My Jerusalem

{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=August 2022}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = My Jerusalem

| background = group_or_band

| image =

| caption =

| origin = Austin, Texas, United States

| genre = Alternative Rock, Indie Rock, Post-punk, Dark Wave

| years_active = 2010–present

| label = Razor And Tie, The End Records, One Little Indian

| associated_acts = The Twilight Singers, The Gutter Twins, Polyphonic Spree, Jeff Klein, Okkervil River, Prince

| website = {{URL|http://www.thisismyjerusalem.com}}

| current_members = Jeff Klein
Ross Dubois

| past_members = Dave Rosser (deceased)
Ashley Dzerigian
Geena Spigarelli
Cully Symington
Grant Van Amburgh
Kyle Robarge
Jon Merz

}}

My Jerusalem is an American Indie Rock band based in Austin, Texas. The band consists of Jeff Klein (vocals) and Ross Dubois (bass guitar). The band rose to critical acclaim after releasing their debut album Gone For Good.

Career beginnings

In its initial stages, My Jerusalem was a revolving door collective. My Jerusalem's connecting thread was Jeff Klein, who had played with each of the band's current members on his solo tour and as a touring and recording member of The Twilight Singers and The Gutter Twins Jeff first met Dave Rosser, a touring member of the Twilight Singers, through producer Mike Napolitano. Drummer Cully Symington was in bands like Cursive and Bishop Allen and The Gutter Twins. Rick Nelson, who plays violin, viola, cello and keyboards in the band, is a longtime member of the Polyphonic Spree and St. Vincent. Matt Bricker, also a member of the Polyphonic Spree, has been playing with The Low Lows.{{cite web | url=https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041X91F2?keywords=my%20jerusalem&qid=1452274907&ref_=sr_1_3&sr=8-3 | title=Gone for Good | website=Amazon | year=2010 }} Klein said that "I didn't actually start out thinking of forming a band. I'd played with all of them at different times, and I was like, 'How great would it be to play with all of these people at the same time?' And then when we did it made perfect sense for that to be what we do. We clicked immediately.".{{cite web |url=http://www.myspace.com/jerusalemtx |title=MySpace.com - JERUSALEM - ATX, NOLA, Holy Land, Texas - Psychedelic / Garage / Religious - www.myspace.com/jerusalemtx |website=www.myspace.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081109072113/http://www.myspace.com/jerusalemtx |archive-date=2008-11-09}}

2009-2011, ''Without Feathers'' and ''Gone For Good''

With encouragement by the late David Rosser, Jeff Klein decided to form his own band.https://www.facebook.com/myjerusalem/posts/10155404708508334 {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=March 2022}} My Jerusalem's grand introduction was at SXSW 2009, in what band members considered their "opening night."{{Cite web|url=http://www.donewaiting.com/2009/03/12/my-jerusalem-ex-twilight-singers-great-northern-polyphonic-spree-sxsw/|title=My Jerusalem (Ex-Twilight Singers, Great Northern, Polyphonic Spree) @ SXSW}}

My Jerusalem's debut EP, Without Feathers, was released March 10, 2010, consists of five tracks: Sweet Chariot, Under Your Skin, Heroin(e), Turtledove, and Remember Everything, through 2:59 Records.{{Cite web|url=http://www.259records.com/releases|title = Albums at 00:02:59 Records}}

In June 2009, both AOL/Spinner {{cite web |url=http://www.spinner.com/2009/05/13/my-jerusalem-sweet-chariot-free-mp3-of-the-day/ |title=My Jerusalem, 'Sweet Chariot' -- Free MP3 of the Day - Spinner |website=www.spinner.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222030910/http://www.spinner.com/2009/05/13/my-jerusalem-sweet-chariot-free-mp3-of-the-day/ |archive-date=2012-02-22}} and Apple {{cite web |url=https://www.apple.com/itunes/weekly-rewind/ |title=Apple - iTunes Weekly Rewind - Free Music Podcast |website=www.apple.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304032133/http://www.apple.com/itunes/weekly-rewind/ |archive-date=2009-03-04}} declared My Jerusalem as buzzworthy and promoted the song Sweet Chariot. In October 2009 My Jerusalem embarked on a US tour with Har Mar Superstar and also played the CMJ Music Festival {{Cite web|url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/festivus/2009/10/cmj-2009-my-jerusalem-john-forte-warpaint-beach-fo.html|title=Paste Music - Guides to the Best Albums, Reviews and Live Music Video|access-date=2010-01-29|archive-date=2010-01-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100124121853/http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/festivus/2009/10/cmj-2009-my-jerusalem-john-forte-warpaint-beach-fo.html|url-status=dead}}

