Blues-punk icon Jon Spencer brings latest trio to the Bottom of the Hill
Spencer got his start in music with his first noise-rock band S--thaus with future Cop Shoot Cop member Tod Ashley while attending Brown University, eventually moving to Washington D.C. to found his noisy outfit Pussy Galore (named after an early Bond girl) in 1985 with Julia Caifritz -- later a member of all-star band Free Kitten. The band relocated to New York City and gained notoriety with its willfully primitive collision of garage punk, Einstürzende Neubauten industrial grind and bluesy Rolling Stones swagger. The group at one point issued a limited cassette covering the Stones' seminal album Exile on Main Street in its entirety.
Pussy Galore -- which at points also featured guitarist Neil Haggerty (later of Royal Trux and Howling Hex), former Sonic Youth drummer Bob Bert, and Spencer's future wife Cristina Martinez -- became a mainstay of the NYC underground until the group split up in 1990. By that time, Spencer has already co-founded Boss Hog with Martinez. Pulled together to fill a last-minute opening at CBGB's, Spencer called on like-minded players from fellow NYC noise merchants the Honeymoon Killers and Unsane to complete the band's mix of scuzzy blues, artful noise and punk chaos.
Before the end of the year, the group recorded it's debut EP Drinkin', Lechin' & Lyin' with renowned punk/alt-rock studio wizard Steve Albini. The record, which featured Martinez in a provocative state of undress and was issued by respected Amphetamine Reptile imprint, established Boss Hog as a new force.
Spencer also started what would become his main creative outlet with the high-energy trio the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. A similarly minded scuzzy exploration of blues and punk, the band gradually evolved from it's early more lo-fi albums to record the hit records Extra Width and Orange that added elements of hip hop, funk and more sophisticated production to the raw attack of the two guitar and drums trio. The JSBX -- which was rounded out by monster drummer Russell Simins and guitarist Judah Bauer -- developed a reputation as a formidable live act thanks to its ferocious intensity and Spencer's charismatic stage presence.
Even though the Blues Explosion took up a majority of Spencer's time for much of the '90s, Boss Hog still managed a steady stream of albums and EPs with shifting line-ups that would feature Swans bassist Jens Jurgensen and JSBX collaborator Hollis Queens. By the time the band released it's eponymous second full length in 1995, they had moved to Geffen Records.
That band's output would become more sporadic after that effort as Spencer focused on the progressively more electronic-influenced Blues Explosion albums, though Boss Hog managed the 2000 follow-up Whiteout (for yet another notable punk label, In the Red) despite Spencer and Martinez having their first child a couple years before.
The group would go quiet for years at a time as Spencer continued to tour and record with the JSBX as well as his more rootsy, rockabilly-flavored side project Heavy Trash, though Boss Hog reunited to tour the U.S. and Europe in 2008 and again eight years later with the release of the four-song EP Brood Star ahead of a long-awaited full-length Brood X in 2017.
While the Blues Explosion didn't embark on a proper farewell tour, Spencer has confirmed that health issues Bauer was having combined with other reasons led the trio to split up after the release of their tenth and final album Freedom Tower - No Wave Dance Party 2015. He would re-emerge with his first solo album under his own name in 2018, releasing Spencer Plays the Hits. Backed by keyboard player Sam Cooms (who played in San Francisco group the Donner Party and later was in Portland, OR bands Quasi and Heatmiser) and Boss Hog drummer M. Sord. the album featured a new take on Spencer's gritty, hard-grooving, fractured style of lowdown swamp punk.
Spencer and the band -- christened the HITmakers and now featuring early collaborator Bob Bert on "trash" percussion -- released their second album Spencer Gets It Lit in 2022 on In the Red Records to wide acclaim. The guitarist would embark on a tour featuring Coomes's wife Janet Weiss (Sleater-Kinney, Quasi, Wild Flag, The Jicks) playing drums with Spencer's band in addition to Quasi playing an opening set.
