Boss Hog
Encyclopedia
Boss Hog is an American punk blues
band including the husband and wife duo of Jon Spencer (guitar) and Cristina Martinez (vocals) along with Jens Jurgensen (bass), Hollis Queens (drums) and Mark Boyce (keyboard). Their name derives from a slang term amongst bikers for a desirable "boss" motorcycle "hog".
The band achieved some notoriety, not only due to their abrasive sound, but more to Martinez's confrontational use of full nudity on the band's debut live performance and record sleeves. Their releases were relatively sporadic, but comprised three full length albums, a mini-album, an EP and a number of singles in an 11 year history. Recently (2009) the band has toured again.
Jon Spencer's other bands include Pussy Galore
, of which Martinez became a peripheral member, and The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion which existed in parallel to Boss Hog.
in Washington, D.C.
, where both were living. Spencer had already formed the seminal noise-rock band Pussy Galore
, which soon moved from D.C. to New York
, accompanied by Martinez, mainly due to her romantic interest in Spencer, although she also enrolled in a film course at New York University
. Martinez was soon to drop out of her course and join Pussy Galore as 3rd guitarist, despite her lack of musical experience.
Pussy Galore were plagued by inter-band arguments, notably involving Martinez and second guitarist Julie Cafritz. Martinez left the band in 1987 but the arguments continued. The band eventually split up in 1990, by which time Spencer and Martinez had married.
Boss Hog was formed in 1989, as something of an accidental side project, when Jon and Cristina were told of a last minute vacancy on the bill at the influential New York punk club CBGB's. The pair put together a group of musicians from members of The Honeymoon Killers
and Unsane
, along with Kurt Wolf from Pussy Galore. The gig is reported to have been an underground sensation in New York, not least because Cristina performed the whole show naked.
The same line-up of Spencer, Martinez, Charlie Ondras, Jerry Teel and Kurt Wolf recorded the mini-album Drinkin', Lechin' & Lyin for the record label Amphetamine Reptile in 1989. Martinez continued the sexual notoriety by appearing on the cover naked save for thigh-length black leather stilletto boots and arm-length black leather gloves.
The line-up of the band became highly unstable in the early '90's with members rapidly arriving and departing. Pete Shore of Unsane
joined on bass and the band did a few dates on the east coast with the Laughing Hyenas
. The band recorded their first full-length album Cold Hands in 1990. Once again, the cover featured a nude Martinez, although this time in a more tasteful and non-explicit pose. These first two releases are now long-deleted and are rarities on the collectors' market.
After recording "Cold Hands" Pete Shore and Jerry Teel left the band and Jens Jurgensen joined on bass in order to tour Europe to promote the record. This lineup recorded the BBC Radio session and additional tracks that were released as the "Action Box" double single. Shortly thereafter Kurt Wolf left the band and Marcellus Hall of Railroad Jerk
joined on guitar for another European tour and to record the track "Fire Of Love" for a Sub Pop
single compilation called "Smells Like Smoked Sausages." During the next year drummer Charlie Ondras died of a heroin overdose.
The band took a break for over two years, whilst Spencer concentrated on the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, prior to emerging in 1993 with a new, stable line-up of Spencer, Martinez, Jurgensen and Hollis Queens. The new line-up recorded the Girl + EP with Martin Bisi
. It met with some critical acclaim, especially for lead track "Ruby", and proved to be a turning point for the band's fortunes. They went on to sign a deal with David Geffen Company. A joke band biography that was circulated by Geffen Records fictitiously claimed Jurgensen came from Swans
, which is often misreported as fact.
Their 1995 major-label debut was simply entitled Boss Hog and featured toned-down cover art in which Martinez appears only as a black-clad cartoon holding an umbrella. Within, the sleaze-glam punk sound of abrasive buzzsaw guitar and part sneering, part shouted vocals continued largely unabated. The band toured to promote this release in Europe, Japan and Australia as well as the US, reportedly the first time they had toured for more than a fortnight at a time.
The band made a brief appearance as themselves in the 1996 movie Joe's Apartment
. After this, they took another extended break whilst Spencer and Martinez had their first child together, a son, named Charles, in honor of former bandmate, Charlie Ondras.
