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Infobox musical artist | name = The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion| image = Jon_Spencer_2006.jpg| caption = Jon Spencer performing with Blues Explosion in 2006| image_size =| background = group_or_band| alias = The Blues Explosion JSBX| origin = New York City | genre = Alternative rock , punk blues , hip-hop , garage rock , punk rock , blues rock | years_active = 1991& ndash;present| label = Shout Factory|Shout& #33; Factory Shove& #33; Records In The Red Records Matador Records|Matador Mute Records Sanctuary JVC Victor|JVC/Victor Toy's Factory Ultrapop Rock Records|Rock Records and Tapes Au Go Go Records Everlasting K Records Rebel Beat Factory Crypt Clawfist Hut Records|Hut 1+2 Public Pop Can| associated_acts = Boss Hog HeavyTrash Solex vs Cristina Martinez + Jon Spencer Men Without Pants Spencer Dickinson Russell Simins Butter 08 Crunt Crowbar Massage Workdogs Gibson Bros. Honeymoon Killers Pussy Galore (band)|Pussy Galore Shithaus| website = http://www.thejonspencerbluesexplosion.com thejonspencerbluesexplosion.com| current_members = Jon Spencer Judah Bauer Russell Simins| past_members =The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion are an United States|American alternative rock power trio|trio , formed in 1991Matador Press Release for Extra Width, 1993; "Formed in 1991, the New York-based Blues Explosion are led by Jon Spencer" and based out of New York City , New York . The band consists 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 cite web |url= http://www.pop-catastrophe.co.uk/2577.aspx|title= Blues Explosion Ready to Blast Off|accessdate= August 26, 2010|last= Sprague|first= David|authorlink= |coauthors= |date= 14 September 1996|work= |publisher= Billboard|doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote="The Blues Explosion has never been particularly thought out; it really is just us getting together and playing rock 'n' roll." although it draws influences from punk rock|punk , blues , Garage rock|garage , rockabilly , soul music|soul , noise rock , rhythm and blues and rap . They have released seven official studio albums, collaborative records with Dub Narcotic Sound System and R.L. Burnside as well as numerous singles, out-take albums, compilations, remix albums and, in 2010, 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 a number of diverse artists including Andre Williams , Dr. John , Alec Empire , Elliott Smith , Beck , Solomon Burke , Rufus Thomas , DJ Shadow , Steve Albini , Rob K, James Chance , UNKLE , Chuck D , Money Mark , Calvin Johnson (musician)|Calvin Johnson , Dan The Automator , Othar Turner , Luscious Jackson|Jill Cunniff , Jim Dickinson , Luther Dickinson , North Mississippi Allstars|Cody Dickinson , Bernie Worrell , Willie Weeks , David Holmes (musician)|David Holmes , Steve Jordan (musician)|Steve Jordan , Martina Topley-Bird and Ad Rock of the Beastie Boys .
The band was parodied by the Shirehorses , operating as the Frank Spencer Blues Explosion as well as referenced in the name of the band The John & Spencer Booze Explosion.
History
Originally from Hanover, New Hampshire , Jon Spencer attended Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island where he was part of the noise rock band Shithaus before moving to Washington, D.C. where he fronted band Pussy Galore (band)|Pussy Galore who would quickly relocate to New York. Spencer played and recorded with Gibson Bros., Boss Hog and 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 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.cite web |url= http://www.pop-catastrophe.co.uk/1707.aspx|title= Jon Spencer interview|accessdate= August 26, 2010|last= McConnell|first= Dave|authorlink= |coauthors= |date= March 1993|work= |publisher= Fiz|doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote="We just kind of stumbled into each other. He was just this drummer that the Honeymoon Killers had found, and I was coming around playing with them - that's how we met. Judah was the friend that was living with him - this kid - and we just started playing together, the three of us."
"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."Gladstone, Eric, "New Route: Jon Spencer Blues Explosion ", August 1992
The sound of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion was informed by previous bands with influence taken from working with 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."Davidson, Eric "We Never Learn: The Gunk Punk Undergut: 1988-2001", Back Beat Books, ISBN 0-87930-972-5, 2010
"...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 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 SpencerEdison, Mike "Year One: Sleeve Notes", July 2010
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 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.
They are one of the select notable groups to cultivate a punk blues sound in the 1990s. Their sound became key in the emergence of later blues and punk inspired rock bands such as the Oblivians and, later in the decade, bands like The White Stripes , Soledad Brothers (band)|Soledad Brothers and The Immortal Lee County Killers .Citation needed|date=July 2010
A Reverse Willie Horton / Jon Spencer Blues Explosion / Crypt Style (91 - 92)
The band had been playing together for six months when they had their first recording session with Mark Kramer|Kramer at Noise NY, New York in July 1991 and recorded fourteen songs over a the course of three hours, "only doing second takes here and there, we didn't even go to the mixing board".cite web|url= http://vertigozine.co.uk/3_jsbe.php |title=VERTIGO ISSUE 3 |publisher=Vertigozine.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2012-04-01 This session was issued in its entirety as the first Jon Spencer Blues Explosion album, A Reverse Willie Horton . This was an unofficial bootleg issued by Public Pop Can at some point between late 1991 and early 1992 in an edition of 500 or 1000 copies due to a possibility of two separate pressings. It has been suggested that the source of the bootleg was a dubbed copy of a cassette that Jon Spencer let some people copy during a tour with the Gibson Bros. in August 1991.cite web |url= |title= Jon Spencer interview|accessdate= August 26, 2010|last= McConnell|first= Dave|authorlink= |coauthors= |date= March 1993|work= |publisher= Fiz|doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote=
The front cover image is a negative of Clarence Thomas , his wife, and George H. W. Bush|George Bush at Thomas' swearing in ceremony for the Supreme Court on 19 October 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 a plain black sleeve. The title refers to the convicted felon Willie Horton|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, NJ in November/December 1991. Tracks from both the Kramer and Albini sessions were issued on the Caroline (US) / Hut (UK) release The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion , Crypt Records as Crypt Style , and an alternate version of Crypt Style by 1 + 2 Records (Japan) including "Colty" which was unavailable elsewhere until the 2010 Shout Factory|Shout& #33; 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 the 1997 Live Promo Video .