Spencer has also been spending time in the studio as a producer, helming the 2020 album Skin Suit for upstate New York punk band the Bobby Lees as well as Death Wish Blues, a 2022 collaborative effort between blues guitarists/vocalists Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton. When an opportunity to play shows supporting Fish and Dayton arose that the HITmakers were unable to make due to other commitments, Spencer tapped the Bobby Lees rhythm section of bassist Kendall Wind and drummer Macky "Spider" Bowman to form a new power trio.
The chemistry with the threesome worked so well live that Spencer wound up recording the ferocious new EP Sick of Being Sick! with the line-up that hearkens back to the raw kinetic fury of classic-era Blues Explosion. The trio played at the Fillmore in San Francisco last December, opening for Fish and blues guitarist Cedric Burnside with a positively scorching set that drew on the EP as well as Spencer's rich back catalog of material. The band brings its current headlining tour to the Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco Sunday night, sharing the stage with Sacramento garage-psych outfit the Snares. DJ Tone Arm (aka Mike Gabriel) plays greasy R&B and '60s garage rock before and between bands. Spencer and company also make a stop at Moe's Alley in Santa Cruz on Saturday night.
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Boston Globe
a day ago
- Boston Globe
Danielle Spencer, child star on ‘What's Happening!!,' dies at 60
The show focused on Roger 'Raj' Thomas (Ernest Thomas), Freddie 'Rerun' Stubbs (Fred Berry), and Dwayne Nelson (Haywood Nelson) as they grew up in Los Angeles. Ms. Spencer played Dee, Raj's younger sister, on the original show for 65 episodes, and then again on the reboot, 'What's Happening Now!!,' for 16 episodes. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'I had never seen any young Black girl in that type of spotlight, so I didn't have a reference point in the media as to how to deal with this opportunity,' Ms. Spencer told Jet Magazine in 2014. 'I was from the Bronx. What I did was use my own family as the reference on how to portray my character.' Advertisement She became best known for her line 'Ooh, I'm telling Mama,' which fans would regularly say to her for years after. Advertisement 'I chuckle because everyone thinks it's original, so I have to act like it's new every time,' she told Black America Web. Ms. Spencer did not originally get the part after auditioning, she said in an interview with a Richmond CBS affiliate television station in 2016. But a month after her audition, she got a call to head out to Los Angeles — a culture shock for someone who grew up in the Bronx. The character was written as someone who did not hold her tongue and could give as good as she received. Decades after the show went off the air, Ms. Spencer said that her portrayal wasn't inspired by her true personality — at least, not totally. 'I did not have an older brother,' Ms. Spencer told the CBS affiliate. 'However, I had a lot of pent up sassiness because I wanted to be like that. And I had an excuse, so why not?' Danielle Louise Spencer was born June 24, 1965, in the Bronx. Her father, James Spencer, was a civil servant in New York, while her mother, Cheryl (Smith) Spencer, was a schoolteacher. Her acting career began around age 8. 'I realized early on in my acting classes that it was fun memorizing lines, putting on makeup and pretending to be different characters,' she told Jet Magazine. 'Acting really is therapeutic because you're able to relate to your characters and figure out what makes them tick while also infusing your own personality.' After 'What's Happening Now!!' went off the air in 1988, Ms. Spencer studied veterinary medicine at Tuskegee University in Alabama, graduating with a doctorate in 1993. (She obtained an undergraduate degree in marine biology from UCLA.) Advertisement From her telling, her love of animals started as a young girl. 'Ever since I was 5 years old, I can recall bringing my first pet home to my mom,' she told an interviewer in 2012. 