In 2000, Boss Hog re-emerged with the Whiteout album (released in Japan in 1999), adding keyboard player Mark Boyce to the lineup, who had toured with the band after the Geffen Record. The album featured a typically minimalist sound and a strong visual statement, with the band dressed in all-white. Parenthood proved no barrier to restoring the levels of glamour and sexual provocation, within a more polished sound. This time, the album was released on two record labels, with different cover art for different territories. On both covers Martinez posed against an all-white backdrop, in one wearing white underwear and on the other topless with long hair extensions.
The success of Whiteout was accompanied by a number of singles and gigs and a flurry of publicity, before the band went silent again.
Boss Hog has given no official statement of their disbanding. Jon Spencer continues with the Blues Explosion and is still married to Cristina Martinez. Hollis Queens put together her own band, Lo-Hi, in which she was the singer and played guitar rather than drumming. Lo-Hi released two albums, ...Kind Of Like A Feel Good Thing (1998) and Say It More (2002). Mark Boyce has been touring with G. Love and Special Sauce, and is credited in the group's 2006 album Lemonade.http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/music/artist/credits/0,,984595,00.html
Boss Hog played their first show in 8 years on December 3, 2008 at Maxwell's in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Punk blues
Punk blues denotes a fusion genre of punk rock and blues. Punk blues musicians and bands usually incorporate elements of related styles, such as protopunk and blues rock. Its origins lie strongly within the garage rock sound of the 1960s and 1970s.Punk blues can be said to favor the common...
band including the husband and wife duo of Jon Spencer (guitar) and Cristina Martinez (vocals) along with Jens Jurgensen (bass), Hollis Queens (drums) and Mark Boyce (keyboard). Their name derives from a slang term amongst bikers for a desirable "boss" motorcycle "hog".
The band achieved some notoriety, not only due to their abrasive sound, but more to Martinez's confrontational use of full nudity on the band's debut live performance and record sleeves. Their releases were relatively sporadic, but comprised three full length albums, a mini-album, an EP and a number of singles in an 11 year history. Recently (2009) the band has toured again.
Jon Spencer's other bands include Pussy Galore
Pussy Galore (band)
Pussy Galore was an American garage rock band that formed in Washington, D.C. in 1985. They had a constantly fluid line-up until their demise in 1990. Like many garage rock outfits, they were dogged by substance abuse problems...
, of which Martinez became a peripheral member, and The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion which existed in parallel to Boss Hog.
History
Jon Spencer and Cristina Martinez first met in 1985 at a gig by The Jesus and Mary ChainThe Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride, Glasgow in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, where both were living. Spencer had already formed the seminal noise-rock band Pussy Galore
Pussy Galore (band)
Pussy Galore was an American garage rock band that formed in Washington, D.C. in 1985. They had a constantly fluid line-up until their demise in 1990. Like many garage rock outfits, they were dogged by substance abuse problems...
, which soon moved from D.C. to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, accompanied by Martinez, mainly due to her romantic interest in Spencer, although she also enrolled in a film course at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. Martinez was soon to drop out of her course and join Pussy Galore as 3rd guitarist, despite her lack of musical experience.
Pussy Galore were plagued by inter-band arguments, notably involving Martinez and second guitarist Julie Cafritz. Martinez left the band in 1987 but the arguments continued. The band eventually split up in 1990, by which time Spencer and Martinez had married.
Boss Hog was formed in 1989, as something of an accidental side project, when Jon and Cristina were told of a last minute vacancy on the bill at the influential New York punk club CBGB's. The pair put together a group of musicians from members of The Honeymoon Killers
The Honeymoon Killers
The Honeymoon Killers is a 1970 American film written and directed by Leonard Kastle, and starring Shirley Stoler and Tony Lo Bianco. It tells the story of Martha Beck and Raymond Fernandez, the notorious "lonely hearts killers" who murdered at least 12 women in the 1940s...
and Unsane
Unsane
Unsane is an influential noise rock trio that formed in New York City in 1988. Their music also touches on elements of hardcore punk and metal...
