THE JONESES
Out of all the rock ‘n’ roll sleaze bands in Hollywood during the 1980s, The Joneses are recognized as coming first and being the toughest and most honest of them all. This no-nonsense group of trash rockers, led by the charismatic Jeff Drake, were a hot-blooded mix of the New York Dolls, Johnny Thunders, and Eddie Cochran, too glam for punk and too punk for rock. If the term “trashy rock ‘n’ roll” could only apply to one band, The Joneses would take the label in spades.
Their music was raw and powerful, their style a mix of their predecessors. They lived the sleazy rock ‘n’ roll life like they invented it, with clever songs about their tales of pills, booze, chicks, and decadence. The Joneses brought their own definition of cool to the table, youthful yet timeless, fierce yet endearing, and drugged up and drunk the whole time. Their music was pure punk fueled rock ‘n’ roll aggression, sung with ‘50s style melody but coming hard with ‘80s Los Angeles aggression.
Unfortunately, The Joneses had all the right parts but were not recognized for being the unique forbearers they were. To say these rockers were cool wouldn’t be saying enough. They were the symbol of cool on the Hollywood strip, and they were what rock ‘n’ roll was and is really about. No posturing or false chic – they were the real deal, the real sleaze with the real sound of the street.
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I-94 BAR – ABOUT CRIMINALS / TITS AND CHAMPAGNE:
The two Joneses’ tracks (“Pill Box” and “Graveyard Rock”) wedged into 1982’s hardcore punk compilation “Someone Got Their Head Kicked In” always seemed as hopelessly out of place as Warren Beatty at a Promise Keepers convention; chattering, messy, gone-to-seed racket fortified by edge-blurring anesthesia – in tablet and liquid form – from a bunch of Hollywood street rodents entirely oblivious to the tuneless, nihilistic, pseudo-political, and overly-serious manifestos being churned out by the follicly-challenged right in their own backyard. Of course it’s more likely they just didn’t care, perfectly content to play loud, fast music with loud, fast words about boobs, dope, and liquor rather than make any effort at some sort of grand social statement. Regardless, you could tap your foot to both songs (and most anything they ever wrote), but slam dancing to ‘em was out of the question.
Although they shared a zip code with a living dead army of hair farmers like Motley Crue, Quiet Riot, and Ratt, The Joneses seemed more consumed with sonics than haberdashery or cosmetics, drawing their inspiration from a wellspring of ‘70s scarf-and-opiate dandies like Aerosmith, the New York Dolls, and the Stones, with a touch of oily rockabilly thrown in for texture and reference, everything spit up, revved up, hopped up, and torn up, then cast aside and forgotten. They got in, got out, and moved on with what appeared to be only a tenuous grasp of focus or direction.
And therein lies part of the beauty of this house of cards, as this two-fer of ‘80s EPs demonstrates. That and the guitars of Jeff Drake, Steve Houston, and Greg Kuehn screaming for relief – but mostly just screaming – strings scraped and scratched with picks, exploding and feeding back like fireworks, then bent, strangled, and wrestled into submission. At times, it sounds as if they’re making it all up as they go along, but as anyone who’s ever tried to emulate what Johnny Thunders brought to the table in terms of sound or attitude will tell you, it’s not as easy as it looks.
What seals the deal for The Joneses is Drake’s knack for coming up with hooks that share an uneasy truce with the buzzing guitar ruckus, like “White and Pretty”, “Bad Attitude”, “I Wanna Buy You a Ring”, and “Ms. 714”, surely the most beautiful song ever about Quaaludes. Imagine The Heartbreakers with the occasional cameo from Jerry Lee Lewis, Ian McLagan, or Stu Stewart on barrelhouse piano and you’re nearly there.
Showoffs? Probably, but the covers push the proceedings completely over-the-top; a snotty, flash, defiant, irreverent “Crocodile Rock”, a greasy “Your Cheatin’ Heart” an entire legion of cow punks would sacrifice a testicle to have arranged, and a fairly straight (at least for these guys) pass at “Route 66” that moves, shakes, and swings like Benito Mussolini and Clara Petacci at the Piazzale Loreto.
Inspired by a reissue campaign by flame keepers Full Breach Kicks, Drake and Kuehn have returned from years in the wilderness, bent on dragging the brand name through the gutter at least one more time with a few reunion gigs. Here’s hoping for a new studio album.
LA WEEKLY – ABOUT THE JONESES:
This is one of those superhero match-ups that could only occur in a parallel comic-book universe, like Spiderman joining forces with Batman or Howard the Duck battling Godzilla. I mean, what are the chances the ‘80s Hollywood punk and rollers The Joneses would ever play on the same bill as the ‘70s English pub punk rockers Eddie and the Hot Rods? Both bands broke up long ago and had their heydays in different decades in underground scenes that occurred thousands of miles apart, and yet the pairing makes sense. The Hot Rods were linked with the early British punks because of singles like 1976’s “Teenage Depression”, which was more of an Eddie Cochran update than anything nihilistic. They were really a power pop band at heart on such nearly perfect tunes as “Do Anything You Wanna Do”.
