The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion “Crypt Style!” (Crypt Records, German release) and “The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion” (Caroline Records) 1992. I’m including both albums because they both came out in ‘92 and I purchased the CD when it was released – there was no vinyl option. That year I was a senior at UW-Madison and working at the student union, slinging magazines, newspapers and candy at the Commons Desk. I was able to read as many free magazines as I wanted and I remember that fall paging through Spin and to my shock seeing a picture of Judah Bauer, who I’ve known since high school in Appleton, WI.

That New Year’s Eve I was up in Appleton to see family and friends and went out to Jim’s Place, a bar on College Avenue. There was Judah, hanging out and having a cocktail. I told him I read the Spin article about JSBX and had purchased the CD. He told me all about the band and living in NYC and from there I was hooked as a JSBX fan forever.

Both albums are intense, heavy and experimental. There are a few cuts that made both releases, such as “Chicken Walk,” “’78 Style” and “Comeback.” Being a good Wisconsin girl, my favorite track is of course “40lb Block of Cheese,” mainly because I can imagine the writing process that went into the song (i.e. Judah regaling Jon and Russell with tales of growing up in a small Wisconsin town with nothing much to do other than eat cheese).