The Jesus Lizard are on the cusp of releasing Rack, marking their first new record in 26 years. Reuniting sporadically since 2009, the band’s hallmarks of unhinged vocals and fractured, frantic rhythms remain sharp despite the lull in new studio output. With unrivaled live performances of organized chaos and sonic attack, guitarist Duane Denison remains confident The Jesus Lizard will continue enhancing their creative complexities while keeping rock & roll dangerous.
“We approached the album’s material pretty much the same way as in the past. Different members accumulate ideas and make home demos which get shared. We’d then get together periodically and work on arrangements together. Eventually, we had an abundance of material and went into the studio. From a guitar standpoint, I always try to refine what I do and distill things to their essence, for better or worse,” shared Denison.
The Jesus Lizard earned their reputation for unpredictable live chaos, orchestrated by singer David Yow. They rose to prominence within Chicago’s heralded DIY music community, releasing records on the respected Touch and Go label, debuting with Pure in 1989. Standing in marked contrast to their peers during ‘alternative’ rock’s meteoric rise, The Jesus Lizard remained unwavering in their ethos yet no underground success or longevity was sacrificed. With lyrical themes of sociopathic behavior and macabre protagonists, The Jesus Lizard surprised some critics when they earned a contract with Capitol Records in 1995, toward the end of mainstream media’s infatuation with ‘alternative nation.’ Denison reflected on the transition from Touch and Go.
“It wasn’t easy but we did it and we weren’t sorry. We met with Corey Rusk, owner of Touch and Go and told him what we were doing so it wasn’t acrimonious by any means. We left on good terms and knew what we were getting into. We were treated decently by Capitol and they kept their end of deal, as did we,” said Denison.
The Jesus Lizard’s transition to Capitol marked the first time they would not be working with celebrated engineer, Steve Albini. Often credited with supporting the signature sound of respected artists like Pixies and elevating Nirvana with In Utero, The Jesus Lizard’s output on Capitol undeniably retained their attack but the overall feel was a bit different but by no means disappointing. As their peers were carefully debated and dissected within the independent music subculture, The Jesus Lizard’s image and unique creative hallmarks remain unchanged. Denison weighed in on the group’s decision.
“We knew that the indie crowd would question that move and in some cases abandon us. Whatever. We weren’t kids any more and wanted to put some money away. We went through years of poverty- level existence and I hardly even saw a doctor or dentist for years and now I’ve got some gatekeeper calling me a sellout? That’s some serious privilege talking there, in my opinion. Besides, within a few years people would stop paying for music, record stores would disappear and nobody would care about labels anymore.”
The Jesus Lizard have always eschewed labels, with critics often referring to them as ‘noise rock’, a term Denison once remarked as ‘lazy.’ The group’s final record, Blue was not widely embraced but the group’s live shows never disappointed. After several tours and the media ending its collective love affair with all things dubbed ‘alternative’, Capitol Records dropped The Jesus Lizard and the group disbanded in 1999. Sporadic reunions began in 2009, with the group easily resuming their organized sonic chaos, seamlessly executing their creativity while Yow stalked the stage like a feral animal and crowd surfed on unsuspecting fans. The Jesus Lizard members never stepped away from creativity, as many remained active within different mediums, including Yow’s appearance in a 2017 Elijah Wood film and the release of his solo record, Tonight You Look Like a Spider in 2013.
Denison moved forward and formed Tomahawk with the enigmatic Mike Patton and released their self-titled debut in 2001. As The Jesus Lizard legend grew and fans lamented that they missed their performances or were never fortunate enough to experience Yow, the band began receiving offers for festivals and the renewed support proved inspiring.
Asked how the original material has personally evolved for him, Denison simply stated “You never really recapture the original energy, but hopefully the meanings of the songs have evolved and you can share that with the audience.”
Denison’s unique guitar evolution began in the ‘70s in Detroit’s suburbs. His tone is instantly recognizable yet people struggle with superlatives to describe his playing and pigeonhole The Jesus Lizard. Surrounded by the city’s creative diversity, Denison gravitated to prog and glam.
“There were lots of great players around. I liked Steve Howe, Jan Akkerman, Hackett, Fripp and all those guys as well as rockers like Mick Ronson, Phil Manzanera, and local heroes like Steve Hunter, Dick Wagner, and Paul Warren. I also took lessons from Juan Serrano and a dude named Lynn Bender, who was a local prog guy. He sometimes wore a cape and snakeskin boots during lessons,” recalled Denison.
Denison’s unique playing style is also attributed to his choice of gear and despite changes over the years, he successfully retains his signature tone that drives and elevates The Jesus Lizard.
“I used Travis Bean guitars and Hiwatt amps a good bit in the ‘90s, but I also used Hamer guitars and Marshalls. I’ve since used EGC Chessie models, my signature model and now Powers Electric guitars. I have been using Blackstar and Victory amps as well. Those ‘70s Travis Beans have a distinctive ringing tone, but they’re also heavy and awkward feeling to me now. They were fairly cheap back then, as were Hiwatts, so it was a unique and affordable combination. I’ve seen others copy that rig,” shared Denison.
The anticipation for The Jesus Lizard’s new record continues building, supported by stalwart fans eager for new output and new fans won over by their reunion performances. Rack sounds fresh, dangerous, and free of pretense. Lyrical themes have not deviated from their celebrated past catalog and their live shows feature the same unpredictability from Yow.
“My approach has always been that you have to feel inspired to make something good, nothing can replace that. Having some technical knowledge helps develop ideas when the inspiration wears off. It helps but it doesn’t replace the original motivation,” concluded Denison.
https://ipecac.com/artists/the-jesus-lizard
Photo: JB Wilkins