With their slower, more classically rocking Johnny Thunders style, The Joneses were nearly trampled in the conformist macho panic of the early ‘80s hardcore scene/stampede, but their sexy, sassy form of trash punk aligned them with Hollywood’s hair metal bands later in the decade. Unlike so many NY Dolls clones though, singer and former bank robber Jeff Drake writes his own sneeringly wonderful anthems.
Don’t miss Eddie and the Hot Rods along with The Joneses, Prima Donna, and The Soda Pop Kids on Friday, July 31st.
RAZORCAKE – ABOUT CRIMINALS / TITS AND CHAMPAGNE:
Goddamn, I love them Joneses! Full Breach Kicks does all glam and punk fans a favor by compiling these two rare 12” singles onto a shiny compact disc. The first time on disc for both and they also happen to work quite well as an album together. Twelve tunes full of Thunders-style hooks and snotty punk rock ‘n’ roll vocal delivery. Occasionally veering into rockabilly and even garage, The Joneses are a great mix of everything that makes rock ‘n’ roll great. Both of these killer records are also available on vinyl.
GLITZINE – ABOUT CRIMINALS / TITS AND CHAMPAGNE:
It's difficult to begin a write-up of a band that really should need no introduction. Their aim to sound like a cross between the New York Dolls and Eddie Cochran was fulfilled until, as frontman Jeff Drake puts it, "then came the metal bands that ruined everything." The Joneses may have been "too glam for punk and too punk for rock" but the cool kids, sadly in hindsight, realize this trashy outfit really were more than a little special. Anyone not knowing the story of The Joneses really should stand in a corner and hang their head in shame.
On the subject of cool kids, there surely can be none cooler than the cats at Full Breach Kicks! Not satisfied with covering our milky white bodies with supreme t-shirts from Full Breach 77, but these good guys are reissuing some great music and finally giving some horribly undervalued gems the place in the spotlight they deserve. Their release of the entire Soho Roses back catalogue mirrors their work with The Joneses – essential recordings by gloriously trashy outfits who left us too soon. These 2 EPs on 1 CD reissue is, again, an essential purchase, collecting two highly sought after 12" EPs and putting them out there in re-mastered form and with rare songs, lyrics, never before seen pictures, and liner notes.
The Criminals EP sounds vein-achingly vintage, and by vintage I don't mean distressed in an Asian sweatshop with sequins added in the form of the AC/DC logo! The title track is a gutter-glowing firecracker of a tune that smacks of a certain John Genzale, Jr. There's a punk 'n' roll cover of “Crocodile Rock” that makes me wonder if Elton John might just have had a Thunders piece in his hair closet. Exclusive to this release is the rockabilly influenced “Bedrock”.
Tits and Champagne – wrapped in iconic artwork featuring Sophia Loren casting an envious glance at the Jayne Mansfield funbags – is a more polished and better produced affair. The title track and “I Wanna Buy You a Ring” are perfect slices of sleazy punk rock 'n' roll that readers of this site will kill for. Throw in covers of Hank Williams' “Your Cheatin' Heart” and Chuck Berry's “Route 66” and the trashy time capsule is complete.
Y'know, reviewing reissues can be tough. Sometimes it feels like you have escaped the clutches of a serial killer but then have to relive the sheer horror at the trial. Thankfully, this release is ultra cool. With Criminals also being released on 12" vinyl (the Tits and Champagne vinyl being already available), this is not just heaven for completists, but also a perfect jumping on point for any self respecting music fan who has missed out on this most undervalued of bands.
NO FRONT TEETH – ABOUT CRIMINALS / TITS AND CHAMPAGNE:
Another superb reissue form Full Breach Kicks that again highlights the absolute importance and influence of The Joneses. This CD features the six tracks form the Criminals EP that FBK have also released as a 12”, and the six tracks form the Tits and Champagne EP that FBK released on a 12” two years ago. I have stressed the significance of this band but it simply can’t be highlighted and emphasized enough. The Joneses are the pioneers of L.A. sleazy punk rock ‘n’ roll, and their blend of original rock ‘n’ roll and uncompromising punk rock is intoxicating and unruly and makes you want to move. To follow a gem of a dangerous punk rock cut “Criminals” with The Flinstone’s rock ‘n’ roll stylings of “Bedrock” and back into the dirty punk rock spit of “Fix Me” is just unbeatable. Even if Criminals was just those three songs in that order it would be gold, and that’s just half of it, and only a quarter of this fuckin’ collection! This really is a treat and I think it’s so fucking cool that FBK has reissued almost all their entire back catalogue. This is the shit my dreams are made of – fucked up, drugged up rock ‘n’ rollers full of hairspray, booze, and pills looking like beautiful zombies and living a true reckless existence while creating some of the most original and dangerous rock 'n' roll that sparked a whole genre. Everyone should be aware of The Joneses and it’s such a pity they were somewhat overlooked when they were genuinely pioneering a scene, but as long as they get recognition somewhere along the line that’s a great thing, and thanks to releases like this, that’s gonna happen.
