Swingin' Neckbreakers


Home! Live! Records! History! Under The Covers!	Not up-to-date on all the recent Neckbreakin' news?! See below for recent events and shows.
	A quiet month, with no shows scheduled. The calm before the storm that will no doubt follow The Return Of Rock.
	So, you made it to 2000 (maybe you were there with the Neckbreakers at the Court when the big cosmic odometer flipped over), and now you're looking around thinking "Is that it? That's all there is to this Y2K crap?" Wrong! The Swingin' Neckbreakers are here to blast away those post-holiday blues with big shows this weekend and later this month too! Details are on the -- oh come on, don't make me say it again! The reason for the delay in this month's update is that we've been waiting for some details on not only the new album, but on a possible live taping that might be happening later in the month. Rather than wait any further, though, we here at Neckbreaker Central at least wanted to alert you to those upcoming live shows. Check back a little later in the month to see if we've gotten any smarter. This much we can promise you: before the year is out, there'll be a new Swingin' Neckbreakers album in your collection. If you fork over the cash, that is. ____January Shows_________________________ 15 Sat - The Arch Hotel, Catasauqua, PA (Allentown area) 19 Wed - Maxwells, Hoboken NJ! With Rocket From The Crypt! 20 Thu - Middle East, Cambridge MA! With Rocket From The Crypt and Johnny Chan & the New Dynasty Six! 21 Fri - Bowery Ballroom, New York City! With Rocket From The Crypt and Johnny Chan & the New Dynasty Six! 22 Sat - the Upstage, Philadelphia! With Rocket From The Crypt! 24 Mon - Special live taping at at Sonic Sound Studios, Philadelphia!
	Y2K = KYA! The end of 1999 is quickly approaching! Remember, New Brunswick will be Ground Zero for the biggest Y2K disruption on the Eastern seaboard as the Swingin' Neckbreakers ring in 2000 at the Court Tavern! Local faves True Love will also be on the bill. ____December Shows_________________________ 31 Fri - The Court Tavern, New Brunswick NJ! With True Love!
	Christmas is coming, but Santa Claus ain't! That's what the Swingin' Neckbreakers have to say on their latest single, "Santa Claus Ain't Comin' This Year," out now on the prestigious Norton record label! Every year the rockin' cats at Norton unleash seven full inches of holiday joy on an unsuspecting public, and this year it's the Neckbreakers' turn to spread their own special brand of holiday cheer. Christmas isn't getting any further away, so buy it now! To make the holiday experience complete, this platter is pressed on holly-berry-red see-thru wax, and includes another merry melody on the flip side, "Under The Christmas Tree." Better yet, though, is the provocative and controversial "rear" cover photo. We've got it here on the site, but it's just too shocking for the home page. If you wanna see it -- and you know you do -- you've gotta click here. ____November Shows_________________________ 2 Tue - Gypsy Tea Room, Dallas! 3 Wed - Rudyard's, Houston! 4 Thu - Spanish Moon, Baton Rouge! (with the Sprague Brothers!) 5 Fri - Star Bar, Atlanta! (with the Neckbones!) 6 Sat - Local 506, Chapel Hill NC! 13 Sat - Maxwells, Hoboken NJ! (with The Greenhornes!) 26 Fri - Leopard Lounge, Sayreville NJ! (with dj Toddophonic Todd!)
	Your Swingin' Neckmaster was a little too hasty on the trigger finger this time around and forgot to save a copy of October's update before doing the November one. One thing we know for sure: The Neckbreakers were on tour for the last part of the month -- relive the excitement below! ____October Shows_________________________ 1 Fri - Dominion Tavern, Ottawa! 2 Sat - El Mocambo, Toronto! 15 Fri - The Empty Bottle, Chicago! (with TV Killers!) 16 Sat - Concert Cafe, Green Bay, WI! (with Electric Frankenstein and TV Killers!) 17 Sun - 7 St. Entry Minneapolis! (with The Go!) 20 Wed - Crocodile Café, Seattle! Remaining October shows below are with S.C.O.T.S. (and other acts as noted) 22 Fri - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco! 23 Sat - Palookaville, Santa Cruz CA! 27 Wed & 28 Thu - The Troubador, Hollywood! 29 Fri - The Foothill, Signal Hill CA! 30 Sat - Westin Hotel, San Diego! (Also with Rocket From The Crypt!)
	Summer draws to a close. The fond memories of carnies and carnivals fade away like sunlight on a late summer evening. The quiet chirping of crickets fills the air... until suddenly, it stops. This could mean only one thing: the Swingin' Neckbreakers are in town! That's right, the Neckbreakers will be hitting the road in September and October. You'll find a list of shows on the Live! page; be sure to check back, because more dates will be added in the coming weeks. The boys will also be finishing the mixes for their fourth album, The Return Of Rock, as well as recording an original composition called "Santa Claus Ain't Comin' To Town" for Norton Records' annual Xmas single. ____September Shows ___________________________ 10 Fri - The Trocadero, Philadelphia! With Southern Culture On The Skids 11 Sat - The Court Tavern, New Brunswick NJ! 17 Fri - The Knitting Factory, NYC! With Man Or Astroman? and Delta 72! 30 Thu - The Jailhouse, Montreal!
