The Individuals (New Jersey band)
Encyclopedia
The Individuals were a Hoboken, New Jersey
-based band led by Glenn Morrow (guitar, vocals, sax, keyboards) and featuring Janet Wygal (bass, vocals, guitar, keyboards), Janet's brother Doug Wygal (drums, percussion), and Jon Light Klages (lead guitar, keyboards, vocals). They were an outgrowth of several jam sessions that also included at various times, Bernie Kugel (The Good, Mystic Eyes) and Dee Pop (Gun Club, Bush Tetras).The band played regularly at Maxwell's
and were a central part of the early 1980s Hoboken music scene. Village Voice critic Robert Christgau
called them "easily the best of En Why's Pop Three on stage [the other two being the Bongos
and the dB's
], scruffy and forceful and lithe".
Their debut EP
, Aquamarine, was produced by the dB's Gene Holder. It was voted one of the best EPs of 1981 in the Village Voice's annual Pazz & Jop
critics' poll.
The band's one album, Fields, was also produced by Holder and engineered by Mitch Easter
. While Christgau criticized their lyrics as "lack[ing] that universal touch", critic Robert Palmer
, writing in the New York Times in May 1982, called Fields "remarkably mature" and "the most impressive rock debut so far this year." Fields featured the minor college radio hit "Dancing With My Eighty Wives".
The Individuals broke up in 1983. Morrow then formed the band Rage To Live and later went on to help found Bar/None Records
, while Janet Wygal and her brother Doug went on to form The Wygals, and Janet Wygal later formed the group Splendora
, which provided the theme music for MTV's show Daria
.
Both Fields and the Aquamarine EP were reissued, along with four other bonus tracks, on Bar/None Records
on July 22, 2008.
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
-based band led by Glenn Morrow (guitar, vocals, sax, keyboards) and featuring Janet Wygal (bass, vocals, guitar, keyboards), Janet's brother Doug Wygal (drums, percussion), and Jon Light Klages (lead guitar, keyboards, vocals). They were an outgrowth of several jam sessions that also included at various times, Bernie Kugel (The Good, Mystic Eyes) and Dee Pop (Gun Club, Bush Tetras).The band played regularly at Maxwell's
Maxwell's
Maxwell's is a music club in Hoboken, New Jersey that also has a restaurant. The intimate venue often attracts a wide variety of acts looking for a change from the New York City concert spaces across the river.-History:...
and were a central part of the early 1980s Hoboken music scene. Village Voice critic Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...
called them "easily the best of En Why's Pop Three on stage [the other two being the Bongos
The Bongos
The Bongos were a rock band from Hoboken, New Jersey, primarily active in the 1980s. With a unique blend of British Invasion-flavored power pop, jangly guitars, and dance beats they made the leap to national recognition with the advent of MTV.-Biography:...
and the dB's
The dB's
The dB's are a jangle pop/power pop group who came into prominence in the late 1970s and 1980s. The bandmembers were Peter Holsapple, Chris Stamey, Will Rigby and Gene Holder, all of whom were from Winston-Salem, North Carolina...
], scruffy and forceful and lithe".
Their debut EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, Aquamarine, was produced by the dB's Gene Holder. It was voted one of the best EPs of 1981 in the Village Voice's annual Pazz & Jop
Pazz & Jop
The Pazz & Jop critics' poll is a poll of music critics run by The Village Voice newspaper. It is compiled every year from the top ten lists of hundreds of music critics...
critics' poll.
The band's one album, Fields, was also produced by Holder and engineered by Mitch Easter
Mitch Easter
Mitch Easter is a songwriter, musician, and producer. As a producer, he is probably best known for his work with R.E.M. from 1981 through 1984, though he has also worked with many other acts including The Hang Ups, Pavement, Suzanne Vega, Game Theory, Marshall Crenshaw, Velvet Crush, and...
. While Christgau criticized their lyrics as "lack[ing] that universal touch", critic Robert Palmer
Robert Palmer (author/producer)
Robert Franklin Palmer Jr. was a 20th century American writer, musicologist, clarinetist, saxophonist, and blues producer...
, writing in the New York Times in May 1982, called Fields "remarkably mature" and "the most impressive rock debut so far this year." Fields featured the minor college radio hit "Dancing With My Eighty Wives".
The Individuals broke up in 1983. Morrow then formed the band Rage To Live and later went on to help found Bar/None Records
Bar/None Records
Bar/None Records is an independent record label based in Hoboken, New Jersey.-Early history:Tom Prendergast started Bar/None in early 1986. Having previously worked in pirate radio and booked and promoted bands in his native Ireland, Prendergast moved to Hoboken in 1982 and started Pier Platters...
, while Janet Wygal and her brother Doug went on to form The Wygals, and Janet Wygal later formed the group Splendora
Splendora
Splendora was a post-grunge/alternative rock band, most notable for performing the theme to MTV’s hit cartoon show Daria, “You’re Standing on My Neck”...
, which provided the theme music for MTV's show Daria
Daria
Daria is an American animated television series produced by Paramount Television, and created by Glenn Eichler and Susie Lewis Lynn for MTV. The series focuses on Daria Morgendorffer, a smart, acerbic, and somewhat misanthropic teenage girl who observes the world around her...
.
Both Fields and the Aquamarine EP were reissued, along with four other bonus tracks, on Bar/None Records
Bar/None Records
Bar/None Records is an independent record label based in Hoboken, New Jersey.-Early history:Tom Prendergast started Bar/None in early 1986. Having previously worked in pirate radio and booked and promoted bands in his native Ireland, Prendergast moved to Hoboken in 1982 and started Pier Platters...
on July 22, 2008.