Someday the world will recognize the genius of Jeffrey Lewis

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I've been good friends with the guy for close to a decade. I've been hearing his music for years, and always thought he was a clever, above-average songwriter. But I've just returned from touring with him, and, in the three years or so since I've seen him last, he and his brother Jack (and amiable hippie drummer Dave) have really hit on something fantastic. I haven't had so much fun watching a friend's band play since the heyday of Tower Recordings. I didn't get bored of them the whole tour, and, in fact, began recording their sets midway through the trip. Totally see them if / when you can. A mind blown is a mind shown.

Langhorne Slim was great on tour, too, natch

― Roger Fidelity (Roger Fidelity), Sunday, 14 November 2004 22:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I never much cared for his slapstick comedy. I really can't stand him actually.

― Sasha (sgh), Monday, 15 November 2004 00:53 (twenty-one years ago)

unbearable; completely precious. he has like one ok 7-inch single, maybe, but i forget its name.

― thermos lunchbox, Monday, 15 November 2004 01:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Roger OTM. Jeff is great. He's playing a show with a bunch of my friends on December 3rd and I can't wait. Love the duets with Diane Cluck that you turned me onto some months back also, Rog.

― Ian John50n (orion), Monday, 15 November 2004 01:11 (twenty-one years ago)

FWIW the Dec. 3rd show is somewhere in Red Hood with Lance Romance, The Beatles and Knifestorm. Should be mindblowing.

― Ian John50n (orion), Monday, 15 November 2004 01:12 (twenty-one years ago)

not something i would have thought ian or roger would enjoy.

what was it that pushed(s) him above average singer-songwriter?

― artdamages (artdamages), Monday, 15 November 2004 01:25 (twenty-one years ago)

NOT ALL HIS SONGS ARE ABOUT GIRLS.

― Ian John50n (orion), Monday, 15 November 2004 01:29 (twenty-one years ago)

artdam - actually, when I first met him, I would have agreed that his songs were a bit too self-consciously precious, but obviously thermos and Sasha haven't seen him live. The 'rock' songs are outstanding, and perfectly balance his more singer-songwriter-y moments. Great lyricist, great spirit, great energy. To be fair, he is a good friend, but, like I said, I'm not always easy on my friends just because they happen to play music. I'm a fan of Jeff's as of this recent tour - before I merely appreciated my talented buddy, ya know?

― Roger Fidelity (Roger Fidelity), Monday, 15 November 2004 01:35 (twenty-one years ago)

hes like this generation's sid barrett

― artdamages (artdamages), Monday, 15 November 2004 01:38 (twenty-one years ago)

isn't this generation's syd barrett jeff fucking mangum or something, though?

― Ian John50n (orion), Monday, 15 November 2004 01:40 (twenty-one years ago)

actually i enjoyed listening to his last cd. the only songs i remember of his is the one about whats going to happen to him when he gets old (which was kinda precious, but i didn't mind) and the one about taking lots of lsd (hey i can relate).

― artdamages (artdamages), Monday, 15 November 2004 01:41 (twenty-one years ago)

isn't this generation's syd barrett jeff fucking mangum or something, though?

i wouldn't know. i was just being a dick. but jeffery jewis did covr part-time punks, i think.

― artdamages (artdamages), Monday, 15 November 2004 01:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Y'can't see him live, he's dead!

I guess the original 'Nutty Professor' was okay.

― Sasha (sgh), Monday, 15 November 2004 01:43 (twenty-one years ago)

oh i get it you are pretending you think the thread is about Jerry Lewis. how clever.

― artdamages (artdamages), Monday, 15 November 2004 01:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Weird, I knew a kid named Jeff Lewis who was in a band called Thermos.

xpost all the way to the second answer

― Magic City (ano ano), Monday, 15 November 2004 02:00 (twenty-one years ago)

HAHAHAHA

'GREAT BALLS OF FIRE' WAS A GOOD SONG THO!

― Sasha (sgh), Monday, 15 November 2004 02:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Late again. You mean this thread wasn't title "Someday the French will recognize the genius of Jerry Lewis?" First I thought, why the need for thread? Then I thought, "the guy dropped some music on us too?" Where can I get it a hold of it, Rhino Handmade?

― Henry A Blacktune, Tuesday, 16 November 2004 14:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Jeff shoots a mean bb-gun and throws an even more deadly 2x4, so watch out.

― 57 7th (calstars), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 22:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Show on Dec. 3rd should be awesome. FAP?

― Ian John50n (orion), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 22:02 (twenty-one years ago)

twenty-one years pass...

Jeff + band are out west right now, playing shows in various places.

Trying to decide whether or not to see them or not ... it's been 20 years since I saw him do his thing.

Anyone wanna argue for "yay" or "nay"?

― alpine static, Wednesday, 25 February 2026 01:33 (one week ago)

go if you want your heart warmed by the amount of under-23 y.o.s who love Jeff

― encino morricone (majorairbro), Wednesday, 25 February 2026 01:38 (one week ago)

Last time I saw him was 2025 opening for Quasi. Full of Gen Z for Jeff, who ran for the door when Jeff stopped. I wanted to like block the exits, "hold on youngsters! they played with Elliot Smith!!"

― encino morricone (majorairbro), Wednesday, 25 February 2026 01:59 (one week ago)

saw him opening for sebadoh last year and he did a long history of music presentation with visual aids, too long probably, sort of like an anti-folk ted talk, and there were a couple genuinely funny/good songs, and he was adorable.

sebadoh was a total mess.

― fact checking cuz, Wednesday, 25 February 2026 02:16 (one week ago)

Mostly know him from albs w Stampfel (all that I've heard are good), also dig most of his collected Tuli covers, though Tuli lived long and his cuet self-pity party birthday songs outlived my interest---play on JL, and Roger Fidelity wherever you are.

― dow, Wednesday, 25 February 2026 02:57 (one week ago)

I hadn't thought about him much since the 2000s, but recently checked out his 2019 album Bad Wiring (by Jeffrey Lewis and the Voltage) and fell in love with it instantly.

― peace, man, Wednesday, 25 February 2026 13:13 (one week ago)

By "hadn't thought about him much," I mean that If You Shoot The Head You Kill The Ghoul and Graveyard have remained in my Halloween playlist since then, I've occasionally busted out the two acid songs, and History of Punk on the Lower East Side pops into my head more often than the original versions of the songs they played in it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCYMFB7UPeY

― peace, man, Wednesday, 25 February 2026 13:18 (one week ago)

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