	There are no Swingin' Neckbreakers shows scheduled for this month. Sometimes, the daily grind of being in a rockin' band gets to be a little too much and you just have to take a break. Such is the case with Neckbreakers guitar guru Jeffrey Lee Jefferson. Fulfilling a lifelong dream, Jeff decided to take off late last month to be a carny in a travelling sideshow. Things were going great, as the carnival hit one county fair after another. The days were filled with lemonade and cotton candy, the nights with beer and hot dogs (or Tofu Pups, as the case may be). Everything seemed to be going great, until late one night when the sideshow owner called Jeff into his office. "Jefferson," he said, "you've really got a knack for this carnival stuff! I see a big future here for you. Together, we can storm through every one-horse town this country has to offer. You're wasting your time standing outside the Funhouse trying to con those spoiled 9 year olds out of their 50 cents. I'm promoting you to geek!" Stories differ about what happened next. All we really know for sure is that two days later, Jeff was spotted back home at the Court Tavern. Look for the Neckbreakers to take the stage again in September.
	Swingin' Guitarbreaker Jeffrey Lee Jefferson files this report from the studio: Just finished the basic tracks for the new record. Won't have the time to cut vocals until early July. I can not believe how phenomenal the tracks sound so far. All credit to Coyote Studio for the great sounds and totally fun vibes. I never had as much laughs, and great takes in a studio. I am totally stoked on this new release, there's just the small matter of finishing it. A small matter indeed! Thanks for the update, Jeff, and keep us posted. Fans around the world are crying out for a visit from the Swingin' Neckbreakers! In recent months e-mails have been pouring in from such exotic locales as Norway, Belgium, Australia, San Francisco and Kansas! No word on when the boys will make it out to those various faraway locations, but there has been a recent increase in lottery ticket sales reported around the Trenton area so keep your fingers crossed! ____July Shows_________________________ 9 Fri - Court Tavern, New Brunswick NJ! With The Strangemen and Pure Rubbish! 20 Tue - The Continental, NYC!
	Cheap New Yorkers got to see the Neckbreakers for free at the famed Lakeside Lounge in May! (Of course, folks with a little more money and an eye for the finer things in life opted to check out Sit 'n' Spin that night instead.) The Neckbreakers have been "test-marketing" some of their new material at recent shows, and fans in New York City, New Haven and Providence have the opportunity to play guinea pig this month. You'll be able to hear your old favorites and be wowed by some new tunes, including "Can't Stop," "Mystery Woman," "Copy Cat," and "Baron Scicluna," a salute to the good old days of professional rasslin'. ____May Shows_________________________ 1 Sat - Court Tavern, New Brunswick NJ! With BBQ Bob and the Spareribs! 8 Sat - The Lakeside Lounge, NYC! Free! 14 Fri - The Gypsy, on the campus of Yale University, New Haven CT! With the Big Bad Johns! 15 Sat - Met Cafe, 239 Westminster Street, Providence RI! With the Itchies!
	The month of April was marked by the Neckbreakers headlining a benefit show for the coolest radio station on the planet, WFMU. ____April Shows________________________ 9 Fri - Maxwell's, Hoboken NJ! A benefit show for WFMU! With the Insomniacs, The Knoxville Girls, The King Brothers and The 25 Suaves!
	Last month at the Court Tavern in New Brunswick, the Neckbreakers premiered a boatload of brand new tunes! Among the songs that got their first workout in the Court's cellar are "Stop Drop Wiggle," "Copy Cat," "Can't Stop," "Mystery Woman,", "Let's Have A Jam," "Baron Sicluna" (hailing from the Isle of Malta!), "Little Girl," and "Mad Tea Party." Phew! To find out when you might be able to hear these new gems yourself, check out the Live! page. No shows listed at the moment, but as soon as we receive more info here at Neckbreakers Central that page will be updated!
	Things are fairly quiet in the land of the Neckbreakers this month. The band is working on material for their next album -- no release date or anything, so don't start holding your breath just yet. Later in the month you'll find them on familiar ground at the Court Tavern. ____February Shows________________________ 20 Sat - Court Tavern, New Brunswick NJ! With the High School Sweethearts! ____January Shows_________________________ 2 Sat - Maxwells, Hoboken NJ! With the Delta 72 (headlining) and Hi-Lo!

