Boss Hog
| Boss Hog | |
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Boss Hog live 2009
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| Background information | |
| Origin | New York City, New York, United States |
| Genres | Punk blues |
| Years active | 1989-2000, 2008 - 2010, 2016-present |
| Associated acts | Pussy Galore, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Knoxville Girls |
| Website |
facebook |
| Members | Jon Spencer, Cristina Martinez, Jens Jurgensen, Hollis Queens, Mickey Finn |
| Past members | Charlie Ondras, Jerry Teel, Kurt Wolf, Pete Shore, Marcellus Hall, Mark Boyce |
Boss Hog is an American punk blues band including the husband and wife duo of Jon Spencer (guitar) and Cristina Martinez (vocals) along with Jens Jurgensen (bass), Hollis Queens (drums) and Mickey Finn (keyboard). The band achieved some notoriety, not only due to their abrasive sound, but more to Martinez's confrontational use of nudity on the band's record sleeves. In their 27-year history the band's releases have been relatively sporadic, but comprised four full-length albums, a mini-album, three EP's and several singles. Between 2008 and 2010 the band played live and toured Europe and the US.
Boss Hog officially announced their return in May 2016 with details of US tour dates along with an EP, Brood Star, released by In the Red Records in July 2016. A new song, "17", was released in January 2017 to herald the band's first full-length album in 17 years – Brood X, to be released in March.
Jon Spencer's other bands include Pussy Galore, of which Martinez became a peripheral member, and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion both of which existed in parallel to Boss Hog.
Boss Hog was formed in 1989, as something of an accidental side project, when Cristina Martinez and Jon Spencer were told of a last minute vacancy on the bill at the influential New York punk club CBGB's. The pair put together a group of musicians from members of The Honeymoon Killers and Unsane, along with Kurt Wolf from Pussy Galore. The gig is reported to have been an underground sensation in New York, not least because Jon performed the whole show naked.
Spencer, Martinez, Wolf, Charlie Ondras, and Jerry Teel recorded the EP Drinkin', Lechin' & Lyin' with Steve Albini for the record label Amphetamine Reptile in 1989. The response was through the roof. The record buying-public loved Boss Hog and their fresh new "pigfuck" sound.
The first full-length album Cold Hands was recorded with Peter Arsenault and Ed Bair, and Pete Shore of the Unsane on bass. Soon after the album's release in 1990 Shore and Teel left the band. Jens Jurgensen joined on bass and the band toured Europe to promote the record. This lineup recorded the BBC Radio session and additional tracks that were released as the "Action Box" double single. Shortly thereafter Wolf left the band and Marcellus Hall of Railroad Jerk joined on guitar for another European tour, and to record the track "Fire Of Love" for a Sub Pop single compilation called Smells Like Smoked Sausages. Soon after, drummer Charlie Ondras died.
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