Jay Noel Yuenger
Encyclopedia
Jay Noel Yuenger also known simply as "J.", is a rock guitarist best known for his work with the Grammy nominated groove metal
/alternative metal
band White Zombie.
neighborhood on Chicago's south side (home to the University of Chicago
), Yuenger was exposed to soul, jazz, folk, and the electric blues and attended Kenwood Academy
. His father, a reporter for the Chicago Tribune
, was posted as bureau chief in several cities and Yuenger lived in Washington DC, Moscow, and London before he was 12 years old.
, MDC
, the Big Boys
, Flipper
, and Discharge
. Yuenger left the band in 1985, attended college, and by 1987 had moved to New York City. After several failed attempts at forming groups in New York and New Jersey, he met the members of White Zombie in early 1989 and auditioned successfully to join the group as their guitar player. The band released the previously recorded Make Them Die Slowly
on Caroline Records
, toured the US and Europe, and recorded the God of Thunder 12" EP (also issued on Caroline). In 1990, the group signed to Geffen Records
and recorded their major label debut, La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol. 1
, which eventually went on to sell over 2 million copies. During the next five years the band was almost constantly on tour, pausing only to record the triple platinum-selling Astro-Creep: 2000
. They also contributed songs to various movie soundtracks and compilation albums and ended up selling over 6 million records worldwide. Since the official disbandment of White Zombie in 1997, Yuenger has lived in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York and has worked as a recording engineer and record producer. In 2004, he recorded King Louie Bankston
's King Louie One Man Band LP entitled Chinese Crawfish, which was released on Goner Records
. He currently lives in New Orleans .
Groove metal
Groove metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It was often used to describe Pantera and Exhorder.- Characteristics and origins :Pantera's Cowboys from Hell album from 1990 was described as "groundbreaking" and "blueprint-defining" for the groove metal genre...
/alternative metal
Alternative metal
Alternative metal is a genre of alternative rock and heavy metal that gained popularity in the early 1990s. Most notably, alternative metal bands are characterized by heavy guitar riffs and experimental approaches to heavy music.-Origins:...
band White Zombie.
Early life
Through his mother, a classical soprano and voice teacher, Yuenger was exposed to music early, playing piano and singing in children's choirs. Growing up in the diverse Hyde ParkHyde Park, Chicago
Hyde Park, located on the South Side of the City of Chicago, in Cook County, Illinois, United States and seven miles south of the Chicago Loop, is a Chicago neighborhood and one of 77 Chicago community areas. It is home to the University of Chicago, the Hyde Park Art Center, the Museum of Science...
neighborhood on Chicago's south side (home to the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
), Yuenger was exposed to soul, jazz, folk, and the electric blues and attended Kenwood Academy
Kenwood Academy
Kenwood Academy is a public 4-year high school located in the Kenwood neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, USA. Kenwood Academy accepts high school students living in its attendance area: From Lake Michigan to Cottage Grove Avenue east to west, and 47th to the Midway Plaisance north to south...
. His father, a reporter for the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, was posted as bureau chief in several cities and Yuenger lived in Washington DC, Moscow, and London before he was 12 years old.
Music career
As a teenager, Yuenger's interests quickly progressed from pop to hard rock to hardcore punk. He began learning guitar and played a small part in the early 1980s Chicago hardcore scene, forming the teen punk band Rights of the Accused in 1982. They released the 7" EP, Innocence, in 1983 and opened for several noteworthy groups including Minor ThreatMinor Threat
Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1980 and disbanded in 1983. The band was relatively short-lived, but had a strong influence on the hardcore punk music scene, both stylistically and in establishing a "do it yourself" ethic for music distribution and...
, MDC
MDC (band)
MDC is an American hardcore punk band formed in Austin, Texas in 1979. The band were subsequently based in San Francisco, California, and are currently based in Portland, Oregon. MDC originally formed as The Stains before changing their name...
, the Big Boys
Big Boys (band)
The Big Boys were a pioneering band who are credited with helping introduce the new style of hardcore punk that became popular in the 1980s.-History:...
, Flipper
Flipper (band)
Flipper is a punk band formed in San Francisco, California in 1979, continuing in often erratic fashion until the mid-1990s, then reuniting in 2005. The band influenced a number of grunge,, punk rock and noise rock bands...
, and Discharge
Discharge (band)
Discharge is a British hardcore punk band formed in 1977 by Terry "Tezz" Roberts and Roy "Rainy" Wainwright. They are often considered among one of the very first bands to play hardcore punk, and to mix punk with metal...
. Yuenger left the band in 1985, attended college, and by 1987 had moved to New York City. After several failed attempts at forming groups in New York and New Jersey, he met the members of White Zombie in early 1989 and auditioned successfully to join the group as their guitar player. The band released the previously recorded Make Them Die Slowly
Make Them Die Slowly (album)
Make Them Die Slowly is the second album by White Zombie released in 1989. It is presumably named after the 1981 cannibal movie Cannibal Ferox, which was originally released in the US as Make Them Die Slowly...
on Caroline Records
Caroline Records
Caroline Records started out as a subsidiary of Richard Branson's Virgin Records label during the early to mid 1970s. The label originally specialized in putting out budget price LPs by mainly progressive rock and jazz artists generally not considered to have a great deal of 'mainstream' or...
