The Von Bondies

The Von Bondies are an American rock band formed in 1997. The band's breakthrough album, Pawn Shoppe Heart, was released in 2004 and features the singles "C'mon C'mon" and "Tell Me What You See".

The Von Bondies
The Von Bondies in Stockholm, Sweden in 2004.
The Von Bondies in Stockholm, Sweden in 2004.
Background information
Also known asBaby Killers
OriginDetroit, Michigan, United States
GenresAlternative rock, indie rock, garage rock revival, post-punk revival, punk blues (early)
Years active1997–2011, 2020–present
LabelsMajordomo Records (US/CAN)
Fierce Panda (UK/EU)
Sire Records
Sympathy for the Record Industry
Dim Mak Records
Intheact Records
Model Citizen Records
MembersJason Stollsteimer
Don Blum
Leann Banks
Christy Hunt
Past membersCarrie Ann Smith
Marcie Bolen
Yasmine Smith
Lauren Wilcox

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.[1] They have also appeared on Late Show with David Letterman, Last Call with Carson Daly and CD:UK.[2]

The group disbanded in July 2011.[3] They reformed in 2020 and planned a reunion tour,[4] but those plans had to be abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

History

Formation and Lack of Communication (1997–2001)

In 1997, Jason Stollsteimer and Marcie Bolen attended a concert by The Cramps and the Japanese garage punk band Guitar Wolf.[5][6] At the time, Stollsteimer was working a job as a bowling alley bartender and Marcie as a hairdresser. The performance spurred them to create their own band, Baby Killers, which toured with fellow Detroit bands The Detroit Cobras, The Go, and The White Stripes. After recruiting Don Blum on drums and Lauren Wilcox on bass,[7] the band changed their name to The Von Bondies. The band 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 the quartet to recorded the singles "It Came from Japan", an ode to Guitar Wolf, and "Nite Train".

Jack White produced the Von Bondies' debut album, Lack of Communication, in late 2001.[8] It was recorded in three days[9] in a similar process to that of a live album.[10] It was released in the US 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.

Pawn Shoppe Heart (2002–2008)

The group relocated to a San Francisco recording studio in early 2002 with producer Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads to begin work on their next album. In 2003, the band released the live Raw and Rare through Dim Mak Records. 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.[11] Detroit police arrested White and the Wayne County prosecutor's office charged him with aggravated assault.[12] White pleaded guilty to assault and a judge sentenced him to anger management classes.[13]

In 2004, the band released their breakthrough album, Pawn Shoppe Heart, on Sire Records. Pawn Shoppe was produced by Harrison and co-produced by Stollsteimer. The album reached a peak of No. 36 in the UK Albums Chart,[14] and No. 8 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart and stayed in that chart for eight weeks.[15] 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.

In 2006, founding member Bolen left the band. Alicia Gbur and Matt Lannoo of The Nice Device were touring members of the band from 2007 to 2008. In 2008, the band signed with indie label Majordomo Records,[16] joining label mates The Airborne Toxic Event[17] and Earlimart.[18]

Love, Hate and Then There's You, disbanding, and reunion plans (2009–present)

The Von Bondies' third album, Love, Hate and Then There's You,[19] was released on February 3, 2009. The 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. The band released a limited-edition 7-inch single of "Pale Bride" from the album, backed with the non-album song "Falling in Love".[20] This was the first time that a Von Bondies album 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.

The group disbanded in July 2011.[21] They reformed in 2020 and planned a reunion tour,[22] but those plans had to be abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Band 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
[23]		 UK
[14]
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
[23]		 UK
[14]
"Nite Train" 2000 ——— Lack of Communication
"It Came from Japan" 2001 ———
"C'mon C'mon" 2004 258521 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 [24]
2004 "C'mon C'mon" Charles Jensen [25]
"Tell Me What You See" [26]
2009 "Pale Bride" Anthony Ernest Garth [24]

Media usage

See also

References
  1. "Tour with the donnas". Livedaily.com. Archived from the original on 2009-02-14. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  2. "Von Bondies on CD:UK". Ftvdb.bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2009-02-03. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  3. "Von Bondies' Jason Stollsteimer Says Band is 'Done,' Launches the Hounds Below". Spinner. 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  4. "The Scene". 88.1 the Park. January 29, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  5. "How the band started". Laweekly.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-23. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  6. "The Von Bondies". Grunnen Rocks. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
  7. "The Von Bondies' Jason Stollsteimer". Exclaim. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
  8. "Welcome Back". Realdetroitweekly.com. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  9. "Only 3 days". Freewilliamsburg.com. Archived from the original on 2003-06-18. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  10. "Interview: Jason Stollsteimer of Von Bondies (The Scenestar)". Thescenestar.typepad.com. 2008-01-20. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  11. "Jack White Pleads Guilty to Assault Charge". Mtv.com. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  12. "Jack White To Be Charged With Aggravated Assault For Magic Stick Scrap". MTV. 2003-12-22. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  13. "Jack White Pleads Guilty | Music News". Rolling Stone. 2004-03-10. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  14. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 588. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  15. "Top of the charts". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  16. "Majordomo Records". Majordomo Records. 2009-02-03. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  17. Un. "The Airborne Toxic Event | Gratis muziek, tourneedata, foto's, video's". Myspace.com. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  18. "Earlimart". Earlimartmusic.com. Archived from the original on 2012-04-27. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  19. "The Von Bondies Sign To Majordomo". Majordomorecords.com. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  20. "The Von Bondies Sign To Majordomo". Majordomorecords.com. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  21. "Von Bondies' Jason Stollsteimer Says Band is 'Done,' Launches the Hounds Below". Spinner. 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  22. "The Scene". 88.1 the Park. January 29, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  23. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 295.
  24. "Anthony Garth". www.anthonygarth.com. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  25. "C'Mon C'Mon | The Von Bondies | Music Video". MTV. 2005-05-02. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  27. Archived October 21, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
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