3RD GENERATION NATION – ABOUT CRIMINALS / TITS AND CHAMPAGNE:
Ihre ersten Songs bleiben ganz klar die besten! Criminals ist und bleibt ein Knaller vor dem Herrn! Hier laesst sich auf exakt 2:36 Minuten die ganze Klasse der L.A.-Band erkennen. New York Dolls, Dead Boys, und Johnny Thunders, das sind die Namen die immer wieder in Verbindung mit den Joneses fallen. Weitere Beispiel sind “Fix Me” und “Ms. 714”. Abgefuckter geht es wirklich nicht mehr! Genialer junkie-sound auf speed, den auch ein Stiv, ein Johnny, ein Cheetah und all die anderen Jungs in ihren besten Tagen nicht besser hinbekommen haetten. Ansonsten gibt es noch genialen trash rock ‘n’ roll mit “Bedrock” und “White And Pretty”, der mich unweigerlich an New Orleans erinnert. Als einzigen und minimalen Fehltritt wuerde ich das cover von Elton John’s “Crocodile Rock” bezeichnen. Aber, die Joneses haben dem Liedchen so viel an New Yorker attituede einverleibt, das die ehemalige peinliche pop-Harmlosigkeit ueberhaupt nicht wieder zuerkennen ist, und sich eben typisch wie the fuckin’ Joneses anhoeren. Damit waere die Criminals 12” beendet. Vorhang auf fuer die zweite 12”, Tits and Champagne. Die laesst es etwas behaebiger angehen. Die Produktion ist nun zu meinem Bedauern ein wenig steriler und nicht mehr so scheisse-ungestuem, wie auf der Criminals. Der Piano-Einsatz kommt aber gut beim opener “I Wanna Buy You a Ring”. Irgendwie werde ich aber den Eindruck nicht los, das man mit der zweiten 12” inch versucht hat, sich der Rotzigkeit der ersten 12” inch zu entziehen, um eine musikalisch ausgefeilte Scheibe anzustreben. Und das geht dann auch leicht in die Binsen, wie ich finde. Mehr Stones als Dolls, you know. Dafuer bleibt aber ihre erste 12” inch der Hammer! Beide EPs kamen im Laufe der 80er raus. Die Songs sind fuer die CD extra ueberholt worden, in neu-deutsch nennt man das re-mastered. Saenger Jeff Drake steuert im Booklet ausfuehrliche Linernotes bei und die Texte hat man auch nicht vergessen abzudrucken. Ganz klar, eine absolut wertvolle release! 5 stars!
PORTFOLIO WEEKLY – ABOUT CRIMINALS / TITS AND CHAMPAGNE:
Who? Legendary SoCal punk rockers. Sounds like? All The Joneses hits. Is it any good? What better way to celebrate The Joneses 25th anniversary than with a double EP set? Six songs grace the Criminals portion, including one of the snottiest punk ‘n’ roll tunes they have, “Fix Me”. Perfect for a sock hop, “Bedrock” is a fun, rockabilly-esque frolic accompanied by blaring horns and Jerry lee Lewis style keys. And who could not love the punkier version of Elton John’s “Crocodile Rock”? The Tits and Champagne “side” includes the title track as well as the heartfelt rocker, “I Wanna Buy You a Ring”. Two covers are found here, Hank Williams’ postmortem classic, “Your Cheatin’ Heart”, and “Route 66”, penned by Bobby Troup but covered by everyone from Chuck Berry to The Lazy Cowgirls. Original cut “Bad Attitude” includes vocals that are more post punk in style, deep and controlled.
ROCK REPORT – ABOUT CRIMINALS / TITS AND CHAMPAGNE:
The Joneses, who were lead by Jeff “bank robbing” Drake, can easily be seen as one of the earliest and most influential bands of the mid ‘80s glam wave scene in the U.S. and more precisely that of the Sunset Strip and close surroundings. The boys possessed everything that was important for the scene later on. They were vicious, dangerous, wicked, very talented, good-looking, and, did I mention dangerous? They were not like the marketing and record company induced Poison variety later on. This here CD is a combined reissue of two preceding EPs, namely Criminals and Tits and Champagne, and is another gem not to be ignored by any glam collector. Their bio points out their main influences as the New York Dolls, Johnny Thunders, and Eddie Cochran, and I couldn’t have come up with a better description of the elements that make up their sound myself. Available as two EPs on one CD or for the vinyl freaks the Criminals EP is available as well. Top that!
SLEAZEGRINDER – ABOUT CRIMINALS / TITS AND CHAMPAGNE:
Full Breach Kicks is back at it, this time reissuing a split CD and vinyl versions consisting of the two rare 12” EPs Criminals (1983) and Tits and Champagne (1989) from The Joneses’ audacious catalogue for anyone clamoring for empirically trashy, foolhardy and nasty, ‘50s inspired jangle and jive. And really, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be. This split serves as a nice complement to Keeping Up with The Joneses, offering a delicious sandwiched sound sampling of Joneses material over the years, complete with lyrics and liner notes from Jeff Drake and Greg Kuehn. Of course, what it really offers is rock ‘n’ inspiration for every penniless, drunk, broken-hearted outlaw soul, and baby, that’s me. It’s probably you too.
