The Jesus Lizard
Live (MVD Visual)
It’s a damn shame this is the first proper Jesus Lizard live DVD. Boston’s Venus de Milo club, 1994, is the scene of the crime, and naturally it’s easy to focus on David Yow’s feral gyrations, but here we also get to see Duane Denison and David Wm. Sims trade massive riffs and realize Mac McNeilly is an extremely underrated drummer. “Who else has earplugs in?” barks Yow. “Dude, get the fuck out of here!” It’s best not to fight the ripping “Puss,” spitting seizure of “Killer McHann,” and/or frenzied “Mailman” – you almost forget what year it is until Yow announces the latter as a cover of “a new Soundgarden song.” Brief liner notes by Michael Azerrad take a whiff of the Lizard’s monolithic sludge, “a volatile mixture of dread, disgust, and rage – there must be a word for it in German.” The sound quality is a tad tinny, but you feel like you can practically touch those mysterious stains on Yow’s jeans. Extras include a postshow interview with Yow by a guy named Shred, plus five songs from a 1992 CBGB gig. A fine find for those who missed one of the best bands of the Nineties the first time.
This article appears in June 8 • 2007.