The Von Bondies are an American alternative rock band formed in 1997.

The original line-up formed at the 1997 Cramps/Guitar Wolf show by Jason Stollsteimer and Marcie Bolen.[1][2] They went through a variety of member changes and band names, including The Baby Killers, before settling on The Von Bondies in 2000. Don Blum joined the band around 1999 after attending numerous Baby Killers shows, while Lauren Wilcox was picked via an audition. The Von Bondies got their break by playing a New Year's Eve show in Detroit, Michigan, in 2000. In attendance at the show was Long Gone John, owner of the Sympathy for the Record Industry label. This led to Sympathy releasing the band's debut album Lack of Communication in 2001.

In 2003, the band released the live Raw and Rare through Dim Mak Records, which was followed by their 2004 breakthrough release, Pawn Shoppe Heart, on Sire Records. Pawn Shoppe was produced by Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads and co-produced by Stollsteimer.

The album reached a peak of No. 36 in the UK Albums Chart,[3] and No. 8 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart and stayed in that chart for eight weeks.[4] The hit single from this release was "C'mon C'mon", which reached No. 25 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart and garnered national radio play. "C'mon C'mon" reached No. 21 and "Tell Me What You See" reached No. 43 on the UK Singles Chart.

A shortened version of "C'mon C'mon" was the theme song to the TV series Rescue Me and was performed live by the band in Michael Winterbottom's film 9 Songs. MLB Network also used a brief clip of the song as the opening of their show 30 Clubs in 30 Days from 2009 to 2012.

Alicia Gbur and Matt Lannoo of The Nice Device were touring members of the band from 2007-2008. In 2008, the band signed with indie label Majordomo Records,[5] joining label mates The Airborne Toxic Event[6] and Earlimart.[7] Their label debut, Love, Hate and Then There's You, was released in February 2009 featuring the single "Pale Bride".

Known as a touring act, The Von Bondies have headlined tours of the United Kingdom/Europe, Australia, and the United States, taking along supporting bands like The Kills, Kasabian, Franz Ferdinand, Modey Lemon, SSM, The Subways, The Stills, Hot Panda and The Donnas.[8] They have also appeared on Late Show with David Letterman, Last Call with Carson Daly and CD:UK.[9]

The group disbanded in July 2011.[10] Its lineup at the time was Jason Stollsteimer on vocals and lead guitar, Don Blum on drums, Christy Hunt on rhythm guitar, and Leann Banks on bass guitar.

They reformed in 2020 and planned a reunion tour, but those plans had to be abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Biography

Early days

In 2000, Stollsteimer and Marcie Bolen attended a concert by Japanese garage punk band Guitar Wolf. At the time, Stollsteimer was working a job as a bowling alley bartender and Marcie as a hairdresser. The performance spurred Stollsteimer to create his own band, The Baby Killers, which toured with fellow Detroit bands The Detroit Cobras, The Go and The White Stripes. After recruiting Lauren Wilcox on bass[11] and Don Blum on drums the band changed their name to the Von Bondies.

While playing a handful of shows in the Detroit area, the quartet recorded singles "It Came from Japan", an ode to Guitar Wolf, and "Nite Train".

Lack of Communication (2001–2002)

Jack White produced the Von Bondies' debut album, Lack of Communication, in late 2001.[12] It was recorded in three days.[13] It was released in 2001 by Sympathy for the Record Industry, and in the UK by Sweet Nothing Records. The hidden bonus track was a cover of Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home to Me", with Bolen on lead vocals. The band said this is the least expensive album they made.[14]

Pawn Shoppe Heart (2003–2005)

The group relocated to a San Francisco recording studio in early 2002 with producer Jerry Harrison to begin work on Pawn Shoppe Heart.

Broken ties

On the evening of December 13, 2003, an altercation occurred between Stollsteimer and the White Stripes frontman Jack White during the record release party for the band Blanche at The Magic Stick (a Detroit music club and part of the Majestic Theater complex). Stollsteimer was treated for injuries at Detroit Receiving Hospital.[15] Detroit police arrested White and the Wayne County prosecutor's office charged him with aggravated assault.[16] White pleaded guilty to assault and a judge sentenced him to anger management classes.[17]

Love, Hate and Then There's You (2009–2011)

The Von Bondies' third album is Love, Hate and Then There's You.[18] It was released on February 3, 2009. They released a limited-edition 7-inch single of "Pale Bride" from the album, backed with the non-album song "Falling in Love".[19]

The Von Bondies celebrated their ninth year together with this release. This was the first time that a Von Bondies release saw Don Blum co-write with Stollsteimer. Love, Hate was produced by Jason Stollsteimer, with three songs by Butch Walker and three songs by Rick Parker. All songs were written by Jason Stollsteimer, except "Blame Game" and "Earthquake", which were co-written by Stollsteimer and Blum.

