The Von Bondies

All Music Guide:

The Von Bondies assembled around 2000 in Detroit, MI. Led by guitarist/vocalist Jason Stollsteimer, the group also included guitarist Marcie Bolen, bassist Carrie Smith, and drummer Don Blum. The quartet's fusion of raw blues heartache with ferocious, gritty punk was an overnight sensation in the Motor City, where such influences seemed to float on the surface of the water. They issued a few initial singles ("It Came from Japan," "Nite Train") and word was spreading fast about their fiery live show. But it was the Von Bondies' participation in Jack White's soon-to-be-legendary Sympathetic Sounds of Detroit compilation that really got things moving. The affiliation led to a deal of their own with Sympathy for the Record Industry, as well as an international coming-out party as opening act for the White Stripes. White also served as producer for Lack of Communication, their raucous full-length debut, which dropped in August 2001. With the album doing well both domestically and abroad, and the surge of "garage rock" as "the latest thing," it was only a matter of time until the major labels came a-calling. The Von Bondies eventually signed with Sire and began work on their sophomore effort. June 2003 saw the release of Raw and Rare (Dim Mak), a holdover collection of BBC recordings from 2001 and 2002, as well as a few rave-ups recorded at Detroit's own Lager House. That summer, the band played a triumphant hometown gig with the reunited Stooges as they prepared for the issuing of the Jerry Harrison-produced Pawn Shoppe Heart, which arrived in early 2004. That fall, Smith left the group; Yasmine Smith (no relation) filled her bass duties.Smith and Bolen left the group in 2006, with Stollsteimer and Blum using vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Alicia Gbur (also of the Nice Device) and guitarist Matt Lanoo while on tour from fall 2007 to spring 2008. Bassist/vocalist Leann Banks and guitarist/vocalist Christy Hunt completed the Von Bondies' lineup in time for recording the band's third album, Love Hate and Then There's You, which was released by Majordomo in early 2009.

Wikipedia:

The Von Bondies was an American alternative rock band active from 1997 to 2011.

The original line-up formed at the 1997 Cramps/Guitar Wolf show by Stollsteimer and Marcie Bolen. 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 Leann Banks 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 #36 in the UK Albums Chart, and #8 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart and stayed in that chart for eight weeks. The hit single from this release was "C'mon C'mon," which reached #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and garnered national radio play.

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 uses a brief clip of the song as the opening of their show 30 Clubs in 30 Days.

In 2008, the band signed with indie label Majordomo Records, joining label mates The Airborne Toxic Event and Earlimart. 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. They have also appeared on Late Show with David Letterman, Last Call with Carson Daly and CD:UK.

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

Biography

Early days

In 2000, Stollsteimer attended a concert by Japanese garage punk band Guitar Wolf with Marcie Bolen. At the time, Stollsteimer was working a job as a bowling alley bartender and Marcie as a hairdresser. The performance spurred him 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 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)

Jim Diamond produced the Von Bondies' debut album, Lack of Communication, in late 2001. It was recorded in three days. 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.

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.) Stollsteimer was treated for injuries at Detroit Receiving Hospital.

Love, Hate And Then There's You (2009-2011)

The Von Bondies third album was Love, Hate and Then There's You. 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."

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

Videography

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DVDs featuring the Von Bondies:

Media usage

Interviews