Power pop rock band. John Irvine (ex-The Hated) on guitar/vocals, Jen Maser on drums, and Chuck Rainville on bass, formed as Love Planet in 1989 while attending St. Mary’s College of Maryland. In 1992 they added Will Wall on lead guitar and changed the name to The Bigsbys, before settling on The Jennifers in 1993.
The Jennifers frequented The Rev, The Chambers, Max’s on Broadway, Club Midnight, the Mansion Theater and Flamingo Lounge. In 1995 filmmaker Eric Dyer made a music video for their song “You’re My Star,” which won runner-up “Best All Male Band” honors in MTV’s Best Unsigned Band Search, despite the band having a female drummer (first place went to Annapolis band Bovox Clown).
Rainville left in 1996, and was replaced briefly by Paul Gier (The Kicksouls), and then Joe Tropea (Shadowmen, Jag, Gill). The band toured frequently throughout the East Coast and Mid-West, including a tour with Paul Collins (of The Beat).
When Wall relocated to Chicago in 1997 the band called it quits. Maser went on to play in Lackluster. Tropea went on to play in Dirty Sanchez. Irvine went on to play trumpet in the Hopkins Symphony Orchestra.
The Jennifers had songs on several compilations including “Keep It Up” on Wagon Wheel’s 1995 comp Pop Matters; “Pretty Things” on Hat Factory’s 1995 comp Walking by A Building; “You’re My Star” on RPM’s 1996 comp 3 Minute Revolution; and “You Say When” on You Say When’s 1997 comp Listener Supported.
In 2001 Irvine began playing with Skizz Cyzyk (see bio) in Garage Sale, and with Tropea and Cyzyk in a Dukes of Stratosphear tribute band called The Bowlermen. The three decided to form a new line-up of The Jennifers, and recruited Joe Stone, Irvine’s college roommate, to play lead guitar. The ‘00s Jennifers line-up frequented the Ottobar, Talking Head, Lo-Fi Social Club, Sonar, Wind Up Space, and Metro Gallery, along with occasional tours.
1994 (CS) Schwartzgerat Pretty Things
1994 (45) You Say When 003 Making Music Your Own (split single): The Television (Jennifers) / Day Job (The Mommyheads)
1994 (CD) You Say When Nine Days Wonder
2002 (CD) Jennifers Recordings Book of Bad Advice
2005 (download) Beef Platter The Covers Project
2007 (CD) Beef Platter 0701 Colors from The Future
2007 (CD-R) Beef Platter Christmas in Reverse
