The Von Bondies
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Headquarters | Detroit , United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
The Von Bondies are a rock group originating from the United States, established in 1997. Their notable album, Pawn Shoppe Heart (2004), includes the hit tracks "C'mon C'mon" and "Tell Me What You See".
They have led tours throughout Europe and the United Kingdom, as well as in Australia and the United States, sharing stages with bands such as The Kills, Kasabian, Franz Ferdinand, Modey Lemon, SSM, The Subways, The Stills, Hot Panda, and The Donnas. Their television appearances include performances on Late Show with David Letterman, Last Call with Carson Daly, and CD:UK.
After disbanding in July 2011, The Von Bondies reunited in 2020 intending to embark on a reunion tour, which was subsequently canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, band members have pursued various other musical projects.
Origins and Lack of Communication (1997–2001)
In 1997, inspired by a concert featuring The Cramps and Japanese garage punk group Guitar Wolf, Jason Stollsteimer and Marcie Bolen created a band initially named Baby Killers. They toured alongside Detroit acts like The Detroit Cobras, The Go, and The White Stripes. Upon recruiting Don Blum as drummer and Lauren Wilcox on bass, they adopted the name The Von Bondies. Their significant breakthrough occurred during a Detroit New Year's Eve show in 2000 attended by Long Gone John, the founder of Sympathy for the Record Industry, which led to releasing singles "It Came from Japan" and "Nite Train".
Their debut album, Lack of Communication, was recorded over three days with producer Jack White and released in 2001 through Sympathy for the Record Industry in the US and Sweet Nothing Records in the UK. The album featured a hidden track—a cover of Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home to Me"—with Bolen providing lead vocals.
Pawn Shoppe Heart era and label changes (2002–2008)
Beginning in 2002, the band started work on their follow-up album in San Francisco with producer Jerry Harrison from Talking Heads. In 2003, they issued a live album titled Raw and Rare under Dim Mak Records. That same year, an incident occurred between Stollsteimer and Jack White at a Detroit venue; White faced charges of aggravated assault and was ordered to attend anger management sessions.
Their 2004 release, Pawn Shoppe Heart, co-produced by Harrison and Stollsteimer, became their commercial breakthrough. It reached number 36 on the UK Albums Chart and climbed to number 8 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart. The single "C'mon C'mon" attained position 25 on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart, receiving widespread radio airplay; it also peaked at number 21 in the UK. Another track, "Tell Me What You See", reached number 43 on UK charts.
In 2006, original member Bolen departed from the group. Between 2007 and 2008, Alicia Gbur and Matt Lannoo joined for touring purposes. Following disagreements with their record label, The Von Bondies exited Sire Records in 2008 and signed with Majordomo Records, joining artists such as The Airborne Toxic Event and Earlimart.
Love, Hate and Then There's You, breakup, and reunion developments (2009–present)
Launched on February 3, 2009, Love, Hate and Then There's You showcased the lineup of Jason Stollsteimer (lead vocals and lead guitar), Don Blum (drums), Christy Hunt (rhythm guitar), and Leann Banks (bass). This record represented the initial songwriting partnership between Stollsteimer and Blum. Primarily produced by Stollsteimer with additional input from Butch Walker and Rick Parker, the album featured the single "Pale Bride." The group embarked on a tour to promote this release.
The Von Bondies officially disbanded in July 2011 but reunited in 2020 with intentions to embark on a reunion tour, which was delayed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Since then, band members have engaged in various other musical endeavors.
Band members
Present lineup
- Jason Stollsteimer – lead vocals, lead guitar (1997–2011, 2020–present)
- Don Blum – drums, percussion (1999–2011, 2020–present)
- Leann Banks – bass guitar, backing vocals (2006–2011, 2020–present)
- Christy Hunt – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2008–2011, 2020–present)
Previous members
- Marcie Bolen – rhythm guitar (1997–2006)
- Lauren Wilcox – bass guitar (2000–2001)
- Carrie Ann Smith – bass guitar, backing vocals (2001–2004)
- Yasmine Smith – bass guitar, backing vocals (2004–2006)
Touring musicians
- Alicia Gbur – rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (2007–2008)
- Matt Lannoo – lead and rhythm guitar (2007–2008)
- Timeline
Studio albums
| Title | Release information | US | AUS | UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lack of Communication | Released July 17, 2001; Label: Sympathy for the Record Industry | — | — | — |
| Pawn Shoppe Heart | Released March 9, 2004; Label: Sire | 197 | 58 | 36 |
| Love, Hate and Then There's You | Released February 3, 2009; Label: Majordomo | — | — | — |
| "—" indicates no chart entry or release in that region. | ||||
EPs
- We Are Kamikazes (Intheact Records, 2008)
Singles
| Year | Title | US Mod | AUS | UK | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | "Nite Train" | — | — | — | Lack of Communication |
| 2001 | "It Came from Japan" | — | — | — | Lack of Communication |
| 2004 | "C'mon C'mon" | 25 | 85 | 21 | Pawn Shoppe Heart |
| "Tell Me What You See" | — | — | 43 | Pawn Shoppe Heart | |
| 2008 | "Pale Bride" | — | — | — | Love, Hate and Then There's You |
Compilation appearances
- Included on multiple compilations such as Sympathetic Sounds of Detroit (Sympathy for the Record Industry), Dim Mak promotional samplers, as well as soundtracks like House of Wax (Maverick Records), Rescue Me (Nettwerk Records), and Lost Boys (Adrenaline Records).
Music videos
| Year | Song | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | "It Came from Japan" | Anthony Ernest Garth |
| 2004 | "C'mon C'mon" | Charles Jensen |
| "Tell Me What You See" | Charles Jensen | |
| 2009 | "Pale Bride" | Anthony Ernest Garth |
Media usage
- Tracks have been incorporated into various television programs such as Later... with Jools Holland and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, motion pictures including House of Wax and In Her Shoes, along with video games like Burnout 3, Gretzky NHL, MVP Baseball, and downloadable content for Rock Band. The song "C'mon C'mon" was prominently used as the theme song for FX's television series Rescue Me.
See also
External links
- Love for The Von Bondies – Torontomusicscene.ca
- Articles with short description
- Alternative rock groups from Michigan
- Garage rock groups from Michigan
- Musical groups established in 1997
- Musical groups disestablished in 2011
- Sympathy for the Record Industry artists
- Sire Records artists
- Musical groups from Detroit
- 1997 establishments in Michigan
- 2011 disestablishments in Michigan