, toured the US and Europe, and recorded the God of Thunder 12" EP (also issued on Caroline). In 1990, the group signed to Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
and recorded their major label debut, La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol. 1
La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol. 1
Some pressings of the CD incorrectly divide tracks 12 and 13, beginning track 13 at 3:31 of "Grindhouse ."-"Welcome to Planet Motherfucker/Psychoholic Slag":"Welcome to Planet Motherfucker/Psychoholic Slag" is the first track on the album...
, which eventually went on to sell over 2 million copies. During the next five years the band was almost constantly on tour, pausing only to record the triple platinum-selling Astro-Creep: 2000
Astro Creep: 2000 - Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head
-Band members:*John Tempesta – Drums*J. – Guitar*Sean Yseult – Bass, Art Direction*Rob Zombie – Vocals, Art Direction, Illustrations-Technical crew:*Charlie Clouser – Programming, Keyboards*Terry Date – Producer, Mixing...
. They also contributed songs to various movie soundtracks and compilation albums and ended up selling over 6 million records worldwide. Since the official disbandment of White Zombie in 1997, Yuenger has lived in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York and has worked as a recording engineer and record producer. In 2004, he recorded King Louie Bankston
King Louie Bankston
King Louie Bankston is a prolific garage punk musician from Harahan, Louisiana. He is best known for his work in The Royal Pendletons, The Persuaders, The Exploding Hearts, and The King Louie One Man Band....
's King Louie One Man Band LP entitled Chinese Crawfish, which was released on Goner Records
Goner Records
Goner Records is an independent record label and record store co-owned by Eric Friedl of The Oblivians and Zac Ives and is based in Memphis, Tennessee. It is known for releasing albums by punk and garage rock bands such as the King Khan & BBQ Show and the late Jay Reatard...
. He currently lives in New Orleans .
Equipment
Throughout his career with White Zombie, Yuenger used various guitars and amplifiers.Guitars
- ICJ100WZIbanez IcemanThe Iceman is an electric guitar model produced by Ibanez. -History:The Iceman is an Ibanez guitar produced by Hoshino Gakki. Hoshino Gakki exported copies of American electric and acoustic guitars in the 1950s, and by the mid 1970s the Ibanez guitars had reached a level of quality comparable to...
(Yuenger's signature guitar) - Very rare, and no longer in production. - JacksonJackson Guitars__FORCETOC__Jackson is a renowned brand of electric guitar that bears the name of its founder, Grover Jackson.-Early years:Grover Jackson obtained ownership in Charvel's Guitar Repair of Glendora, California in the 1970s with a promise to bolster Charvel's business...
DinkyJackson DinkyThe Jackson Dinky is a Superstrat-style double-cutaway electric guitar built by Jackson Guitars. The "Dinky" is aptly named for its slightly smaller than normal body size. Usually fitted with a two humbucker pickup configuration, some models also include single-coil pickups or just one bridge...
/Soloist (Can be seen in the music videos for "Black SunshineBlack Sunshine"Black Sunshine" is a song initially featured on the album La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol. 1 by White Zombie which was used as a promo single in 1992 and 1993. The song can also be found on Rob Zombie's Past, Present & Future and the greatest hits album The Best of Rob Zombie.-Music and lyrics:The...
" and "Thunder Kiss '65Thunder Kiss '65"Thunder Kiss '65" is the first and only official single off the album La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol. 1 by White Zombie. The song can also be found on Rob Zombie's Past, Present & Future and the greatest hits album The Best of Rob Zombie.-Music:...
") - Covered in stickers - Various Custom Ibanez Iceman IC300's
- Robin Machete Deluxe (Metallic Blue) - Nicknamed "Big Blue"
- Robin Machete Deluxe (Vintage Yellow)
- Robin Machete Deluxe (Green)
- Robin Machete Deluxe (Pearl White)
- Robin Medley Standard
Amplifiers
- RandallRandall AmplifiersRandall Amplifiers is a manufacturer of guitar amplifiers, a subsidiary of U.S. Music Corporation. Its products are/were used by artists such as Chuck Schuldiner, Dimebag Darrell, Metallica, King's X, Nirvana and Anthrax...
Century 200 - MarshallMarshall AmplificationMarshall Amplification is a British company, founded by drummer Jim Marshall, that designs and manufactures music amplifiers, brands personal headphones/earphones , and, after acquiring Natal Drums, drums and bongos. Marshall amplifiers, and specifically their guitar amplifiers, are among the most...
Valvestate 8100 - Mesa BoogieMesa BoogieMesa/Boogie is a company in Petaluma, California that makes amplifiers for guitars and basses. It has been in operation since 1969....
Effects
- Pro Co Rat Distortion Pedal
- RolandRoland Corporationis a Japanese manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, electronic equipment and software. It was founded by Ikutaro Kakehashi in Osaka on April 18, 1972, with ¥33 million in capital. In 2005 Roland's headquarters relocated to Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture. Today it has factories in Japan,...
Double Beat Fuzz WahWah-wah pedalA wah-wah pedal is a type of guitar effects pedal that alters the tone of the signal to create a distinctive effect, mimicking the human voice... - MXRMXRMXR, also known as MXR Innovations, was a manufacturer of guitar effects units, co-founded in 1973 by Keith Barr and Terry Sherwood . MXR was based in the United States in Rochester, New York. MXR Innovations, Inc. was incorporated in 1974...
Distortion Pedal - KorgKorgis a Japanese multinational corporation that manufactures electronic musical instruments, audio processors and guitar pedals, recording equipment, and electronic tuners...
Toneworks G1
External links
- http://www.jyuenger.com/
- http://www.icj100wz.com/