Jack Yarber


Jack Yarber, also known by his stage name Jack Oblivian, is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist based in Memphis, Tennessee. He was a founding member of the garage bands The Compulsive Gamblers, and The Oblivians and currently fronts Jack O & the Tennessee Tearjerkers.
Yarber has also been a member, or contributed to: The End, Johnny Vomit & The Dry Heaves, Andre Williams, The Knaughty Knights, South Filthy, The Cool Jerks, The Limes, '68 Comeback, King Louie & His Loose Diamonds, Greg Oblivian & the Tip Tops, Jack Oblivian & The Cigarillos, The Natural Kicks and Tav Falco's Panther Burns.
Today, Yarber continues to write, record and tour as a solo artist. In January 2016, he released his seventh solo album, The Lone Ranger of Love. The record was released on his own label, Mony Records.

Johnny Vomit and the Dry Heaves

Jack Yarber began his professional music career in high school, appearing alongside high-school friend and future Squirrel Nut Zippers founder Jimbo Mathus in the Corinth, Mississippi, based Johnny Vomit & the Dry Heaves. Yarber played drums in the outfit, which credited him as Johnny Goopa. Johnny Vomit & the Dry Heaves would go on to be one of Yarber's longest-running side projects, the song "Knick the Knife" on his latest Tennessee Tearjearkers album being a reworked version of a song performed in early Johnny Vomit jam sessions.

The End

In the summer of 1987, Yarber moved to Memphis, Tennessee, to play music with his cousin. Yarber and his cousin played together using a number of band names, eventually releasing a new wave 7-inch under the name The End. The tracks "You Never Called" and "People Talk" were recorded in 1984 at Phillips Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. That vinyl single, released on the Erwin record label marked Yarber's first appearance on record. By 1989 the two had diverged musically and Yarber's cousin left town, effectively ending their partnership.

The Compulsive Gamblers

Following the breakup of The End, Yarber's encounter with fellow musician Greg Cartwright led to the formation of the Compulsive Gamblers. Despite recording two 7-inch albums and a handful of home recordings, the band was unable to garner record label interest until after the success of their next band, the Oblivians. The Compulsive Gamblers would reform in the late 1990s and early 2000s, releasing two studio albums and one live LP on Sympathy For the Record Industry.

The Oblivians

The Oblivians formed in 1993 as a side project to the Compulsive Gamblers, and included former Gambler Greg Cartwright, as well as future Goner Records founder, Eric Friedl. The members of the Oblivians all shared writing and recording responsibilities. Each member supplied vocals, guitar work, and percussion on albums, and switched between instruments during live shows. The Oblivians lasted from 1993 until 1998, at which time Yarber and Cartwright left the band to reform the Compulsive Gamblers. The second incarnation of the Gamblers lasted from 1998 to 2003, when the bandmembers again went their separate ways.

The Tennessee Tearjerkers

After pursuing a brief solo career, Yarber teamed up with Scott Bomar to form the Tearjearkers. As Bomar became more and more involved with film scoring, Yarber began to take a more active role in the band, ultimately taking over as lead songwriter after Bomar's departure. With Yarber in control of the group, the band was rechristened the Tennessee Tearjerkers. At the same time as Yarber was writing songs with the Tearjerkers, he was also contributing in various ways to a number of side projects including, the Knaughty Knights, the Limes, and South Filthy which included collaborations with longtime associates Walter Daniels, and Monsieur Jeffrey Evans. In 2007 Yarber released another solo LP, "The Flip Side Kid." The CD version was released by Sympathy For the Record Industry and Yarber self-released the vinyl under his own label, "Dirt Cheap Date."

The Oblivians reunion

In 2008, The Oblivians and The Gories announced a dual reunion tour, which happened in the summer of 2009, mostly in Europe, but also a couple shows in Memphis and Detroit. Since then, the Oblivians have continued playing sporadic gigs and released a 2015 album via in the Red Records, Desperation.

