The Jesus Lizard

United States · formed 1987 · last active 2025

Formed in Austin in 1987 and relocated to Chicago in 1989, The Jesus Lizard perfected a blueprint of noise-rock menace: David Wm. Sims and Mac McNeilly's lurching, hydraulic rhythm section, Duane Denison's wiry precision guitar, and David Yow howling from deep in the mix like, in one critic's words, 'a kidnap victim trying to howl through the duct tape over his mouth.' Their Steve Albini-recorded Touch and Go albums Goat (1991) and Liar (1992) stand among the most significant noise rock records of the era, and a split single with Nirvana briefly brushed them against the mainstream. After disbanding in 1999 and reuniting for tours from 2009 onward, they released Rack in 2024, their first album in 26 years.

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SCORE PROFILE

JazzyBalkanHardcoreSurfBarbershopDeathBlackTechnicalGlitchTheatricalFolkDoomDroneShoegazeAmbient8-bit
Jazzy2
Balkan0
Hardcore7
Surf0
Barbershop0
Death1
Black0
Technical5
Glitch1
Theatrical4
Folk0
Doom2
Drone0
Shoegaze0
Ambient0
8-bit0

Accent numbers counted towards the index. Hover an axis — or hold it on a phone — for what it means.

MEMBERS

  • David Yowvocals· also in Qui
  • Duane Denisonguitar· also in Tomahawk
  • David Wm. Simsbass
  • Mac McNeillydrums

CONNECTIONS

member · 2
  • Quisatellitepath →

    David Yow (The Jesus Lizard, Scratch Acid) joined Qui as full-time vocalist in 2006 and fronts Love's Miracle (2007). source ↗

  • Tomahawkpath →

    Guitarist Duane Denison played in The Jesus Lizard before co-founding Tomahawk with Mike Patton in 1999. source ↗

artwork · 6
  • 7000 Dying Ratspath →

    Both bands' cover art was done by Cleveland illustrator Derek Hess (Discogs artist id 2031678): 7000 Dying Rats's "7000 Dying Rats" (1995, Artwork [Front Cover]) and The Jesus Lizard's "Liar" (2009 reissue, Illustration). Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Derek Hess is not an atlas band so there is no anchor band. source ↗

  • Convergepath →

    Both bands' cover art was done by Cleveland illustrator Derek Hess (Discogs artist id 2031678): Converge's "The Poacher Diaries" (1999, Illustration [Cover Illustration]) and The Jesus Lizard's "Liar" (2009 reissue, Illustration). Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Derek Hess is not an atlas band so there is no anchor band. source ↗

  • Helmetsatellitepath →

    Both bands' cover art was done by Cleveland illustrator Derek Hess (Discogs artist id 2031678): The Jesus Lizard's "Liar" (2009 reissue, Illustration) and Helmet's "Betty" (2024 reissue, Illustration). Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Derek Hess is not an atlas band so there is no anchor band. source ↗

  • Pitch Black Forecastsatellitepath →

    Both bands' cover art was done by Cleveland illustrator Derek Hess (Discogs artist id 2031678): Pitch Black Forecast's "Absentee" (2008, Artwork [Cover]) and The Jesus Lizard's "Liar" (2009 reissue, Illustration). Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Derek Hess is not an atlas band so there is no anchor band. source ↗

  • Sepulturapath →

    Both bands' cover art was done by Cleveland illustrator Derek Hess (Discogs artist id 2031678): Sepultura's "Roorback" (2003, Artwork) and The Jesus Lizard's "Liar" (2009 reissue, Illustration). Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Derek Hess is not an atlas band so there is no anchor band. source ↗

  • Starkweathersatellitepath →

    Both bands' cover art was done by Cleveland illustrator Derek Hess (Discogs artist id 2031678): Starkweather's the "Season To Risk / Starkweather" split (1997, Artwork, Cover) and The Jesus Lizard's "Liar" (2009 reissue, Illustration). Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Derek Hess is not an atlas band so there is no anchor band. source ↗

label · 4
1 split release

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