Wot, no Jesus Lizard thread?

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/147768-the-jesus-lizard-reunite

Cool, very keen to go to ATP next year now!

Wow. Dunno how they'll keep it together... but wow. My heart sank when I saw the UK date, but I'm in Chicago. The gigs got so big here that I'd go out of town to see to see them, but...

Touch and Go email listserv message says they will end tour for final show in Chicago. Good - I'll get a chance to hear some reviews first to see if it's worth going to - because the 91 version of Jesus Lizard that I saw at Lounge Ax blew my mind and will forever remain in my top 3 of live shows.

Also - I had heard that the only reason that this did not happen for the Touch and Go 25th is that Mac McNeilly had disappeared and would not return contact about the reunion idea ... all heresay of course ...

I wonder if they will make the rounds of US ATP

london show going on sale on monday, plus more dates being announced soon
v. excited

It would have been too overwhelming to have both them and Scratch Acid at the T&G 25th. Glad they're finally doing it though.

So there's a new singles comp coming out called Inch - what's the point in this exactly? All the tracks were on Bang, why not just repress that? The new comp is missing the unreleased tracks from Bang.

Looking forward to the London gig tho

It was released on vinyl only for Record Store Day, limited to 2000 copies and only for sale in independent stores in the USA. Precursor to the rest of the remastered (by someone from Shellac that isn't Albini I believe) reissues that will be out from September.

Ah right, didn't know it was a limited thing. Was Bang released on vinyl? I have it on CD.

btw we just announced the supports for the JL london show coming up. bill is now:

The Jesus Lizard + Harvey Milk + Grails.

sweetness.

ehh. might skip those.

you are nuts

I don't know Harvey Milk but I like Grails a lot - I don't quite see how they would appeal to the Jesus Lizard crowd though :-/

best reunion shows i've ever seen. one of the best bands i've ever seen. very sad the three uk shows are done
but looking forward to barcelons and new york :-)

last nights setlist:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3406/3523499224_02ea1bf3d8.jpg?v=0

Yeah, I really should have made more of an effort to get my shit together and go and see them. Last time I saw them was about a billion years ago at the Camden Underworld and they were amazing. Still a bit scarred by the sight of David Yow dangling his ballbag in my face though.

Aw there's some songs on there I'd've paid someone off to hear on Sunday night ('Blue Shot'; 'One Evening') but no complaints, I had a blast. I got the impression (from talking to people - I was only there on the last day) that Sunday's set was slightly less crazy than Saturday's - true?

yeah a little, but i think only because the audience was knackered. the double bill of lizard/sleep on the saturday was lifechangingly awesome. monday night was wonderful though and a longer set.

That's not the exact setlist they played last night btw. The last 2 songs before they went offstage were Nub and Gladiator and Blockbuster was in the encore. Pretty sure they finished with 7 vs 8, and Wheelchair Epidemic was a few songs earlier, not last.

They were fucking amazing last night tho. Made up for not being able to afford ATP.

Sweeeeet... dur I was looking at that jpg earlier trying to think what the fuck 'Wheel' was

If anyone's got a 'no reunion show' rule, they should consider breaking it for this.

All my bros that went said the Sleep/Lizard combo was one of the best shows they ever saw.

Someone should suggest Sleep for Friday night at Kutscher's, preferably in earshot of ATP people.

Jamie, are you listening?? ;-)

no way its gonna happen. really. it was indeed one of the best nights of my life that saturday double bill.

boooooooooooooooo

We had a great moshpit of thirty-/forty-something dudes for Bob Mould at ATP last year, and I hope I get to strap on the ol' oxygen mask for Jesus Lizard.

Monday show ruled.
Loved the drum/guitar extravaganza at the end.
David Yow ate the setlist.

David Yow ate the setlist.

?!!!??!

by 'ate', I mean: 'tore it into pieces, nibbled on it, and then scattered it around'.

Looking forward to seeing them at Pitchfork! You can vote for what songs to include in the setlist! Best live band of the '90s.

This is a job for a stupid man

so just found out they're extending their tour to DC and Baltimore. oh fuck yes. might catch 'em both.

Anyone who has seen these reunion shows also seen them from early nineties and can compare? Way back then they were quite unbelievable- hilarious, mean and throat throttling all at the same time. That rhythm section was as tight as a ...tight, tight ...pair of jeans?Aanyone complete this simile? What is a tight thing that is not rude and would suit this crucial comparison? A crevass?

