The Jonbenét
| Company type | Independent |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | August 22, 2003 in Houston, Texas, United States |
| Headquarters | Houston , United States |
Area served | United States, Canada |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, vinyl records |
| Website | thejonbenet |
The Jonbenét was a noise rock group originating from Houston, Texas, established in the summer of 2003. Their name was inspired by the highly publicized case of JonBenét Ramsey. The band made their initial appearance as Jonbenét on August 22, 2003. Following independent EP releases and tours across the United States and Canada, they secured a contract with Pluto Records, an independent label based in Texas. In 2005, they issued The Plot Thickens, a remastered collection combining previous EPs and split releases.
Their debut full-length album, Ugly/Heartless (2006), was released subsequently. Emerald Moon Records teamed up with Pluto Records to initiate a four-part vinyl series, of which two volumes were published. On August 10, 2009, The Jonbenét declared their final performances, culminating in a December 19 show at Walter's in Houston alongside the release of Substances (2009).
2001-2003: Formation and Early Period
On December 20, 2003, the band unveiled a seven-track demo entitled Seven Short Stories by Mortimer T. Chimneytot, recorded by Chris Goodwin, who took over bass duties from Grant Miller in January 2004.
2004-2005: Five Stories Retold and Compilation Release
Drummer Andrew Saleeba exited the band in May 2004, with Drew Ireland stepping in; this change led to revisions of existing tracks. Five of these reworked songs were initially self-released as Five Stories Retold (pre-release) on July 1 and reissued on August 3.
In April 2005, bassist Chris Goodwin left the lineup; Wil Spent from Illinois joined after moving to Houston. The band signed with Pluto Records on June 16, 2005, and toured alongside The Kidnap Soundtrack in July. Shortly thereafter, on July 26, Pluto Records issued The Plot Thickens, a remastered compilation merging Five Stories Retold and their split with The Kidnap Soundtrack. This release earned them "Best Heavy Sh*t" recognition from Free Press Houston and positioned them as contenders for Best Hardcore/Screamo Band at the Houston Press Music Awards. A music video for "Behold, The White Whore" was filmed in February 2006. After Mike Murland sustained an ankle injury in March, their tour was cut short. In October, they toured with The Phantom Pains for a Halloween event featuring Integrity and Turmoil. Exclaim! published a review of The Plot Thickens in December 2005.
2006-2007: Full-Length Debut and Vinyl Series
By December 2005, the band had completed writing their first full-length album, Ugly/Heartless, which was released on August 8, 2006. Recording took place in January 2006 at Johnny Killed Rock N' Roll Studios in Houston. Immediately following recording, they toured with The Fall of Troy, With All Sincerity, and At All Cost. Throughout that year, they embarked on extensive tours with groups including The Number Twelve Looks Like You, Fear Before The March Of Flames, HeavyHeavyLowLow, God's Temple Of Family Deliverance, The American Black Lung, Fight Pretty, Blues, and Fall River.
The Jonbenét gained media exposure through features in Houston Press (July 2006), Decibel Magazine (#24, October 2006), and SPIN (September 2006). They also participated in an interview with Deaf Sparrow discussing their background and album production process. Despite some controversy linked to their name following the John Mark Karr incident, they produced a music video for "Why We're Dead" during fall 2006.
Early in 2007, Lollipop Magazine reviewed Ugly/Heartless. On January 15 of that year, Emerald Moon Records and Pluto Records announced a joint effort to release a four-part series of seven-inch vinyl records titled Devil Music, with the first installment arriving on April 17. The Stranger characterized the album as a "spastic, angular wall of post-hardcore noise". Shortly after touring briefly with Turmoil, bassist Wil Spent left due to complications from diabetes and was succeeded by Bryan Schutmaat.
2008-2009: Devil Music Volume 2, Substances and the band's conclusion
The group's second 7-inch vinyl was issued during the summer of 2008.
On August 10, 2009, the band revealed plans for a sequence of farewell concerts, indicating their upcoming breakup. Their final show occurred on December 19, 2009, at Walter's venue in Houston, Texas.
Band members
- Michael Murland – lead vocals
- Dann Miller – guitarist
- J. Andrew Ireland – drummer
- Bryan Schutmaat – bassist
- Wil Spent – bassist
- Chris Goodwin – bassist
- Andrew Saleeba – drummer
- Grant Miller – bassist
Studio albums
- The Plot Thickens (2005)
- Ugly/Heartless (2006)
EPs and splits
- Five Stories Retold (2004)
- The Kidnap Soundtrack / The Jonbenét split (2005)
- Devil Music Volume 1 (2007)
- Devil Music Volume 2 (2008)
- Substances (2009)
External links
- The Jonbenét on BandCamp
- [ The Jonbenet on AllMusic]