Ruby Joe
Encyclopedia
Ruby Joe was a Christian band from Ventura
, California
. Their debut album was cited as psychobilly
, but their second played squarely as swing revival
due to the appearance of the horn section of Royal Crown Revue
. Both were released on Sub•Lime Records, in 1998 and 1999. The bands' name is a combination of the founders name and that of Ruby's Diner in Huntington Beach, where the band was formed.
. The band's sound wound up being somewhere between the Stray Cats
and The Reverend Horton Heat
, or "like a rockabilly version of Mike Knott..." Russinger wrote most of the lyrics, addressing issues such as racism, the underground church in China
, materialism
, temptation
, and internal spiritual battles with our sinful nature
.
Not all content was well received; three tracks in particular caused the band trouble. "Rock 'n' Roll & My Baby", which deal with New Age
spiritualism, and "Death Train", dealing with the victims of the holocaust
. Finally Russinger dealt with his own former speed
addiction in "Spiritual Heroin", describing how Christ
can fill the need created by addictions, which one reviewer described as a "slightly disturbing metaphor." All of this led to trouble with the Christian music establishment; the album was pulled from some Christian book stores and the band disallowed from playing at a Christian music festival
.
On their second release, Hot Rod Deluxe (1999), the band added elements of swing revival
, leading one reviewer to refer to it as "swingabilly". This effort was produced by Billy Zoom
(of X) and joined by the horn section of Royal Crown Revue
, including Bill Ungerman, Mando Dorame, and Scotty Steen. This release is generally considered to be their better effort, more focused than their debut. The lyrics also shift in attitude from their first album; on Hot Rod Deluxe it became "easier to see the biblical point" that is trying to be made.
The band also appeared on the 1999 Jackson Rubio various artists compilation Jackson/Rubio's Rockabilly and Western Gospel Hymns. This album contained reworked spirituals and standard hymns such as "Amazing Grace
"; Ruby Joe provided renditions of "Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho
" and "Walk Dem Golden Stairs". Reviews of the band's performance were mixed; One reviewer called the band's cuts "standouts", while another stated that their rendition of "Joshua" "grows fairly long in the tooth by the song's end and easily pales in comparison to, say, Elvis' more passionate and varied arrangement from his gospel magnum opus His Hand in Mine
." Russinger later provided lead vocals on the Scott Blackwell
produced album Punk Praise Volume 1 (2001, Abundant Praise records). The disc featured musicians from worship teams around Southern California.
Ventura, California
Ventura is the county seat of Ventura County, California, United States, incorporated in 1866. The population was 106,433 at the 2010 census, up from 100,916 at the 2000 census. Ventura is accessible via U.S...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Their debut album was cited as psychobilly
Psychobilly
Psychobilly is a fusion genre of rock music that mixes elements of punk rock, rockabilly, and other genres. It is one of several subgenres of rockabilly which also include thrashabilly, trashabilly, punkabilly, surfabilly and gothabilly...
, but their second played squarely as swing revival
Swing Revival
The Swing Revival was a late 1990s and early 2000s period of renewed popular interest in swing and jump blues music and dance from the 1930s and 1940s as exemplified by Louis Prima, often mixed with a more contemporary rock, rockabilly or ska sound, known also as neo-swing or retro...
due to the appearance of the horn section of Royal Crown Revue
Royal Crown Revue
The Royal Crown Revue is a band formed in 1989 in Los Angeles, California. They are often credited with starting the Swing Revival movement. Live, RCR has been extremely successful: They participated in 1998's Vans Warped Tour, opened for the B-52s and The Pretenders and played at major US Jazz...
. Both were released on Sub•Lime Records, in 1998 and 1999. The bands' name is a combination of the founders name and that of Ruby's Diner in Huntington Beach, where the band was formed.
Background
Prior to Ruby Joe, Greg Russinger and Joe Baugh played in a band called Strugglefish. Russinger was a youth pastor at Horizon Foursquare Church, Ventura, CA. In 1996 the band gained the bass talents of Amber Reeves and the drumming of Christina Hock, forming an all-female rhythm section. Ruby Joe's debut release, Sinking the Eight Ball (1998), drew upon the production talents of Mike Knott and Gene EugeneGene Eugene
Gene "Eugene" Andrusco was a Canadian born actor, record producer, engineer, composer and musician. Andrusco was best known as the leader of the funk/rock band Adam Again, a member of The Swirling Eddies and as a founding member of the roots music supergroup Lost Dogs.-Acting:Andrusco was a child...
. The band's sound wound up being somewhere between the Stray Cats
Stray Cats
Stray Cats are an American Rockabilly band formed in 1980 by guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer , upright bassist Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom in the Long Island town of Massapequa, New York. The group had numerous hit singles in the UK, Australia and the U.S...
and The Reverend Horton Heat
The Reverend Horton Heat
The Reverend Horton Heat is the stage name of American musician Jim Heath as well as the name of his Dallas, Texas-based psychobilly trio. Heath is a singer, songwriter and guitarist....
, or "like a rockabilly version of Mike Knott..." Russinger wrote most of the lyrics, addressing issues such as racism, the underground church in China
Chinese house church
Chinese house churches are a religious movement of unregistered assemblies of Christians in the People's Republic of China, which operate independently of the government-run Three-Self Patriotic Movement and China Christian Council for Protestant groups and the Chinese Patriotic Catholic...
