JoBoxers
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1982 in London, England |
| Founder | Rob Marche, Dave Collard, Chris Bostock, Sean McLusky, Dig Wayne |
| Headquarters | London , England |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
| Website | www |
JoBoxers is a British new wave band that originated in London, England in 1982. The group was formed by former members of Subway Sect: Rob Marche (guitar), Dave Collard (keyboards), Chris Bostock (bass), and Sean McLusky (drums). They were joined by American vocalist Dig Wayne (born Timothy Wayne Ball on 20 July 1958, in Cambridge, Ohio), who had previously fronted the New York rockabilly ensemble Buzz and the Flyers.
Career
Their initial single, "Boxerbeat", climbed to number three on the UK Singles Chart while they supported Madness during the Rise and Fall tour. At that moment, the top two chart positions were held by David Bowie's "Let's Dance" and Duran Duran's "Is There Something I Should Know?".
The follow-up track, "Just Got Lucky", achieved sales exceeding 250,000 copies, entered the UK top 10, and reached number 36 on the US charts in November 1983, securing international acclaim. This song has been featured in films like Just My Luck and The 40-Year-Old Virgin.
Their third UK charting single, "Johnny Friendly", was a homage to the Marlon Brando movie On the Waterfront, with British boxer Frank Bruno appearing in its promotional video.
The double A-side release "Jealous Love"/"She's Got Sex" featured "Jealous Love," which was performed on the UK television program Loose Talk introduced by Diana Dors. The track "She's Got Sex" was subsequently covered by Samantha Fox on her double platinum album Touch Me under the title "He's Got Sex."
JoBoxers' debut album, Like Gangbusters, which included these hits, reached the top 20 of the UK Albums Chart.
In 1985, they released the single "Is This Really the First Time" along with their second album Skin and Bone. However, they disbanded while working on a third album. After the split, Sean McLusky and Rob Marche joined the indie dance group If?, whereas Chris Bostock collaborated with David A. Stewart in Spiritual Cowboys, earning two gold albums in France.
Dig Wayne embarked on a solo path with his 1987 album Square Business, featuring Dave Collard on keyboards; nonetheless, it achieved limited commercial success. He then transitioned to acting, performing in UK stage productions including the West End musical Five Guys Named Moe. In 1995, Wayne moved to Los Angeles to further his acting career.
In November 2020, JoBoxers announced their reunion with a show at London's 100 Club, marking their first performance together in 35 years. This was followed by additional concerts in Brighton, Leeds, Guildford, Bristol, and several festival appearances during summer 2022.
In 2025, Cherry Red Records issued the box set Just Got Lucky - The Complete Works 1983-1986, which compiles all their recorded material including unreleased songs and a live show recorded at the Phoenix Theatre.
Also in June 2025, their newly released single "A Thorn in My Side" reached number 11 on the Heritage Chart.
Later activities
Chris Bostock played bass on The Style Council's debut album Cafe Bleu, as well as on Dave Stewart's projects including Dave Stewart and the Spiritual Cowboys and Honest, accompanied by extensive touring. He also contributed to Spear of Destiny's The Price You Pay album and tour, participated in Sandie Shaw tours alongside Sean McLusky and Rob Marche, played on Shakespears Sister's song "Goodbye Cruel World", and produced records for EMI and BMG. Currently, Bostock records and tours with Subway Sect.
Rob Marche went on to establish Earl Brutus in 1993.
In 2012, JoBoxers' debut album Like Gangbusters was reissued.
Wayne returned to performing music as frontman of Dig Wayne and the Chisellers, touring across America and Europe. Additionally skilled as a guitarist and drummer, he appeared in season 8 of CSI, specifically in the episode titled "Who and What," portraying a pawn shop owner.
Dave Collard became a member of The The, contributing to albums such as Mind Bomb (1989) and Dusk (1993), while participating in global tours during 'The The Versus The World' world tour. After Matt Johnson reassembled the band in 2019, Collard performed at major venues including London's Royal Albert Hall, Brixton Academy, Troxy, Sydney Opera House, and Arts Centre Melbourne. Operating under the name DC Collard, he continues his work as a songwriter and recording artist.
Song associations
- The track "Just Got Lucky" appears in the motion pictures The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Just My Luck.
- The song "Boxerbeat" is mentioned within the stand-up comedy performance "Dog and Kittens Postcard" by Stewart Lee.
Studio albums
| Year | Album Title | Record Label | Highest chart rankings | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | US | NZ | ||||
| 1983 | Like Gangbusters (reissued 2012) | RCA | 18 | 70 | 37 | |
| 1985 | Skin and Bone (never released) | — | — | — | ||
| 1986 | Missing Link (unpublished) | N/A | — | — | — | |
| "—" indicates albums that did not enter the charts. | ||||||
Compilation collections
- Doing the Boxerbeat – The Anthology (Sanctuary, 2003)
- Essential Boxerbeat (Sony BMG, 2006; Cooking Vinyl, 2022) (initially released in 1996)
- Just Got Lucky - The Complete Works 1983-1986 (Cherry Red Records, 2025)
Singles
| Year | Single Title | Top chart placements | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | GER | IRE | NZ | UK | US | ||
| 1983 | "Boxerbeat" | — | 23 | 4 | — | 3 | — |
| "Just Got Lucky" | 25 | 54 | 13 | 50 | 7 | 36 | |
| "Johnny Friendly" | — | — | — | — | 31 | — | |
| "Jealous Love" / "She's Got Sex" | — | — | — | —
50 |
72 | — | |
| 1985 | "Is This Really the First Time" | — | — | — | — | — | — |