	The Neckbreakers "Golpee Los Asnos Con el pie" in Spain last month! Spanish fans were treated to hits like "Piscina Hoppin'," "Mi Guitarra," and of course "Soy El Mailman" -- and mas! This was guitarrista Jeff Jefferson's first overseas trip with the band, and he reports that "Spain was a non-stop blow-out. All the shows went over great!" December finds the Neckbreakers sticking close to home, with shows in New Jersey and New York City. ____January Shows_________________________ 2 Sat - Maxwells, Hoboken NJ! With the Delta 72 (headlining) and Hi-Lo! ____December Shows________________________ 5 Sat - Court Tavern, New Brunswick NJ! With the Woggles and the Insomniacs! 11 Fri - Acme Underground, NYC! With the Woggles, Carvels, and Itchies!
	People of Spain, prepare for an ass-kicking!. The Swingin' Neckbreakers will be there for five dates in mid/late-November. New Yorkers will be able to say "Bon Voyage" when the Neckbreakers team up with the legendary Dictators on Friday the 6th at CBGB. ____November Shows_________________________ 6 Fri - CBGB, New York City! With the Dictators and, from Sweden, the Hellacopters! 17 Tue - Moby Dick, Madrid 18 Wed - Quijote, Ponferrada 19 Thu - Rock Club, Orense 20 Fri - Beat, Tomelloso 21 Sat - El Sol, Madrid ____October Shows__________________________ 8 Thu - Another private party! 9 Fri/10 Sat - Watch for North and/or South Carolina dates! 16 Fri - Court Tavern, New Brunswick, NJ! With Sit 'n' Spin and the Mount McKinleys! 23 Fri - Middle East (upstairs), Cambridge, MA! 24 Sat - Met Cafe, 239 Westminster Street, Providence RI.
	Another month, another round of shows. Hey, what else are they going to do?! Catch the Neckbreakers this month at one of the places where it all began - Maxwell's in Hoboken NJ! They even got their liquor license again! And for you folks in the Carolinas, come October you probably won't have to worry about hurricanes until next year, but get ready 'cause the Neckbreakers are headed your way. ____September Shows________________________ 20 Sun - Princeton NJ! (Private party - if you don't know where they're playing then you're not invited!) 25 Fri - Maxwell's, Hoboken NJ! With Girl Trouble and Detroit Cobras! 26 Sat - Sam Adams Brewhouse, Philadelphia PA! With Mondo Topless!
	The Neckbreakers put the gust in August with appearances at Treblefest in Colorado and Sleazefest in North Carolina! ____August Shows__________________________ 1 Sat - Treblefest! Bluebird Theater, Denver CO! 8 Sat - Sleazefest! Local 506, Chapel Hill NC! 13 Thu - Alleykatz, Richmond VA! With ? & the Mysterians! 14 Fri - Trocadero, Philadelphia PA! With ? & the Mysterians!
	The first week of July finds the Neckbreakers ripping, ripping up the midwest with the Fleshtones! Later this month you'll be able to catch them in NYC (with Nashville Pussy) and Baltimore. Check out the complete schedule on the Live! page. Summertime means fests, and of course the Swingin' Neckbreakers will be on hand. Catch them at Treblefest and Sleazefest, both in August. Make your plans now! Again, exact dates are on the Live! page. ____July Shows____________________________ The Swingin' Neckbreakers Midwest Maul (all dates with the fabulous Fleshtones!): 1 Wed - Pat's In The Flats, Cleveland OH! With Satan's Satellites! 2 Thu - The Magic Stick, Detroit MI! 3 Fri - Little Brothers, Columbus OH! 4 Sat - Gabe's Oasis, Iowa City IA! With the Subsonics and Los Straitjackets! 5 Sun - Concert Cafe, Green Bay WI! With Ivan and the Terribles and the Tantrums! 6 Mon - Empty Bottle, Chicago IL! 7 Tue - 31st Street Tavern, Pittsburgh PA! With the Mount McKinleys! 11 Sat - Fletcher's, Baltimore MD! 18 Sat - Tramps, New York NY! With Nashville Pussy, Murder City Devils and Pure Rubbish (a punk rock cover band featuring some 12-15 year old kids and their dad)!

