Woah.. I dont know what you were smoking or what show you were at. First off .. Jail Weddings is a joke. The worst thing I have ever heard and seen. The vocals of Gabe are tepid and warbly and the shrill accents of the two female singers only make it all worse. The band sounds fine.. and should consider instrumentals.

Then you skip Power Solo.. who were great in the truest sense.

Than you diss the Heavy Trash. It isnt a vain side project but a true band with real songs.. something the Blues Explosion was lacking on their last few albums. It is not a parody but an homage.. to the roots of the music that he has played in every band. The only thing that sucked about their set was the Jail Weddings jokers trying to steal the show with their flamboyant drunken show off dancing.

Perhaps writers should take a minute away from analyzing the history of the players and enjoy the show. Just an idea.

More praise for Jail Weddings - easily the best band in LA right now! Beautiful, masterfully written tunes that's impossible to pin unless you actually experience it live. I could only describe it as "timeless". And so humble too! Can't wait for their record
I really actually enjoyed Heavy Trash. It was really refreshing to see a band play rockabilly taken out of it's butterhead context. I think a lot of what people take as posturing from Jon Spencer is this sort of grand joke within a joke within a joke, where no one can actually figure out if they're in on it or not. It's a complete gasser in the meantime for those who don't wanna die wondering. Regardless, well written/insightful, Rena...

I would have to agree with the above comment..
Dude, none of those kids in Jail Weddings can sing..or dress for that matter. Its almost insulting how they expect people to take their (or any of Gabes project's) drunken nights out on the town so seriously.
Los Angeles does not need anymore drunk, self important, semi talented musicians, talking about how they are soooo NOT "self absorbed" anymore than it already has. Peace

Re: Michael- I recognize the whole "joke within a joke within a joke" contigency. It would appear, though, that Spencer has misplaced his faculty to divulge a punchline- and that punchline is crucial for appreciating his brand of music.

Great Review of Jail Weddings. I LOVE THEM!!! So original, like nothing I have seen before. God bless them and they're impeccible fashion scence.
FUCK THESE KNUCKLEHEADS THAT TRY TO DISS. Good to see LA motherfuckers hatin as usual. What is it about jackoffs in LA that makes em want to take a great night of music and oveerannalize it and bore it up? I guess its just that jealousy thing b/c they got nothing going on themselves... TRASHMAN!?!?!? So fucking 90's!!! Save it for the Guitar Wolf reunion tour fat ass!!
However Ms. Rena, I thought Heavy Trash WAS AWESOME!!! I think you where expecting to much from them. Poor Jon Spencer set the bar so high for himself back in the day that anything he does since seems weak only beacause we all know his potential. If that was just some dudes and not Jon Spencer and Co. you would have loved it because HT is a great fun good time rootsy rock n roll band. THATS IT THATS ALL Theres nothing else.
Cheers. Marc Jacobs

I guess it's a sad state of affairs when people, even support acts, who are moved by the headliner in such a way that they obviously want to set the fucking floor on fire with their own two feet, are accused by audience of trying to steal the show!?!? Keep bobbin yer head, bub...
I get the feeling Jail Weddings are obviously not here to suck up to people that are gonna end up missing their point anyway...It seems like history has shown that some of the best bands are the ones who's audiences are initially completely polarized, half of them wants to give them head, the other half wants their head on a platter. Pussy Galore, anyone?
It's funny the way these people that didn't even enjoy their show were so affected by it still to the point of anger... Did one of them make off with one of your girlfriends/boyfriends or something?
Still, Jail Weddings - brilliant. It'll just take a couple people here and there a little while to "get it".

Just my quick 2 pennys........Trashman must have a personal thing against Gabe or sumfin. Why is he so fuckin mad. The tone of his letter strikes me as a little suspicious. I've seen Jail Weddings a couple of times and really like them. Although I have to say I like Gabes other 2 bands -- The Starvations and Fortune Flesh -- a bit more. I think Jon Spencer is now tryin to be "unironic" somthing he hasn't done in the past with his other bands. I wasn't at the show, but checked them out on Myspace....and they seemed really boring. If I wanted straight ahead rockibilly or whatever he is tryin to do now, there are a thousand other better great bands to pick from. When I think of Jon Spencer I think the 90's....awww maybe thats it?

those who cant create review
those who cant get paid to review bitch on message boards

For the record, rock journalism died with Peter Laughner. Laughner's review of Jonathan Richman's self-titled record has been aped by many aspiring rock journalists; none have touched it (it's the Creem issue where Bangs rips Wings to shreds -- '76, dude)....Just look at the track record: Tosches: quit; Greil Marcus: loves situationists (kudos to him!); Barry Kramer: was so fucked by Creem he died in some freaky ass Sal Mineo sex act gone wrong. Lester was even losing his mind at the end, trying to pull a Burroughs and fuck off to Mexico. ANYWAY, rock journalism is as difficult as creating a great record. Just as there are only a handful of great bands, there are only a handful of seminal journalists, most of whom are dead. I mean, have you read Lou Reed's interview with Vaclav Havel? Terrible. Have you listened to Lester Bang's record? Horrible. They're different disciplines, both equally hard to master. So this idea that critics are just frustrated musicians is stupid. I mean, look what Lester did for the Velvets. What Henry Geldzahler did for Warhol. And on and on...

Also, my theory is that after Bretton Woods was dissolved, making a profitable yet vibrant rock rag became impossible. Only non-profits carry anything valuable these days (think "Monthly Review" or "Z Magazine"). It's all run by four corporations. All are banal and useless.

In regard to this review, it's pretty sound. I never liked Jon Spencer. Most people I know aren't interested in him anymore. Don't know, don't care. At least this reviewer has the balls to call it as she saw it. Jail Weddings, though, is great. Where most bands in Los Angeles are happy to suck up to journalists or court major labels, Gabe's still the amiable, incorrigible friend I made three or four years ago. His music is always top-notch (probably the only LA band I wholeheartedly endorse). And any of this riff-raff about his band trying to steal the floor is bullshit. Dude is a total saint, even to motherfuckers like me.

Get into Guy Debord. All answers can be found there.

I heard the first Heavy Trash album and it was...well, lets just say I 'm not the biggest Jon Spencer fan anyway, but even I was floored at how awful it was.

Looking forward to the Jail Weddings EP. Hopefully they'll tour. Wink wink.

tuff ruv

Jail Weddings are the best band around right now and that's all there is to it!