Railroad Jerk

Railroad Jerk fuses blues, country, rock, and noise into a chaotic, bohemian post-punk take on roots rock. Guitarist and vocalist Marcellus Hall joined forces with bassist and vocalist Tony Lee to launch the band in Trenton, NJ, during 1989. By the start of 1990 the pair had brought in drummer Jez Aspinall and guitarist Chris Muller, after which the lineup cut its self-titled debut for Matador Records that same year. Once the album appeared, Aspinall departed and Steve Cercio took his place on drums; shortly afterward Muller was dismissed in favor of Alec Stephen. Now a quartet, the band issued its well-received follow-up Raise the Plow in 1993. Cercio exited after that record, prompting the arrival of Dave Varenka. The group delivered its third album, widely regarded as its strongest to date, during the spring of 1995. Its fourth effort, Third Rail, likewise earned favorable notices when it surfaced in the fall of 1996.