Media Info: Luscious Jackson

Media Info: Luscious Jackson

Jill, Gabby, Kate, and Vivian are Luscious Jackson. The band was originally started by Gabby and Jill in their friend Tony’s basement studio, where many long nights were spent haggling over samples and coffee. Gabby would play guitar and Jill would play bass (though sometimes they would switch), and it was in this basement that the first three songs on In Search of Manny were created. Since then, Jill and Gabby have added keyboardist Vivian and original Beastie Boys’ drummer Kate Schellenbach, who lend a raucous groove to the “lazy bluesy hip hop” of Luscious Jackson.

All New York natives (except Vivian more details later), Luscious Jackson credit their loud urban environment and its vast array of varied and grooving sounds as their primary influence. They were reared on music played by N.Y.C. club d.j.’s (Mudd Club, Roxy, Tier 3, Danceteria, Etc.) “We met on the corner of St. Mark’s Place in 1980,” Jill told The Face “Two 13 year old girls all punked-up. I looked like a dreadlocked bag lady and Gabby looked like Chrissie Hynde.” The two were originally inspired by everything from The Slits to old school rap, young Michael Jackson and Big Youth. These days they listen to DJ Red Alert on Kiss FM, collect reggae compilations and name Ween and Dinosaur Jr. as two bands they enjoy. The strange assortment of personalities in the band also contributes to their eclectic sound. So, let’s get some personal information on the girls, curtesy of their friend, Old Mary Moogman.

“The God-like, unimpeachable, totally fantabulous pop genius of Luscious Jackson were thrilling a packed crowd.” – Melody Maker

“Gabby – a wise-cracking tough but tender barmaid is most comfortable wandering around the city, talking to strangers. When they lived in San Francisco for a while, Gabby and Jill formed the notorious barfight punk band Jaws (other members were unruly), and were know as roving video interviewers who asked people ridiculous and sordid questions on the street.”

“Jill – a deep but perky renaissance girl. Like John Cougar Mellencamp, she’s a painter as well as a musician. She’s also the formed editor of the fanzines, Decline of Art and The Golfing Experience. Jill is even known by some as an underground neo-feminist erotic disco queen (though you’ll have to ask the right person for more details, they’re just too hot.)”

“If you had to name a sound which perfectly summed up the perceptions and diversitys of our culture, a sound which defines the headlong fusion of ’90’s idealisms that sound would have to belong to Luscious Jackson” – Mean Street Magazine

“Kate – a saucy hard hitting spitfire. Kate is from the same downtown scene as Jill and Gabby, where the three girls would stay out all night and go to school the next day on three hours of sleep. An editor of the fanzine Cheap Garbage For Snotty Teens, Kate eventually joined the Beastie Boys and played drums on their first two EPs, Pollywog Stew and Cookie Puss. She later manned the kit for Hippies With Guns, and is also an incredible salsa dancer and a member of the Women’s Action Coalition Drum Corps (if there is no WAC in your area, call 212-967-7711 ext. WACM).”

“Vivian – this effervescent euro-charmer was born in the U.S., but grew up in Paris and Vienna with her opera singing parents. She later returned to the States and made her mark on the New York scene as talented choreographer and musician. Her harmonies and piano playing add a touch of class to the Luscious potpourri.”

March of ’93 saw the release of their debut EP on Grand Royal Records entitled In Search of Manny. Response to the release has been overwhelmingly positive. Countless fanzines and smaller publications review the release or featured stories on them; larger publications suck as Rolling Stone, Spin, and Alternative Press were quick to follow with stories and review. In addition Luscious toured the East Coast with Bettie Serveert, the West Coast with Urge Overkill and Europe with the Breeders. Capitol Records is re-releasing “Manny” in October, and the video for “Daughters of the KAOS” is currently airing on MTV’s “120 Minutes.” All this and the full-length album on the way…

…after that the rest will be history. And that’s guaranteed Grand Royal.

Reprinted without permission, if you want something taken down, just ask and i’ll oblige

©1996-2007 The Luscious Jackson Source

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