Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Rock Jack

Okay, this is a vanity post due to the fact that Rock Jack was fronted by none other than Ezra Lux, my son. This was recorded back in 2004 when Ezra was just 3. Here's what Aquarius Records had to say about it: 
"So, what if we tell you that there's this band called Rock Jack that does songs with titles like "Belly Bones", "Goblin Talk", "Toilet Master" and "Darth Vader Is Mean"? And sound like some exuberantly drunken bar band fronted by a vocalist with an unusually high, childish voice, unusual enunciation (and pronunciation) and a gift for seeming stream-of-consciousness babble? Sounds like it might be one of those weird AQ faves already? Well then let us add the crucial fact that the singer for Rock Jack, one Erza Lux, is all of three and a half years old. That's right, he's a little boy, and (we know, 'cause we've met him) an exceptionally precocious, adorable, cute little boy indeed. Ezra Lux's dad some of you SF locals know as Aesop, drummer for Ludicra (and formerly, Hickey). Aesop sure has one cool kid. Whenever he brings him into the store, Ezra entertains us with his banter... we know he's really into music, heavy metal especially, 'cause he's told us about the various bands he's supposedly formed, our favorite being "Iron Potato". So when Aesop told us that Ezra had recorded his first cd-r release, we had to hear it. And although it's not the Iron Potato debut we still want to hear, Rock Jack is pretty cool too. With his Fisher-Price karaoke machine, Erza sing-speaks his own weird and funny lyrics (the lone exception being a Van Halen cover) over backing from members of Ludicra (Aesop, John and Ross), who crank out some some punked up, trashy rawk n' roll vamping with metal riffs and blues licks a lot older but no less energetic than Ezra. I think the way it worked is that the Ludicra guys made up a bunch of songs in their rehearsal space, gave the tape to Erza and he picked the ones he wanted to sing on. The results have got a whiff of The Shaggs, Motorhead, Great White, Reynols, Van Halen, Wesley Willis and Hanoi Rocks... We've noticed an "alternative children's music" trend lately, but Rock Jack is one of the few examples of music BY a child. Certainly irresistably cute, and really very strange. 18 and a half minutes, 8 tracks."

We made 200 copies of "Belly Bones" and they sold like hotcakes, Ezra swears he saw somebody pour syrup on one of them. It's gone gone gone, and it isn't coming back. Some of you may take comfort in knowing that Ezra has a new band called Disabled Elephant.

11 comments:

Nish said...

That rocks!
He's a cutie.
Just got a drumset for my daughter,she's already got the guitar,keyboards,and is a pro on the Karaoke machine lol.
The mean faces look funny on little ones.Tell him to keep up the good work!

Slobodan Burgher said...

The fact that I am about to become a parent myself makes this post weirdly ultra-amuzing. Lol.

Aesop said...

Congrats on that, Mr. Burgher. Prepare to laugh alot and be kind a tired all the time.

Arf Ortiyef said...

this is totally great

Anonymous said...

I HAD A DREAM ABOUT ROCK JACK LAST NIGHT AND THIS POST JUST MADE MY DREAM COME TRUE!

I CAN HARDLY WAIT TO HEAR DISABLED ELEPHANT!
Sign me up for the mailing list! IM SO SERIOUS!

Anonymous said...

I LOVE this stuff. have you heard the sursiks??
anyway post disabled elephant soon please.

Anonymous said...

This..this is ridculously adorable!

Anonymous said...

Hahaha this is awesome. And now that I think about it, I guess Darth Vader is pretty mean.

Digestor said...

I tried out for Disabled Elephant. Didn't make the cut...

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for bringing the light of your son 's spirit into my ears !!!

Ravishing Grimness said...

I can only hope that my future progeny turn out half as cool as this little badass!