Jellyfish (band)

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Jellyfish
Album cover for Bellybutton
Album cover for Bellybutton
Background information
Origin Flag of the United States San Francisco, USA
Genre(s) Indie rock
Post-punk revival
Years active 1990 – 1994
Label(s) Charisma Records
Associated acts Beatnik Beatch

Jellyfish were a short-lived power pop band from San Francisco. The core members were drummer/singer/songwriter Andy Sturmer, keyboard player/multi-instrumentalist Roger Joseph Manning Jr., and guitarist/songwriter/vocalist Jason Falkner. Although their career was short, Jellyfish influenced many bands who formed shortly after including The Merrymakers, Ben Folds Five, The Hutchinsons, and The Excentrics, among others.[1]

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Beginnings

Andy Sturmer and Roger Manning formed Jellyfish after the break-up of their previous band, Beatnik Beatch.

Falkner had written and performed on the acclaimed Paisley Underground band The Three O'Clock's major-label debut, Vermillion. Manning had met Falkner before joining Beatnik Beatch while looking for musical colleagues. Falkner was the only person in the classifieds to mention XTC as a reference which caught Manning's attention. Both found the meeting interesting, but it amounted to little and they did not work together at the time.

Later, when Sturmer and Manning were forming Jellyfish, the search for a guitarist for the final tracks led Manning to contact Falkner once again. Falkner contributed to the demos and eventually joined for the recording of their debut album Bellybutton.

After the recording of Bellybutton, Manning's brother Chris was asked to join the band as bassist for the imminent live dates.

Drawing heavily from the Paisley Underground, Queen, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, XTC, Cheap Trick, Wings, and Badfinger, Bellybutton was released in 1990. The album contained the band's biggest hit, "Baby's Coming Back", which peaked at No. 62 on Billboard's Hot 100 Chart. The album also included the singles "That Is Why", "I Wanna Stay Home", "Now She Knows She's Wrong" and "The King Is Half-Undressed" (the video for which was nominated for Best Art Direction at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards).

[edit] Spilt Milk

Frustrated with simply being the guitar player, Jason Falkner left the band after the Bellybutton tour. Chris Manning also left, disliking the touring lifestyle.

Sturmer and Manning recruited Tim Smith as the new bassist while preparing new material. Studio musicians (including Jon Brion) were brought in to help record their second album, Spilt Milk in 1993. The album was a far more elaborate affair than Bellybutton, incorporating a significant amount of overdubbing and complex song arrangements. A tour followed which included Eric Dover on guitar and backing vocal duties.

[edit] Break up

Increasing creative differences between Sturmer and Manning resulted in Jellyfish's break-up in 1994.

Andy Sturmer stayed quiet for a number of years, but has since written catchy pop songs for Japanese group Puffy Amiyumi and soloist YUKI (formerly front woman and vocalist of the Japanese rock band Judy and Mary). He has also composed, produced, and recorded with many different groups including The Black Crowes, L.E.O., The Merrymakers and others.

Roger Manning subsequently worked with Jellyfish live band member Eric Dover in a project called Imperial Drag and worked with Brian Kehew in a band called Moog Cookbook. In 2005 Manning released his first solo CD in Japan, titled Solid State Warrior. This album was re-packaged with an altered tracklisting in the U.S. in 2007 as The Land Of Pure Imagination. Manning also played keyboards for Beck on several records and remixed some songs for French duo Air.

Chris Manning is now an accomplished producer and engineer.

After leaving Jellyfish, Jason Falkner joined with other disillusioned pop musicians Jon Brion, Buddy Judge and Dan McCarroll (the latter three best known for their work with Aimee Mann) in a band called The Grays. Falkner has gone on to have a successful solo career.

Roger Manning and Jason Falkner have recently reunited (along with ex Redd Kross member Brian Reitzell) in a new-wave inspired band called TV Eyes. Reitzell and Manning also joined forces to compose two tracks for the Lost in Translation soundtrack. Manning and Reitzell had earlier collaborated on the Logan's Sanctuary album in 2000, which featured contributions from Jason Falkner.[1]

[edit] Members

[edit] 1990-1992

  • Andy Sturmer - vocals, drums, keyboards, guitar
  • Roger Manning - keyboards, vocals
  • Jason Falkner - guitars, bass, vocals
  • Chris Manning - bass, vocals (live only)
  • Niko Wenner - guitars, vocals, keyboard (live only)
  • Mick McIntyre - Production/String Arrangements/Vocals (Spilt Milk) - Uncredited

[edit] 1992-1994

  • Andy Sturmer - vocals, drums, keyboards, guitar
  • Roger Manning - keyboards, vocals
  • Tim Smith - bass, vocals
  • Eric Dover - guitar, vocals (live only)
  • Mick McIntyre - String Arrangements,Vocals,Guitar/Post-Production

[edit] Additional Musicians

[edit] Bellybutton

[edit] Spilt Milk

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

  • Bellybutton (1990)
  • The Scary-Go-Round EP (1991)
  • Jellyfish Comes Alive EP (1991)
  • Spilt Milk (1993)
  • New Mistake EP (Japanese Only) (1993)
  • The Greatest (Japanese-Only Best-Of) (1998)
  • Fan Club (4 CD compilation of rarities) (2002)
  • Best (2006)

[edit] Singles

  • "The King Is Half-Undressed" (1990) (Billboard Modern Rock chart #19; UK Top 40 #39)[2]
  • "That Is Why" (1991) (Billboard Modern Rock chart #11)
  • "Baby's Coming Back" (1991)
  • "Now She Knows He's Wrong" (1991)
  • "I Wanna Stay Home" (1991)
  • "The Ghost At Number One" (1993) (Billboard Modern Rock chart #9)
  • "New Mistake" (1993)
  • "Joining A Fanclub" (U.S. Promotional-Only) (1993)
  • "Bye, Bye, Bye" (Dutch-Only) (1993)
  • "Ignorance is Bliss" (US Only) (2006)

[edit] Video

  • "Gone Jellyfishin'" (VHS) (1990?)

[edit] Compilations

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b Steve Huey, Greg Prato. Jellyfish bio from All Music Guide. Billboard.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-28.
  2. ^ Singles chart data from James Masterton, Blog.masterton.co.uk 16 May 2007

[edit] External links