Gene Loves Jezebel

Gene Loves Jezebel

Michael Astons Gene Loves Jezebel.
Background information
Origin United Kingdom
Genres Gothic rock, post-punk, alternative, new wave, dark alternative
Years active 1980–present
Labels Blessmomma Records/Track
Associated acts All About Eve
Members Jay Aston's Gene Loves Jezebel
Jay Aston
James Stevenson
Peter Rizzo
Robert Adam
Chris Bell
Michael Aston's Gene Loves Jezebel
Michael Aston
Michael Ciravolo
Pando
Switch
Laurent Sanchiz
Gabe Treiyer
Marcus Gilvear
Chad Mac Donald
Chris Declercq
Troy Patrick Farrell
Past members James Chater
Steve Radmall
Richard Hawkins
John Murphy
Joel Patterson
Francois Perez
Ian Hudson
Julianne Regan
Albi DeLuca
Jean-Marc Lederman
Stephen Marshall

Gene Loves Jezebel are a British rock band formed in the early 1980s by identical twin brothers Jay Aston (born John Aston) and Michael. Gene Loves Jezebel's best-known songs include "Heartache", "Desire (Come and Get It)" (1986), "The Motion of Love" (1987) and "Jealous" (1990). As well their broody dark alternative club hits include "Bruises" (1983), "Influenze (Relapse)" (1984) and "The Cow" (1985). "Desire" (1985) was GLJ's most successful single in UK.

Early years: 1980–1989

Originally called Slav Aryan, Gene Loves Jezebel was formed in 1980 with the Aston brothers, guitarist Ian Hudson, bassist Stephen Davis and drummer Snowy White. The Astons grew up in Cornelly,and Michael later of Porthcawl Wales, making the move to London in 1981. With a new home, and shortly thereafter, the new name, the trio with bassist Julianne Regan (later of All about Eve) and drummer James Chater (fired in 1982/3 and was replaced by John Murphy (The Associates and Richard Hawkins), played several live shows and were signed by Situation Two. Gene Loves Jezebel underwent numerous line-up changes between 1981–1985. In May 1982, the label released Gene Loves Jezebel's demo and single "Shaving My Neck". The band then added bassist Julianne Regan followed, very briefly, by a keyboardist, Jean-Marc Lederman. Regan was fired within a year to form All About Eve, leaving Ian Hudson briefly playing bass and Albie DeLuca being the guitar player until Stephen Marshall joined. This line up went on to perform some 100 gigs and recorded the first album Promise, along with their first John Peel session and the B-side "Stephen". As well as recording with John Cale (velvet Underground)in New York in 1984

The band released two more singles "Screaming for Emmalene" in 1983 before Promise peaked at number 8 in the UK Indie Chart. In 1984, the group recorded a John Peel radio session for the BBC and toured U.K. with fellow Welsh artist John Cale. Their second album, Immigrant, was released in mid-1985. However, during a long yet inspiring American tour for Immigrant, founding member Ian Hudson left the band and was replaced by former Generation X (not to be confused with generation X) and Chelsea guitarist James Stevenson (who later also played rhythm guitar on tour with The Cult).[1]

During 1986, the group moved its contract to Situation Two's parent company, Beggar's Banquet Records and distribution rights in the U.S. to Geffen Records. The subsequent promotion increased pop-chart success for the group. The single "Sweetest Thing" briefly hit the Top 75 in UK and the album Discover reached number 32 in the UK Albums Chart.[1] At this time, the group also found heavy rotation on college and countercultural radio stations across America. The band had slowly turned their attention to dance music. The slick and catchy guitar hooks of singles "Desire" and "Heartache" leapt to #6 and #72, respectively, on Los Angeles' new wave station, KROQ-FM. Later that year, former Spear of Destiny and Thompson Twins member Chris Bell became the band's fifth drummer.[1]

Gene Loves Jezebel's fourth album, The House of Dolls, was released in 1988 and yielded the singles, "20 Killer Hurts" and "The Motion of Love", which grazed the U.S. pop charts. "Motion of Love" was the band's biggest UK hit single, reaching number 56.[1] The third single from The House of Dolls, "Suspicion", for the first time surfaced on the Billboard Hot 100.

Split and brief reunion: 1990–1997

While Michael went solo, the rest of the band continued as Gene Loves Jezebel [2] and recorded two albums, Kiss of Life in 1989, followed by Heavenly Bodies. The band's highest-charting American single emerged in August 1990 when "Jealous", the major single from Kiss of Life, reached #68 on the Billboard's Hot 100 and #1 on its Modern Rock chart. Three years later, Jay Aston and company released Heavenly Bodies, which did well in Portugal. Unfortunately, due to poor US sales, and coupled with the group's American label collapse, after a few more poorly attended live shows, so did Jay's Gene Loves Jezebel. In 1993 Michael and Jay reformed GLJ, signed a contract with Carl Leighton Pope management and assembled a new line up. Francois Perez replacing James Stevenson and Robert Adam being retained on drums.

While Jay performed occasional acoustic shows under his own name, Michael played with members of Scenic, then formed a new band called the Immigrants (renamed Edith Grove) and later released a primarily acoustic solo album, Why Me, Why This, Why Now.[3] Michael and Jay began working together again that same year, and recorded two songs with Stevenson, Bell and Rizzo for a Best-Of compilation, released in September 1995.

