David Yow

David Yow (born August 2, 1960) is an American musician and actor born in Las Vegas, Nevada and best known as the vocalist for the noise rock bands Scratch Acid and The Jesus Lizard. Yow's debut solo album, Tonight You Look Like a Spider, was released in June 2013 on Joyful Noise Records.

David Yow
Headshot by Rivka Rivera
Background information
Birth nameDavid Lambeth Yow
Born (1960-08-02) August 2, 1960
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
GenresAlternative rock, noise rock, post-hardcore
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter, actor
InstrumentsVocals, bass
Years active1982–present
LabelsJoyful Noise Records
Rabid Cat
Touch and Go
Capitol
Associated actsScratch Acid
The Jesus Lizard
Qui
Flipper

Biography

In 1982, Yow formed the Austin, Texas-based punk/noise rock group Scratch Acid. The group's initial lineup featured Steve Anderson (vocals), David Wm. Sims (guitar), Brett Bradford (guitar), Yow (bass), and Rey Washam (drums). Anderson was kicked out of the band early in their career, prompting Yow to move to vocals and Sims to move to bass. After releasing three albums and developing a strong following, the group disbanded in 1987.

Yow and Sims next formed The Jesus Lizard in 1987 with guitarist Duane Denison. The trio relocated to Chicago, Illinois, in 1989. They used a drum machine for their earliest recordings and performances before adding drummer Mac McNeilly after recording their first EP Pure. Yow achieved wide notoriety for playing shows completely drunk and incoherent. Of touring with Jesus Lizard, Yow said: "I enjoyed writing songs and acting like an idiot with those guys to make enough money to support ourselves." The Jesus Lizard eventually landed a spot on the Lollapalooza tour and signed to Capitol Records, despite earning little commercial success. During the course of their career, The Jesus Lizard released six studio albums (the last of which featured Jim Kimball replacing McNeilly), three EPs and a live album before breaking up in 1999.

In 1995, Yow collaborated with Helmet on a cover version of "Custard Pie" for Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin.

In 2006, Yow, Sims, Washam and Bradford reformed Scratch Acid for the Touch and Go Records 25th Anniversary Festival in Chicago. They also performed a series of reunion shows in Austin (09/02/06), Chicago (09/09/06), and Seattle (09/16/06).

In late 2006, Yow officially joined the two-piece Los Angeles band Qui as a full-time member, after playing several shows as a "special guest." Of his two bandmates, Yow said: "Well, they're both just fucking brilliant, y'know? I have never in all my years in the music industry encountered two guys with more talent, more vision ... and who are as driven to greatness as these two are." On January 25, 2008, Yow was hospitalized in Pittsburgh with a collapsed lung, following a Wrekmeister Harmonies performance at the Andy Warhol Museum.[1] He was released from hospital a few days later.[2]

In 2008, The Jesus Lizard reformed with the classic lineup and embarked on several tours. They again lapsed into inactivity at the end of the following year.

Yow has also appeared live with other bands, including Cop Shoot Cop, Shellac, The Dicks, The Melvins, Girls Against Boys and has contributed vocals to various albums and recordings by Helmet, The Melvins, Pigface, Model/Actress, and others.

According to his close friend and recording engineer Steve Albini, Yow is an accomplished cook and has worked in several restaurants in Austin and Chicago.[3] Yow also has an extensive resume of graphic design work. He is known in his field for retouching photographs and is a former employee of Upshot, an advertising agency. Yow also recorded a commentary track for Tool's DVD single "Schism" in 2005. He appears as an actor in a few movies, including I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore, Southbound, Entertainment, Under the Silver Lake and Big Money Rustlas, with Insane Clown Posse.

His first New York solo art show opened at Fuse Gallery on August 2011 and ran until September 21, 2011.

In 2013, Yow released a solo album that had been in production for almost 15 years on Joyful Noise Recordings. The album—titled Tonight You Look Like a Spider—was released in a limited edition, where the vinyl album was delivered inside of a concrete monolith, instead of a normal record sleeve. Yow stated that he'd been inspired to do the album by Mike Patton, and described his compositional process in an amusing anecdote:

"I rented a saxophone for 2 months, I borrowed some guitars and some drums, I rummaged through the kitchen, I squeezed a fat cat, I poked and prodded and ended up with my very own music. It’s real good, if you like that kind of shit. I named it Tonight You Look Like A Spider after a spider I saw one night."[4]

Yow is an avid cat lover and has drawn cats for the last 30 years. In 2014, Akashic Books released a compilation of Yow's cat illustrations called Copycat: And a Litter of Other Cats.[5] Yow also exclusively interviewed Lil Bub for The A.V. Club.[6]

Discography
Further information: Scratch Acid § Discography, and The Jesus Lizard § Discography
Studio albums

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2017 I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore Marshall
2018 Under the Silver Lake Homeless King
2019 Rattlesnake Charlie

References
  1. Kharas, Kev. "David Yow hospitalised with collapsed lung". Drowned in Sound. Drowned in Sound.
  2. Kharas, Kev. "David Yow out of hospital, but Qui guitarist suffers three strokes". Drowned in Sound. Drowned in Sound.
  3. "Steve Albini Talks of Food". Gourmandizer.com. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  4. ""How My Solo Album Happened"". Joyfulnoiserecordings.com. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  5. Dodero, Camille. "Q&A: David Yow on Cats". SPIN. SPIN. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  6. Modell, Josh. "Q&A: David Yow of The Jesus Lizard interviews Lil Bub, a cat from outer space". The A.V. Club. The A.V. Club. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
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