'She's like, 'What is this?' I'm saying, 'You have to keep the pet. I mean, you can't throw it out.' And I'm screaming and crying. And she let me.' Her veterinary career lasted several decades. While her acting career mostly stopped with the role of Dee Thomas, she did appear as a veterinarian in the 1997 film 'As Good as It Gets.' During the production of the second season of 'What's Happening!!,' Ms. Spencer and her stepfather, Tim Pelt, were involved in a car crash that ultimately killed Pelt. Ms. Spencer was in a coma for three weeks, with a broken pelvis and limbs. But she healed and returned in time for the show's final season. She later credited Pelt and her mother, Cheryl Pelt, with being huge influences on her acting career, including helping select auditions to attend. In addition to her mother, she is survived by her brother, Jeremy Pelt. Nearly 20 years after the crash, Ms. Spencer developed health problems related to it. In 2004, she began experiencing symptoms of spinal stenosis that left her close to paralysis, and that doctors attributed to the crash. In addition, she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 and underwent a double mastectomy. She said she leaned on her family to get through it. 'They didn't want me to think of suicide even though I had considered it,' Ms. Spencer recalled in a 2016 interview on the Oprah Winfrey Network. She required emergency brain surgery in 2018. Advertisement In 2016, she was inducted into the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. 'I still can't believe it,' she told Black America Web when she found out about the honor. 'That's something people can look at for years to come, long after I'm gone.' This article originally appeared in
Newsweek
a day ago
- Newsweek
ICE Detains Woman in US for 17 Years Since Age 7 After Traffic Stop
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Giovanna Hernandez-Martinez, a 24-year-old Leeds, Alabama, resident and community advocate, was taken into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after a traffic stop by local police on the highway. ICE records reviewed by Newsweek show that she is being held at the Richwood Correctional Center in Richwood, Louisiana. Why it Matters Hernandez-Martinez has been described by friends and family as a counselor and organizer who worked with immigrant youth. She arrived in the United States at age 7 and was raised in Alabama, ultimately graduating as valedictorian of her high school class and later earning both her bachelor's and master's degrees in social work. She has her own LLC and also works at Birmingham-based ¡HICA!, a nonprofit that advocates for immigrant families, according to her brother, Dilan Hernandez, who spoke to The Trump administration continues to strongly enforce its immigration-based agenda, which it has touted due to large-scale decreases in illegal migrant crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border since President Donald Trump came into office. The administration has faced pushback from portions of Americans who have questioned the tactics and end goals of such policies, including detaining and in some instances deporting non-violent and non-criminal immigrants. Giovanna Hernandez-Martinez, a 24-year-old Leeds, Alabama, resident and community advocate, was taken into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after a traffic stop by local police on the highway. Giovanna Hernandez-Martinez, a 24-year-old Leeds, Alabama, resident and community advocate, was taken into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after a traffic stop by local police on the highway. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images/ What To Know Leeds Police, in an August 8 Facebook post that includes dash cam footage, said that an officer in an unmarked vehicle observed a "young lady, who only possessed a Mexico-Issued Identification," who "was traveling at least up to 91 mph as recorded on the dash in and out of traffic and following too close." "Also, the windows are darkly tinted on the Honda that she was driving," the post says. "We have a duty to protect the public and must stop individuals who are recklessly driving on our streets and highways. We would not have stopped her or had any idea of our immigration status if she would have been operating her vehicle safely." Leeds Police Chief Paul Irwin issued a statement last Thursday claiming Hernandez-Martinez's vehicle "came within feet of striking other vehicles and erratically changed lanes." Authorities said Hernandez-Martinez produced a Mexican identification card when asked for a driver's license, prompting federal immigration agents to arrive at the scene and take her into custody. Newsweek reached out Irwin and the department via email for comment. Irwin's recounting of events has been disputed by Hernandez-Martinez's family members, as well as Facebook users who commented on the police department's post and attached dash cam footage. "On the dash cam it was obvious that wasn't the case at all," her brother, Dilan Hernandez, told "My sister was speeding a little bit, but we feel that, under the circumstances, it wasn't fair at all." Facebook user Emily Barfield commented the following under the video: "This is exactly the video I was expecting. Where's the erratic driving? Where