“Way Off The Couch: Jon Spencer Explodes and Andrew W.K. Parties Hard
‘r-r-r-rage! That’s right, baby, it’s the world-famous Blues Explosion. We’re picking all the hits, all the videos tonight and tonight only. Here he is, Judah Bauer, here’s Russell Simins and I’m Jon Spencer and do not turn that dial, don’t touch that TV, don’t go anywhere, take the phone off the hook, wake up your parents, wake up the family, wake up, wake up!’
In 2005 Tom Cruise made worldwide headlines for a hyperactive guest appearance on the TV show Oprah, where he jumped all over the guest couch. That was nothing. Jon Spencer did it first and more outrageously when he guest programmed rage in
1999.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion is legendary for wild live performances with explosive energy. We meet the band backstage at the ABC’s Gore Hill studios – where they’ve been rehearsing their act and Jon Spencer is definitely all wired up. During the shoot he’s in the rage couch’s general vicinity rather than actually being on the rage couch. He is mostly jumping on it, jumping over it, running around it and running wild. He is like some kind of crazed rock and roll auctioneer as he screams and yells into the camera with a manic energy that is truly extreme. I concentrate on simply trying to stay out of the way of the explosive action. Jon, Russell Simins and Judah Bauer are guest programming together and Simins and Bauer go along on Jon Spencer’s wild child ride. They have chosen a large amount of Australian music, including Beasts of Bourbon, Kim Salmon and the Surrealists, the Scientists and AC/DC.
‘Russell, what time is it?’ asks Spencer.
‘It’s time for a Jailbreak,’ says Simins.
‘Jailbreak!’ screams Spencer throughout Simin’s introduction of AC/DC’s iconic Jailbreak’ video.
Simins finishes his introduction with, ‘Check out the explosions.’
‘Blues explosions!’ screams Spencer.
Jon Spencer gives Tex Perkins a spirited and memorable introduction. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, here it is, another fabulous Australian rock band. Tex Perkins! Some people call him Sex Perkins! I bet he’s getting his cock sucked right now. Ladies and gentlemen, Beasts of Bourbon with “Chase the Dragons.’
Simins introduces Fatboy Slim’s Praise You’ and explains that the video is all an illusion; what they will be seeing is not a real documentary about a real dance troupe. Jon Spencer has a hyperactive reaction to this ‘unexpected’ information and runs around the couch yelling, ‘No way, no way, no fucking way!’
Spencer slows everything down only once. He calls the camera in close for an intimate moment as he introduces Boss Hog She band he shares with wife Cristina Martinez). ‘Yeah, here it is, baby. Come here, come here, come here, all right. Friends, gather round. I want you to play close attention to this video because it stars my wife. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s Boss Hog: “I Dig You”.’
Two years later, I meet Jon Spencer again. This time he’s with Boss Hog and this time he steps into the background — literally. As Cristina Martinez and Hollis Queens from Boss Hog take their places on the couch, Spencer plays drums in the background of the shot. As Boss Hog guest program, Martinez and Queens do most of the talking with Spencer supplying musical back up and occasional random pieces of information. Martinez chooses the Jesus and Mary Chain, explaining that it has particular importance to her because she and Jon Spencer first met at a Jesus and Mary Chain concert. The women from Boss Hog introduce the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion with ‘Talk About the Blues’ and Martinez and Queens go wild about Jon Spencer. ‘I really like them!’ says Queens.
‘I love this band!’ says Martinez. They hug as Spencer just keeps on drumming.
Spencer begins to add some video introductions as the shoot progresses and his wild style begins to amp up the atmosphere. By the end of the shoot, Martinez and Queens are standing in front of the couch, screaming their band’s name into the camera as Spencer drums and drums and screams ‘r-r-r-r-rage!’. “
“The Yeah Yeah Yeahs have a list that mixes Living Colour, Motley Crüe, Faith No More, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, the Icarus Line, Ciccone Youth, Liars, Michael Jackson, Bell Biv DeVoe, the Muppets, Madonna and Lisa Loeb. They turn out to be enthusiastic programmers despite their initial reservations. Karen, Nick and Brian give good reasons for choosing each video and provide background information and explanations for choices ranging from credible to completely kooky. They talk about the times in their lives when the chosen artists had a dominant presence (for whatever odd reason). These initially self-conscious TV hosts are remarkably unselfconscious in regard to their music choices. They are open and honest about what they like now and what they liked in the past: a crush on Lisa Loeb, a love of dancing to Bell Biv DeVoe and an unashamed adoration of Motley Crüe are all candidly discussed.
They acknowledge a debt to the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion with Brian Chase saying. ‘This next song is by the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion! And yeah, whenever I hear this song it makes on go “Yoww! C’mon. Whew! Blues Explosion!” Yeah, we owe a lot to this amazing band. They are our forefathers musically and they have served a parental role in our career development so we have much respect for these three great musicians and great people.’”
