Joe Lean & The Jing Jang Jong
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Defunct | 2010 |
| Headquarters | London , England |
Area served | United Kingdom |
| Products | Indie rock music |
Joe Lean & the Jing Jang Jong was an English indie rock group based in London, active between 2007 and 2010. Although their debut single "Lucio Starts Fires," released in 2007, attracted considerable media coverage, they did not achieve commercial success and ultimately disbanded before issuing their critically acclaimed first album.
Overview
The band’s initial roster included lead singer Joe Lean (also known as Joe Van Moyland), guitarists Tommy D (Tom Dougall) and Dominic O'Dair, bassist Panda (Maxim Barron), and drummer James Craig. Prior to this, Joe Lean had been the drummer for The Pipettes until June 2007 and had acting roles in television series such as Peep Show and The Tudors.
Originally formed in late 2006 under the name Joe Lean and The Tantrums, the ensemble adopted the name Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong before performing their inaugural show in January 2007. Their first single was released on 8 October 2007. That year, they toured with prominent artists including Babyshambles, Dizzee Rascal, CSS, and Kaiser Chiefs, concluding with a headlining UK tour by December. They achieved seventh place in the BBC’s Sound of 2008 poll.
In 2008, the band supported The Cribs during the NME Awards Tour and participated in SXSW held in Austin, Texas. They conducted their most extensive UK tour with 25 concerts throughout April and May. Their follow-up single "Lonely Buoy" came out on 10 March 2008. Festival appearances that year included Glastonbury and Belgium’s Pukkelpop.
Their self-titled debut album was planned for release on 4 August 2008 but was canceled two weeks beforehand because it "did not reflect their current musical direction," despite receiving favorable early critiques such as an 8/10 rating from NME. Attempts to re-record and release the album in early 2009 did not come to fruition.
Tommy D departed late in 2008 to collaborate with his sister Rose Dougall's solo project; he was succeeded by Randy Michael. In June 2009, the band opened for Blur at the O2 Academy Newcastle but parted ways with their record label by October. The group disbanded shortly thereafter in early 2010.
Following the breakup, Maxim Barron, Dominic O'Dair, and Tom Dougall went on to establish the psychedelic/post-punk band Toy. James Craig joined One Night Only alongside his brother George Craig.
Albums
| Year | Title | Label | UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Joe Lean & The Jing Jang Jong | Mercury | unreleased |
Singles
| Year | Title | Album | Label | UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | "Lucio Starts Fires" (Limited Vinyl Only) | non-album version | Young And Lost Club | - |
| 2008 | "Lonely Buoy" | Joe Lean & The Jing Jang Jong | Vertigo | 43 |
| "Where Do You Go" | 93 | |||
| "Lucio Starts Fires" (Re-release) | - |