The Von Bondies

The Von Bondies were an American alternative rock band active from 1997 to 2011. The original line-up formed at the 1997 Cramps/Guitar Wolf show by Jason Stollsteimer and Marcie Bolen. They went through a variety of member changes and band names, including The Baby Killers, before settling on The Von Bondies in 2000. Don Blum joined the band around 1999 after attending numerous Baby Killers shows, while Leann Banks was picked via an audition. The Von Bondies got their break by playing a New Year's Eve show in Detroit, Michigan, in 2000. In attendance at the show was Long Gone John, owner of the Sympathy for the Record Industry label. This led to Sympathy releasing the band's debut album Lack of Communication in 2001. In 2003, the band released the live Raw and Rare through Dim Mak Records, which was followed by their 2004 breakthrough release, Pawn Shoppe Heart, on Sire Records. Pawn Shoppe was produced by Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads and co-produced by Stollsteimer. The album reached a peak of No. 36 in the UK Albums Chart, and No. 8 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart and stayed in that chart for eight weeks. The hit single from this release was "C'mon C'mon", which reached No. 25 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart and garnered national radio play. A shortened version of "C'mon C'mon" was the theme song to the TV series Rescue Me and was performed live by the band in Michael Winterbottom's film 9 Songs. MLB Network also used a brief clip of the song as the opening of their show 30 Clubs in 30 Days from 2009 to 2012. In 2008, the band signed with indie label Majordomo Records, joining label mates The Airborne Toxic Event and Earlimart. Their label debut, Love, Hate and Then There's You, was released in February 2009 featuring the single "Pale Bride". Known as a touring act, The Von Bondies have headlined tours of the United Kingdom/Europe, Australia, and the United States, taking along supporting bands like The Kills, Kasabian, Franz Ferdinand, Modey Lemon, SSM, The Subways, The Stills, Hot Panda and The Donnas. They have also appeared on Late Show with David Letterman, Last Call with Carson Daly and CD:UK.The group disbanded in July 2011. Its lineup at the time was Jason Stollsteimer on vocals and lead guitar, Christy Hunt on rhythm guitar and Leann Banks on bass guitar.