The brothers were reconciled in the mid-1990s, writing some new songs together, and sharing a house in Los Angeles.[3] They initially used Michael's band from the Why Me album era to back them up.[2] In 1997, a tour was organized for the brothers new era, the tour was named "The Pre-Raphaelite Brothers"; a long and GRAND return of Gene Loves Jezebel ..the idea being to perform Gene Loves Jezebel material and material from each of the brothers' solo careers

The album VII was recorded and a brief US tour undertaken to support it.

Two Gene Loves Jezebels: 1997–present

Although Jay had left the band, Michael continued recording and performing with the band, releasing three albums. In October 1997, Jay, Rizzo and Stevenson sued Michael over rights to the name "Gene Loves Jezebel", and after a protracted court battle, Jay eventually dropped the lawsuit.

Michael leads the US version of the band and has toured both the US and the UK supporting releases such as Love Lies Bleeding (1999), Giving Up the Ghost (2001) and Exploding Girls (2003).[4] Jay Aston leads the UK version of the band, also featuring James Stevenson and Pete Rizzo, and has toured both the US and the UK extensively as well to support releases such as Accept No Substitutes (2002),The Thornfield Sessions (2003) and The Anthology, Vols. 1-2 (2006).

On February 15, 2008, a lawsuit was filed by Michael Aston in California's Central District Court, against Chris Bell, James Stevenson, Jay Aston, John Aston, Libertalia Entertainment and others" for trademark infringement.[5] In a posting on their Myspace page on 25 September 2009, Jay Aston's Gene Loves Jezebel announced that an agreement had been reached with Michael Aston regarding the use of the name "Gene Loves Jezebel": Jay Aston's band is now known as "Gene Loves Jezebel" in the UK and "Jay Aston's Gene Loves Jezebel" within the US; Michael Aston's band is now known as "Gene Loves Jezebel" in the US and "Michael Aston's Gene Loves Jezebel" in the UK. The settlement agreement has been posted on Michael's Gene Loves Jezebel website.[6]

Jay Aston contributed vocals on the cover of Rolling Stones' "Midnight Mile" on the 2010 album Small Distortions, by the Belgian music project La Femme Verte, assembled by ex-Kid Montana member Jean-Marc Lederman.

In 2011, Michael Aston contributed vocals to a new version of "Desire (Come And Get It)", a single released by guitarist and producer Gabe Treiyer's electronic music project Electronic Fair.

On November 16, 2011, Jay Aston and James Stevenson appeared on stage at the Brixton Academy London with the Smashing Pumpkins to perform the song "Stephen", from the Immigrant album.

Discography

Albums

Year Title UK Indie Chart Position UK Albums Chart[7]
October 1983 Promise #8[8]
June 1985 Immigrant
July 1986 Discover #32
October 1987 The House Of Dolls #81
July 1990 Kiss Of Life²
June 1993 Heavenly Bodies²
November 1995 In the Afterglow (live)
1997 VII²
1999 Love Lies Bleeding¹
2001 Giving Up The Ghost¹
2003 Exploding Girls¹
2003 The Thornfield Sessions²

Singles

Year Title UK Indie[8] UK[7] US[9] US Alt. Rock[9]
May 1982 "Shaving My Neck"
May 1983 "Screaming for Emmalene" #18
September 1983 "Bruises" #7
April 1984 "Influenza (relapse)" #11
June 1984 "Shame (Whole Heart Howl)" #14
June 1985 "The Cow" #9
November 1985 "Desire" #4
March 1986 "Sweetest Thing" #75
June 1986 "Heartache" #71
October 1986 "Desire (Come and Get It)"
August 1987 "The Motion Of Love" #56
December 1987 "Gorgeous" #68
January 1988 "Every Door" (withdrawn)
January 1988 "The Motion of Love" #87
August 1990 "Jealous"² #68 #1
December 1990 "Tangled Up In You"²
May 1993 "Josephina"² #18
1999 Survive This EP (promo only)¹
¹ Michael Aston's Gene Loves Jezebel
² Jay Aston's Gene Loves Jezebel

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Strong, Martin C. (1999). The Great Alternative & Indie Discography. Canongate. ISBN 0-86241-913-1.
  2. 1 2 Jo-Ann Greene (January 1999). "Gene Loves Jezebel: From Celtic hums and Gothic drones to sibling rivalry, it's a twin thing...". Goldmine. Retrieved 9 April 2008.
  3. 1 2 Owen, Daniel (2005) "Over The Rooftops", Zero Magazine, November 2005.
  4. ↑ "Jay Aston biography". BBC Wales. BBC. Archived from the original on October 3, 2008. Retrieved 9 April 2008.
  5. ↑ "Michael Aston V Jay Aston et al.". Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  6. ↑ "Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release". Michael Aston's Gene Loves Jezebel website. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  7. 1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 224. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  8. 1 2 Lazell, Barry (1997). Indie Hits 1980-1999. Cherry Red Books. ISBN 0-9517206-9-4.
  9. 1 2 Gene Loves Jezebel. "Gene Loves Jezebel - Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-12-27.

External links

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