PS: I’ve got the thick slab o’ black wax edition; same six seminal songs, same hilariously self-deprecating back-cover liner notes from Jeff Drake and the Joneses’ sometimes-piano plinker Greg Kuehn, just bigger and bolder than the CD. Because CDs are sorta for pussies. It’s obvious listening to the primal pleasures of “Fix Me” and “Croc Rock” that these shambolic near-hoboes were the patient zeros of the entire dandy-sleaze movement. Students of chaos, here’s your masters.
LOUD FAST RULES – ABOUT KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES:
L.A. 1986. Glam. And punk. And hair metal. All collide. And this is one of the better progeny to emerge from that bastard parentage. Ten tracks of New York Dolls and Heartbreakers trashiness at its tricked-out best. This reissue includes liner notes from main man Jeff Drake (who went on to do his thing in The Humpers) and lots of pics. If you’re jonesing for the glam and the sleaze in your rock ‘n’ roll, then you’ll want a fix of this.
SLEAZEGRINDER – ABOUT KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES:
I'm not sure how or if this reissue will change their standing as one of rock ‘n’ roll's best kept footnote secrets, so perhaps the question still needs to be asked: Do you know The Joneses? The history of these Hollywood punks is long, sordid, and worth reading, which you can do elsewhere so we won’t go into it here, but Full Breach Kicks is doing its best to make sure their accomplishments as unsung junkie heroes of cowboy glam get a few more minutes of worthy fame. All original songs from the 1986 seminal and influential Keeping Up with The Joneses have been re-mastered, and a finer collection of dirt and sparkle you could not find. Despite their legacy as those guys who sung “Pillbox”, this was their magnum opus. There’s as much blood, sweat, and tears on these songs as there are genuine, sleazy licks. The Joneses were criminals in every sense of the word, street trash with an affinity for the New York Dolls, Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, and Hank Williams, who would go on to influence bands like Guns N’ Roses, The Hangmen, American Heartbreak, and countless others. Only they'd never really received the credit they deserved because they were caught in a world where brilliance, taste, and hard living were often overshadowed by money and fake handshakes. So, if you don't know The Joneses, you ought to, and this is the perfect place to start.
ROCK REPORT – ABOUT KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES:
"Keeping up with the joneses" is a popular catchphrase in many parts of the English-speaking world. It refers to the desire to be seen as being as good as one's neighbors or contemporaries using the comparative benchmarks of social caste or the accumulation of material goods. To fail to "keep up with the joneses is perceived as demonstrating socio-economic or cultural inferiority", says Wikipedia. Well, The Joneses didn’t keep up with no joneses, cause if they did, their neighbors had to be some deranged members of the New York Dolls.
The Joneses, ladies and gentlemen, and I won’t hold it against you if you’ve never heard of them before, are one of those Sunset Strip cult bands, one of the acts that paved the way for the glitter explosion that was to set Hollywood on fire for a couple of years.
The band was an ever revolving door of musicians around main members Jeff Drake and Scott Franklin (later with The Cramps). Some of the musicians that came and went later joined Christian Death, the aforementioned Cramps, L.A. Guns, or some other rowdy bunch. Nowadays, it’s Jeff and Greg Kuehn that keeps the flame shimmering. If he’s not busy robbing banks, that is.
The Joneses played a form of drunk rock that is situated somewhere between punk, rock, and glam. It’s actually neither but it always comes with that special Johnny Thunders swing and swagger.
This reissue of their 1986 album contains eight originals and two covers, one cut from Aerosmith (“Chip Away at the Stone”) and another from Elton John (“Crocodile Rock”).
This platter, boys and girls, is nothing short of brilliant and is mandatory ear candy for anyone that holds a warm spot in their heart for everything glam and sleaze, cause it rarely gets any better than this. The album comes with some great pictures and liner notes by Josh Rutledge (Now Wave) and Jeff Drake himself. Not to be missed!
RAZORCAKE – ABOUT KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES:
Reissue of this classic album and appearing here on CD for the first time. A great lost-in-time slice of glam punk goodness! Just predating the GNR explosion, The Joneses were Sunset Strip glam punk rock before it got watered down and stupid. The focus is on songs and killer sound, and the look is there but much cooler. A killer cover of Aerosmith’s greatest song “Chip Away at the Stone” is included, and it is a raging take. Great liner notes by Jeff Drake in the booklet. Just a great, great album for fans of rock ‘n’ roll. Watch for more Joneses stuff coming from Full Breach Kicks.
