Genre-Fluid OG Punk, Jean Caffeine, Shares Psychobilly Single "Mammogram"
You may not have heard of Jean Caffeine but you’d be a lot cooler if you did. – Dallas Observer
With a story stretching back to the 70’s San Francisco punk scene, Jean Caffeine made the scene, made a zine, and played drums in an all-female band called the Urge, sharing stages with The Zeros, The Avengers, The Dils, X. In the 80’s, Jean moved to NYC and hit the underground scene dj-ing in clubs and drumming in Pulsallama, a 7-13 piece all-female percussion ensemble who opened shows for The Clash. In 2016, the group was sampled by rapper Danny Brown on his song, “Dance in the Water.” Sundaze Records released a Pulallama record in 2020.
A move to Austin put her centre stage in Jean Caffeine’s All-Nite Truckstop where she leaned heavily into cowpunk and Americana. She shifted from drummer to songwriter/front person and played roadhouses and coffee houses, sharing stages with Lucinda Williams, Townes Van Zandt, Brian Jonestown Massacre and Mojo Nixon.
(Sub)-genre fluid, Jean Caffeine blends indie, retro-pop, punk, folk, rock and roots, served up with big smiles and the occasional growl. “Mammogram,” is a shift from much of Jean’s music. “It's moodier and spookier because mammograms are a nightmare,” she explains. That’s why Jean is releasing this single in time for Halloween. But “Mammogram” is also funny: part humorous novelty song, part PSA for breast health.
Listen to “Mammogram” HERE. Watch the official music video HERE.
Jean calls her band, featured on the track, Male Order Brides. It’s Jon Nottarthomas (Ian McGlagan) on guitar, Zack Humphrey (Megafauna) on drums, Josh Robins (Invincible Czars) on bass with Jean on electrified acoustic guitar and vocals. Much of the video is borrowed from a silent film called Häxan by Benjamin Christensen, a hybrid documentary and live action picture about witchcraft in the Middle Ages. The film of the woman on the trapeze is by the inventor, Thomas Edison.
Jean is also a visual artist and educator. This winter, Jean participated in an art residency and pop-up exhibition, Excesso de Grasas, at El Sur in Mexico City.If you look carefully, you can see Jean as “Roadkill” in Slacker. As a visual artist, she contributed animation to the film Waking Life, both films by Rick Linklater.
But seriously, mammograms save lives and women need them. With toxins in our air, food and water, breast cancer is no longer only a middle-aged woman’s issue. More young women are being diagnosed with breast cancer. So if you have breasts – get one! – Jean Caffeine
They slap your breast onto a slab
Like a sideshow contortionist in a jam
The slab is cold and the room is drab
Radiation leaking into your pores
The technician looks totally bored
Suck it up and do it some more
Yes ma'am, it’s your mammogram