The Swingin' Neckbreakers mark the beginning of Pool Hoppin' season by kicking back and taking it easy... mostly. They'll be playing at the Court Tavern on the 20th, but otherwise they'll be getting ready to maul the Midwest with the Fleshtones in July! Check out the schedule on the Live! page.

The Neckbreakers will also be appearing at Treblefest and Sleazefest in August. Make your plans now! Again, exact dates are on the Live! page.

Check out these photos from last summer's Untamed Youth/Neckbreakers/Insomniacs extravaganza, taken in the Court Tavern sauna by celebrity photographer Steve Rager!

____June Shows____________________________

20 Sat - Court Tavern, New Brunswick NJ!
27 Sat - Tune Inn, New Haven CT! With the Tedio Boys!

This month brings the release of the James Brown tribute album Super Bad @65 on Zero Hour records. The Neckbreakers contribute a re-recorded version of "Good Good Lovin'," which had been released as a B-side before Jeff Jefferson joined the band.

There are a couple of live shows scheduled for this month; you'll find the details on the Live! page.

Spanish speakers and other Neckbreaker aficionados should check out this new unofficial site (or web no oficial). Even if the only Spanish you know is Lucha libre you should still be able to follow along pretty well.
____May Shows________________________________

8 Fri - City Gardens, Trenton NJ! With the Friggs! Don't miss the Neckbreakers in their own back yard!
15 Fri - Acme Underground, New York City! With the Defilers, Johnny Chan & the New Dynasty Six and the Master Plan (featuring Andy Shernoff of the Dictators and Keith Streng & Bill Milhizer of the Fleshtones)!

The Swingin' Neckbreakers kick off their Southern Swing this month! They'll be on the road for about two weeks, with appearances in Richmond, Chapel Hill, Atlanta, New Orleans, and several Florida hotspots.

From the planning ahead department, the next NYC Neckbreakers show looks like it will be at Acme Underground on Friday, May 15. Also, the band will be headlining Saturday August 1 at Treblefest '98. This event will once again take place in Denver, but this time in a much more hospitable environment -- The Bluebird Theater.

The proverb says that March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb. If that's the case, that poor little lamb got kicked in the ass on its way out when the Neckbreakers closed out the month with a show on their home turf at the Court Tavern in New Brunswick, NJ. There was also a nice article about the band in the local Home News and Tribune newspaper. This article should be available on the Home News Tribune's web site.

____April Shows_______________________________

The Swingin' Neckbreakers Southern Swing:

15 Wed - Metro Cafe, Washington DC!
16 Thu - Alley Katz, Richmond VA! Free show!
17 Fri - Local 506, Chapel Hill NC!
18 Sat - Star Bar, Atlanta GA! With the Quadrajets!
20 Mon - Sapphire Supper Club, Orlando FL!
21 Tue - Brass Mug, Tampa FL!
22 Wed - The Covered Dish, Gainesville FL!
23 Thu - The Cow Haus, Tallahassee FL!
24 Fri - The Chukker, Tuscaloosa AL!
25 Sat - The Dixie Cafe, New Orleans LA!
26 Sun - Sluggo's, Pensacola, FL!