NO FRONT TEETH – ABOUT KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES:
We would all be mentioning The Joneses in the same breath as Guns n’ Roses if they had gotten what they truly deserved and if they were justly recognized as how important and pioneering these sleazy fuckers were. But, never making it big has kept them pure. Pure feral! No matter how wild or exciting a band is, once they break it on a large scale they inevitable lose their edge, so for that reason I’m glad The Joneses remain a shadowy diamond. This is the dangerous, yet critically addictive, flavor of real rock ‘n’ roll. It’s raw, stripped-down, and so close to the bone. It’s real and thrilling with a real sense of unpredictability. You ever heard that said about G N’ R? Or L.A.Guns? Didn’t fucking think so. The backbone of The Joneses sound, style, and attitude is so strictly punk rock, and that tough edge is the crux of their music. Teamed up with their seedy rock ‘n’ roll riffs and Jeff Drakes’ bitchy snarl – this shit is untouchable. Keeping Up with The Joneses originally came out in 1986 – that’s 21 years ago – and it’s still fresh as fuck. There’s no expiration date on real rock ‘n’ roll, and records like this just set that in stone. This is dangerous shit – sex, drugs, and alcohol fuelled rock ‘n’ roll. True leaders! And in those respects, no one can keep up with The Joneses.
LOUD FAST RULES – ABOUT KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES:
Finally, a CD/LP reissue of this LA glam punk rock ‘n’ roll classic! The Joneses were the gold standard of this genre and this was one of their best efforts. Not quite as raw as their Criminals EP, this still rocks like a motherfucker! From originals like "Ms 714" and "Good From Far" to covers of "Crocodile Rock" and the definitive version of "Chip Away at the Stone", this is as close to a perfect rock and roll record as it gets. Powerful, fun, and trashy, this is amazing and should never be allowed to go out of print again.
PORTFOLIO WEEKLY – ABOUT KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES:
Who: Underrated punk and glam band from the ‘80s. Sounds like: The best of the punk world that caused the band’s demise. Is it any good? Originally released in 1986, this reissue serves as a good refresher course for fans and an even better introduction for newbies. It includes ten rare gems, including a cover of Aerosmith’s “Chip Away at the Stone”, done with rebellious reverence, as well as Elton John’s “Crocodile Rock”, which never sounded so rockin’. The Joneses really get rowdy with originals like “Cut that Trash”, a ballad of pure teen angst, and “She’s So Filthy”, with unmentionable lyrics recounting a particularly dirty one night stand. But perhaps the best part of this reissue is the bitterly penned liner notes from founder and front man Jeff Drake, ending with “P.S. I always hated the cover of this record.” Doesn’t get much punker than that!
BUBBLEGUM SLUT – ABOUT KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES:
On the rare occasions The Joneses’ name surfaces these days, generally from the better informed and more off-beat rock ‘n’ roll resources out there, it is typically in the context of that familiar sad story of a great band over-looked, underrated, and eventually buried beneath the sediment of time. Listening to this reissue from 1986, you can’t help but agree the clichéd truth is The Joneses were the right band in the wrong place at the wrong time. While their blonde bouffant dos and love of debauchery, made homage in songs like “She’s So Filthy”, fit with mid ‘80s L.A., they found themselves in musical substance owing more to the rawer NY sound of the ‘70s and the androgynous Dolls. The rest of that magical band’s offspring it seems had immigrated to Europe by the turn of the decade, and so The Joneses find their brethren in the barroom glam of Hanoi Rocks, The Dogs D’Amour, and The Crybabys. Indeed it figures if they’d ever invaded the London of that era, they could have given any of those Marquee staples a run for their beer money in the harmonica honking, piano tooting, good ol’ knees up rock ‘n’ roll stakes. As it is though, this release serves as a wistful reminder of what could have been.
LA WEEKLY – ABOUT THE JONESES:
The Joneses were a strange band even as far back as 1982, when two of their songs, “Pill Box” and “Graveyard Rock,” first appeared on the Somebody Got Their Head Kicked In compilation. While other groups on the comp such as Social Distortion and Battalion of Saints were competing to see who could play harder and faster in the then-new, rigidly macho hardcore punk style, The Joneses stood out with a sound that combined punk energy with a Chuck Berry/New York Dolls sass. Singer-guitarist Jeff Drake gave good sneer, snarling with a quintessentially raspy vocal delivery that turned their supped-up remakes of “Route 66” and “Crocodile Rock” into mini-classics, and even when The Joneses went in a more hard-rocking, Johnny Thunders–inspired direction in the mid-’80s – before the same idea occurred to Poison and Gun N’ Roses – they still wrote good tunes. Unlike their hair metal imitators, The Joneses were genuine bad boys, with Drake spending several years behind bars for a bank robbery conviction. After getting out of the joint, Drake briefly teamed up with his brother, The Humpers’ Scott Drake, in The Vice Principals in 2000, but he’s always sounded best when keeping up with his Joneses.