In late 2010, the band released their debut album Gone For Good and received mostly positive reception. The band quickly gained support from well respected outlets such as BBC 6Music which hosted a live session on Marc Rileys show {{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00xbgql|title = BBC Radio 6 Music - Marc Riley, My Jerusalem}} and NPR featuring them on All Songs Considered.{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129838357|title=New Mix: Neil Young, A Led Zeppelin Tribute, More|newspaper=NPR.org}} The album contains 12 tracks, including two from their EP (Sweet Chariot and Remember Everything).{{Cite web|url=http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=8304405|title = My Jerusalem - Gone for Good CD Album}} Love You When You Leave{{Cite web|url=http://rateyourmusic.com/release/single/my-jerusalem/love-you-when-you-leave/|title = Love You when You Leave by My Jerusalem - RYM/Sonemic}} and Boom! Boom! Boom! Goes the Trolley, a non-album single, were also released in 2010.{{Cite web|url=http://rateyourmusic.com/release/single/my-jerusalem/boom-boom-boom-goes-the-trolley/|title = Boom! Boom! Boom! Goes the Trolley by My Jerusalem - RYM/Sonemic}}

My Jerusalem had many performances for Gone For Good, such as being on BBC Radio6, appearances at the Frequency Festival, and several other bands.{{cite web |url=http://www.rialtotheatre.com/event/1478953-my-jerusalem-191-toole-tucson/ |title=The Rialto Theatre » My Jerusalem @ 191 Toole – Tickets – 191 Toole – Tucson, AZ – June 19th, 2017 |website=www.rialtotheatre.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170511233340/http://www.rialtotheatre.com/event/1478953-my-jerusalem-191-toole-tucson/ |archive-date=2017-05-11}}

The singles The Daytrotter Sessions{{Cite web|url=http://rateyourmusic.com/release/ep/my-jerusalem/daytrotter-session/|title = Daytrotter Session by My Jerusalem - RYM/Sonemic}} and Holidaze With You were released in 2011.{{Cite web|url=http://downloads.thisismyjerusalem.com/album/holidaze-with-you|title = Holidaze with You, by My Jerusalem}}

2012-2013 ''Preachers''

Produced by Jim Eno of Spoon (band) and recorded in under three weeks in Public Hi-Fi studio with Jon Merz on guitar, keyboards, and horns, Michael St Clair on violin, keyboards, and horns, Cully Symington on Drums, and Ashley Dzerigian on bass,{{cite web | url=https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008XB2UH4?keywords=my%20jerusalem&qid=1452274907&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1 | title=Preachers | website=Amazon | year=2012 }}

On October 9, 2012, the band released their second studio album, Preachers. The album received generally favorable reviews, with many noting that the record sounded much darker than the band's previous work. Klein himself stated this darker sound felt more "comfortable" for him.[13] The album contained entirely new material with different influences more cohesiveness.

"It's a darker record," says Klein. "So much had changed since Gone For Good. We'd all kind of been through hell and back again in different ways, and this was the natural artistic result of all of that. But I think it's a beautiful, comforting darkness. It's real, but not selfish."{{Cite web |url=http://www.tellallyourfriendspr.com/press/my-jerusalem-to-release-new-lp-announce-fall-tour-preachers-out-october-9th-on-the-end-records |title=My Jerusalem To Release New LP || Announce Fall Tour || 'Preachers' Out October 9th On The End Records | www.tellallyourfriendspr.com |access-date=2017-02-06 |archive-date=2017-02-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170207112603/http://www.tellallyourfriendspr.com/press/my-jerusalem-to-release-new-lp-announce-fall-tour-preachers-out-october-9th-on-the-end-records |url-status=dead }}

A remix of the track Death Valley (by Jason Sebastian Russo and Chuck Davis of the band Guiding Light Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211209/wgEVrArGAVA Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20170607193801/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgEVrArGAVA&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite AV media| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgEVrArGAVA| title = My Jerusalem - Death Valley (Remix) by Guiding Light | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}) was featured on the soundtrack to the show Suits (U.S. TV series) for the episode

