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Music

Premiere: The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - ‘The Ballad of Joe Buck’

The video and song harken back to a time when the Big Apple was a lot more bruised than it is day.

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion are back. Back with embroidered roses on their shirts, scuffed boots and lots of greasy riffs, shouts and hollers. They’ve also got a new video for “The Ballad of Joe Buck” taken from their latest album Freedom Tower – No Wave Dance Party 2015.

The sound to the track and album is filled with a chaotic energy much like the New York of the late 80s when Spencer first played in bands such as Pussy Galore and Boss Hog. A rough and tough brand of rock that he has continued for nearly 25 years with guitarist Judah Bauer and drum Russell Simins as the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.

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Spencer says the song title is a reference to the character from the film Midnight Cowboy and is about a legendary record label A&R guy.

The video features lots of grainy live footage of the band doing their thing on stage, a woman bombing JSBX tags all over the place and what looks like a Residents-like figure climbing out of dumpsters and wandering around the streets of New York. It’s all backed with Spencer’s distinctive vocal strut and bluesy guitar work.

The band are currently out on the road with dates in New Zealand, Australia and Japan.

‘Freedom Tower – No Wave Dance Party 2015’ is available through Shove Records/Rocket.

Catch the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion at one of these shows:
Aug 4 - Dunedin at Chicks Hotel
Aug 5 - Auckland at the Power Station
Aug 6 - Brisbane at The Zoo
Aug 7 - Sydney at, Manning Bar
Aug 8 - Melbourne at, Supersense Festival
Aug 9 - Hobart at, Republic Bar
Aug 11 - Perth at The Rosemount
Aug 15 - Tokyo at Summer Sonic Festival
Aug 16 - Osaka at Summer Sonic Festival
Aug 17 - Osaka at Akaso
Aug 18 - Tokyo at Club Quattro