Tuesday, 28 May 2024

Namesakes #87: The Jerks


What a bunch of Jerks I've got for you this week...

THE JERKS #1


Winners of the Phipps Piano Co. VOX Battle of the Bands contest in 1966, these Jerks hailed from Alabama. They recorded their sole single in a studio in an old church on 1st Avenue and 35th Street, Birmingham. 


THE JERKS #2


Leeds punk band from the late 70s, one of many I discovered thanks to Cherry Red's excellent Where Were You? compilation. Their greatest misses were collected on an album called Jerk Off.


THE JERKS #3


Philippines punk band who have been jerking around since 1979... and are still going strong!


THE JERKS #4


Illinois new wave / power pop band from the early 80s. This looks like it might have been their only release, but I like the fact that the youtuber who posted this says his dad used to go watch them play live on a Friday and Saturday night.


THE JERKS #5

Late 80s Jerks from Manchester, produced by the legendary Clint Boon.


THE JERKS #6


Virginia "supergroup" from 1996, made up of members of Frodus, Dead Meadow, and Pines of Nowhere. These guys caused the corners of my mouth to curl upwards in what some people might describe as a smile.

THE JERKS #7

Noisy as hell Brazilian punks, also from 1996, who enjoyed "making lyrics of protest and about the daily life". I know where you're coming from, guys...


THE JERKS #8

Parisian punks from the late 90s... also known as Steve and the Jerks, perhaps in tribute to Steve Martin, star of The Jerk (as pictured at the top of the page).


THE JERKS #9

More French Jerks, this time from about 12 years ago. I think they might own an LP by The Strokes. (Sadly, it's not a Donny Osmond cover.)

THE JERKS #10


Meanwhile, in Germany, they have Jerks too...


THE JERKS #11


Female-fronted punk band from Milwaukee in 2018...


THE JERKS #12

The first Jerks listed on discogs are, apparently, a production / performer team who have worked with Gloria Estefan, Kid Creole And The Coconuts, Bandera and Marcia Griffiths. Their sole release, again according to discogs, is a self-released 2021 album from a Pittsburgh punk band. Clearly this particular discogs entry was put together by a bunch of Jerks.


Which ones are the Cool Jerks and which ones are just Jerks?

 

4 comments:

  1. #6 for me. I might even get their name your own price EP.

    Special mention for Teenage Jesus & The Jerks with whom Lydia Lunch learned her trade.

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  2. Well, I'm not sorry I listened to all of #1, and #2 was quite a cool listen. Alas #3 was not that good but #4 and #5 were listenable. So far, Rol, so good

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  3. #6 did not make me in any way happy. Great video for #7, songs not so good. I will not be splashing out 49c (exclusive of IVA) for #9 with its extremely bloody annoying vocal.

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  4. Good grief those facial contortions of the singer of #10 are even more annoying than the voice of Mr Weedy Vocals in #9. I don't think #12 lost their dog I think he ran away from that bloody awful music (and wandered on to a beach near our house so we could rescue him)

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