Be Your Own Pet
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee, United States |
| Headquarters | Nashville , United States |
| Products | Punk rock and garage rock music |
Be Your Own Pet—often abbreviated as BYOP or presented stylistically as be your own PET—is a punk and garage rock ensemble originating from Nashville, Tennessee, established in 2003. The principal members consist of lead singer Jemina Pearl, guitarist Jonas Stein, bassist Nathan Vasquez, and drummer John Eatherly. Their early releases, comprised of singles and EPs, were issued through Infinity Cat Records, a label based in Nashville. Subsequently, the group secured contracts with XL Recordings and with Thurston Moore's imprint Ecstatic Peace/Universal Records for distribution across the UK and North American markets.
Their eponymous debut album released in 2006 received widespread praise from critics, including notable recognition from NME and Pitchfork. Following their sophomore release, Get Awkward in 2008, the band dissolved amid challenges faced by Pearl related to misogyny within the industry and general exhaustion.
After a fourteen-year break, the band reunited in 2021 when musician Jack White invited them to support several dates on his southeastern US leg of the Supply Chain Issues Tour. Shortly thereafter, they signed with Third Man Records, co-owned by White and Pearl’s spouse Ben Swank, culminating in the release of their third studio album, Mommy, on August 25, 2023.
Biography
The formation of the band occurred during their attendance at the Nashville School of the Arts, where they cultivated their musical style through performances at house parties and all-ages venues such as Guido's Pizza and Bongo Java. Their debut single, Damn Damn Leash, initially distributed as a CD-R, attracted early attention in the UK following an endorsement from BBC Radio One’s Zane Lowe. Appearances at events like the 2004 CMJ Music Marathon and the 2005 South by Southwest festival contributed to expanding their fanbase across the United States, bolstered by multiple EP releases.
BYOP performed at prominent festivals including Coachella, Bonnaroo, Glastonbury, and Reading & Leeds, while also supporting high-profile acts such as Arctic Monkeys, Sonic Youth, and Kings of Leon.
The band received commendations from media outlets like Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, and NME, which included Pearl among its Top 10 "Cool List" artists. Additionally, they graced the cover of Nylon magazine’s summer 2006 issue. Their television debut occurred on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.
Break-up
On August 1, 2008, an announcement was posted on their official website declaring that following a final tour across the UK, the band would cease activities. Their farewell note expressed gratitude toward their supporters and confirmed the conclusion of their journey as a group. The final performance took place at London's Dingwalls venue in August 2008.
Filmmaker Edgar Wright later disclosed that Be Your Own Pet had originally been considered to provide music for the fictional band Sex Bob-Omb in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, but after their disbandment, Beck assumed that role instead.
Post-breakup
Following the split, Jemina Pearl launched her solo career with the album Break It Up in October 2009 via Ecstatic Peace Records. The record was co-written alongside Eatherly and featured contributions from artists such as Thurston Moore, Iggy Pop, and Dave Sitek. During the 2010s, Pearl was active with garage-punk outfit The Ultras S/C.
Jonas Stein focused on his side project Turbo Fruits, releasing multiple albums after BYOP's dissolution. John Eatherly contributed his drumming talents to groups including The Virgins, Smith Westerns, and Chairlift. He also led the band Public Access TV before moving on to front Club Intl.
Reunion
In March 2022, Be Your Own Pet revealed plans to reunite for two shows in April 2022, serving as the opening act for Jack White during his Supply Chain Issues Tour.
A year later, in March 2023, the group debuted "Hand Grenade," marking their first release of new material in a decade and a half. Subsequently, in May, they introduced the single "Worship the Whip" and announced their comeback album, Mommy, scheduled for release on August 25, 2023. This announcement was accompanied by a tour throughout the United Kingdom.
During March and April of 2025, the band embarked on a tour alongside The Linda Lindas, performing ten concerts across the western regions of the United States as well as in Vancouver, Canada.
