Jawbreaker: Biography

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Formed:

Jan 1, 1988

Genres:

Rock Music, Alternative Rock Music, Punk and Hardcore Rock Music

Decades Active:

1980's|1990's

Artistic Quality

Low

Ratings Guide

In the wave of punk-pop bands that followed Green Day and the Offspring to major labels and MTV airplay, Jawbreaker is one of the few to retain their street credibility in the punk community for their unwavering hard work and anti-commercial ethics. Consisting of guitarist/singer Blake Schwarzenbach, bassist Chris Bauermeister, and drummer Adam Pfahler, Jawbreaker's songs are more downbeat than many of their contemporaries, focusing on depression, loneliness, and relationship problems. Schwarzenbach and Pfahler met in high school in Santa Monica, found that they shared an admiration for the SST West Coast punk bands, and formed a band called Red Harvest. When Schwarzenbach moved to New York to study English at New York University, he met Bauermeister, a native of Connecticut, in 1988. Whenever there was a break from class, Schwarzenbach and Bauermeister traveled to Los Angeles, where Pfahler was attending UCLA, rehearsed quickly, and recorded several singles, EPs, and eventually the group's debut album, Unfun, which was released by Shredder in 1989.

Over the next five years, Jawbreaker honed its sound, releasing two more independent albums on the San Francisco Tupelo/Communion label (1991's Bivouac and 1993's 24-Hour Revenge Therapy), touring the U.S. three times and Europe twice, and playing innumerable local gigs, including several opening dates for Nirvana's In Utero tour. Along the way, the band had to overcome various health problems: Pfahler suffered a collapsed artery in his neck, Bauermeister battled ulcers and back problems, and Schwarzenbach underwent surgery to remove throat polyps. In 1995, the band decided to make the move to the majors, signing a rumored million-dollar, three-album deal with DGC. Their major-label debut, Dear You, was released that same year.

- Steve Huey, All Music Guide