Jay Reatard tribute
I’ve been listening to SPIRITUALIZED and CAN a lot lately, so initially I planned this week’s list to be dedicated to one or the other group or both. However, JAY REATARD’s death this past Wednesday made me reevaluate those plans and what I’ve come up with is a tribute to him.
Unlike many others, I won’t speculate on the cause of death or say anything else of that nature partly because I didn’t know him personally and partly because that’s less important than the incredible music he made before he left this earth at the way too young age of 29. I will say that I’ve enjoyed his records and his live show immensely over the past few years, as anyone who knows me or who reads this blog can ascertain.
And with that, here’s this week’s list. This isn’t just a list of 10 records or songs or shows per se (though all of these are mentioned), bur rather 10 moments involving Jay that are memorable to me.
Jay Reatard – Blood Visions (In the Red)
It’s appropriate that this list starts with Blood Visions as I first heard it in the summer of 2007 when I was at my favorite record store (Long in the Tooth) and the owner (NICK DEVLIN) put it on. I was so taken with it that after I asked Nick who it was that was making this glorious, ADVERTS/REZILLOS gone garage sound, I bought the CD that day. Later, of course, I’d play it so much that I bought a vinyl copy, too and gradually it became one of my favorite albums of the last decade.
Jay Reatard – First Unitarian Church (Philadelphia, PA) – October 12, 2007
This show is significant since it was my first time seeing him and witnessing the awesome power and spectacle that was his live show. At the time, I wrote the following:“Jay Reatard’s live show is simply astonishing. He must’ve played about 15 songs in this barely over 20-minute set. I don’t know how Jay and his band keep it all together as they’re amazingly tight even as the songs are played about a million times faster than their recorded versions, with the bulk of the set taken from the excellent Blood Visions. Simply breathtaking!”
Jay Reatard – Matador Singles ’08 (Matador)
To celebrate his signing to Matador in 2008, Jay released six 7” singles that year, each one more limited than the next, before releasing all of the tracks on CD with an additional bonus track afterwards. A cynic could argue that he was trying to get fans to pay for the material twice and to a certain extent, they’d be right. However, one could easily ignore the 7“s and wait for the CD release. In my case, I decided to try to track down as many of the 7“s as I could get my hands on. I ended up getting four of them initially and finally finding the fifth one the last time I saw him play live this past November. And one of them (a split with DEERHUNTER) does contain Deerhunter’s awesome version of “Oh It’s Such a Shame” but more to the point, I thought that it was a cool idea in that he was bringing the 7” single back to the forefront. Additionally, any way to promote new vinyl in this day and age of less interest in physical product is a good thing.
The Shattered Subscription Series
Last year, Jay decided to revive his Shattered Records imprint and as a birthday gift from my wife, I got the $75 subscription deal. Subscribers would get his new Lp, Watch Me Fall, in the format of their choice, along with links to new 7” releases by Shattered acts like HUNX AND HIS PUNX and USELESS EATERS along with out-of-print releases like THE REATARDS‘ debut Teenage Hate. Additionally, there were links to live sets delivered straight to your inbox and the promise of a physical, limited edition 7” at some point in the future. Now with Jay’s death, it’s unclear what the future of the club will be and if the 7” will even happen, but of course there are much more important things. If anything, it shows that he cared enough to treat his hardcore fans.
Jay Reatard with TV Smith – Johnny Brenda’s (Philadelphia, PA) – July 4, 2009
Here’s a link to my full review of this show.
This show was simply magical!
Jay Reatard with Screaming Females and Women – Johnny Brenda’s (Philadelphia, PA) – November 28, 2009
Here’s a link to my full review of this show. This was my fourth and final time seeing Jay at Johnny Brenda’s, a venue he clearly enjoyed playing at given how many times he played it! Also, it’s notable how strong the overall bill was. Screaming Females, in particular, were slated to tour with him this year, but now they’ve been selected as TED LEO‘s opener.
Jay Reatard with Dark Horse and the Carousels and The Tough Shits – July 14, 2008
This show was memorable for several reasons, not least among which was the discrepancy in quality between Jay’s headlining set and the less than stellar sets of the faux, hipster cock rock of the opening bands.
Terror Visions – World of Shit (FDH)
To be honest, while I like this album and some of the many other side projects he’s been involved with over the years, I think he really came into his own musically during the past few years with his solo material.
With that said, this is a jarring, menacing, abrasive listen. I remember buying it from the label proprietor himself at a Punk Rock Flea Market a few years back.
Jay Reatard – Watch Me Fall (Matador)
Many complained that his latest Lp didn’t have the energy, anger or rawness of his earlier releases. Those folks, had they been paying attention, would have noticed that he was incorporating indie-pop influences into his music as early as at least 2006 on songs like “All Over Again” or his cover of the early GO-BETWEENS tune “Don’t Let Him Come Back”, which he virtually covered note for note except for the substitution of a guitar solo in favor of a harmonica.
With all that said, I thought he was taking his music in a bold and interesting new direction. I loved the fact that the melodies (as always) were as sweet as sugar, but the lyrics as black and themes as black as coal.
Waiting for Something
I’ll finish up this list with a link to this 18-minute documentary.
RIP Jay.
