Starters
Late 1960s - Lucious Jackson plays pro basketball for
the Philadelphia 76ers, earning the nickname "Luscious" Jackson. Jill
Cunniff, Gabrielle Glaser and Kate
Schellenbach are born in New York City.
1981 - 82 - Jill, Gabby and Kate frequent shows at downtown Manhattan
haunts CBGB, Hurrah, Tier 3, Max's Kansas City, etc. Mutual appreciation of
Bad Brains, the Slits, ESG, Funky Four Plus One More, Afrika Bambaata, and
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five leads to friendship. Jill and Kate
begin friendly competition with respective fanzines Decline Of Art and
Cheap Garbage For Snotty Teens. Gabby buys her first guitar ("a twangy
sunburst") for $25 at the pawn shop on 9th Street and 3rd Avenue. Kate
begins playing drums for Beastie Boys. Jill writes her first song on an
acoustic guitar with two strings ("Socialite, You Are So Finite").
Late '80s - Everyone goes to college...
Early 1991 - Jill and Gabby create first Luscious Jackson demo with tip money.
Late 1991 - First Luscious Jackson live performance, opening for Beastie
Boys and Cypress Hill at the now-defunct Building in lower NYC. "It was
really intimidating for a first show," Jill recalls. "Luckily for us,
people said it came off." Beastie Boys ask Luscious Jackson to be the first
band on their Grand Royal label.
Il Secondi
Mid - 1992 - The three tracks from the original Luscious Jackson demo and
four new songs are released as the In Search Of Manny EP (Grand Royal 001).
(Note: The record is named for a former boyfriend of Gabby's mother.)
Summer 1992 - First Luscious Jackson headlining show takes place at NYC's
Wetlands club. Features Kate on drums, Vivian Trimble on keyboards and a
DAT machine that breaks down mid-set, giving the girls a lesson in the art
of improvisation.
1992 - 93 - Luscious Jackson's touring baby steps: Supporting Bettie
Serveert, Urge Overkill, the Breeders, etc. throughout North America, the
UK and Europe. In Search Of Manny wins Best EP in the annual Village Voice
"Pazz & Jop" critics poll.
1993 - Jill, Gabby, Kate and Vivian begin recording the first full-length
Luscious Jackson album.
Main Courses
Summer 1994 - Luscious Jackson heads out on the Lollapalooza second stage.
First tour with DJ Alex Young, discovered at an aftershow party in
Sheffield, England. Band members discover they actually have fans when they
nearly contract carpal tunnel syndrome signing T-shirts and copies of their
"City Song" single.
Fall 1994 - Natural Ingredients is released. Produced by Luscious Jackson
and Tony Mangurian. First Luscious
Jackson headlining tour, including first appearances in Japan, Australia
and New Zealand.
1995 - "Here" chosen as single and video for Clueless soundtrack. More
touring. Saturday Night Live. First arena tour with R.E.M. Many tumultuous
RV card games.
Early 1996 - Work begins on Fever In Fever Out . Daniel Lanois transforms
the small, equipment-packed rehearsal room in Kate's loft into a recording
studio. Temporary relocation to Lanois' Kingsway studio in New Orleans.
Guest appearances by Emmylou Harris and N'Dea Davenport.
Mid - 1996 - Finishing touches on Fever In Fever Out take place back in NYC.
October 1996 - Fever In Fever Out is released.
Early 1997 - "Naked Eye" single begins to take off, eventually landing in
the Top 40. Luscious Jackson graduates from RV to bus for relentless
touring. "That was a glorious moment," says Jill. "The most significant
step in our career up to that point." Cards subsequently replaced by
Dominoes as game of choice.
Mid - 1997 - Fever In Fever Out is certified gold.
Late 1997 - Luscious Jackson's GAP spot is voted most popular ad of the
campaign in TV Guide.
Early 1998 - Vivian Trimble tires of road life, gives up full-time status
in the band in order to pursue other musical projects.
May 1998 - Jill, Gabby and Kate re-group for the recording of the third
full Luscious Jackson record. Gabby takes vocal lessons in Miami while Jill
studies opera in New York.
June 1998 - The band takes a brief break from recording to play arguably
its best live show to date before a crowd of 60,000-plus at the 1998
Tibetan Freedom Concert in Washington DC.
July - December 1998 - Recording resumes for the remainder of the year,
interrupted only by week of Lilith Fair dates in August and Kate's livings
out a childhood dream of playing drums for Blondie at a surprise NYC
appearance.
Early 1999 - The new record is completed and christened Electric Honey.
Desserts
Jill, Gabby and Kate join with an international assortment of guests as
well as L.J. touring troupe members DJ Alex Young and Tia Sprocket to bring
you the following delights and more:
"Ladyfingers" If you need me to be sweet/I can give you what you need
(backing vocals: Emmylou Harris)
"Alien Lover" Heard your flavor/Makes you come off even stranger
"Sexy Hypnotist" I'll bake the apple pies you like
"Friends" Where would I be without my friends
(featuring backing vocals by Kym Hampton of the New York Liberty)
"Devotion" Makes the rockets fly
"Fantastic Fabulous" You're so fantastic darlin'/I wouldn't want anyone else
(Debbie Harry sings)
"Space Diva" Supernatural visions/Superlunar ambitions/Extreme expeditions
(Jill on space opera; Petra Haden on violin; Josephine Wiggs on cello)