The Neckbreakers returned to the land of cheesesteaks and Joey Bishop on Saturday, March 7th for a show at The Pontiac Grill in Philadelphia. The Neckbreakers also reunited with the Lyres and Question Mark And The Mysterians for a New Haven, CT, show; then New Yorkers got their first crack at the Neckbreakers since January's Question Mark mega show.

Initial dates are now available for the Swingin' Neckbreakers Southern Swing next month! Check the Live! page for the latest!

In case you missed it, the NY Press article about wives in rock 'n' roll (in this case, the lovely Marie Jorgensen) is still available on this site.

____March Shows_________________________________________

7 Sat - Pontiac Grill, 304 South St., Philadelphia PA! With Tommy Stinson!
13 Fri - The Tune Inn, 29 Center St., New Haven CT! With ? And The Mysterians and The Lyres!
18 Wed - Irving Plaza, 17 Irving Place, New York NY! With Rocket From The Crypt, Boss Hog and the Get Up Kids.
28 Sat - Court Tavern, New Brunswick NJ!

At the end of January, the Neckbreakers were mixing an orginal composition, "No Costume, No Candy," for a Rob Zombie/Geffen Halloween compilation and a new version of "Good, Good Lovin'" (the first to feature Jeff Jefferson) for the Zero Hour Records James Brown tribute album.

The issue of N.Y. Press that hit the stands the first week in February included an article featuring Tom Jorgensen, by J.R. Taylor. The piece was in their new Music supplement, and talked about the role of wives (in this case, the lovely Marie Jorgensen) in rock 'n' roll. This article is now available on this site.

Wondering about upcoming shows? Well, wonder no more! After two shows in Massachusetts earlier this month, the Neckbreakers will return to the land of cheesesteaks and Joey Bishop on Saturday, March 7th to perform at The Pontiac Grill in Philadelphia! New Yorkers, don't fret -- keep your eyes peeled for a probable Neckbreakers / Rocket From The Crypt show in NYC on March 19th or 20th. Boss Hog may also be on the bill. And Southerners, take comfort: the Billions Corp. is starting to book the Neckbreakers' southern jaunt in April. It should kick off around April 15th and see them wind up in New Orleans during Jazzfest.

____February Shows______________________________________

6 Fri - Dinny's, Worcester, MA! (Todd A. sez, "I'm told by the promoter that this place is reminiscent of Moe's on The Simpsons...I think that's a plus!")
7 Sat - Middle East (upstairs), 472 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA! With The Woggles!

The Neckbreakers returned to The House Of Vibes in New Jersey to record a few cuts. This is where the Shake Break! album was recorded; it's run by members of The Gripweeds, which years ago counted Neckbreaker Jeff Jefferson among its members. Among the tracks the boys recorded was "Good Good Lovin'," which has previously appeared as an Estrus B-side. The song was re-recorded for a James Brown tribute album to be released on Zero Hour Records. The LP concept came about after Warner-Chappell Music exec Phast Phreddie Patterson heard the band perform the number live!!

The Neckbreakers also did an original composition for a Halloween-themed compilation that will be appearing on Rob Zombie's new Geffen Records imprint. They'll be joined on that comp by Southern Culture On The Skids, The Cramps, The Bomboras, Phantom Surfers and more. Hopefully a new Telstar Records 7" -- for release this spring -- will result from these sessions as well.

____January Shows_______________________________________

9 Fri - Middle East (upstairs), 472 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA. With The Itchies and more!
10 Sat - Met Cafe, 239 Westminster Street, Providence RI. ? and the Mysterians!
17 Sat - Coney Island High, 15 St. Mark's Place, New York City. With ? and the Mysterians, the Lyres, the Prissteens, and the Secret Service!

Order Swingin' Neckbreakers merch!

E-mail Telstar Records at TelstarRec@aol.com, or the swingin' webmaster at neckmaster@juvalamu.com!

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Christmas is coming, but Santa Claus ain't!