Jack Ruby (band)


Jack Ruby was an American rock band formed in Albany, New York, in 1973. The band was named after Jack Ruby, the nightclub owner who shot and killed Lee Harvey Oswald. Jack Ruby made only five studio recordings and performed at a small number of gigs between 1973 and 1977. They have been regarded as early and influential pioneers in the New York no wave scene.

Background

Jack Ruby formed in Albany, New York, in the summer of 1973. The original lineup included vocalist Robin “Robby” Hall, guitarist Chris Gray, synthesist and drummer Randy Cohen, and violist Boris Policeband who played viola through an FM transmitter and strapped police walkie-talkies around his waist. After relocating to New York City, the band added bassist George Scott III and a second vocalist, Stephen Barth.
The band drew inspiration from proto-punk artists like the Velvet Underground and the Stooges, as well as avant-garde composers like Steve Reich and Iannis Xenakis. They rehearsed regularly at Matrix Studios on 27th Street, where early supporters like Lydia Lunch and James Chance gathered, sometimes in crowds so large the studio banned guests. Thurston Moore would later talk about Jack Ruby stating:Although, the group never officially released music during its lifetime. Jack Ruby recorded five studio tracks between 1974 and 1977, including “Hit and Run,” “Mayonnaise,” and “Bored Stiff.” These sessions, done in professional Manhattan studios, were met with confusion from engineers and disinterest from labels. Epic Records passed on their demo, and Paul Nelson, who once signed the New York Dolls, called them “the Velvet Underground in a car crash.”
Randy Cohen left the band in 1974 to become a writer; Boris also departed shortly after. The group finally dissolved in 1977, with its members moving onto other projects. Robin Hall formed the band W-2, while George Scott joined James Chance and the Contortions and co-founded the Raybeats and 8-E.

Revival

In 2011, a resurgence of interest in Jack Ruby began when Gary Reese, a former roommate of bassist George Scott III, wanted to pay tribute to him by releasing music for his first ever project, he connected with Robin Hall and unearthed some long-lost recordings. Rediscovered rehearsal tapes and a collection of recordings found in a storage space rented by Randy Cohen's mother brought new material into the fold, including a master of “Mayonnaise” previously thought lost. These rediscoveries led to restored releases produced by Don Fleming, with contributions from industry figures like Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth.

Legacy

’s HBO series Vinyl drew inspiration from the band. The character arc of the fictional group The Nasty Bits paralleled Jack Ruby's story, with Mick Jagger's son, James Jagger, portraying a frontman inspired by Robin Hall. Notable musicians including Lee Ranaldo and Don Fleming covered Jack Ruby songs for the series.

Discography

Albums

  • Jack Ruby – limited archival LP release
  • Hit and Run – compilation of studio and live material
  • Jack Ruby – expanded compilation of demos, rehearsals, and live recordings

    EPs

  • Jack Ruby – 7" EP, features unreleased 1970s material