Jesus Jones

Jesus Jones biography

Jesus Jones are a British alternative dance band. The Wiltshire-based group, formed in late 1988, recorded and performed in the late 1980s, throughout the 1990s, and into the 2000s. They are best remembered for their track, "Right Here, Right Now", an international hit and subsequently globally appropriated for promotional and advertising campaigns. They are also well-remembered for the songs "Real Real Real" and "International Bright Young Thing."

Career

Formation and Liquidizer (1986-1989)

Incorporating elements of electronic music styles such as house and techno to an indie rock format, along with fellow British groups such as The Shamen, Pop Will Eat Itself and EMF, Jesus Jones were one of the leading purveyors of the early 1990s indie dance scene. The band is led by Mike Edwards. In late 1988, while on holiday in Spain, Mike Edwards, Iain Baker, and Jerry DeBorg decided to leave the band they were currently in, and form their own band. The name of the band came about when they realised that they were three "Joneses" sitting on a beach in Spain surrounded by people called Jesus.

They achieved initial critical acclaim with their 1989 album Liquidizer, and in particular, the single "Info Freako", which featured buzzing rock guitars with samples and a hip-hop sensibility, relatively new at the time. The track was particularly championed by Bruno Brookes on his BBC Radio 1 programme.

Doubt and Perverse (1990-1995)

In the spring of 1990, Jesus Jones recorded their second album, Doubt, but their record label was forced to delay its release until the beginning of 1991. The album sold well, due to the success of their best-known hit "Right Here, Right Now". The song is about the swift end of the Cold War, and was a #2 hit in the US but reached only #31 in the UK. It was resurrected in 2006 as an advertising jingle for the American retailer Kmart, an image campaign for CBS News, and was used in promotional advertisements for the now defunct television channel, TechTV. Ford Motors was using "Right Here, Right Now" in their 2010 televisual advertising campaign. The song was also remixed by The Feelers to be used in advertising for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. In June 1990, Jesus Jones appeared at the Glastonbury Festival.

Other singles from Doubt included "Real, Real, Real" and "International Bright Young Thing", which became two of their biggest hit singles in the UK, reaching #19 and #7 respectively in the UK Singles Chart. In 1991, Jesus Jones were the only UK winners when they won the 'Best Newcomer' award at the MTV Awards. In April 1991, the British music magazine NME reported that their US tour had sold out before Jesus Jones arrived in the country.

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