The first Jon Spencer Blues Explosion album 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."Deusner, Stephen M. "Year One / Mo' Width/Extra Width review" http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14575-year-one-extra-widthmo-width-deluxe/
The first single release 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"sleeve notes to Jukebox Explosion Rockin’ Mid-90s Punkers (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 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 Eddie Cochran|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 the lyrics sung by Ron Hargrave.
Extra Width / Mo' Width / Afro / The Word (93 - 94)
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 The Jesus Lizard|Jesus Lizard . Frank Kozik designed posters for shows at Emo's, Austin, Texas and Kennel Club, San Francisco.
Recording sessions for the Extra Width , the second Jon Spencer Blues Explosion studio album, took place in Memphis at Doug Easleys studio on 23/24 November and 3 December 1992 during the Jesus Lizard tour. The album graphic design copies a package of panty hose purchased in Memphis, Tennessee.Edison, Mike. "Extra Width: Sleeve Notes", 2010 The original panty hose packaging can be seen in 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 was into it, but he was coy. he finally crossed over and became a full-fledged performer. He wanted to be watched."Judah Bauer, Extra Width sleeve notes Mike Edison 2010.
"Spencer writhes about, possessed by Presley during the amazing "Vacuum of Loneliness" - his tortured soul dragged over shards o' glass for all to see. The wailin' theremin spits out sound and adds to the cathartic confusion. If this is real and not theatre, I'm disturbed."BAD VIBE: HEAD EXPLOSION PART II (PRESS, US), 1993, Herb Hitts
Matador Records released the album in May 1993 and Crypt Records issued the record in Europe 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.youtube|=YouRxJJCfIA 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 the recording.
On 11 September 1993 the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion appeared at Blast First event The Lost Weekend at London Astoria 2 with The Afghan Whigs , The God Machine (band)|God Machine and Hair & SkinTrading Company. The accompanying Lost Weekend compilation album was limited to 3000 copies and included the song "Afro". 2000 copies were given to attendies 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 appearancecite web|url= http://www.gravyzine.com/Gravy_2.html |title=Blues Explosion& #33; |publisher=Gravy |date=1994-09 |accessdate=2010-10-12 |quote="was that the first time you were on TV? , Jon, No, we were on TV in England on this show called The Word." was on Channel 4 UK TV show The Word (TV series)|The Word (Season 4, Episode 12) in February 1994, performing "Afro" and "History of Sex". Afterwards presenter Marc Lamarr said "they're the best live band I've ever seen."youtube|DXc_OvTpOLA
Also in early 1994 In The Red Records released "Train #3" and "Train #1" as the third installment of the Explosion Juke Box Series ("Train #2" appeared Extra Width ).
''Mo' Width 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 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 (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion album)|Orange .
Orange / Experimental Remixes (94 - 95)
Orange (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion album)|Orange was recorded at Waterworks, NYC with Jim Waters and released by Matador Records and Crypt Records in October 1994. The original vinyl Matador Records was as a silver-coloured picture disc and first issue of 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.cite web|url= http://www.pop-catastrophe.co.uk/817.aspx |title=Jon Spencer Blues Explosion |publisher=Thicker |date=1994-08 |accessdate=2010-04-10 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.youtube|RZmxNM6DwsY|Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Bellbottoms There were also music videos for "Dang" directed by Steve Hanft ,youtube|KgkEw4GjtdU "Flavor" directed by Evan Bernard and featuring appearances by Beck (who also appears on the song) and Mike D of the Beastie Boys .youtube|90iaLaPMa9g
In August 1994 the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion played a number of tour dates in Australia and New Zealand with Beck and 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 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 a live album at DPC, Tucson, Arizona, US but the performance was plagued with technical problems and was stopped when an audience member threw a stink bomb .Edison, Mike. Controversial Negro sleeve notes, 2010 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, New York City. " Get With It " from this show was released on the 1997 Live Promo Video by Matador Records.
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion played UK shows in March 1995 with 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.Davidson, Eric "We Never Learn: The Gunk Punk Undergut" 2010
Matador Records released the Experimental Remixes EP 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.Sprague, David "Blues Explosion Ready to Blast Off" 14th July 1996
In 2000 Mute Records reissued Experimental Remixes 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& #33; Factory (US) / Shove Records (UK) as a double CD set this time combining Orange , Experimental Remixes and several rare, live and previously unreleased tracks.
Now I Got Worry / R.L. Burnside - A Ass Pocket of Whiskey / Controversial Negro / Recovery TV appearance (96 - 97)
On the afternoon of 6 February 1996 the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion recorded the album A Ass Pocket of Whiskey with R.L. Burnside and Kenny Brown (guitarist)|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 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 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.""Blues Explosion Ready to Blast Off", David Sprague, 14 July 1996, http://www.pop-catastrophe.co.uk/2577.aspx
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 5 and 13 February 1996 (the same time as the recording with R.L. Burnside). The album 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 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."Blues Explosion Ready to Blast Off. David Sprague 14.09.1996
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 the Now I Got Worry tour dates in the UK, Europe and the US in October and November 1996. On 23 October 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 29 October Jon Spencer Blues Explosion recorded a short live set for MTV Studios, London consisting of Now I Got Worry songs and "Water Main" and "Vacuum of Loneliness". "Love All of Me" and 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 10 May 1997 as a CD and two 7" singles (grey and green vinyl), the incorrectly spelt "John Spencer Blues Explosion" cover artwork was written in Tipex 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 ,youtube|YSsE65z5W0o reaching number 66 in the UK singles chart.BRITISH HIT SINGLES & ALBUMS (17), 2005, Hit Entertainment, ISBN 0-85112-199-3
In Melbourne, Australia , on 6 September 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 the audience, around the set and destroying the "Blues Explosion" back drop.youtube|cbwxLGohUM0Jon 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 a point on tour and you get a bit punch-drunk. That show is broadcast live in the morning& #33; They were all really nice about it though!" NME: DOES ROCK'N'ROLL KILL BRAINCELLS, June 2010
In 2010 a new version of this album was released by Shout& #33; Factory / Shove& #33; Records expanded to include b-sides, rare tracks and the previously unreleased "Roosevelt Hotel Blues" featuring Beck and Money Mark .