Members
Current lineup
- Jemina Pearl – lead vocals (2003–2008, 2021–present)
- Nathan Vasquez – bass guitar, backing vocals (2003–2008, 2021–present)
- Jonas Stein – guitar, backing vocals (2003–2008, 2021–present)
- John Eatherly – drums, backing vocals (2006–2008, 2021–present)
Previous members
- Jake Orrall – drums (2003–2004)
- Jamin Orrall – drums (2003–2006)
Timeline
Studio albums
| Album title | Details | Highest chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | UK Ind. | ||
| Be Your Own Pet |
|
47 | 3 |
| Get Awkward |
|
101 | 7 |
| Mommy |
|
— | 28 |
| "—" indicates the album did not chart or was not issued in that region. | |||
EPs
- Get Damaged EP (June 3, 2008) (Ecstatic Peace/XL)
Compilations
- Summer Sensation (EP) (April 18, 2006) (Ecstatic Peace/Infinity Cat)
- Not Rocket Science (EP) (May 8, 2007) (Infinity Cat)
Singles
| Release date | Title | Highest chart ranking | Notes | Album association | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | UK Indie | |||||
| 2004 | "Damn Damn Leash" (Rough Trade/Infinity Cat) | 68 | — | Issued in Europe and Japan in 2005 | Non-album singles | |
| 2005 | April 20 | "Extra Extra" (Infinity Cat) | — | — | ||
| June | "Fire Department" (Rough Trade/Infinity Cat) | 59 | — | |||
| "Extra Extra Handmade Edition" (Infinity Cat) | — | — | Limited to only 100 copies | |||
| "Girls on TV" (Infinity Cat) | — | — | Available exclusively on tour | Be Your Own Pet | ||
| 2006 | January | "Let's Get Sandy (Big Problem)" (XL) | 51 | — | ||
| March | "Adventure" (XL) | 36 | — | |||
| June | "Bicycle, Bicycle, You Are My Bicycle" (XL) | — | — | Released as a download-only single | ||
| 2008 | March 3 | "Food Fight!" (XL) | — | 8 | Issued as 7" vinyl and download-only singles | Get Awkward |
| "Super Soaked" (XL) | "—" | "5" | ||||
| "March 10" | "The Kelly Affair" (XL) | "—" | "6" | |||
| "March 17" | "Black Hole" (XL) | "—" | "5" | |||
| "2023" | "March 30" | "Hand Grenade" (Third Man) | "—" | "—" | ||
| "May 31" | "Worship the Whip" (Third Man) | "—" | "—" | |||
| "May 31" | "Goodtime!" (Third Man) | "—" | "—" | |||
| "May 31" | "Big Trouble" (Third Man) | "—" | "—" | |||
| "2025" | "September 16" | "What a Bitch" (Third Man) | "—" | "—" | ||
Appearances
- SXSW (2005)
- Glastonbury Festival (2005)
- Siren Music Festival (July 16, 2005)
- Summer Sonic Festival (August 2005)
- Coachella Festival (April 30, 2006)
- Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival (2006)
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien (June 13, 2006)
- Subterranean Guide on MTV2 (July 30, 2006)
- Lollapalooza (August 5, 2006)
- Reading and Leeds Festivals (2006, 2008)
- MTV Live (Canada) (June 3, 2008)
External links
- James Jam. Review. NME.
- David Raposa. Review. Pitchfork Media. June 6, 2006.
- "The 50 Greatest CDs of 2006" from Blender Online, Jan/Feb 2007.
- Alternative rock groups from Tennessee
- Garage rock groups from Tennessee
- American garage punk groups
- Punk rock groups from Tennessee
- Musical groups established in 2003
- Musical groups disestablished in 2008
- Musical groups reestablished in 2021
- Musical groups from Nashville, Tennessee
- Ecstatic Peace! artists
- XL Recordings artists
- 2003 establishments in Tennessee