Tight as [insert ageing celebrity]'s botoxed skin? I saw the Lizard at Pitchfork and they nailed it. They were better than the last couple times I saw them in the 90s. Yow was really concerned about being up to snuff and put himself through and intense workout regimen months ahead of time. He's no Iggy, but the next best thing! I got my ticket for their Nov Metro show.

So how are their reissues? I don't know if the remaster is necessary, as long as I have my automatic gain setting.

The remastering certainly does Down some justice.

Albini claims the band live now is as good as they were in their heyday. I'll have to be the judge of that myself on 10/22. Yow told me he's been working out...

Haven't seen the revitalized JL. Missed em at the Cap Hill Block Party (Seattle-area summer thing) a few months back, just cuz I hate the crowds and fenced-in feeling. They've got a lot to live up to, though, cuz the early 90s version was crushing. Up there with the best rock/metal shows I've ever seen.

I didn't see them the first time around but I'd be shocked if someone saw them now and felt they didn't deliver. I'm just back from their show in LA and I thought it was even better than I was hoping it would be.

I saw them friday and they were beyond great. I never saw them early on, so I cannot compare to their earlier shows. But whatever-- they were amazing. Black Elk were great as well.

I skipped them on Friday to see the Gossip, which I almost regret, but not really. Gossip were GREAT, and I saw the Jesus Lizard several times in the 90s. Glad to hear they still deliver tho.

From Perfect Sound Forever btw:

But these guys were never meant to be The Lizard indefinitely and now with them gone forever, I can settle into the comfortable assurance that my favorite band will never disappoint or embarrass me. They will never pull a Bauhaus and reform to cash in after a slew of questionable projects fail to bring long standing success for individual band members. This ain't gonna happen because there are probably less than a few thousand hardcore Jesus Lizard fans left in North America and that number probably dwindles every year. Good. This band is what used to pass for a hip rock critic's wet dream back when music writers were expected to be more adventurous than putting all their money on the goddamn White Stripes. So I will enjoy them in happy solitude and I don't care if you think it's ridiculous posturing to champion a band based on their inaccessibility. I will tell anyone to their face that Cheap Trick are an incredible band and at their prime. THOSE guys could fill entire stadiums with hysterical teenage chicks. Big deal.

<3 PSF

"and then the motel manager comes by" cracks me up everytime

HOLY SHIT

seriously, these guys FUCKING DESTROYED tonight.

I was at this show. Still sore. Really, really amazing.

This ain't gonna happen because there are probably less than a few thousand hardcore Jesus Lizard fans left in North America and that number probably dwindles every year.

You have got to be kidding me.

Good. This band is what used to pass for a hip rock critic's wet dream ....

I can't remember a single "critic" who was fair to them.
Who is a "hip rock critic"?

So I will enjoy them in happy solitude and I don't care if you think it's ridiculous posturing to champion a band based on their inaccessibility.

They're a great band, great live shows. What should be done about their body of work, I don't know.
They're just not everyone's cup of tea and I don't think there is much you can do about it. Some people
can't get past the vocalist, which makes it difficult for some people to appreciate their musical virtues.

Baloney, the critic reviewing them for the W. Post the other night loved them (and he grew up on reading the many '90s critics who loved them--not sure who you were reading then?)and noted that they only played to a half-filled 930 club.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postrock/2009/11/the_jesus_lizard_live_last_nig.html

The other night Yow commented on how DC was usually the pretty happening show and Baltimore was kind of dead but this tour it was completely the opposite. Said something about "Baltimore's the new LA, DC's the new San Francisco". The Baltimore crowd was nuts for 'em too, kids flying everywhere, cheering "like they're seeing Bruce Springsteen", plenty of crowd surfing. Yow spent a lot of time floating around in the audience. And it never let up, even through the 2nd encore. Towards the end of the show Yow said something like "Thank you. In all seriousness, thank you." in a kind of uncharacteristically sincere way. It was nice. The band got a hero's welcome and I think they appreciated it. Never got to see these guys the first time around, but I can't imagine the older Jesus Lizard is inferior in any way.

Curmudgeon you are right, we need to review the press some time, maybe I am wrong. I just hate how these great bands get forgotten, it's not like everyone has to like them or send all nineties bands on some corny reunion tour, but this was a great band and they did have detractors in my neck of the woods, like, "they're hostile because they don't want to be huge rock stars" and this kind of crap. I don't see what the point is, they were a formidable band and all they focus on is the singer.

I'm glad people are enjoying the shows!

OMG I just remembered some funny story someone told me about how they wouldn't listen to the Jesus Lizard because of their "offensive" name. I mean, I was like, why do you hate Jesus?