AJJ
AJJ is a prolific folk-punk band from Phoenix, Arizona whose wild sound incorporates eclectic instrumentation (horns, Theremin, mandolin, singing saw) and explores myriad subjects from the topical and political to the absurd. After debuting in 2005 under the name Andrew Jackson Jihad, they recorded at a furious pace, issuing numerous D.I.Y. singles, split 7" releases, EPs, and demos in between studio albums like 2009's highly regarded Can't Maintain and 2011's Knife Man. They moved away from their acoustic originals on 2014's Christmas Island, then shortened their name to the abbreviated AJJ on subsequent releases like 2020's Good Luck Everybody and 2023's Disposable Everything, all while offering witty, intense commentary on themselves and society at large through their copious auxiliary releases.
Core members Sean Bonnette (vocals, guitar) and Ben Gallaty (bass, vocals) originally formed as Andrew Jackson Jihad in 2004, while still in their teens. They quickly became known for their humorously explicit songs which often explored macabre themes. Early topics ran the gamut from self-sacrifice to childhood drug addiction, all sung in a frantic manner with acoustic instrumentation. Their debut album, Candy Cigarettes & Cap Guns, appeared in 2005, after which a number of self-released demos and EPs attracted the attention of Plan-It-X Records. The label issued a split release with AJJ and the similarly styled Ghost Mice in 2007. In September of the same year, working with Asian Man Records, the band released their second full-length, People That Can Eat People Are the Luckiest People in the World. Over the next two years, AJJ kept up a steady stream of D.I.Y. EPs and split singles with other indie bands like Mischief Brew and Cobra Skulls ahead of their third full-length, 2009's Can't Maintain. By this point their sound was augmented by a host of different instruments ranging from horns and strings to kazoo and Theremin. They also expanded their touring range, crisscrossing the U.S. and Europe several times before the release of their fourth LP, 2011's Knife Man. Bonnette and Gallaty officially welcomed longtime collaborators Preston Bryant (guitar/keys) and Deacon Batchelor (drums) into the band, moving beyond their acoustic origins into a fuller sound. This coincided with an increased touring schedule and heightened profile, and they soon signed with L.A. indie SideOneDummy Records. Produced by indie stalwart John Congleton, their first outing for the label was 2014's Christmas Island, an album that leaned more heavily into their rock-oriented sound yet retained their wily spirit.
In 2016, after having been referred to as AJJ by many of their fans for years, the bandmembers officially changed their name, saying they no longer wanted to be either a reminder of the former President or disrespectful (as non-Muslims). The Bible 2 was their first album under the AJJ moniker and landed on multiple Billboard charts, including the rock, alternative, and independent albums charts. While their next official studio album wouldn't arrive for another four years, they remained as prolific as ever, issuing several live albums, an EP titled Back in the Jazz Coffin, and the rarities compilation Ugly Spiral: Lost Works 2012-2016.
Released in January 2020, Good Luck Everybody was a frenetic missive exploring topical and political themes and featured guests like Kimya Dawson and Jeff Rosenstock as well as drummer Owen Evans who had replaced Batchelor a few years earlier. It also marked the first released on their own label, AJJ Unlimited LTD. A scattering of self-released singles followed over the next two years before AJJ found yet another new home on the Hopeless Records roster. With incoming drummer Kevin Higuchi now on board, they recorded their eighth studio album, Disposable Everything, which was released in 2023.
© Marcy Donelson & Timothy Monger /TiVo
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