In May 1997 Controversial Negro was released. This was a promotonal only live album issued on vinyl in the US, CD in the UK and it was officially released in Japan on CD with five additional tracks.
The sleeve for this release is referred to in an article titled "Mo' bitter blues" originally published in May 1997:
To the casual observer the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion may seem like little more than surly, self-important nihilists with an all-encompassing persecution complex. Yet their studious reserve in the face of journalistic interrogation is hardly surprising when you consider that the staunch traditionalists of the American rock media have recently branded them as racists, simply because they've dared to treat the blues as something other than a sacred museum piece. A situation soon to be exacerbated by the band's forthcoming promo live album, rather incautiously titled 'Controversial Negro' and garishly illustrated with a day-glo Warhol print of Mick Jagger's iconic countenance. Ultimately, Jon Spencer is playing with fire. He’s gleefully taunting the inverse-racists of so-called liberal America with incendiary images. He is, after all, a graduate of semiotics (the brand of linguistics concerned with signs and symbols), so he knows exactly what he’s doing.
Controversial Negro works on two distinct levels: firstly it’s a timely reminder to the journalistic 'squares' of far simpler times, when Jagger and his Rolling Stones (now untouchable old-guard stalwarts) were similarly decried for 'bastardizing the blues'; secondly, it’s a forceful visual communiqué that the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion staunchly refuse to be intimidated into artistic compromise.Mo' bitter blues (Vox, May 1997)
The title for this album comes from the Public Enemy (group)|Public Enemy song " Burn Hollywood Burn " from their 1990 album Fear of a Black Planet . Towards the end of the track someone asks Flava Flav the following question: "Now we're considering you for a part in our new production, how do you feel about playing a controversial negro? "
The artwork used on the promotional version along with the title Controversial Negro was originally intended for Now I Got Worry .
In June 1997 they performed at the Tibetan Freedom Concert in New York City and a live version of "Blues X Man" was released on the accompanying triple CD album (which also featured Russell Simins performing with Cibo Matto ).
Acme / Talk About The Blues / Nulle Part Ailleurs (French TV appearance) / stolen Theremin (97 - 99)
On 23 March 1997 the band recorded a track at Dub Narcotic Studios, Olympia track for the K Records released the compilation Selector Dub Narcotic (released May 1998). The song titled "Blues Explosion Attack" name checked Calvin Johnson (musician)|Calvin Johnson , Doo Rag, Subsonics, Speedball Baby, Demolotion Doll Rods, R.L. Burnside , Dub Narcotic Sound System and Sleater Kinney who had supported the Blues Explosion at their Moore Theatre gig the previous day (The song would later be re-written and re-recorded for the album Acme (album)|Acme ).
Work on Acme (album)|Acme began in October 1997, when the band entered the studio with Dan Nakamura , a.k.a. Dan the Automator for Right Place, Wrong Time , a cover of the Dr. John hit used on the soundtrack to Scream 2 .ALTERNATIVE PRESS: BUILDING A BETTER EXPLOSION (PRESS, US)
"The reason we did that Scream 2 soundtrack was to try working with a producer. We were definitely into the Dr. Octagon record - it's a great record, and also a bizarre kinda record. So besides 'Right Place.' we recorded some other songs.""ALTERNATIVE PRESS: BUILDING A BETTER EXPLOSION, November 1998
The next stop for Acme (album)|Acme was Steve Albini 's studio, Electrical Audio , where the Blues Explosion cut some tracks in the days following their 1998 New Year's Eve Chicago performance. "Steve's we cut everything live, like we always do," he says. "I Wanted to use Steve because I knew he would do a good job and the tapes would sound great, and we could send them to anybody because we had a great starting point and couldn't really go wrong"
Whilst in Chicago they also met Andre Williams who was playing locally. He recorded guest vocals for the track Lapdance (which wasn't released until the Acme Plus / Extra Acme albums were issued the following year).
"Some of Acme (album)|Acme was done in the old-fashioned Blues Explosion way, me working with the engineer, but we were also casting a wide net. Some songs were mixed and remixed by different producers, which is one reason it got so expensive, and some of them were eventually stitched together from two or three different mixes. We weren't being so precious about these songs, we were letting other people work on it and then we'd shuffle the deck.Acme + Acme Plus sleeve notes, Mike Edison, 2010
Acme (album)|Acme was released in October 1998 by Matador Records in the US and Mute Records in the UK.
In the US the first single to be released from the album was Talk About The Blues on 6 October 1998. This song was recorded during a session with Calvin Johnson (musician)|Calvin Johnson at Dub Narcotic , Olympia, Washington. Most of the other tracks recorded at this time would be released in 1999 as the collaborative album Sideways Soul: Dub Narcotic Sound System Meets The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion in a Dancehall Style! .