2013-2015, Touring

My Jerusalem performed at SXSW Festival in 2013.{{Cite web|url=https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/my-jerusalem/2013/hickory-street-austin-tx-7bd8b2e4.html|title=My Jerusalem Setlist at SXSW 2013|website=setlist.fm}}

During 2014, My Jerusalem went on tour with Peter Murphy, with over one hundred tour dates.https://www.facebook.com/events/679757178748065/ {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=March 2022}}

My Jerusalem also toured with the Lemonheads and The Psychedelic Furs in 2014.{{cite web | url=http://do512.com/events/2014/11/1/the-psychedelic-furs-and-the-lemonheads | title=The Psychedelic Furs w/ The Lemonheads, My Jerusalem at Emo's }}

In 2015, My Jerusalem opened for Courtney Love.{{cite AV media| url-status = live| archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211209/YWPBsQFYraU| archive-date = 2021-12-09| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWPBsQFYraU| title = My Jerusalem live 2015 | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}

2016 - ''A Little Death''

My Jerusalem's third studio album was released June 24, 2016, on cd and vinyl through Washington Square Music.{{cite web | url=http://echoesanddust.com/2016/07/my-jerusalem-a-little-death/ | title=My Jerusalem - A Little Death | date=17 July 2016 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/My-Jerusalem-A-Little-Death/release/8717882|title = My Jerusalem – A Little Death (2016, Clear vinyl, Vinyl)|website = Discogs| date=21 June 2016 }} The song Young Leather features background vocals by Elle King {{Cite web|url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/my-jerusalem-releasing-a-little-death-stream-young-leather-ft-elle-king/|title = My Jerusalem releasing 'A Little Death' (Stream "Young Leather" ft. Elle King)| date=18 May 2016 }} and was recently{{when|date=May 2022}} featured on the show Nashville.{{cite AV media| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HujMnbeMY9o| title = YouTube | website=YouTube}}{{dead link|date=September 2023}}

Released shortly after the death of his mother, Jeff Klein stated "..... It means everything to me! I don't know. When we made it, I wanted to make something that I felt was meaningful to me, and something that I felt would really speak for where my head was at. I suppose I used it as a self-help thing, because I was in a really dark place and I felt if I went back to writing songs as medication, it would help. Which it did. It's a little autobiographical, which most of my work ends up being. I went to where my mom is from in New York and just holed up in the winter and wrote everything there as a way to feel I was in touch more with myself and where I came from. You tend to sometimes just be a zombie on a treadmill in this world, just going forward and doing whatever, and so I wanted to take a second and make sure I was okay. Or at least make myself feel a little bit better and get healthier as person. And I think writing these songs did that." {{Cite web|url=https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/r3zg9w/my-jerusalem-a-little-death|title=Listen to My Jerusalem's New Album, 'A Little Death'|date=20 June 2016 }}

My Jerusalem also toured with several bands throughout the year including Elliot Summer, with The Psychedelic Furs,{{Cite web|url=http://washingtonsquaremusic.com/2016/09/15/my-jerusalem-announce-fall-shows-with-eliot-sumner-and-the-psychedelic-furs/|title=Concord | Independent Music|date=25 October 2022 }} Against Me!,{{Cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/60377/tours-against-me-my-jerusalem-south|title = Tours: Against Me! / My Jerusalem (South)| date=29 March 2016 }} Hamilton Leithauser, and The Sounds.{{cite web |url=http://the-sounds.com/live-review-sounds-zipper-club-jerusalem-venue-11-16/ |title=LIVE REVIEW - THE SOUNDS, ZIPPER CLUB, MY JERUSALEM @ IN THE VENUE 11.16 - The Sounds |website=the-sounds.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630202409/http://the-sounds.com/live-review-sounds-zipper-club-jerusalem-venue-11-16/ |archive-date=2017-06-30}}

2017–present

Former member Dave Rosser died on June 27, 2017, from colorectal cancer in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was 50.

In 2018, My Jerusalem released a cover of L.A. Freeway, originally by Guy Clark.{{cite AV media| url-status = live| archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211209/5wqEFvl8Vas| archive-date = 2021-12-09| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wqEFvl8Vas| title = L.A. Freeway - My Jerusalem covers Guy Clark (w/ Amy Nelson) | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}

Notable live appearances

Discography

Without Feathers [EP]

Gone For Good

Preachers (2012)

A Little Death (2016)

References

{{reflist}}