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Jason and the Scorchers

MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide,
By Steve Knopper, Edited by Gary Graff

Jason and the Scorchers

Formed 1981 in Nashville, Tenn. Disbanded 1990. Re-formed 1995.
Jason Ringenberg, vocals, harmonica and guitar; Warner Hodges, guitar and vocals; Jeff Johnson, bass; Perry Baggs, drums and vocals; Andy York, guitar (1989); Ken Fox, bass (1989)

The members of Jason and the Scorchers, along with the Mekons and other punkish ‘80s bands, decided they understood Hank Williams Sr. better than the Eagles did. So they recreated country-rock in their own image. The Scorchers’ name was not an exaggeration: led by Ringenberg’s frenzied energy and herky-jerky stage movements, the band cranked up the guitars and turned Williams’ music back into the honky-tonking classics they are. Ringenberg, as legend goes, grew up on his family’s hog farm in Sheffield, Ill., then moved to Nashville to become a star. He hooked up with a few hillbillies who shared his love for Bob Dylan and the Ramones, and they set about crashing punk and country into each other. After opening for Dylan on his 1990 tour, the Scorchers were fed up with each other and the lack of commercial attention, so they broke up. They reformed, still blazing, with a 1995 reunion album.

What to buy: Essential Jason and the Scorchers, Vol. 1: Are You Ready For the Country (EMI, 1992, prod. Jeff Daniel and Adam Block) **** collects two early albums, Fervor and Lost and Found, along with a bunch of rarities and live tracks. The reunion album, A Blazing Grace (Mammoth, 1995, prod. Jason and the Scorchers) *** 1/2 , is built around an incredible version of John Denver’s formerly corny “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and George Jones’ “Why Baby Why”.
What to buy next: The debut EP, Reckless Country Soul (Praxis, 1992 [1982]/Mammoth, 1996, prod. Jack Emerson, Jason and the Scorchers and Jim Dickinson) ***, gets repetitive, but its barnstorming country-punk breathes life into Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome (I Could Cry)”, plus the consummate Scorchers classic, “Help! There’s a Fire”.

What to avoid: Thunder and Fire (A&M, 1989) **, is the sound of all the thunder and fire slipping away, just before the band broke up.
The rest: Still Standing (EMI, 1986) **1/2
Worth searching for: Lost and Found (EMI, 1985, prod. Terry Manning) ***, and Fervor (EMI EP, 1983, prod. Jim Dickinson, Jack Emerson, Chuck Ainlay and Terry Manning) ***, are good but hard to find. Besides, Essential is the better deal.

Solo outings:
Jason Ringenberg: One Foot In the Honky Tonk (Liberty, 1992) **
Forward influences: Social Distortion, Uncle Tupelo, Golden Smog, Bottle Rockets.
Previous influences: Hank Williams Sr., Johnny Cash, Ramones, Mekons, Gram Parsons.


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		Jason and the Scorchers MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide, By Steve Knopper, Edited by Gary Graff Copyright 1996 - 2005 - Visible Ink Press Jason and the Scorchers Formed 1981 in Nashville, Tenn. Disbanded 1990. Re-formed 1995. Jason Ringenberg, vocals, harmonica and guitar; Warner Hodges, guitar and vocals; Jeff Johnson, bass; Perry Baggs, drums and vocals; Andy York, guitar (1989); Ken Fox, bass (1989) The members of Jason and the Scorchers, along with the Mekons and other punkish ‘80s bands, decided they understood Hank Williams Sr. better than the Eagles did. So they recreated country-rock in their own image. The Scorchers’ name was not an exaggeration: led by Ringenberg’s frenzied energy and herky-jerky stage movements, the band cranked up the guitars and turned Williams’ music back into the honky-tonking classics they are. Ringenberg, as legend goes, grew up on his family’s hog farm in Sheffield, Ill., then moved to Nashville to become a star. He hooked up with a few hillbillies who shared his love for Bob Dylan and the Ramones, and they set about crashing punk and country into each other. After opening for Dylan on his 1990 tour, the Scorchers were fed up with each other and the lack of commercial attention, so they broke up. They reformed, still blazing, with a 1995 reunion album. What to buy: Essential Jason and the Scorchers, Vol. 1: Are You Ready For the Country (EMI, 1992, prod. Jeff Daniel and Adam Block) ** collects two early albums, Fervor and Lost and Found, along with a bunch of rarities and live tracks. The reunion album, A Blazing Grace (Mammoth, 1995, prod. Jason and the Scorchers) * 1/2 , is built around an incredible version of John Denver’s formerly corny “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and George Jones’ “Why Baby Why”. What to buy next: The debut EP, Reckless Country Soul (Praxis, 1992 [1982]/Mammoth, 1996, prod. Jack Emerson, Jason and the Scorchers and Jim Dickinson) *, gets repetitive, but its barnstorming country-punk breathes life into Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome (I Could Cry)”, plus the consummate Scorchers classic, “Help! There’s a Fire”. What to avoid: Thunder and Fire (A&M, 1989) , is the sound of all the thunder and fire slipping away, just before the band broke up. The rest: Still Standing (EMI, 1986) 1/2 Worth searching for: Lost and Found (EMI, 1985, prod. Terry Manning) , and Fervor (EMI EP, 1983, prod. Jim Dickinson, Jack Emerson, Chuck Ainlay and Terry Manning) , are good but hard to find. Besides, Essential is the better deal. Solo outings: Jason Ringenberg: One Foot In the Honky Tonk (Liberty, 1992) Forward influences: Social Distortion, Uncle Tupelo, Golden Smog, Bottle Rockets. Previous influences: Hank Williams Sr., Johnny Cash, Ramones, Mekons, Gram Parsons. © 1996 -2005 — Visible Ink Press — All Rights Reserved
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