The music video, directed by Evan Bernard , features Winona Ryder , Giovanni Ribisi and John C. Reilly as the Blues Explosionyoutube|LO3CQy0Fj-Q with Judah, Russell and Jon acting. "The singer told MTV Online: I think that people are really going to be surprised when they see the acting on the part of the Blues Explosion. When people get a load of some of the heavy, dramatic, really very intense scenes that we pulled out from our souls, I think people are really going to be blown away.".NME: WINONA STARS IN BLUES EXPLOSION VID NEWS (PRESS, UK), 24 OCTOBER 1998, http://www.pop-catastrophe.co.uk/1861.aspx
Throughout the life of the band the use of the word " blues " in the band name has caused a great deal of debate. The lyrics of Talk About The Blues address this issue referring directly to MTV and Rolling Stone magazine and features the line "I do not play no blues, I play rock 'n' roll" (which itself was a reference to the Mississippi Fred McDowell album ''I Do Not Play No Rock 'n' Roll ).
"Talk About The Blues" was a reaction a Rolling Stone review of Now I Got Worry and Q& A with Jon Spencer.cite web |url= http://www.pop-catastrophe.co.uk/1551.aspx|title= Cmj new music monthly: acme blues explosives inc.|accessdate= August 26, 2010|last= Daley|first= David|authorlink= |coauthors= |date= December 1998|work= |publisher= CMJ |doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote=
"I wrote the song right after we did the interview, inspired by that and also some of the criticism we’ve received over the past couple years. If we tried to record some song that was a response to criticism as it happened, that would be too heavy-handed. The lyrics stayed true to the original off-the-cuff feel, what you call a rant. But it's not such a big deal, you know. A lot of that stuff just doesn't merit a response."
Magical Colors was the first single released in the UK/Europe by Mute Records on CD and 7" single reaching number 92 in the UK singles chartcite web |url= http://www.pop-catastrophe.co.uk/2559.aspx|title= BRITISH HIT SINGLES & ALBUMS |accessdate= August 26, 2010|last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |year= 2005|work= |publisher= Hit Entertainment |doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= in November 1998. The Terry Richardson directed video is a compilation of still photographs.youtube|ZhJzM9P_KQ4
Calvin was only issued as a single in Australia by Au Go Go Records on 12" and CD in March 1999.
Talk About The Blues was released in UK/Europe by Mute Records on 7" and CD (later released as 12" single) reaching 120 in the UK singles chart in March 1999.
Non- Acme (album)|Acme track New Year (Destroyer) was released as a split-single with Barry Adamson as the forth single in the Slut Smalls series.
Heavy was the final single to be released from Acme (album)|Acme in August 1999. Issued in UK/Europe by Mute Records on 7", CD and later as a 12" single reaching number 106 in the UK singles chart.
In 1998 they appeared on the Canal+ show Nulle Part Ailleurs performing "High Gear" and "Talk About The Blues". During the nine and a half minute performance Jon Spencer made full use of the television studio, running through the audience, standing on the desk and was carried back to the stage by one of the bemused presenters. Whilst on the desk Jon referred to and shook the hand of Jackie Chan who was given a copy of the album Acme (album)|Acme .youtube|zgILEC0_scY
On the morning of 22 July 1999, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion tour van was broken into in the loading dock of The Sheraton in Vancouver, Canada . The window was smashed and a mess of gear was stolen, including mics, amps, rack equipment, and the original 1962 Vanguard Model Theremin.cite web|url= http://www.matadorrecords.com |title=Matador Records |publisher=Matador Records |date= |accessdate=2012-04-01 The theremin was never recovered.
Acme + / Xtra Acme USA / Dub Narcotic Sound System - Sideways Soul / reissues 2000 (99 - 01)
In September 1999 they released the collaborative album Sideways Soul under the name Dub Narcotic Sound System Meets The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion in a Dancehall Style . The nine track album was recorded at Dub Narcotic Studios, Olympia and featured a line-up of Jon Spencer on Guitar, Vocals and Organ, Judah Bauer on Guitar, Russell Simins on Drums, Jeff Smith on Organ and Calvin Johnson (musician)|Calvin Johnson on Vocals and Melodica ( Talk About The Blues was also recorded during these sessions).
This album was issued by K Records in the US and Europe, Au Go Go Records in Australia and Rebel Beat Factory in Japan (which used an extended recording of Diamonds).
The Acme (album)|Acme out-takes and remixes were issued as Acme + (UK), Xtra Acme USA (US) and Extra Acme (CD) / Ura Acme (LP) / Extra Acme (Promo Only LP) (Japan) all of which had slightly different track listings.
Like Acme (album)|Acme the album features different production, mixing, remixing credits and guest appearances including; Steve Albini , Nick Sansano , Jack Dangers , David Holmes (musician)|David Holmes , Tim Goldsworthy , Calvin Johnson (musician)|Calvin Johnson , Moby , Andre Williams , Jill Cunniff, Cody Dickinson, Luther Dickinson and Jim Dickinson .
The Shout Factory& #33; / Shove Records 2010 expanded reissue of Acme (album)|Acme included a 22 track version of Acme Plus as the second disc.
In February 2000 In The Red Records released a 12" single under the name "Andre Williams Blues Explosion" featuring remixes of the Andre Williams collaboration Lap Dance by Jim Waters/Scott Benzel and Foetus (band)|Jim Thirlwell .
In March 2000 Mute reissued Blues Explosion albums with bonus content; Orange included an enhanced section with videos of Dang, Bellbottoms and Flavor, Extra Width was now packaged with Mo’ Width and Experimental Remixes included three new remixes.
The vinyl editions of Experimental Remixes and Extra Width were now double LPs and Orange (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion album)|Orange was packaged with a two-sided poster.
Mute also issued an indie-store-only/mailorder 12" of Techno Animal remixes.
The album Plastic Fang was produced by Steve Jordan (musician)|Steve Jordan and recorded at Oorong, the Magic Shop and The Hit Factory. Released in April 2002 by Mute Records (UK), Matador Records (US), Everlasting (Spain) and Toy’s Factory (Japan) featured art and design by Chip Kidd with the limited CD and vinyl editions being issued in a 'Fang Pack'.
