour that year with Cibo Matto, and both bands had performed at that year's Lilith Fair. [9] Trimble was replaced by Singh Birdsong on keyboards, and the touring group was joined by DJ Alex Young and bassist/percussionist Tia Sprocket. [10] In August, the tour included a date at the Opera House in Toronto. [11]

In 2000, Luscious Jackson announced they would no longer be recording or touring, as they wanted to spend more time with their families. [6]

Greatest hits and solo albums

In February 2007, Capitol Records released a Greatest Hits album.

On February 20, 2007, Cunniff released her first solo album, City Beach , on the Militia Group label.

On June 26, 2007, Glaser released her debut solo album, Gimme Splash, via Latchkey Recordings.

Reunion (2011–present)

In 2006, Luscious Jackson announced plans to reunite to record a new album of songs for children. By September of that year, the band had completed eleven tracks for the album and was seeking a label to release it. It was untitled, although Cunniff told MTV she wanted to call it It's All Goo. [12]

On July 8, Luscious Jackson's official Twitter and Facebook accounts became active and confirmed that the band had reunited. Cunniff, Glaser and Schellenbach all returned to the band, while Trimble did not. Working with Pledgemusic as part of a fundraising drive, the band hoped to finish their album for children that had first been planned in 2006. They also revealed plans to make a new studio album, their first since 1999. A previously unreleased track from 1999 called "Girlscout" was also made available by the band as a free download.

On February 8, 2012, Rolling Stone magazine posted an article on how the band had reunited quietly in 2011 after more than a decade apart to begin work on their first album of new material since Electric Honey. The band opted to skip signing to a traditional label in favor of funding their new project through Pledgemusic. A track titled "Are You Ready?" was made available via internet stream. [13] In September 2013, the lead single from their forthcoming album Magic Hour, "So Rock On", was premiered on NPR's All Songs Considered program. [14]

The trio released Magic Hour on November 5, 2013, followed by their children's album, Baby DJ, on November 12. The band performed two shows in support of Magic Hour in Philadelphia on November 23 and New York on December 7, followed by an appearance on Late Show with David Letterman on November 18. [15] Sporadic performances followed in 2014 and 2016.

On April 6, 2023, it was reported that former keyboard player, Vivian Trimble had died two days prior, on April 4, at the age of 59, due to cancer. [16]

Discography

Side and solo projects

Band members have been involved in the following side and solo projects:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beastie Boys</span> American hip hop group

Beastie Boys were an American hip hop/rap rock group from New York City, formed in 1981. The group was composed of Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz, Adam "MCA" Yauch, and Michael "Mike D" Diamond. Beastie Boys were formed out of members of experimental hardcore punk band The Young Aborigines, which was formed in 1979, with Diamond on drums, Jeremy Shatan on bass guitar, John Berry on guitar, and Kate Schellenbach later joining on percussion. When Shatan left New York City in the summer of 1981, Yauch replaced him on bass and the resulting band was named Beastie Boys. Berry left shortly thereafter and was replaced by Horovitz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean Lennon</span> American-British composer and musician (born 1975)

Sean Taro Ono Lennon is an American-British musician, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is the son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, and half-brother to Julian Lennon. Over the course of his career, he has been a member of the bands Cibo Matto, The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger, The Claypool Lennon Delirium and his parents' group Plastic Ono Band. He has released two solo albums: Into the Sun (1998) and Friendly Fire (2006). He has produced numerous albums for various artists, including Black Lips and the Plastic Ono Band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cibo Matto</span> American alternative rock band

Cibo Matto was an American alternative rock band formed by Yuka Honda and Miho Hatori in New York City in 1994. Initially, the band's lyrics were primarily concerned with food, before expanding into broader subject matter following the addition of Sean Lennon, Timo Ellis, and Duma Love to the band for their second studio album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yuka Honda</span> Japanese-American musician

Yuka Honda is a Japanese-American musician who resides in New York City. She is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, record producer, and co-founder of the band Cibo Matto. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with a diverse array of musicians, including Petra Haden, Sean Lennon, Mike Watt, Nels Cline, Tricky, Harper Simon, Beastie Boys, Los Lobos, Brooklyn Funk Essentials, Mitchell Froom, Medeski Martin & Wood, Marc Ribot, Yoshimi P-We, Arto Lindsay, Edie Brickell, Vincent Gallo, Luscious Jackson, Dave Douglas, Bernie Worrell, and Caetano Veloso.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miho Hatori</span> Japanese singer and musician

Miho Hatori is a Japanese singer, songwriter, and musician. She is best known as a solo artist, co-founder of New York City band Cibo Matto, and as the first person to provide the voice of Noodle in the virtual band Gorillaz, as well as for her work with the Beastie Boys, Handsome Boy Modeling School, Smokey Hormel, John Zorn, and many more.

<i>Electric Honey</i> (Luscious Jackson album) 1999 studio album by Luscious Jackson

Electric Honey is the third studio album by Luscious Jackson, released on June 29, 1999, by Grand Royal. It peaked at number 102 on the Billboard 200 chart, as well as number 99 on the UK Albums Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kate Schellenbach</span> American musician

Katherine A. Schellenbach is an American musician and television producer. She is the drummer of Luscious Jackson and was a founding drummer of Beastie Boys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josephine Wiggs</span> British musician

Miranda Cordelia Susan Josephine Wiggs is an English multi-instrumentalist rock musician, best known for her work as bassist in the alternative rock bands The Breeders and The Perfect Disaster. She has also formed multiple side-projects, including her own bands Honey Tongue, The Josephine Wiggs Experience, and Dusty Trails.