, along with Kurt Wolf from Pussy Galore. The gig is reported to have been an underground sensation in New York, not least because Cristina performed the whole show naked.
The same line-up of Spencer, Martinez, Charlie Ondras, Jerry Teel and Kurt Wolf recorded the mini-album Drinkin', Lechin' & Lyin for the record label Amphetamine Reptile in 1989. Martinez continued the sexual notoriety by appearing on the cover naked save for thigh-length black leather stilletto boots and arm-length black leather gloves.
The line-up of the band became highly unstable in the early '90's with members rapidly arriving and departing. Pete Shore of Unsane
Unsane
Unsane is an influential noise rock trio that formed in New York City in 1988. Their music also touches on elements of hardcore punk and metal...
joined on bass and the band did a few dates on the east coast with the Laughing Hyenas
Laughing Hyenas
Laughing Hyenas was an American rock band that existed from 1985 to 1995. They formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan and were initially made up of former members of Negative Approach , L-Seven , plus Kevin Strickland and Jim Kimball...
. The band recorded their first full-length album Cold Hands in 1990. Once again, the cover featured a nude Martinez, although this time in a more tasteful and non-explicit pose. These first two releases are now long-deleted and are rarities on the collectors' market.
After recording "Cold Hands" Pete Shore and Jerry Teel left the band and Jens Jurgensen joined on bass in order to tour Europe to promote the record. This lineup recorded the BBC Radio session and additional tracks that were released as the "Action Box" double single. Shortly thereafter Kurt Wolf left the band and Marcellus Hall of Railroad Jerk
Railroad Jerk
Railroad Jerk was a New York-based indie-rock band of the 1990s, specializing in a hard-driven punk blues sound. Their lineup changed frequently, but the stalwart members were Minnesota native Marcellus Hall and North Carolina-born and Trenton, N.J.-bred Tony Lee...
joined on guitar for another European tour and to record the track "Fire Of Love" for a Sub Pop
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
single compilation called "Smells Like Smoked Sausages." During the next year drummer Charlie Ondras died of a heroin overdose.
The band took a break for over two years, whilst Spencer concentrated on the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, prior to emerging in 1993 with a new, stable line-up of Spencer, Martinez, Jurgensen and Hollis Queens. The new line-up recorded the Girl + EP with Martin Bisi
Martin bisi
Martin Bisi is an American producer and songwriter.He is known for recording important records by Sonic Youth, Swans, John Zorn, Material, Bill Laswell, Helmet, Unsane, Cop Shoot Cop, White Zombie, Boredoms, Angels of Light and Herbie Hancock's Grammy-winning song Rockit,In 1979, Martin Bisi...
. It met with some critical acclaim, especially for lead track "Ruby", and proved to be a turning point for the band's fortunes. They went on to sign a deal with David Geffen Company. A joke band biography that was circulated by Geffen Records fictitiously claimed Jurgensen came from Swans
Swans
Swans can refer to:*Swan, the birdMusic*Swans , an American band formed in 1982*Swans , an EP by the above band*Swans, an EP by the Filipino electronic act Names Are For Tombstones...
, which is often misreported as fact.
Their 1995 major-label debut was simply entitled Boss Hog and featured toned-down cover art in which Martinez appears only as a black-clad cartoon holding an umbrella. Within, the sleaze-glam punk sound of abrasive buzzsaw guitar and part sneering, part shouted vocals continued largely unabated. The band toured to promote this release in Europe, Japan and Australia as well as the US, reportedly the first time they had toured for more than a fortnight at a time.
The band made a brief appearance as themselves in the 1996 movie Joe's Apartment
Joe's Apartment
Joe's Apartment is a 1996 musical-serio-comedy film starring Jerry O'Connell and Megan Ward and the first film produced by MTV Films. It was based on a 1992 short film first made for MTV , but was also inspired by both the 1987 Japanese film Gokiburi-tachi No Tasogare and...
. After this, they took another extended break whilst Spencer and Martinez had their first child together, a son, named Charles, in honor of former bandmate, Charlie Ondras.