The original artwork for this album was culled from comics.
Various editions of this album featured different track listings but there were guest appearances by Dr. John , Elliott Smith , Bernie Worrell , Willie Weeks and Bashiri Johnson.
She Said was the first single taken from the album Plastic Fang , this had a music video directed by Floria Sigismondi youtube|HKonP2IUgxE and on 8 February 2002 the Blues Explosion filmed a second 'live performance' video at the 100 Club on Oxford Street , London for She Said (directed by Barney Clay).youtube|ndc-LhBSRQE This single would be, to date, their highest UK single chart entry at number 58.
In April 2002 the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion appeared on the BBC TV show Later with Jools Holland featuring Jools playing piano during Sweet n Sour .youtube|19KV46fb9z4
Mute Records also released the singles Sweet N Sour (July 2002) with a video directed by Stylewar youtube|n66ODQPllWE reaching number 66 in the UK charts and '''Shakin' Rock'n'Roll Tonight (November 2002) reaching number 126.
On 31 January 2003 the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion performed with Solomon Burke at Royal Festival Hall , London as Solomon Burke Meets Jon Spencer Blues Explosion .
Damage / hiatus (04 - 06)
Damage (Blues Explosion album)|Damage was the only album to be released on Sanctuary Records and for this release the band were temporarily known as just the Blues Explosion . The shortened name lasted less than two years and by early 2006 cite web |url= http://www.pop-catastrophe.co.uk/newspre.aspx|title= Jon Spencer Blues Explosion website|accessdate= August 26, 2010|last= |first=|authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |work= pop-catastrophe.co.uk|publisher= |doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= the official website was located at the domain name http://www.thejonspencerbluesexplosion.com thejonspencerbluesexplosion.com rather than blues-explosion.com as it is given on the Damage (Blues Explosion album)|Damage album sleeve.
The album was recorded between December 2003 and April 2004 at Empire View Studios, NYC , Globe Studios, NYC and Elegant Too Studios with production and mixing credits including Dan The Automator , DJ Shadow , Steve Jordan (musician)|Steve Jordan , Free Association… David Holmes (musician)|David Holmes , Jay Braun, Alan Moulder, Danny Madorsky, Chris Maxwell and Phil Hernandez (Elegant Too) as well as the Blues Explosion, Jon Spencer and Russell Simins.
During this time the band also recorded the Guitar Wolf cover version ''Kawasaki ZII750 Rock 'N' Roll at Empire View Recording Studio with Danny Madorsky for the tribute album I Love Guitar Wolf...Very Much .
Damage (Blues Explosion album)|Damage was released in September 2004 and features appearances from artists including Chuck D ( Hot Gossip ), Martina Topley-Bird ( Spoiled / You Been My Baby ), James Chance and DJ Shadow ( Fed Up and Low Down ) and Simon Chardiet (who would later perform with the HeavyTrash live band ( Rattling )).
Also in September 2004 Burn It Off was released as a single with music video directed by Stylewar. Issued in the US as a one track radio promo CD and in the UK Mute released the single on 7" and CD reaching number 77 in the charts.
Hot Gossip was the second Damage (Blues Explosion album)|Damage single released in November 2004 reaching 119 in the official UK charts and had a music video directed by David Raccuglia. Issued as a red vinyl 7" only single featuring Elliott Smith on the B-side Meet Me In The City previously released on the tribute album Sunday Nights The Songs of Junior Kimbrough .
Crunchy was the third and final single released in April 2005 issued on 7", 12" and CD reaching number 89 in the UK charts.
The sleeves for all the Damage (Blues Explosion album)|Damage -era released featured photography by Ashkan Sahihi and design by Chip Kidd .
In Japan there were two slightly different promotional Radio Session CDs featuring live recordings of the album tracks Help These Blues , Spoiled , Rattling , Hot Gossip and a cover of the Suicide song Rocket USA which is unavailable elsewhere.
In September 2004 (28/29) Russell Simins and Judah Bauer would join Tom Waits and LarryTaylor for a performance on the David Letterman TV show playing Make It Rain from the album Real Gone .cite web |url= http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=3FVp2ipKEJw|title= Tom Waits performing "Make It Rain" on David Letterman|accessdate= August 26, 2010
This particular event caused a furore behind the scenes when Mike Edison wrote a "crazed conspiracy rant" about Jon Spencer being replaced with Tom Waits for the Blues Explosion website . This was part of a bigger plan to get the a picture of Tom with Russell and Judah and send it out with a tongue-in-cheek press release ("Tom Waits Blues Explosion") to see if the story would get picked-up by the mainstream press but before the event took place a record company publicist took the text direct from the Blues Explosion website and sent it out as a legitimate press release and very nearly led to the show being called off.Edison, Mike, "I Have Fun Everywhere I Go: Savage Tales of Pot, Porn, Punk Rock, Pro Wrestling, Talking Apes, Evil Bosses, Dirty Blues, American Heroes, and the Most Notorious Magazines in the World", May 2008
Between August 2004 and May 2005 the band toured almost constantly beginning with a festival appearance in Norway and a low-key show in the UK at London’s 93 Feet East followed by shows throughout Europe / UK , the United States , Japan (eight dates with The Kills ), Australia , the UK again (supporting The Hives ) and Turkey .
At this time in the UK 'garage rock' and bands such as The Hives , The Strokes , White Stripes were popular and it was often noted that the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion never got the recognition many writers felt they deserved.