, materialism
Materialism
In philosophy, the theory of materialism holds that the only thing that exists is matter; that all things are composed of material and all phenomena are the result of material interactions. In other words, matter is the only substance...
, temptation
Temptation
A temptation is an act that looks appealing to an individual. It is usually used to describe acts with negative connotations and as such, tends to lead a person to regret such actions, for various reasons: legal, social, psychological , health, economic, etc...
, and internal spiritual battles with our sinful nature
Original sin
Original sin is, according to a Christian theological doctrine, humanity's state of sin resulting from the Fall of Man. This condition has been characterized in many ways, ranging from something as insignificant as a slight deficiency, or a tendency toward sin yet without collective guilt, referred...
.
Not all content was well received; three tracks in particular caused the band trouble. "Rock 'n' Roll & My Baby", which deal with New Age
New Age
The New Age movement is a Western spiritual movement that developed in the second half of the 20th century. Its central precepts have been described as "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and then infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational...
spiritualism, and "Death Train", dealing with the victims of the holocaust
The Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
. Finally Russinger dealt with his own former speed
Amphetamine
Amphetamine or amfetamine is a psychostimulant drug of the phenethylamine class which produces increased wakefulness and focus in association with decreased fatigue and appetite.Brand names of medications that contain, or metabolize into, amphetamine include Adderall, Dexedrine, Dextrostat,...
addiction in "Spiritual Heroin", describing how Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
can fill the need created by addictions, which one reviewer described as a "slightly disturbing metaphor." All of this led to trouble with the Christian music establishment; the album was pulled from some Christian book stores and the band disallowed from playing at a Christian music festival
Christian music festival
A Christian music festival is a music festival held by the Christian community, in support of performers of Christian music...
.
On their second release, Hot Rod Deluxe (1999), the band added elements of swing revival
Swing Revival
The Swing Revival was a late 1990s and early 2000s period of renewed popular interest in swing and jump blues music and dance from the 1930s and 1940s as exemplified by Louis Prima, often mixed with a more contemporary rock, rockabilly or ska sound, known also as neo-swing or retro...
, leading one reviewer to refer to it as "swingabilly". This effort was produced by Billy Zoom
Billy Zoom
Billy Zoom is an American guitarist, best known as one of the founders of the punk rock band X.-Early life:...
(of X) and joined by the horn section of Royal Crown Revue
Royal Crown Revue
The Royal Crown Revue is a band formed in 1989 in Los Angeles, California. They are often credited with starting the Swing Revival movement. Live, RCR has been extremely successful: They participated in 1998's Vans Warped Tour, opened for the B-52s and The Pretenders and played at major US Jazz...
, including Bill Ungerman, Mando Dorame, and Scotty Steen. This release is generally considered to be their better effort, more focused than their debut. The lyrics also shift in attitude from their first album; on Hot Rod Deluxe it became "easier to see the biblical point" that is trying to be made.
The band also appeared on the 1999 Jackson Rubio various artists compilation Jackson/Rubio's Rockabilly and Western Gospel Hymns. This album contained reworked spirituals and standard hymns such as "Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace
"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn with words written by the English poet and clergyman John Newton , published in 1779. With a message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of the sins people commit and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God,...
"; Ruby Joe provided renditions of "Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho
Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho
"Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho" is a well-known negro spiritual.The song is believed to have been composed by slaves in the first half of the nineteenth century. Some references suggest that it was copyrighted by Jay Roberts in 1865...
" and "Walk Dem Golden Stairs". Reviews of the band's performance were mixed; One reviewer called the band's cuts "standouts", while another stated that their rendition of "Joshua" "grows fairly long in the tooth by the song's end and easily pales in comparison to, say, Elvis' more passionate and varied arrangement from his gospel magnum opus His Hand in Mine
His Hand in Mine
His Hand in Mine is the twelfth album by Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor Records in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2328, in November 1960. It was the first of three gospel music albums that Presley would issue during his lifetime. Recording sessions took place on October 30 and 31, 1960, at RCA...
." Russinger later provided lead vocals on the Scott Blackwell
Scott Blackwell
Scott Blackwell is a Christian dance music artist, born in Fort Worth, Texas. He is generally credited with being the first artist to produce such music for the Christian marketplace...
produced album Punk Praise Volume 1 (2001, Abundant Praise records). The disc featured musicians from worship teams around Southern California.
Members
- Joe Baugh
- Christina Hock - drums
- Amber Reeves - bass
- Greg Russinger - lead vocalist and guitarist
Discography
- 1997: Year After Year (EP, independent)
- 1998: Sinking the Eight BallSinking the Eight BallSinking the Eight Ball is debut album by Ruby Joe. Due to its topical content, the album was pulled from some Christian book stores.The album drew upon the production talents of Mike Knott and Gene Eugene...
- 1999: Hot Rod DeluxeHot Rod DeluxeHot Rod Deluxe is the second album released by Ruby Joe. This effort was produced by Billy Zoom and joined by the horn section of Royal Crown Revue, including Bill Ungerman, Mando Dorame, and Scotty Steen. Musically the album shifts from the rockabilly roots of the debut toward swing revival...