Members

Current members

Former members

  • Lauren Wilcox − bass guitar (2000–2001)
  • Carrie Ann Smith − bass guitar, backing vocals (2001–2004)
  • Yasmine Smith − bass guitar, backing vocals (2004–2006)
  • Marcie Bolen − rhythm guitar (1997–2006)

Touring members

  • Alicia Gbur − rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (2007–2008)
  • Matt Lannoo − lead and rhythm guitar (2007–2008)
Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected details and chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US AUS
[20] 		UK
[3]
Lack of Communication — — —
Pawn Shoppe Heart
  • Released: March 9, 2004
  • Label: Sire
 197 58 36
Love, Hate and Then There's You — — —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

EPs

  • We Are Kamikazes (Intheact Records, 2008)

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions
Year Title Chart positions Album
US Mod AUS
[20] 		UK
[3]
"Nite Train" 2000 — — — Lack of Communication
"It Came from Japan" 2001 — — —
"C'mon C'mon" 2004 25 85 21 Pawn Shoppe Heart
"Tell Me What You See" — — 43
"Pale Bride" 2008 — — — Love, Hate and Then There's You

Compilations

  • Sympathetic Sounds of Detroit LP/CD (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2001, SFTRI 623)
  • X-Mas Surprise Package Volume 4 7" (Flying Bomb Records, 2001, FLB-118)
  • New Blood – The New Rock N Roll Vol 2 CD (Artrocker, 2002, RRR 33003)
  • X-Ray CD01 (Swinstead Publishing Limited, 2002, CD01)
  • Rough Trade Shops Rock and Roll 2xCD (Mute, 2002, CDStumm 212)
  • The New Rock Revolution CD (NME magazine, 2002, NME CD 02-?)
  • Dim Mak 2003 Sampler CD (Dim Mak, 2003, DM 045)
  • X-Mas Surprise Package (The Collector's Edition) CD (Flying Bomb Records, 2002, FLB-122)
  • Smash Music Sampler CD (Smash Music, 2004, smash 008)
  • Sympathy for the Download 00 CD (Record Collection Music, 2004)
  • House of Wax Soundtrack (Maverick Records, 2005)
  • Rescue Me Soundtrack (Nettwerk Records, 2006)
  • Lost Boys: The Tribe Soundtrack (Adrenaline Records, 2008)

Videography

Music videos

Year Song Director Ref.
2002 "It Came from Japan" Anthony Ernest Garth [21]
2004 "C'mon C'mon" Charles Jensen [22]
"Tell Me What You See" [23]
2009 "Pale Bride" Anthony Ernest Garth [21]

DVDs featuring the Von Bondies

Media usage

Interviews

References

  1. ^ "How the band started". Laweekly.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-23. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  2. ^ "The Von Bondies". Grunnen Rocks. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
  3. ^ a b c Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 588. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. ^ "Top of the charts". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  5. ^ "Majordomo Records". Majordomo Records. 2009-02-03. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  6. ^ Un. "The Airborne Toxic Event | Gratis muziek, tourneedata, foto's, video's". Myspace.com. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  7. ^ "Earlimart". Earlimartmusic.com. Archived from the original on 2012-04-27. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  8. ^ "Tour with the donnas". Livedaily.com. Archived from the original on 2009-02-14. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  9. ^ "Von Bondies on CD:UK". Ftvdb.bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2009-02-03. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  10. ^ "Von Bondies' Jason Stollsteimer Says Band is 'Done,' Launches the Hounds Below". Spinner. 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  11. ^ "The Von Bondies' Jason Stollsteimer". Exclaim. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
  12. ^ "Welcome Back". Realdetroitweekly.com. Retrieved 2014-07-12.[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ "Only 3 days". Freewilliamsburg.com. Archived from the original on 2003-06-18. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  14. ^ "Interview: Jason Stollsteimer of Von Bondies (The Scenestar)". Thescenestar.typepad.com. 2008-01-20. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  15. ^ "Jack White Pleads Guilty to Assault Charge". Mtv.com. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  16. ^ "Jack White To Be Charged With Aggravated Assault For Magic Stick Scrap". MTV. 2003-12-22. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  17. ^ "Jack White Pleads Guilty | Music News". Rolling Stone. 2004-03-10. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  18. ^ "The Von Bondies Sign To Majordomo". Majordomorecords.com. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  19. ^ "The Von Bondies Sign To Majordomo". Majordomorecords.com. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  20. ^ a b Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 295.
  21. ^ a b "Anthony Garth". www.anthonygarth.com. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  22. ^ "C'Mon C'Mon | The Von Bondies | Music Video". MTV. 2005-05-02. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  23. ^ [1][dead link]
  24. ^ [2] Archived October 21, 2009, at the Wayback Machine