"It must rankle a little. Jon Spencer has been wrangling his brand of the blues - extrovert, down-and-dirty, pinched by punk and acknowledging a debt to Little Richard and Carl Perkins as much as Hasil Adkins and Son House - for around 14 years now. And have he and his band enjoyed even a taste of White Stripes-like acclaim? Have they flick"O'Connell, Sharon, "Music Preview, 93 Feet East", The Guardian, Magazine, August 2004
Of Crunchy NME said it was "packing the kind of irresistible groove that would shoot straight to the number one for 14 years in any right-thinking world." PC, "Crunchy review", NME, 23 April 2005
A mock-up newspaper (front page only) titled "The Daily Explosion" and DVD featuring the music videos for Burn It Off and Hot Gossip was available at US gigs in November 2004.
In 2005 an EP titled Snack Cracker was released in Japan . This compiled many of the UK single b-sides album with Hot Gossip and Burn It Off videos, a Jay Braun remix of Hot Gossip and a live recording of Rattling featuring Steve Jones (musician)|Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols .
The Blues Explosion recorded the theme tune for Anthony Bourdain series Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations|No Reservations broadcast on The Travel Channel in 2005. The track lasts approximately 60 seconds and around 20 seconds of this is used during the programmes intro sequence and the menu screen on the subsequent DVD release.
On 21 September 2005 Jon Spencer Blues Explosion appeared at Ko Ko, London performing as part of the "Don’t Look Back" shows organised by All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)|ATP where artists played albums in their entirety. The band played Orange followed by a set of non- Orange songs.
During this time there was a message sent out to the Blues Explosion mailing list outlining a number of future projects and releases including news of a Live Recordings album recorded during the Damage tour (possibly just the Japanese shows) which has, to date, never been released.
Towards the end of 2005 the band went hiatus and the members worked on numerous different projects with different artists.
Jukebox Explosion Rockin’ Mid-90s Punkers / live (07 - 08)
In October 2008 In The Red Records released a compilation of rare and unreleased tracks including all tracks from the five Explosion Jukebox Series singles ( Shirt Jac , Son of Sam , Train #3 , Get With It and Ghetto Mom ). The album artwork parodied the original Back From The Grave (series)|Back From The Grave 1983 compilation released by Crypt Records with drawings of Judah, Russell and Jon replacing the original characters. Both sleeves were created by Mort Todd.
The band also started playing live again in June 2008 with a secret show at Bowery Electric followed by New York City Bicycle Film Festival and a short Jukebox Explosion European tour during August and September 2008.
Dirty Shirt Rock 'n' Roll The First Ten Years / reissues 2010 / live (09 - 11)
In 2009 it was announced that the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion would release the 22 track retrospective compilation ''Dirty Shirt Rock 'n' Roll: The First Ten Years followed by expanded reissues of the albums Extra Width , Orange (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion album)|Orange , ACME (album)|Acme , Now I Got Worry , Controversial Negro and tracks from the early releases (the original Kramer and Steve Albini recordings) Year One .
Every reissue included a booklet with new photos, extensive sleeve notes by Mike Edison and a number of bonus tracks now making the new editions of Extra Width , Orange (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion album)|Orange , ACME (album)|Acme double CD sets.
On 16 April 2010 they played a one-off show at Brooklyn Bowl and announced more shows taking place from July 2010 including Pitchfork Music Festival, Chicago, the Matador Records|Matador @ 21 Festival at The Pearl, Las Vegas and a number of US and Canadian shows.
In an interview with music blog "Get Back" (yahoo.com) on 19 August 2010 Jon Spencer responded to a question about the possibility of the band releasing new material with "There's totally a chance. We've been playing concerts, touring and playing live because these records are coming out again. It's been very, very enjoyable. We have been talking about the possibility of something new." http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/getback/159982/bandwidth-jon-spencer-talks-nirvana-black-music-and-why-hes-not-bruce-springsteen/, Jennifer D'Angelo Friedman, Published: 19th August 2010
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion track "Bellbottoms" from the album Orange (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion album)|Orange was featured at number 180 in a chart titled "The Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s" published by Pitchfork Media|Pitchfork on 30 August 2010Mitchum, Rob "The Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s" http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7854-the-top-200-tracks-of-the-1990s-200-151/3/
In early October Yahoo & #33; Music interviewed Jon Spencer and the band performed acoustic versions of "Burn It Off", "Wail" and "Blues X Man". On 15 October 2010 videos of the songs and interview were published on the "Maximum Performance" blog along with a short article. http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/live/12252/the-blues-is-still-1-the-jon-spencer-blues-explosion-reignites-at-yahoo/ |The Blues Is Still #1: The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion Reignite At Yahoo! |Lyndsey Parker
During 2010 the band started playing more regularly with groups of live shows in July, September, October (US / Canada), December (Europe/US) and January 2011 (New Zealand/Australia). They made their first UK appearance at London (Heaven) since the Don't Look Back performance of Orange (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion album)|Orange at Koko in September 2005.
During the live shows the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion played some previously unreleased songs including a cover of "My War" by Black Flag (band)|Black Flag . And the band look set to continue playing live with further European live shows in mid-2011 including Primavera Festival in May 2011.
Whilst touring in Australia, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion recorded a cover version of " Black Betty " at Linear Recording for a commercial created by Volkswagen of America's agency Deutsch L.A. Inc. broadcast during Super Bowl Sunday on American television (6 February 2011).cite web|author= |url= http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=-NGN4J6F_vI |title=Volkswagen Beetle 2011 Super Bowl XLV television commercial |publisher=YouTube |date=2011-02-04 |accessdate=2012-04-01
The band have been chosen by Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)|All Tomorrow's Parties festival that he will curate in March 2012 in Minehead, England. http://www.atpfestival.com/events/jeffmangum.php ATP curated by Jeff Mangum
Other work / guest appearances
Judah Bauer
Judah Bauer was part of The Spitters "in their embryonic form" and has recorded or performed with Honeymoon Killers, Crowbar Massage, Appleton Brothers, Childballads (Stuart Lupton of Jonathan Fire*eater), Tom Waits , Speedball Baby and Cat Power & Dirty Delta Blues. Both Bauer and Russell Simins are Jewish
Under the name 20 MilesJudah has released the following albums and EPs:
Let Every Town Furnish Its Own Women (Epitaph/Sony, 2000; split EP with Bob Log III) http://www.discogs.com/Bob-Log-IIITwenty-Miles-Let-Every-Town-Furnish-Its-Own-Women/release/1699555 Discogs - Bob Log III / Twenty Miles - Let Every Town Furnish Its Own Women
Keep It Coming (Fat Possum, 2002)
''Life Doesn't Rhyme (Fat Possum, 2003)
Russell Simins
Russell Simins has produced, remixed and performed with numerous bands including Yeah Yeah Yeahs , Honeymoon Killers, Crowbar Massage, Cibo Matto , Grapevine, Ween , Luscious Jackson , Yoko Ono , Money Mark , Fred Schneider , Duran Duran , Asian Dub Foundation , Stereolab , Tom Waits , The Pierces, Tandy, Spalding Rockwell, The Morning Pages, Little Barrie , Jena Malone , Tiny Masters of Today and Harper Simon .
