Love Jones (band)

Love Jones
Love Jones promotional photo, Powerful Pain Relief
Background information
Origin	Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Genres	Lounge, Easy Listening, Traditional pop
Years active	1990–present
Labels	Zoo Entertainment
Associated acts	Tool, The Presidents of the United States of America, Matthew Sweet, Leftover Cuties, Ming Tea.
Website	www.lovejones.net

Love Jones is an American band from Louisville, Kentucky formed in the spring of 1990 by Ben Daughtrey (vocals, percussion) and Barry Thomas (bass), with Chris Hawpe (vocals, guitar), Jonathan Palmer (vocals) and Stuart Johnson (drums).

According to Entertainment Weekly, Love Jones was a leader of the "Cocktail Nation" groups of the early 1990s. The genre — which included Combustible Edison, Squirrel Nut Zippers and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy — was a reaction to the grunge/alternative music of the early 1990s. Cocktail Nation bands celebrated the aesthetics and music of the 1950s and early 1960s — lounge jazz, crooning pop, and martinis. Love Jones played any sort of pop music that fit within that label: pop, blues, R&B, bossa nova, doo wop.

Love Jones formed in Louisville in 1990, along with bands like Slint and Palace Brothers, demonstrating the diversity of the Louisville music scene. In 1992, Love Jones moved to Los Angeles and staged a weekly Thursday night residency show at the famed nightclub Largo. The show featured frequent guest performer Jon Brion, who appears on several Love Jones recordings.

In 1992 Love Jones signed with Zoo Entertainment/BMG shortly after releasing a single on Minty Fresh Records. The band was first brought to the attention of Zoo Entertainment/BMG by guitarist Adam Jones of Tool, who were with the label at the time. The band would eventually contribute the hidden track "Santa Monica and Orange" to Love Jones' debut album for Zoo, 1993's Here's to the Losers.