The Joneses (band)
| Company type | Punk rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Founder | Jeff Drake, Steve Olson |
| Headquarters | Anaheim, California , United States |
| Products | Punk rock music, albums, EPs, singles |
The Joneses emerged as a punk rock group originating from Anaheim, situated in Southern California. The band was established in 1981 by guitarist and vocalist Jeff Drake alongside professional skateboarder Steve Olson. Throughout their existence, the lineup saw numerous changes with Drake remaining the only consistent member. By 1984, the ensemble—which included Scott Franklin (The Cramps), Paul Mars Black (L.A. Guns), and Johnnie Sage (The Mau Maus)—was honored as "Best Live Band" in the L.A. Weekly Reader's Poll.
Background
The Joneses debuted with the single "Criminals in My Car" backed with "Jonestown." In 1982, they contributed the tracks "Graveyard Rock" and "Pillbox" to the Someone Got Their Head Kicked In compilation released by BYO Records. Following this, they issued the EP Criminals and appeared on Hell Comes to Your House Volume 2 with songs "I'm Bad" and "She's So Filthy." While their style was mainly punk, their presence on the hardcore-centric BYO compilation stemmed from guitarist Steve Houston’s previous hardcore background. This association resulted in considerable negative feedback, including an unprecedented volume of hate mail compared to other bands.
Their sole full-length album, Keeping Up With, came out in 1987 via Doctor Dream Records, after legal complications delayed its original 1986 release date. Although it gained traction on college radio stations, these postponements hindered the band's momentum. A demo submitted to RCA Records was declined but later transformed into the Tits and Champagne EP (1989) under Trigon Records. During this era, a legal conflict over the band's name with a Boston-based group led Drake to temporarily adopt "The Hollywood Joneses" following an out-of-court agreement.
Following a three-year incarceration for bank robbery, Drake revived The Joneses and released the Anita Fix EP in 1995 on Cabeza de Tornado Records. In 2000, Sympathy for the Record Industry issued Criminal History, a 20-track anthology that reignited interest in the band throughout the late 2000s. Starting in 2006, Full Breach Kicks reissued all previous albums. Additionally, songs like "Big Boy" and "Pill Box" were featured during Season 2 of MTV's Nitro Circus, broadening their audience reach.
Music videos
Although a music video for "Black Cat Bone" was filmed in 1987, it was never completed or officially released.