THE JINKIES: And, in fine Houston tradition, another great band calls it quits and goes their separate ways. Hard to believe, after all those years, but the Jinkies are breaking up, largely due (I believe) to singer/guitarist Carlos Deleon moving to NYC. At any rate, they were great while they lasted (sounds familiar, eh?) - cool, loud, poppy rock'n'roll, with a Beatles fixation ten times that of Matthew Sweet and a sometime penchant for psychedelic-sounding jams. Plus, they were absolutely insane - my defining image of the band is from the '96 PN Music Showcase, where they finished with a 15-minute-plus version of Flipper's "Sex Bomb," with guitarist/vocalist Carlos Deleon wrapped in Christmas tree lights, writhing on the floor and making skronking noises with his guitar. Woo-hah. They put one CD out while they were together, Everest, and man, it's pretty damn cool, and they also appeared on the Norbac Records/Aztlan Studios Songs From the Icehouse comp (yet another reason to run out & buy it). Damn.
Possible good news, tho' - before Carlos left town the band recorded a whole pile of new stuff that's been mixed & re-mixed and might someday be released sometime. Cross yr fingers. Also, keep an eye out for stuff by ex-Jinkies: Matthew Thurman has a bit of stuff out as 747, although he, too, now resides up in NYC and is apparently getting into acting (see below); Carlos Deleon is doing some musical stuff up there, as well, I hear, w/some guys in a band called "Mensclub" (or something like that); Mike Deleon now drums for The Westbury Squares; and Chris Nine now has her own band, the awesome straight-up country outfit The Cinders (see elsewhere), as well as a new pop project that's supposed to be "Jinki-esque," both as yet unnamed. Should be cool... [2/5/99] Space City Rock
If these guys could get back together??? "After almost a 10-year long absence, the revered UK band SWERVEDRIVER plans to reform for an early 2008 worldwide tour. Swervedriver is Adam Franklin on guitar and vocals, Jimmy Hartridge on guitar, Steve George on bass, and Jez on drums. Swervedriver formed in Oxford, England in 1989 and released a series of EP's followed by their debut full-length, Raise, in 1991 on Creation Records in the UK and A&M Records in the U.S. Mezcal Head followed in 1993, then in 1995 Ejector Seat Reservation came out on Creation in the UK, but was only available as an import in the US. Their last release, 99th Dream, was released by Zero Hour in 1998. Tour dates for Swervedriver will be announced shortly. Adam Franklin is in the midst of a U.S. solo tour in support of Bolts of Melody, which was released this past June on Hi-Speed Soul."
Well, look at this...you simply cannot imagine how strange it is to have your old band ask you if they could be your friend. Wow, I haven't heard these songs in a while...God, that acoustic guitar in "Melting" is bothering me...and I'm the one playing it! Oh, well...oh, man...when the phone rings at the end, my girlfriend just said "Who do you guys think you are...Pink Floyd?"
Yikes! Haven't listened to this stuff in ages. The bio forgot to mention the legendary fights onstage between Mike and me. We got thrown out of our own gig at the Blue Iguana, that was my favorite brawl. Also when some guy started to come towards the stage with a knife to get either Matthew or me at Emo's. That's one thing I could say about that band, it was always something or another. Oh well, I think time has been kind to the music. Rock On Rockers!