NOW WAVE – ABOUT KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES:
Reissue of this classic album, appearing here on CD and vinyl for the very first time. A great lost-in-time slice of glam punk goodness! Just predating the GNR explosion, The Joneses were Sunset Strip glam rock before it got watered down and stupid. The focus is on songs and killer sound; the look is there but much cooler. A killer cover of Aerosmith's greatest song "Chip Away at the Stone" is included, and it is a raging take. Great liner notes by Jeff Drake in the booklet. Just a great, great album for fans of rock 'n' roll. Watch for more Joneses stuff coming from Full Breach Kicks.
VEGLAM – ABOUT KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES:
This re-release, originally released in 1986, shows Full Breach Kicks continuing their rehabilitation campaign of this amazing band. I remember how hard it was to get the vinyl in those days, but also the excitation I felt when the postman finally delivered the desired object in my mailbox. The Joneses overlooking the city on the cover, Jeff Drake enthroned with his buddies like Napoleon in front of his troops (I know, this is a ridiculous comparison, but I also know he actually admires the little Corsican guy), and all of this protected by some cellophane I was almost afraid to tear of. As soon as I heard the first chords to “MS. 714”, I knew that this band was made for me. Only later I heard about the discords, the alcohol, and drug and girl problems, and I think I would have been a bit disappointed if there wasn’t any of all that. After all, aren’t these the things that make a real rock 'n' roll band? So get this re-mastered version on CD or vinyl as soon as possible and call me and let’s talk about it!
LOUD FAST RULES – ABOUT KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES:
Yet another great release from the Full Breach Kicks label, which is putting out some of the best sleazy rock 'n' roll and punk around. This ten track album was recorded in 1986 by these glam punk rockers who sounded better than any of the other L.A. bands of this era. As the sleeve says, they were too punk for the rockers and too rock for the punks, which is a shame as they successfully bridged that divide. Reminiscent of the New York Dolls and early Faster Pussycat with similarities to present day punks The Heart Attacks and the Sick Fits. Thoroughly contagious and thoroughly recommended!
3RD GENERATION NATION – ABOUT KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES:
War doch ein wenig viel enttaeuscht, als ich die zehn Songs zum ersten Mal hoerte. Nur der opener "Ms. 714", "Cut that Trash" und ausgerechnet auch noch die Elton John (?) - coverversion von "Crocodile Rock" bilden die ruehmlichen Ausnahmen in Sachen gut abgehender punk 'n' roll attitude. Die anderen songs miefen mir viel zu stark nach sleazy glam und too much an Stones - Attribute. Und die Frisuren der Bandmitglieder sind ebenfalls zum Weglaufen. Okay, es war 1986, als sie die songs fuer ihre erste LP aufnahmen. Da kann man das mit den Haaren noch ruhig durchgehen lassen. Wenn man den Worten von Saenger und Gitarristen Jeff Drake (uebrigens der aeltere Bruder von ex-Humpers Scott Drake) im Booklet Glauben schenkt, dann wurden die Aufnahmen im Studio auf der "Sex, Drugs & Rock 'n' Roll" - Basis durchgezogen. Ein Gutes hat die Sache aber auch. Denn ich kramte mir die Criminal History - CD auf SFTRI raus. Durch "Pill Box und "Graveyard Rock", die die CD eroeffnen, hab ich die Band Anfang der 80er auf dem ersten BYO compilation Someone Got Their Head Kicked In kennen gelernt und sofort fuer besonders gut befunden. Ich dachte, das waere evtl. so eine band, die in etwa in Richtung Social Distortion einschlagen werden. Aber schnell verlor ich die The Joneses wieder aus den Augen, bis zu dem Tage, als in den 90ern eben diese CD erschien. Gut, das Full Breach Kicks vorhat auch dieses Teil spaeter noch einmal neu zu veroeffentlichen. Die dann zu Besprechen wird mir sicherlich mehr Freunde bereiten. Trotzdem, vier Sternchen weil es nun mal die The Joneses sind. Dieses eine Mal scheiss ich auf Objektivitaet! Four stars!
DIG IT – ABOUT KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES:
La dernière livraison du label de l'Illinois confirme en tout cas que la maison aime déguster son rock 'n' roll assaisonné de glam, de punk et de power pop bien secouée. Prenez The Joneses par exemple, un gang qui sévissait à L.A. durant les '80s et comptait Jeff Drake (frangin de Scott "Deluxe" Drake des Suicide Kings puis des The Humpers) dans ses rangs (chant et guitare). Comme les Dolls, le groupe avait toutes les cartes en main pour rafler la mise, mais comme pour le groupe de Johansen, le destin se montra cruel, et même s'il y eut moins de morts au combat chez les The Joneses, ils restèrent longtemps "le plus grand groupe non signé de Los Angeles". Et quand un deal fut finalement arraché, une bisbille entre le label et le distributeur eut pour conséquence de voir une bonne couche de poussière recouvrir les albums restés trop longtemps sur les étagères de la maison de disques. Le groupe ne résista pas longtemps à l'accumulation d'avanies (et framboise) et Jeff Drake s'en fut vers d'autres aventures (d'Amanda Jones jusqu'aux The Vice Principals). Restent quelques disques, dont celui-ci, Keeping Up with The Joneses, sorti initialement en 86 et fraîchement réédité par FBK (comme ils le firent aussi pour Tits and Champagne récemment), qui devrait facilement se frayer un chemin jusqu'aux étagères où trônent déjà Chuck Berry, Eddie Cochran, les Stones et évidemment donc, les Dolls. Glam & trash for ever! Dois-je vraiment en rajouter? Ah oui, peut-être, ce post-scriptum de Jeff Drake sur le livret: "J'ai toujours détesté la pochette de ce disque". Un coup d'oeil à côté suffira à comprendre.