And as a core band member he has released the following albums:
Honeymoon Killers - Hung Far Low LP/CD (Fist Puppet, 1991)
Butter 08 (Grand Royal, 1996)
Crunt (Trance Syndicate, 1994)
Russell Simins - Public Places LP/CD ( Grand Royal , 2000)
Men Without Pants (Victor, 2006)
Men Without Pants - Naturally (Expansion Team (US)/Vicious Circle (FR), 2009)
Jon Spencer
Jon Spencer has released some solo material in addition to being a core member of Shithaus, Pussy Galore , Boss Hog , Spencer Dickinson, Solex vs Cristina Martinez + Jon Spencer and in HeavyTrash with Matt Verta-Ray released the following albums:
With the Honeymoon Killers he appears on several recordings and made one complete album as a member of the band with Russell Simins, Jerry Teel and Lisa Wells:
Honeymoon Killers - Hung Far Low LP/CD (Fist Puppet, 1991)
He has also performed with, recorded, remixed and produced a huge number of artists including: Gibson Bros., Workdogs, Nancy Sinatra , Moby , Cheater Slicks , Beck , Demolition Doll Rods , Edison Rocket Train/ Mike Edison , Einstürzende Neubauten , Coldcut , Powersolo, Puffy AmiYumi , Eros Ramazotti , The Sadies , Add N to (X) , Rob K, Haze XXL, Lost Crusaders, David Holmes (musician)|David Holmes , Khan (band)|Khan , Los Straitjackets , Bomb The Bass , Princess Superstar , Speedball Baby, Five Dollar Priest, The King Brothers, The Tremolo Beer Gut, Bikini Machine, Phenomenal Handclap Band, The Micragirls , Cobra Killer , Japanese Popstars , The Slew and Perrosky.
Includes complete "Mo' Width" album and additional disc of 24 rare and unreleased tracks
" Orange (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion album)
1994
Matador
LP / CD / CAS
US / UK release
First vinyl edition of the Matador release was a silver coloured picture disc
1994
Crypt
LP / CD
German release
First editions of the Crypt version of this album had orange rather than silver sleeves
1995
Toy's Factory
CD
Japanese edition
Includes bonus tracks "Beat of the Traps" and "Memphis Soul Typecast" from Mo' Width.
1995
Toy's Factory
CD
Japanese edition
Includes bonus tracks "Bellbottoms (Old Rascal Mix)" and "Flavor (Remix - Part 1 & 2)" from Experimental Remixes .
2000
Mute
LP / CD
Reissue, CD is enhanced with videos of Dang, Flavor and Bellbottoms
"Orange + Experimental Remixes"
2010
Shout& #33; Factory
2xCD
Reissue includes Experimental Remixes and bonus tracks; Haircut, Woman Love (VPRO), Very Rare (VPRO), Shakin' (S60 V JSBX), an alternate recording of Bellbottoms and recordings of Brenda, BX Man, 78 Style and Greyhound live at CBGB.
" Now I Got Worry "
1996
Toy's Factory
CD
Japanese edition
Includes bonus tracks "Cool Vee" and "Get With It"
Vinyl edition features 'Point of View', 'Like A Bat', 'Then Again I Will' and 'Do Ya Wanna Get It? ' which were not on UK CD editions.
2002
Matador
CD / Ltd. CD / 2xLP
US release
Ltd CD and vinyl in "Fang Pack".
CD track list replaces 'Tore Up & Broke' with 'Point Of View' (In comparison to the UK CD edition).
Vinyl edition features 'Tore Up & Broke', 'Like A Bat', 'Then Again I Will' and 'Do Ya Wanna Get It? ' which were not on US CD editions.
2002
Toy's Factory
CD
Japanese release
Features 'Ghetto Mom', 'Alex', 'Then Again I Will' and 'Like A Bat' which are not on the UK version but omits 'Tore Up & Broke' and 'Mother Nature'.
2002
Mute / Virgin
2xCD
Australian release
Double CD set with B-sides and remixes.
2002
Ultrapop
CD
Argentinian release.
In comparison to the UK CD release this edition of the album omits Tore Up & Broke which is replaced with Point of View and includes a thirteenth bonus track Do Ya Wanna Get It?
CD/DVD edition in Matchbook sleeve features 22 minute film directed by Niko Tavernese.
2004
Matador
Ltd CD / CD
US release.
Ltd CD edition in Matchbook sleeve with enhanced section including 22 minute film directed by Niko Tavernese.
2004
Victor / JVC
CD
Japanese release.
Includes 'Grinding', 'The Funky Gremlin' and enhanced section with 22 minute film directed by Niko Tavernese.
2004
Modular Records
CD
Australian release.
2004
Ultrapop
CD
Argentinian release.
