Drive Like Jehu
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Drive Like Jehu were an American post-hardcore band.
Drive Like Jehu was founded in 1990 in San Diego, California by Rick Froberg (guitar, vocals), John Reis (guitar), Mike Kennedy (bass), and Mark Trombino (drums). The group disbanded in 1994. Froberg and Reis would go on to form the band Hot Snakes.
Bio from the Swamirecords page
Drive Like Jehu's second full length "Yank Crime" was met with quite a few head scratches upon its initial release. Even amidst the post Nirvana indie rock sweepstakes of 1993, major label interest in Drive Like Jehu seemed more than suspect. Nonetheless, the band practiced and wrote songs for a year and barely eked out a full length for their Interscope debut in 1994.
Drive Like Jehu fit in between the cracks of underground music. Too abrasive and punk for the college kids, too demanding of patience for the hardcore crew, and too loud for everybody, the band prided itself on doing things their own way. Rick and John were both in Pitchfork together (a reissue on Swami soon) and Mike and Mark came from Night Soil Man. Not exactly a super group, but pretty super nonetheless, this combination created a sound that rivals any in velocity, drama, and indulgence to this day.
From the bands debut on Headhunter/Cargo in 1992, Drive Like Jehu had a rabid audience that followed the band across the country, traded live bootlegs with each other, and created their own t-shirts and posters for other fans of the band. Still, Drive Like Jehu became more popular after the band stopped playing. Their influence has been cited by everyone from Mooney Suzuki to Tool as evidence to the width of the band's appeal.
"Yank Crime" was the last thing the band recorded. To sweeten this CD, we have added the 2 songs off of the Merge 7" and a previous recording of Sinews that originally appeared on a Headhunter compilation "Head Start To Purgatory". Many fans of the band (and some of the band members themselves) feel that the 2 songs from the Merge 7" (Bullet train to Vegas and Hand Over Fist) were the pinnacle of the bands recorded output. Leaner and meaner than either of the LP's, these songs have a directness that is undeniable.
Drummer Mark Trombino was highly involved with all of the Drive Like Jehu recordings. To this day he has continued to record and produce albums. Some of his successes include Jimmy Eat World and Blink 182. Bassist Mike Kennedy went back to school after Drive Like Jehu. He played in Corrugated from San Diego for a year or two. They made a cool record on Flapping Jet, then he quit to focus on his first love, chemistry. Singer and guitarist Rick Froeberg continued to pursue his artwork. Rick was responsible for all the design and art for the band and he continues to illustrate and paint. He moved to NY and now plays in Hot Snakes. Guitarist John Reis still plays in Rocket From The Crypt as well as Hot Snakes with Rick.
Discography
Albums
- "Drive Like Jehu" (1991)
- "Yank Crime" (1994)