EAR CANDY – ABOUT TITS AND CHAMPAGNE:
The Joneses were a trash rock ‘n’ roll band from the eighties that hailed from Hollywood. Cooking up a lethal mix of the New York Dolls, Chuck Berry, Gene Vincent, the Flamin’ Groovies, and the Stones, they were part punk, part glam, and 100% raw rock ‘n’ roll. Songs about sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll were just theme songs to go along with their sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle. This 12” vinyl EP is a reissue of their 1989 record on Trigon Records with the inclusion of the rare song “Bad Attitude”. Vinyl is definitely the best way to enjoy this band, and any other format would just be blasphemy in my humble opinion. Favorite tracks: “I Wanna Buy You A Ring”, “Your Cheatin’ Heart”, and the title track. Full Breach Kicks always comes through with the killer stuff.
NOW WAVE – ABOUT TITS AND CHAMPAGNE:
Although not the very best Joneses record, Tits and Champagne is a must-own for all fans of Hollywood's legendary sleaze rockers. The EP, originally issued 17 years ago by Trigon Records, has been brought back into print by one of my favorite record labels, Full Breach Kicks. And that makes sense. FBK artists like Kevin K, The Soda Pop Kids, and The Black Beauties are The Joneses' modern-day heirs. If you're a fan of all the current Full Breach bands, how can you not like The Joneses too?
The Joneses might be the archetypical glam punk band. While their fellow Sunset Strip glam groups were aping KISS and Aerosmith, The Joneses took their musical inspiration from the Heartbreakers, the New York Dolls, and '50s rock 'n' roll. Tits and Champagne kicks off with a couple of vintage Joneses rockers. "I Wanna Buy You a Ring" and the primo title track are trashy punk ditties a la Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers, with some serious Chuck Berry/Jerry Lee Lewis influence at play as well. Neither number offers a hook to compare with the band's classic "Pill Box", but both are chock full of smoking guitar licks (Jeff Drake) and great raunchy piano playing (Greg Kuehn). If you like your rock 'n' roll a little on the wanky side, you'll love these songs. This is old-time rock 'n' roll with the devil's influence very much in tact. Sometimes you hear '50s-style rock 'n' roll and imagine clean-cut kids dancing at the sock hop and drinking sodas. Here, I imagine degenerate hoodlums drugging and drinking and dry-humping at some seedy club, fights spilling out into the street and ungodly sex acts taking place in grimy bathroom stalls. Covers of "Your Cheatin' Heart" and "Route 66" carry on in the same vein and suggest an affinity for American roots music, further confirmed by the twangy roadhouse blues of "Steamin'". "Bad Attitude", a track exclusive to this reissue, doesn't sound like it belongs on this record at all. Actually, it sounds like it would fit perfectly on the Chaz Matthews solo album (which was put out by, you guessed it, Full Breach Kicks!). A mid-tempo punk tune with a sing-songy chorus, it's one of the best Joneses songs, so I'm glad it was included!
While it's all well and good for people like me to lament The Joneses never getting their due, Josh at Full Breach has done something much more useful: put the music back into circulation!
TERMINAL BOREDOM – ABOUT TITS AND CHAMPAGNE:
The Joneses are semi-legendary in some circles, as the stand-out example of the pre-hair metal eighties Sunset Strip glam punk rock scene, with ties to Berlin Brats, Mau Maus, TSOL, and other heavy hitters. Jeff Drake (pre-Vice Principals and pre-bank robbery [not a band]) was the leader, and he of course does a good Thunders knock-off right down to the clothes and nasally vox. This 12" reissues the original EP released by Trigon in 1989 with one bonus track not on the Criminal History reissue CD, and thankfully replicates the great original cover shot of Sofia Loren slyly ogling Jayne Mansfield's rack (with exposed nipple). The title song is the best thing this has to offer, a nice slice of piano-spiced Dolls/Heartbreakers trash. This band definitely had some great moments.