did she almost hit multiple vehicles? I see her switching lanes, with a blinker, to get over when you're pulling her over. Yes, oh so erratic." Newsweek reached out to Dilan via a GoFundMe contact form. Petitions And Fundraisers A petition "demanding the Release of Giovanna Hernandez" was started one week ago. As of Wednesday afternoon, it received more than 17,000 signatures. "Gio has no criminal record," the petition reads. "She has spent years working toward lawful permanent residency but, like many others, has faced systemic barriers and even been scammed during the process. Her detainment is not only legally questionable—it is morally wrong. "This is personal for us. Giovanna is not just a name. She is our friend, colleague, mentor, and inspiration. She represents everything we want in a citizen: integrity, compassion, hard work, and a deep love for her community. Deporting her would be a grave injustice not just to her, but to all of us who believe in fairness, opportunity, and human dignity." A GoFundMe was started six days ago by Dilan Hernandez, raising nearly $33,500 as of Wednesday afternoon. A post in a "Class of 2017" Facebook group includes former high school colleagues of hers coming to her defense. Shelby Luna, who said in the post she graduated one year before Hernandez-Martinez, said she graduated twice from Jacksonville State University—"both times with an exceptional GPA." She also served as a campus ambassador, resident assistant, and active participant in Delight Ministries, El Latido, and many other campus organizations and events. What People Are Saying Gina Martinez, the mother of Giovanna Hernandez Martinez, on Sunday to and aided by a translator: "I worry, if the judge does not set the bond hearing and up until the court date, and, obviously, she does get sent back to Mexico. All of our family is here, all of her siblings, she has built her education here, she has all of her friends here." Dilan Hernandez on his sister's GoFundMe page: "Not only is she an impeccable woman with a strong moral character, but she is also a distinguished professional. ... She takes pride in advocating for her community, and those without a voice. Now, its our turn to use our voices to fight for her and defend her." Carlos E. Alemán, CEO of ¡HICA!, in an August 7 statement calling for Hernandez-Martinez's release: "Giovanna is not only a trusted community partner, she is a role model. She brings purpose and heart to everything she does. Her contributions have touched families and young people throughout Alabama, and her detention is a painful loss for the entire community." What Happens Next Hernandez-Martinez is scheduled to appear in court on August 20, when her legal team and family are expected to seek bond. ICE custody and detention decisions and the court process will determine whether she remains detained or is released pending proceedings.
NBC News
a day ago
- NBC News
‘What's Happening!!' child TV star Danielle Spencer dies at 60
Child star Danielle Spencer, who portrayed Dee Thomas on the 1970s comedy TV series 'What's Happening!!,' has died at 60, according to former co-star and friend Haywood Nelson. In an Instagram post, Nelson said Spencer died Monday in Virginia. Family spokesperson Sandra Jones confirmed to the Associated Press that Spencer died after a yearslong battle with cancer. Nelson told NBCLA Tuesday that he spoke with Spencer's mother, who confirmed she had died. He described Spencer as a 'brilliant person who loved animals' and moved on from acting to become a veterinarian. Nelson, who played Dwayne as Spencer's ' What's Happening!! ' co-star, told NBCLA he spoke to her about a week ago and marveled at her positivity and optimism. 'Dr. Dee, our brilliant, loving, positive, pragmatic warrior, without fail, has finally found her release from the clutches of this world and a body,' Nelson said in his Instagram post. 'We celebrate Danielle Spencer and her contributions as we regret to inform her departure and transition from a long battle with cancer.' Spencer was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 and underwent emergency surgery for brain bleed in 2018. She played Dee Thomas, a sassy young member of the Thomas family on 'What's Happening!!,' which was broadcast on ABC from 1976 to 1979. She reprised the role in 'What's Happening Now!!' in the 1980s. Born in New Jersey, Spencer was seriously injured in a major car crash in 1976 that killed her stepfather, actor Tim Pelt. She attended the University of California, Davis and pursued a degree in medicine. She then pursued her life-long passion for helping animals, attending Tuskegee University Veterinary School in Alabama and becoming a veterinarian in 1996.
