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The Jackson Code

From Alfawiki
The Jackson Code
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded1988 in Perth, Australia
Headquarters
Perth
,
Australia
ProductsStudio albums, singles

The Jackson Code was an Australian ensemble blending rock, country, and folk genres, established in Perth in 1988. The founding members featured Kenny Davis Jr on accordion and keyboards; Jason Kain handling guitar duties (formerly of Wet Taxis and Chad's Tree); Mark Snarski on guitar and vocals (also ex-Chad's Tree); and Kathy Wemyss contributing vocals and trumpet (previously with Wet Taxis and Chad's Tree). Over their career, they produced four studio albums: Del Musical Del Mismo Nombre (1989), Strange Cargo (1992), Draggin' the River (1993), and The Things You Need (1995) before disbanding in 1996.

1988–1991: Origins

The Jackson Code formed in 1988 as a country-folk quartet consisting of Kenny Davis Jr (accordion, keyboards), Jason Kain (guitar), Mark Snarski (guitar, vocals), and Kathy Wemyss (vocals, trumpet), emerging from the dissolution of Chad's Tree. Starting in September 1988, Snarski initiated songwriting efforts with tracks such as "Kerosene," "Joe's Flame," and "Strange Lullaby," collaborating closely with Kain and Wemyss. Initial live shows featured the trio before Wemyss joined to complete the lineup.

Following their move to Sydney, Snarski expanded the group for their debut album Del Musical Del Mismo Nombre by adding Mark Dawson on drums, Amanda Pearson providing vocals and percussion, and Barry Turnbull on bass. The album was released in August 1989 through Waterfront Records to critical acclaim and later reissued on CD in 1993. Its title translates from Spanish as "From the Musical of the Same Name," inspired by Snarski’s travels in Spain. Recorded over just four days with a modest budget of $1000, the album was lauded for its rich romantic atmosphere; Rolling Stone Australia hailed it as a minor masterpiece of 1989, highlighting influences from Brecht, Weill, and Tom Waits. The band supported the release with tours across Sydney and Melbourne. After this period, Snarski took a two-year break to travel through Spain and the United States.

1992–1996: Citadel and Ra Records Era

In 1992, Snarski reassembled The Jackson Code to produce their sophomore album, Strange Cargo. Alongside Davis Jr, Kain, Snarski, and Wemyss were returning members Dawson, Pearson, Turnbull, supplemented by string ensembles, brass sections, and hand-claps. Released by Citadel Records in August 1992, the recording and mixing process was completed within a week. The Canberra Times commended Wemyss’ compelling vocal performances on tracks like "Trap the Light" and "Lucifer's Polka," while praising Snarski’s lyrics as evocative "aural film noir." Music historian Ian McFarlane described Snarski’s work as "melodramatic vignettes" spanning musical styles from rock to European folk traditions. At the 1993 ARIA Music Awards, the album earned a nomination for Best Independent Release.

The band signed with RooArt in 1993 and issued Draggin' the River in December, which critics considered among that year’s standout albums. Journalist Ed Nimmervoll depicted it as a "dark, brooding, menacing world," where each song resembled a cinematic snapshot or still frame. This album also received an ARIA nomination for Best Independent Release in 1994. Their fourth studio effort, The Things You Need, arrived in September 1995. McFarlane viewed these later works as "vivid splashes of literary colour amid a world of grunge and techno." Between 1993 and 1995, the group released four singles that did not chart.

Following a tour alongside American crime novelist James Ellroy in 1996, Snarski departed Australia for Europe, ultimately settling in Madrid. Reflecting on his exit, he recalled deciding to leave after an exhausting day transporting gear during a performance at a St Kilda theatre venue.

Subsequent Activities

Mark Dawson, the drummer, collaborated with the Blackeyed Susans and contributed to projects with Ed Kuepper. Both Kenny Davis Jr and Kathy Wemyss had brief stints with the Blackeyed Susans as well. Wemyss notably appeared alongside Midnight Oil during the 2000 Sydney Olympics opening ceremony and later established her own band, Wemo. Kenny Davis Jr became a member of Decoder Ring. Meanwhile, Barry Turnbull and Mandy Pearson went on to create the ensemble Love Me.[1]

In September 1998, The Jackson Code released a retrospective double album titled The Second Greatest Story Ever Told, which includes one disc compiling selections from their four studio albums and another featuring rare tracks.[2] Citadel Records reissued Del Musical Del Mismo Nombre on CD in 2003. In June 2006, Snarski joined a reassembled version of the Triffids in Belgium for "An Evening with the Triffids," a tribute event honoring their late frontman David McComb.[3] Their track "Everybody's Got Something to Lose" was featured in Season 1, Episode 9 (April 1994) of the Australian television series Heartbreak High.[4] Additionally, Del Musical Del Mismo Nombre saw another re-release in January 2011.[5]

Members

  • Mark Snarski – lead vocals, electric and acoustic guitars
  • Kathy Wemyss – vocals, trumpet, castanets
  • Mark Dawson (also known as Bongo Fury) – drums
  • Jason Kain – electric and acoustic guitars
  • Kenny Davis Jr – piano, Hammond organ, accordion
  • Barry Turnbull – electric and acoustic bass
  • Mandy Pearson – vocals, percussion

Studio albums

Title Album details
Del Musical Del Mismo Nombre
  • Released: August 1989[6]
  • Label: Waterfront (DAMP 115)
  • Format: LP, Cassette
Strange Cargo
  • Released: August 1992[7]
  • Label: Citadel (citcd528)
  • Format: CD
Draggin' the River
  • Released: December 1993[8]
  • Label: Ra Records (4509938842)
  • Format: CD
The Things You Need
  • Released: September 1995[9]
  • Label: Ra Records (0630111812)
  • Format: CD

Compilation albums

Title Album information
The Second Greatest Story Ever Told
  • Issued: September 1998
  • Record label: Silk Sheen (SILK008)
  • Medium: Double CD

Singles

  • "Who's Watching Who?" - Ra (September 1993)
  • "Poison Berries" - Ra (January 1993)
  • "Bring Yourself Home to Me" - Ra (January 1994)
  • "The Things You Need" - Ra (July 1995)

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards represent the annual accolades presented by the Australian music industry since their inception in 1987.


! |- | 1993 | Strange Cargo | rowspan="2"| Best Independent Release | | rowspan="2"| [10] |- | 1994 | Dragging the River | |-


References

  1. ↑ Love Me website
  2. ↑ Music Australia
  3. ↑ Australian Times (26 November 2007)
  4. ↑ Heartbreak High music listing
  5. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ARIA Jan2011
  6. ↑ Citadel Records - Del Musical Del Mismo Nombre
  7. ↑ Citadel Records - Strange Cargo
  8. ↑ Oz Indie Music - Draggin' The River
  9. ↑ Tag Tuner - The Things You Need
  10. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named BIR ARIA
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