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The Jesus Lizard
1,524,572 plays (85,455 listeners)
Chicago, United States (1989 – 1999)
The Jesus Lizard is a noise rock music group formed in 1989 in Chicago, Illinois. The band took their name from a common nickname for the basilisk, a type of lizard that can run on water. The band reunited in 2009, for a series of concerts.
While never finding much mainstream success, The Jesus Lizard have been called “a leading noise rock band in the American independent underground … (who) turned out a series of independent records filled with scathing, disembowelling, guitar-driven pseudo-industrial noise, all of which received positive reviews in underground music publications and heavy college-radio play.”
David Yow (vocals) and David Wm. Sims (bass) were both previously in Scratch Acid, from Austin, Texas, whose sound and approach was similar to Jesus Lizard’s. It is possible to see The Jesus Lizard as a progression and semi-continuation of Scratch Acid and Scratch Acid’s records as essential listening for Jesus Lizard fans.
Their music was a scathing mix of piercing guitar, machine-like drums, propulsive bass guitar, and psychotic vocals, often said to be reminiscent of The Birthday Party, which was an accusation also often made of Scratch Acid. Denison’s stinging guitar often served more as texture or coloring than as a melody instrument, while the rhythm section’s stops and starts were simultaneously precise and brutal. David Yow’s frenzied, often incoherent vocals were quite unique, unlike anything past or present. David Sprague suggests that “Yow’s disjointed couplets” are reminiscent of a “preacher speaking in tongues.”
While never finding much mainstream success, The Jesus Lizard have been called “a leading noise rock band in the American independent underground … (who) turned out a series of independent records filled with scathing, disembowelling, guitar-driven pseudo-industrial noise, all of which received positive reviews in underground music publications and heavy college-radio play.”
David Yow (vocals) and David Wm. Sims (bass) were both previously in Scratch Acid, from Austin, Texas, whose sound and approach was similar to Jesus Lizard’s. It is possible to see The Jesus Lizard as a progression and semi-continuation of Scratch Acid and Scratch Acid’s records as essential listening for Jesus Lizard fans.
Their music was a scathing mix of piercing guitar, machine-like drums, propulsive bass guitar, and psychotic vocals, often said to be reminiscent of The Birthday Party, which was an accusation also often made of Scratch Acid. Denison’s stinging guitar often served more as texture or coloring than as a melody instrument, while the rhythm section’s stops and starts were simultaneously precise and brutal. David Yow’s frenzied, often incoherent vocals were quite unique, unlike anything past or present. David Sprague suggests that “Yow’s disjointed couplets” are reminiscent of a “preacher speaking in tongues.”
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Goat
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Liar
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Shot
The Jesus Lizard
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Bang
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Shoutbox
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RomePlows wrote:
Reading these comments makes me want to see them again, goddamnit.
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Magictacosinus wrote:
One of the best live bands I've ever seen. With all the stage diving and playful insanity, I'll safely assess that Yow is the Iggy Pop of the 90s. Also, as anyone noticed how "singalongable" Yow's lyrics are live?
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MillieHammer wrote:
Holy shit. Best show of my life. I almost burst into orgasm. Yow sucked friends face, and ran his bare hair belly across my face. Yes.
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TeenageWildlife wrote:
saw them on 11/17 on a whim. Yow LICKED my face. band was so tight. definitely one of the best shows of my young life.
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ditrixa wrote:
remastered albums are very listenable .way better than originals....imho
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darshun wrote:
Here's the Henry Fonda show for your d/ling pleasure: http://el1011.com/TJL/TheJesusLizard.html
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narlus wrote:
review of the Boston show: http://www.bigtakeover.com/reviews/the-jesus-lizard-with-animal-hospital-the-paradise-boston-ma-saturday-november-14-2009 more photos: http://narlus.zenfolio.com/p512145096
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medicalfools wrote:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/arts/music/19lizard.html
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chachimac wrote:
every member holds his own. sickass dudes.
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trashtrain wrote:
Seeing em tomorrow night, crazy excited!
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kaylastarkiller wrote:
i actually don't think i can ever be fully satisfied by another show, after seeing them live.
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argus wrote:
(Yet another comment about how awesome they are live)
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ithinkx wrote:
the Toronto show was fantastic - by the end it was like a maniac with a giant buzzsaw slicing through the tin roof of The Phoenix. amazing.
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sickening_wreck wrote:
LAST NIGHT WAS AMAZING! DAVID YOW WAS DEFINITELY THE BEST FRONTMAN TO WATCH AT ANY SHOW I'VE BEEN TO. WHAT A GUY. YES THIS IS DESERVING OF ALL-CAPS.
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firstrowmusic wrote:
They bare in Toronto tonight
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RomePlows wrote:
Have to agree, Kayla.
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kaylastarkiller wrote:
if they don't tour again, i will be devastated.
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shakedown_1979 wrote:
did anyone get a video of Nub at the variety playhouse show?
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darshun wrote:
Here's the Henry Fonda show for your d/ling pleasure: http://el1011.com/TJL/TheJesusLizard.html
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AnUub1s wrote:
kinda reminds me of Fallout
Videos
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Events
- Nov 24 The Jesus Lizard Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, United States
- Nov 25 The Jesus Lizard The Crofoot, Pontiac, MI, Detroit, United States
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Nov
27
The Jesus Lizard
Metro, Chicago IL, United States
3 shouts
| 29 attendees
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Nov
28
The Jesus Lizard
Metro, Chicago IL, United States
2 shouts
| 22 attendees
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Recent Activity
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LadySanders, everycore, gundush and 3 other people added The Jesus Lizard to their libraries. 10 minutes ago
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_acidbath wrote about The Jesus Lizard – Blue in My CD collection as of November 26, 2009. :). 17 hours ago
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XiaojieLiu tagged The Jesus Lizard with ‘seen live’. 19 hours ago
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LeeHarveyOsmond, Schizon, GothikHexe and 4 other people added The Jesus Lizard to their libraries. yesterday evening
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textbooktraitor tagged The Jesus Lizard with pigfuck and noise rock. Wednesday evening
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riffdaniels added The Jesus Lizard to riffdaniels’s library. Wednesday evening
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LS23 tagged The Jesus Lizard with ‘ls’. Wednesday evening
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pungurinn added The Jesus Lizard to pungurinn’s library. Wednesday afternoon
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n0_m0re_st0ries tagged The Jesus Lizard with ‘noise rock’. Wednesday morning
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verbcake tagged The Jesus Lizard with ‘seen live’. Wednesday morning
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Groups (105)
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The David Yow Vocal Appreciation Society For The Betterment Of Mankind
65 members
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Steve Albini is obviously god.
157 members
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Jesus Lizard
150 members
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Scratch Acid
59 members
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Big Black
177 members
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