Tibetan Freedom Concert is the name given to a series of socio-political music festivals held in North America, Europe and Asia from 1996 onwards to support the cause of Tibetan independence. The concerts were originally organized by the Beastie Boys and the Milarepa Fund. The idea for a Live Aid-style concert for Tibet was conceived by members of the group during the 1994 Lollapalooza Tour.

<i>In Search of Manny</i> 1992 EP by Luscious Jackson

In Search of Manny is the debut extended play by American alternative rock band Luscious Jackson. The EP was released in 1992 on Grand Royal. It is essentially the band's demo tape, released after Mike D of Grand Royal heard a copy. It was the label's first release.

<i>Fever In Fever Out</i> 1996 studio album by Luscious Jackson

Fever In Fever Out is the second studio album by American alternative rock band Luscious Jackson. It was released on October 29, 1996, on Grand Royal and Capitol Records.

<i>Natural Ingredients</i> 1994 studio album by Luscious Jackson

Natural Ingredients is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band Luscious Jackson. It was released on August 23, 1994, by Grand Royal and Capitol Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Citysong</span> 1994 single by Luscious Jackson

"Citysong" is a song performed by American alternative rock group Luscious Jackson, issued as the lead single from their debut studio album Natural Ingredients. It was commissioned as a double single with "Deep Shag" in some markets; and it includes a sample of "On and On" by Gladys Knight & the Pips. Co-written and co-produced by group members Jill Cunniff and Gabby Glaser, the song peaked at #39 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart in 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naked Eye (Luscious Jackson song)</span> 1996 single by Luscious Jackson

"Naked Eye" is a song by American alternative rock band Luscious Jackson, released as the first single from their second album, Fever In Fever Out (1996). It was released on CD and 12-inch, both of which feature three remixes and an instrumental version of the song as well as two non-LP tracks. The song peaked at No. 18 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100. To date it is the band's only top-40 hit in the United Kingdom, reaching No. 25 on the UK Singles Chart.

Kostars was an alternative/pop-rock side project formed by Vivian Trimble and Jill Cunniff while on a headlining tour with Luscious Jackson in 1995.

<i>Klassics with a "K"</i> 1996 studio album by Kostars

Klassics with a "K", was the only full-length album by Kostars, a side project of Luscious Jackson members Vivian Trimble and Jill Cunniff, released in 1996 on Grand Royal.

Jill Cunniff is an American musician and artist, best known as the lead singer of the band Luscious Jackson. Cunniff was born and raised in New York City and attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School where she studied visual arts. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley. After returning to New York in 1991, she formed Luscious Jackson with friend Gabby Glaser. Cunniff plays bass, sings lead vocals, and has been the chief songwriter of the band.

Vivian Elizabeth Trimble was an American musician, best known as the keyboardist in the band Luscious Jackson from 1991 to 1998. She also joined bandmate Jill Cunniff under the name Kostars and recorded an album released in 1996. After leaving Luscious Jackson in April 1998, Trimble formed a duo with Josephine Wiggs named Dusty Trails, releasing an album in 2000.

<i>Hotel Valentine</i> 2014 studio album by Cibo Matto

Hotel Valentine is the third and final album by New York City-based band Cibo Matto. It was released through Sean Lennon's label Chimera Music on Valentine's Day, 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ladyfingers (song)</span> 1999 single by Luscious Jackson

"Ladyfingers" is a song performed by American alternative rock group Luscious Jackson, issued as the lead single from their third studio album Electric Honey. Written and co-produced by lead singer Jill Cunniff, the song peaked at #28 on the Billboard Alternative chart in 1999.

References

  1. ↑ Jones, Abby (April 7, 2023). "Vivian Trimble, Keyboardist of '90s Rap-Rock Icons Luscious Jackson, Dead at 59". Yahoo!. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Colin Larkin, ed. (2000). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 241. ISBN   0-7535-0427-8.
  3. 1 2 Kantowski, Ron (November 19, 2008). "Rembering (sic) Lucious Jackson, the pride of Pan-American". Las Vegas Sun . Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  4. 1 2 "Vivian Trimble Quits Luscious Jackson". MTV . Viacom International Inc. April 6, 1998. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2013-07-25.
  6. 1 2 Lozano, Anthony. "From Then to Now: Kate Schellenbach talks Beastie Boys, Luscious Jackson, and everything in between". Tom Tom Magazine. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
  7. ↑ Margasak, Peter (September 29, 1994). "Luscious Jackson". Chicago Reader . Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  8. ↑ Teshima, John (August 16, 1999). "LUSCIOUS JACKSON: GREEN TEA & HONEY". Chart Attack. Archived from the original on February 26, 2000.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. ↑ Jenkins, Mark (August 6, 1999). "Smooth and Luscious". The Washington Post . Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  10. ↑ van Horn, Teri (June 18, 1999). "Cibo Matto and Luscious Jackson to Merge Tours". MTV . Viacom International Inc. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  11. ↑ Martelle, Sher. "Live Reviews - Luscious Jackson/Cibo Matto - August 1, 1999". Chart Attack. Archived from the original on February 5, 2000.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  12. ↑ Harris, Chris (September 26, 2006). "Luscious Jackson Reunite — To Make Children's Album". MTV . Retrieved April 13, 2009.
  13. ↑ Perpetua, Matthew (February 8, 2012). "Exclusive: Luscious Jackson Return With First New Song in a Decade | Music News". Rolling Stone . Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  14. ↑ "Fall Music Preview". National Public Radio. September 24, 2013.
  15. ↑ Szczechowski, Joe (November 13, 2013). "Luscious Jackson returns to Philly". Delaware County Daily Times . MediaNews Group.
  16. ↑ "Luscious Jackson's Vivian Trimble Dead At 59". Stereo Gum. 6 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
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.