MAXIMUM ROCK ‘N’ ROLL – ABOUT TITS AND CHAMPAGNE:
I was never a big fan of The Joneses back in the day. They were raw, but they were a bit too “rock ‘n’ roll” for me. They were like The Replacements, but even a little more rock ‘n’ rolly. Back then, for me, if it was rock ‘n’ roll, it was shit. I wanted the punk rock, man. I had a girlfriend that liked them, but they never did it for me. I’m here to tell you I was on the late train with this one. You see, most rock ‘n’ roll back then was total crap. (Hell, most rock ‘n’ roll today is crap.) But I made the mistake of thinking all rock ‘n’ roll was crap. Just like most things, rock ‘n’ roll can be crappy, but it isn’t crappy by definition. (Some things remain inherently crappy, but rock ‘n’ roll isn’t one of them.) Likewise, just because something is “punk” doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s good. This is rock ‘n’ roll, no doubt. But it’s also raw and evil and in your face and the devil is definitely behind it. Wait a second, is this punk?
NO FRONT TEETH – ABOUT TITS AND CHAMPAGNE:
I know there probably hasn’t been one review of this record that didn’t mention “Pill Box”, but fuck it. I’m mentioning it too because the impact that song (and “Graveyard Rock”) had on me when I first heard Someone Got their Head Kicked In nearly fifteen years ago was phenomenal. These spitting, burning rock ‘n’ roll gems in between all that punk and hardcore stuck out in my brain and I was fucking hypnotized. So now, thanks to Full Breach Kicks and in a time where we so desperately need the sound of The Joneses, the kids who have very little to get inspired and excited about have Tits and Champagne. Even though it might be more than 15 years old, it still slices the throats of 99.9% of the bands out there today. This is real rock ‘n’ roll – dirty, sleazy, raw, and simple, and the power of real rock ‘n’ roll comes only through simplicity and the correct employment of this straightforwardness. The Joneses are the embodiment of that, and
unfortunately that bluntness has long been lost in rock ‘n’ roll. With that went the magic too, because now with all the insane amounts of production on punk rock records, we may as well just give up and not use the words “punk” or “rock ‘n’ roll” anymore. But thanks to records like this circulating again and a few true rock ‘n’ roll bands keeping the real spirit alive, we might just save it still. This is so fucking necessary, that if you need to think about it, you’re totally fucking incompetent.
NOW WAVE – ABOUT TITS AND CHAMPAGNE:
Probably you have read Rutledge talking about The Joneses' song "Pill Box", and if you still haven't heard it, you should. It's one of the bests L.A.M.F. style songs ever, and the Heartbreakers couldn't have done it better. Here on this reissue of a rare 12" EP from 1989, we have more good stuff of that style, just with a bit more hard rockin' tendencies. Always I hear this band and I can't understand why they couldn't get a bit more famous. There are tons of bands that are worse and have become more famous. "Bad Attitude", "I Wanna Buy You a Ring", "Tits and Champagne", "Your Cheatin' Heart", all of them are good. A bit of glam, Chuck Berry, Thunders, and more rock mixed well.
VEGLAM – ABOUT TITS AND CHAMPAGNE:
Digging out this nugget originally released in 1989 on Trigon Records is a great initiative since it will allow the unsuccessful prospectors of that time to finally find and own this treasure. For those of you who still don’t know about The Joneses, they were one of the most extraordinary bands in the '80s, even if they didn’t get the fame and recognition they deserved. The short history of rock 'n' roll wouldn’t be what it is now if they never existed. Jeff Drake, the band’s enigmatic leader and missing link between Chuck Berry and Johnny Thunders, paved his way with fantastic songs, and from his final knacks with the Suicide Kings and The Humpers to the first and unfortunately last Vice Principals album, he had a remarkable career (even though it wasn’t too prolific). Tits and Champagne (some familiar sounding words for the average French guy that I am) does not waive the rule and contains lots of killer riffs and breathtaking solos, as well as Greg Khuen's (his lifetime partner) famous piano parts. Just add Mr. Drake’s tone of voice and you get a classic. Unstoppable. Waiting for the reissue of Keeping Up with The Joneses, a cult and indispensable album, as well as the release of a live CD and DVD (!!!), I can only advise music lovers who like their rock trashy to listen to Jeff Drake’s discography (and don’t forget the delicious Amanda Jones EP). What if Sophia wasn’t jealously looking over Jane’s neck opening, but was only looking at what’s inside this cover instead?
DIG IT – ABOUT TITS AND CHAMPAGNE:
Dans les années 80, The Joneses étaient les rois du trash punk’n’roll à Hollywood. Sur les traces des Dolls, dans la lignée Suicide Kings/The Humpers, le gang de Jeff Drake (futur The Vice Principals) a mouliné son rock foutraque sur un album et quelques EPs. Tits and Champagne est la réédition d’un six titres paru sur Trigon Rds en '89. Deux décharges vigoureuses boostées par le piano rock’n’roll de Greg Kuehn (qui a sévi avec TSOL, les Vice Principals, Malcontents, Church et même Dylan!), deux reprises des standards “Route 66” et “Your Cheatin’ Heart” de Hank Williams, plus un morceau bluesy et un autre ramonesque. Une bonne occasion de les redécouvrir... Chez Full Breach Kicks, ils sont fans... Ils préparent une réédition de l’album Keeping Up with The Joneses, plus un CD et un DVD live.
