Neighborhood texture jam
Encyclopedia
Neighborhood Texture Jam is a Memphis, Tennessee
rock band
who fuse elements of punk
, industrial
and funk
into a heavy, rhythmic rock sound. Notable for a member responsible for providing the "texture" - an ever-changing assembly of 55-gallon oil drums, hub caps, corrugated sheet metal, household appliances and other found objects that serve as auxiliary percussion.
The band was originally formed in 1984 at Rhodes College
by Joe Lapsley and Ed Scott. The first incarnation of the band lasted three gigs before breaking up. Reforming in 1988, the band signed with Feralette Records and achieved national recognition with their debut album, Funeral Mountain, released in 1990.
Following a line-up change in which Tom Murphy was replaced by John Whittemore, the band switched labels to Ardent Records
and released 1993's Don't Bury Me In Haiti.
1994 saw another change in labels when Ardent Records
closed its alternative mainstream division to concentrate on Christian music. The band landed on Snerd Records and released the 7" single, Rush Limbaugh-Evil Blimp/Awesome in 1994 and the full-length album, Total Social Negation in 1996.
After a long recording hiatus, the band premiered its long-rumored rock opera, Frank Rizzo at Colonus in 2003, following up with a repeat performance in 2006. 2006 also saw the release of a pair of B-Side albums, They Buried Me In Memphis, Vols. 1 and 2 on Snerd Records.
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
rock band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
who fuse elements of punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, industrial
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
and funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
into a heavy, rhythmic rock sound. Notable for a member responsible for providing the "texture" - an ever-changing assembly of 55-gallon oil drums, hub caps, corrugated sheet metal, household appliances and other found objects that serve as auxiliary percussion.
The band was originally formed in 1984 at Rhodes College
Rhodes College
Rhodes College is a private, predominantly undergraduate, liberal arts college located in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Originally founded by freemasons in 1848, Rhodes became affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in 1855. Rhodes enrolls approximately 1,700 students pursuing bachelor's and master's...
by Joe Lapsley and Ed Scott. The first incarnation of the band lasted three gigs before breaking up. Reforming in 1988, the band signed with Feralette Records and achieved national recognition with their debut album, Funeral Mountain, released in 1990.
Following a line-up change in which Tom Murphy was replaced by John Whittemore, the band switched labels to Ardent Records
Ardent Records
Ardent Records, often shortened to "Ardent," is a Memphis record label founded by John Fry in 1959. Ardent of the 1960s and 1970s featured pop music acts and was distributed by Stax Records from 1972 until 1975. It is best remembered today for Big Star, whose first two albums, released in 1972...
and released 1993's Don't Bury Me In Haiti.
1994 saw another change in labels when Ardent Records
Ardent Records
Ardent Records, often shortened to "Ardent," is a Memphis record label founded by John Fry in 1959. Ardent of the 1960s and 1970s featured pop music acts and was distributed by Stax Records from 1972 until 1975. It is best remembered today for Big Star, whose first two albums, released in 1972...
closed its alternative mainstream division to concentrate on Christian music. The band landed on Snerd Records and released the 7" single, Rush Limbaugh-Evil Blimp/Awesome in 1994 and the full-length album, Total Social Negation in 1996.
After a long recording hiatus, the band premiered its long-rumored rock opera, Frank Rizzo at Colonus in 2003, following up with a repeat performance in 2006. 2006 also saw the release of a pair of B-Side albums, They Buried Me In Memphis, Vols. 1 and 2 on Snerd Records.
Current Band Members
- Joe Lapsley - lead vocals
- Tee Cloar - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Steven Conn - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Paul BuchignaniPaul BuchignaniPaul Buchignani is an American drummer who came into musical prominence for his work with The Afghan Whigs on the Black Love album and subsequent tour. Buchignani graduated from Rhodes College in Memphis, TN in 1989...
- drums - Greg Easterly - texture
- John Whittemore - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
Former Members
- Ed Scott - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Sloan Wilson - texture
- Carter Green - texture
- Tony Pantuso - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Tom Murphy - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Mark Harrison - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Fletcher Ward - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
Former Auxiliary Members
- Derek Van Lynn - saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
- Montie Davis - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Sam Nowlin - texture
Album Discography
- Funeral Mountain (1990)
- Don't Bury Me In Haiti (1993)
- Total Social Negation (1996)
- They Buried Me In Memphis, Vol. 1 (2006)
- They Buried Me In Memphis, Vol. 2 (2006)
Single Discography
- McThorazine/Waiting In Sverdlovsk (1992)
- Rush Limbaugh-Evil Blimp/Awesome (1994)