Jawbreaker

Jawbreaker are an American punk rock band that first ran from 1986 to 1996, then returned in 2017.

The core trio is Blake Schwarzenbach on vocals and guitar, Chris Bauermeister on bass, and Adam Pfahler on drums.

Across their original decade, they released four studio albums, moved between cities more than once, and built a reputation for songs that mixed bite, detail, and plainspoken self-exposure.

From NYU Practice Rooms to a Real Band

Schwarzenbach and Pfahler were childhood friends from Santa Monica who moved to New York City to attend New York University in 1986. They decided to start a band and found Bauermeister after responding to a campus flyer he posted.

They rehearsed at Giant Studios on Sixth Avenue, tried different directions, and went through names before landing on the name Rise.

Los Angeles Reset and the Shift to a Trio

In 1987, the three took time off from school and moved to Los Angeles to focus on the band. They added Jon Liu on lead vocals.

That setup changed after Schwarzenbach wrote and sang “Shield Your Eyes” for a demo. After that, the band switched to the name Jawbreaker and continued as a trio with Schwarzenbach handling vocals.

Early Releases and the First Album

“Shield Your Eyes” was the first Jawbreaker song released, appearing on a Shredder Records compilation. A single for “Busy” and the Whack & Blite 7 inch EP followed in 1989.

Jawbreaker wrote a large batch of songs during 1988 and 1989, with many landing on compilations and split releases. Their first show took place on March 16, 1989 at Club 88 in Los Angeles.

The band recorded their debut album, Unfun, in January 1990 in Venice and released it through Shredder Records later that year.

The “Fuck 90” Tour and a Brief Break

In summer 1990, Jawbreaker toured with Econochrist on the “Fuck 90” run. The schedule and close quarters wore the band down, and they briefly split at the end of the trip.

Schwarzenbach and Bauermeister returned to NYU to finish school. Over time the three reconciled and decided to keep Jawbreaker going.

San Francisco Years and Bivouac

In 1991, the band relocated to San Francisco and moved into an apartment complex in the Mission District alongside friends and peers.

They recorded their second album, Bivouac, with engineer Billy Anderson. It was released in 1992 through Tupelo Recording Company and The Communion Label.

Around the time of Bivouac, Schwarzenbach developed a throat polyp that caused serious problems while singing. The band still began a European tour, paused when his condition worsened, and then resumed after he had surgery in Ireland.

24 Hour Revenge Therapy and Major Label Offers

After returning from Europe, the band continued writing and recording. In May 1993 they went to Chicago to record most of 24 Hour Revenge Therapy with Steve Albini, then recorded additional tracks with Billy Anderson in San Francisco. The album was released in early 1994 through Tupelo and Communion.

In October 1993, before the album’s release, Jawbreaker opened for Nirvana on several dates of the In Utero tour. That stretch intensified talk that they would be courted by major labels.

After 24 Hour Revenge Therapy came out, offers arrived from multiple labels. The band eventually signed to DGC Records in a reported one million dollar deal.

Dear You, Backlash, and the 1996 Break

Jawbreaker recorded Dear You beginning in February 1995 at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley with producer Rob Cavallo. The sessions added pressure inside the band, especially as the recording process became more polished and time-consuming than earlier records.

When Dear You was released in September 1995, the cleaner production and clearer vocals divided longtime listeners. The band kept touring through 1996, including dates opening for Foo Fighters, but the internal strain grew.

Jawbreaker announced the end of the band on July 4, 1996.

After the Breakup and Catalog Reissues

After Jawbreaker ended, the members stayed active in other projects, including Jets to Brazil and Whysall Lane.

Pfahler also released previously recorded Jawbreaker material through his label Blackball Records, including the live album Live 4/30/96 and the compilation Etc.

In 2004, Pfahler licensed Dear You from Geffen Records and reissued it. Remastered versions of other releases were later issued as well.

2017 Reunion and Shows After the Return

In April 2017, Jawbreaker announced they would reunite, initially tied to a headlining appearance at Riot Fest in September 2017.

Before that festival, they played a private show on August 3, 2017 at the Ivy Room in Albany, California, then played the Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco on August 12.

After Riot Fest, the band continued with additional performances, including a benefit show at the Olympia Film Society on November 28, 2017 for the Thurston County Food Bank.

Film Premiere and Talk of New Material

Don’t Break Down: A Film About Jawbreaker premiered in San Francisco on August 11, 2017, around the same time as the reunion shows. During appearances connected to the film, Schwarzenbach indicated the band was trying to write new material.

In 2018 the band played multiple sold-out runs and festival dates, then announced further touring in 2019, including European dates.

Members

Current members:

• Blake Schwarzenbach, lead vocals and guitar
• Chris Bauermeister, bass
• Adam Pfahler, drums

Touring members:

• Mitch Hobbs, guitar and backing vocals

Early members:

• Jon Liu, lead vocals (1987)

Discography

Studio albums:

• Unfun (1990)
• Bivouac (1992)
• 24 Hour Revenge Therapy (1994)
• Dear You (1995)