ALBUMS: Fervor (1983); Lost and Found (1985); Still Standing (1986)
MVC Rating: Fervor,4.5/$$$; Lost 4.0/$$$; Standing 4.0/$$$.
When I think back to Jason in the 1980s, I think Sloss, the steel refinery turned venue near downtown Birmingham.
I think of Jason climbing up into the rafters (or whatever the ceiling’s infrastructure was called), until he was sitting dozens upon dozens of feet in the air. Still singing. I was hoping he didn’t take to swinging.
The band was a high energy rock band that some called country punk, or punk-a-billy music. They played fast and hard and were really quite the thing, a contrast to synthesizer driven bands popular at the time such as Depeche Mode, the Cure and Ultravox.
I think. Jason crazy!
Colleague and longtime AL.com writer Bob Carlton once called lead singer Jason Ringenberg and guitarist Warner Hodges the “Mick and Keith of cowpunk.”
But like all good things, they eventually ran out of steam. I think it was in a way the usual story: Pressure to be more commercial resulted in higher production, which hurt, not helped, this band. Jason and the Scorchers scorched and climbed up into the rafters. Tamping down on that took the essence away, whether overt or not. J&S was a shot of Wild Turkey, not fancy brandy.
For the above reasons I recommend the first album, Fervor, as a first buy. The Dylan cover, Absolutely Sweet Marie, is excellent and sets the tone. ‘Help There’s a Fire‘ puts the punk in Billy.
But all of the albums (at least these three are excellent). I think it’s pretty hard to find some of these used. But still not super expensive if you search online. (As always check with the locals first).
Other bands around that time playing similar music included the Beat Farmers, Rank and File, Rubber Rodeo, Webb Wilder, and perhaps you could throw in Lone Justice and the very excellent Long Ryders.