Phases (formerly known as JJAMZ and pronounced ''juh-jamz'')
is an American
indie pop
Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and sub ...
band from
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
composed of
Jason Boesel
Jason Lyon Boesel (born 1977/1978) is an American musician, songwriter and producer based in Los Angeles. He was the drummer for Rilo Kiley and has also played with The Elected and Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band.
Bands
He also drummed ...
(
Rilo Kiley
Rilo Kiley ( ) was an American indie rock band based in Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1998, the band consisted of Jenny Lewis, Blake Sennett, Pierre de Reeder, and Dave Rock.
The group released their debut album ''Take-Offs and Landings'' ...
/
Bright Eyes/
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band is the name taken by Conor Oberst and his backing band. The band is composed of Nik Freitas (guitar), Taylor Hollingsworth (guitar), Macey Taylor (bass), Nate Walcott (keyboards/organ) and Jason Boesel (dru ...
),
Alex Greenwald
Alexander Greenwald (born October 9, 1979) is an American musician, actor, and record producer. He is the lead vocalist of the California rock band Phantom Planet.
Life and career
Greenwald was born in Los Angeles, California, to a family of J ...
(
Phantom Planet
Phantom Planet is an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1994. The band consists of Alex Greenwald (vocals, rhythm guitar), Darren Robinson (lead guitar), Sam Farrar (bass guitar) and Jeff Conrad (drums). The band is best known for it ...
/
Blackblack), Michael Runion, and
Z Berg
Elizabeth Anne "Z" Berg (born June 28, 1986) is an American musician. She was a founding member, guitarist, and lead vocalist of the indie rock group the Like. Berg's father is former Geffen Records A&R exec/record producer Tony Berg.
Musical c ...
(
The Like
The Like was an alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California. Its final lineup consisted of Z Berg (vocals and guitar), Tennessee Thomas (drums), Laena Geronimo (bass), and Annie Monroe (organ). The band released three extended plays (EPs) ...
).
Background
JJAMZ was started at karaoke night at Guys in Hollywood. The band name is an acronym using the first letter of each member's name. The group was a means of escape from each member's respective bands at a time when things seemed hectic for each member. "JJAMZ started at an interesting time in all of our lives. We all needed some kind of escape from relationships or our other bands. It was a tumultuous time, and the lyrics just came out. It was like word vomit. I can't remember," said Z Berg, lead vocalist for the Like, in one of their first interviews as a band.
The band played their first concert at the Echo Plex on January 27, 2009, and went on to release their debut album, ''
Suicide Pact
A suicide pact is an agreed plan between two or more individuals to die by suicide. The plan may be to die together, or separately and closely timed.
General considerations
Suicide pacts are an important concept in the study of suicide, and h ...
'', on July 10, 2012. The album's songs were featured in the television shows: "Get What You Want" in ''
Awkward
Awkward may refer to:
* Awkwardness or embarrassment, an emotional state of intense discomfort with people
* ''Awkward'' (TV series), an American teen comedy series
* ''Awkward'' (album), a 2001 album by Ty
* ''Awkward'', a 1999 graphic novel by ...
'', "Heartbeat" in ''
Pretty Little Liars
''Pretty Little Liars'' is an American mystery teen drama television series based on the novel series of the same name written by Sara Shepard. Developed by I. Marlene King, the series was broadcast on Freeform between June 8, 2010, and June ...
'' and "Cleverly Disgusted" in ''
90210''. To support this release, the band opened for
The Hush Sound
The Hush Sound is an American indie pop band from Chicago, Illinois, United States. Initially named "The Hush," the band later changed its name to "The Hush Sound" due to the discovery of a rapper with the same name. The band consists of Bob M ...
during a brief tour in October 2012.
Following
James Valentine's departure from the band, the name of the band was changed to Phases. In early 2015, the band signed with
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
and on May 12, 2015, released their first new music under their new name. "I'm in Love with My Life", "Betty Blue", and "Cooler" were all released on the same day, with a music video directed by Ethan Tobman for "I'm in Love with My Life" released simultaneously. "I'm in Love with My Life" was featured in ''
The Sims 4
''The Sims 4'' is a social simulation game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. It is the fourth major title in ''The Sims'' series, and is the sequel to '' The Sims 3'' (2009). The game was released in North America on Septem ...
: Perfect Patio Stuffs official launch trailer as well as the television shows ''
Orange Is the New Black
''Orange Is the New Black'' (sometimes abbreviated to ''OITNB'') is an American comedy-drama streaming television series created by Jenji Kohan for Netflix. The series is based on Piper Kerman's memoir '' Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Wo ...
'' and ''
Faking It''.
The band reunited for a performance under the JJAMZ lineup for the Z Berg & Friends Christmas Prom on December 4, 2021.
Discography
Studio albums
* ''
Suicide Pact
A suicide pact is an agreed plan between two or more individuals to die by suicide. The plan may be to die together, or separately and closely timed.
General considerations
Suicide pacts are an important concept in the study of suicide, and h ...
'' (2012)
* ''
For Life'' (2015)
EPs
* ''Afterparty'' (2016)
Singles
* "I'm In Love with My Life" (2015)
35 Alternative Songs, #4 Dance Club Songs
References
External links
*
*
{{Authority control
Indie pop groups from Los Angeles
Musical groups established in 2009
American supergroups
Musical groups from Los Angeles
Synthpop groups
Dangerbird Records artists