In 2000, Boss Hog re-emerged with the Whiteout album (released in Japan in 1999), adding keyboard player Mark Boyce to the lineup, who had toured with the band after the Geffen Record. The album featured a typically minimalist sound and a strong visual statement, with the band dressed in all-white. Parenthood proved no barrier to restoring the levels of glamour and sexual provocation, within a more polished sound. This time, the album was released on two record labels, with different cover art for different territories. On both covers Martinez posed against an all-white backdrop, in one wearing white underwear and on the other topless with long hair extensions.
The success of Whiteout was accompanied by a number of singles and gigs and a flurry of publicity, before the band went silent again.
Boss Hog has given no official statement of their disbanding. Jon Spencer continues with the Blues Explosion and is still married to Cristina Martinez. Hollis Queens put together her own band, Lo-Hi, in which she was the singer and played guitar rather than drumming. Lo-Hi released two albums, ...Kind Of Like A Feel Good Thing (1998) and Say It More (2002). Mark Boyce has been touring with G. Love and Special Sauce, and is credited in the group's 2006 album Lemonade.http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/music/artist/credits/0,,984595,00.html
Boss Hog played their first show in 8 years on December 3, 2008 at Maxwell's in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Albums
- Cold HandsCold Hands (album)- Personnel :Boss Hog* Cristina Martinez – vocals* Charlie Ondras – drums* Pete Shore – bass guitar* Jon Spencer – vocals, guitar* Jerry Teel – guitar* Kurt Wolf – guitarAdditional musicians and production...
(1990) - Boss HogBoss Hog (album)-Track listing:All tracks by Boss Hog except were noted# "Winn Coma" – 2:17# "Sick" – 3:43# "Beehive" – 1:50# "Ski Bunny" – 2:00# "Green Shirt" – 1:51# "I Dig You" – 3:15# "Try One" – 1:49# "What the Fuck" – 1:54# "White Sand" – 2:40...
(1995) - WhiteoutWhiteout (album)-Band members:* Cristina Martinez – vox* Jonathan Spencer – guitar/vox* Jens Jurgensen – bass* Hollis Queens – beats/vox* Mark Boyce – keys-Additional personnel:* Staffan Olofsson – mastering on Tracks 1, 2 and 6-8...
(2000)
EPs
- Drinkin', Lechin' & Lyin'Drinkin', Lechin' & Lyin'-Track listing:-Band members:* Cristina Martinez* Jon Spencer* Charlie Ondras* Jerry Teel* Kurt Wolf...
(1989) - Action BoxAction Box-Track listing:All songs written by Boss Hog except where noted.-Band members:* Cristina Martinez* Jon Spencer* Charlie Ondras* Kurt Wolf* Jens Jurgensen-Additional personnel:...
(1991) - Girl +Girl +-Track listing:All songs written by Boss Hog and produced by Cristina Martinez. The Japan version includes the Action Box EP.-Additional musicians:* Kurt Hoffman - saxophone on "Ruby"* Frank London - trumpet on "Ruby"...
(1993)
Singles
- "I Dig YouI Dig You (song)"I Dig You" is a song by Boss Hog, released as the debut single from their 1995 album Boss Hog.-Track listing:All songs written by Boss Hog and produced by Cristina Martinez, Jon Spencer and Steve Fisk except where noted.-Additional personnel:...
" (1996) - "Winn ComaWinn Coma"Winn Coma" is a song by Boss Hog, released exclusively in Australia as the second single from their 1995 album Boss Hog.-Track listing:All songs written by Boss Hog and produced by Cristina Martinez, Jon Spencer and Steve Fisk except where noted....
" (1996) - Old School (1999)
- "Whiteout" (2000)
- "Get It While You Wait" (2000)
- "Itchy & Scratchy" (2000)
Notable performances
- Chokebore / Cosmic Psychos / Boss Hog - (Amphetamine Reptile Records show) - July 23, 1993 at CBGBCBGBCBGB was a music club at 315 Bowery at Bleecker Street in the borough of Manhattan in New York City.Founded by Hilly Kristal in 1973, it was originally intended to feature its namesake musical styles, but became a forum for American punk and New Wave bands like Ramones, Misfits, Television, the...