Other albums and EPs
Title
Year
Label
Format
Notes
"Mo' Width"
1994
Au Go-Go
LP / CD
11 recordings from Extra Width -era
Features alternate recording of "Afro" and covers of There Stands The Glass ( Webb Pierce ), Beat of The Traps (Teri Rodd & MSR Singers) and Ole Man Trouble ( Otis Redding ).
Only released has a stand-alone album in Australia this has since been issued on the Mute (2000) and Shout& #33; Factory (2010) reissues of Extra Width .
Experimental Remixes
1995
Matador
12" / CD
Orange (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion album)|Orange Disambiguation needed|date=June 2011 remix album
12" only included three tracks
CD features the unlisted "Tour Diary" in addition to the six remixes by UNKLE , Mike D , Beck , Moby , Dub Narcotic Sound System , GZA and Killah Priest .
2000
Mute
2xLP / CD
Reissue of the Orange (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion album)|Orange Disambiguation needed|date=June 2011 remix album
Includes additional remixes by Prince Paul , Plunderphonic ( John Oswald (composer)|John Oswald ) and F. Carles (MC Relov/Hypercard)
Controversial Negro
1997
Mute
CD
Promo only live album
14 tracks
Matador
LP
Promo only live album
14 tracks
Toy's Factory
Ltd CD / CD
Original official Japanese release
Issued in Ltd album-style card sleeve and plastic case
19 tracks
2010
Shout& #33; Factory
CD
Expanded reissue
29 tracks
Adds "Bellbottoms" to original "Hotel Congress" show and nine tracks recorded live in 1994
Rocketship
1997
AU Go-Go
7" / CD
Single / EP
Australia-only release
7" includes "Chocolate Joe" B-side / CD includes four live tracks from the Japanese release of Controversial Negro.
Acme Plus
1999
Mute
2xLP / CD
UK release
Acme (album)|Acme -era out-takes, B-sides and remixes.
Xtra Acme USA
Matador
2xLP / CD
US release
Acme (album)|Acme -era out-takes, B-sides and remixes.
Ura-Acme
Toy's Factory
LP
Japanese release
Vinyl-only
Acme (album)|Acme -era out-takes, B-sides and remixes.
The only variation of Acme (album)|Acme out-takes album to feature "New Year (Destroyer)"
Extra-Acme
Toy's Factory
CD / LP
Japanese release
CD and Vinyl editions had slightly different track-listings and running orders.
Vinyl version was only issued as a promo.
Acme (album)|Acme -era out-takes, B-sides and remixes.
Another variation on the track-list and running order
UK B-sides: Wait A Minute / Lovin' Machine (Automator) / Calvin (Zebra Ranch) / T.A.T.B. (For The Saints And Sinners Remix) / Talk About The Blues (Video)
US B-Sides: Bacon / Get Down Lover/ Lovin' Machine (Automator Mix) / Calvin / Calvin (Zebra Ranch Mix)
Issued on orange vinyl 7", CD and 12".
1999
"Calvin"
Au Go-Go Records
B-sides: Wait A Minute / Confused / Get Down Lover / Calvin (Zebra Ranch) / T.A.T.B. (For The Saints and the Sinners Remix)
Issued as 7"-only split single with Barry Adamson .
"Heavy (Remix)"
Mute
Acme (album)
UK Chart Position: #106
B-sides: Give Ya Some Hell / 2 Kindsa Love (Duck Rock 105.9 FM Remix) Blues Power / Do You Wanna Get Heavy? (Duck Rock Hip 'n' Bass Remix) / Attack (Detroit) / 2 Kindsa Love (Duck Rock 105.9 FM Final Mix) / Do You Wanna Get Heavy? (Duck Rock Hip 'n' Bass Final Mix)
B-Sides: Ghetto Mom / Point of View / Do Ya Wanna Get It? / Then Again I Will / Like A Bat
Released on 7" and two-different CD singles
"Sweet 'n' Sour"
UK Chart Position #66
B-Sides: Shakin' Rock 'N' Roll Tonight (Live at VPRO) / Maureen / Alex / Sweet N Sour (Video) / Plastic Fang Bite Size - Album Excerpts (Mean Heart/She Said/Shakin' Rock 'N' Roll Tonight/Hold On)
Released on 7" and two different CD singles.
"Shakin' Rock 'n' Roll Tonight"
UK Chart Position #126
B-Sides: She Said (The Tremolo Beer Gut Mix) / Over and Over (Techno Animal Mix) / Money Rock 'N' Roll (Sub Species Mix) / Over and Over (Barry Adamson Mix) / She Said (Video - Floria Sigismondi) She Said (Video - Live) / Point of View (Video - Live) / Shakin' Rock 'N' Roll Tonight (Video - Live)
http://www.thejonspencerbluesexplosion.com Blues Explosion official website
http://www.matadorrecords.com/jsbx/ Blues Explosion at Matador Records
http://www.pop-catastrophe.co.uk/ Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Discography/Website: Pop-Catastrophe.co.uk
"The Spencer Report", a complete list of http://www.webcitation.org/query? url= http://www.geocities.com/yodaono/JSBX_The_Spencer_Report_Songs.htm& date=2009-10-26+00:26:04 songs and http://www.webcitation.org/query? url= http://www.geocities.com/yodaono/JSBX_The_Spencer_Report_Releases.htm& date=2009-10-26+00:25:56 releases these appear on, 1991-95.
http://orensiegel.com/2011/09/19/jon-spencer/ An extensive interview with Jon Spencer on Jekyll and Hyde, 106FM Jerusalem
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion Category:Matador Records artists Category:American indie rock groups Category:Music of New York City Category:Musical groups established in 1990 Category:Punk blues Category:Mute Records artists
br:Blues Explosion de:The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion es:Blues Explosion fr:Blues Explosion it:Blues Explosion lb:Blues Explosion nl:The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion no:Blues Explosion pl:Blues Explosion pt:The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion sv:Blues Explosion