Discography

As Jack Oblivian

Solo albums
  • American Slang 12-inch EP/CD
  • So Low LP/CD
  • Bad Mood Rising LP/CD
  • Don't Throw Your Love Away LP/CD
  • Jack-O Is The Flip Side Kid LP/CD
  • The Disco Outlaw LP/CD
  • Rat City LP/CD
  • Jack O & the Sheiks: Live! LP
  • The Lone Ranger of Love LP
'Solo singles'
  • Jack Oblivian & The Cigarillos: "Mad Dog 20/20"
  • "Chills & Fever" 7-inch
  • "Original Mixed Up Kid" 7-inch
  • "Black Boots" 7-inch
  • Jack Oblivian & The Cigarillos: "Women's Milk" 7-inch
  • "Sweet Thang" 7-inch
  • Jack Oblivian & The Cigarillos: "15 Beers" / "Drinking Women's Milk" 7-inch
'Solo cassettes'
  • "Is She Crazy" cassette
Solo appears on
  • Various Artists – Sunday Nights: The Songs of Junior Kimbrough – "I'm in Love With You"

    Other releases

With The End

Singles
  • "You Never Called"/"People Talk" 7-inch

    With Johnny Vomit and The Dry Heaves

Singles
  • "Johnny Vomit & The Dry Heaves" 7-inch
  • "Thanks for the Ride!" 7-inch
  • "Running in a Rat Race" 7-inch

    With the Compulsive Gamblers

Singles
  • "Joker" 7-inch
  • "Church Goin'" 7-inch
  • "Goodtime Gamblers" 7-inch
Albums
  • Gambling Days are Over CD
  • Bluff City LP/CD
  • Crystal Gazing Luck Amazing LP/CD
  • Live & Deadly: Memphis-Chicago 2xLP/CD

    With the Oblivians

Singles
  • "Call The Shots" 7-inch
  • "Sunday You Need Love" 7-inch
  • "Now for the Hard Of Hearing From … 'Blow Their Cool'" 7-inch
  • "Static Party" 7-inch
  • "Go!Pill-Popper!" 7-inch
  • "Strong Come On" 7-inch
  • "Kick Your Ass" 7-inch
Splits
  • Split CS with Impala
  • Split 7-inch with Two Bo's Maniacs
  • Split 7-inch with the Crime Kaisers
Albums
  • Oblivians 10-inch
  • Soul Food LP/CD
  • Live in Atlanta 8.19.94 LP
  • Six of the Best 10"
  • The Sympathy Sessions CD
  • Walter Daniels Plays With Monsieur Jeffrey Evans & The Oblivians at Melissa's Garage 10-inch
  • Popular Favorites LP/CD
  • ...Play 9 Songs with Mr Quintron LP/CD
  • 17 Cum Shots LP
  • Best of the Worst: 93-97 2xLP/CD
  • On The Go LP
  • Barristers 95
  • ''Desperation''

    with Tav Falco's Panther Burns

Albums
  • FZ 6900 Panther Phobia LP/CD

    with the Knaughty Knights

Singles
  • "Connection" 7-inch
  • "I Love It To Death" 7-inch
  • "Death Has Come Over Me" 7-inch
  • "Tommy of the River" 7-inch
Splits
  • "Split" 7-inch with the Wildebeests

    with South Filthy

Singles
  • "Soul of a Man" 7-inch
  • "Goin' Down The Valley" / "Carry That Load" 7-inch
Albums
  • You Can Name It Yo' Mammy If You Wanna... CD
  • Crackin' Up + You Can Name It Yo' Mammy If You Wanna 2xLP/LP
  • Crackin' Up CD
  • Undertakin' Daddy LP

    with the Cool Jerks

Singles
  • "Whole Wide World" 7-inch
Albums
  • Cleaned A Lot Of Plates in Memphis LP/CD

    with the Limes

Singles
  • "Goddamn You Honey" 7-inch
  • "Rock'n'roll Heart" 7-inch
Albums
  • Tarantula! CD

    with the Natural Kicks

Albums
  • Natural Kicks CD