Ruby Joe

Prior to Ruby Joe, Greg Russinger and Joe Baugh played in a band called Strugglefish.{{cite web |url=http://imusic.com/showcase/modern/rubyjoe.html |title=Ruby Joe Interview |accessdate= 14 November 2008 |year=1999 |publisher=iMusic/Artistdirect |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19990424101059/http://imusic.com/showcase/modern/rubyjoe.html |archivedate=1999-04-24 }} Russinger was a youth pastor at Horizon Foursquare Church, Ventura, CA. In 1996 the band gained the bass talents of Amber Reeves and the drumming of Christina Hock, forming an all-female rhythm section.{{cite journal |last=Koss |first="Boss" Vic |title=Reviews: Sinking the Eight Ball |pages=54 |date=November–December 1997 |issue=15 |journal=7ball |issn=1082-3980}} Ruby Joe's debut release, Sinking the Eight Ball (1998), drew upon the production talents of Mike Knott and Gene Eugene. The band's sound wound up being somewhere between the Stray Cats and The Reverend Horton Heat, or "like a rockabilly version of Mike Knott..."{{cite journal |last=Jeffrey |first=Anthony |date=March 1998 |title=Reviews / Sinking the Eight Ball |journal=CCM Magazine |issn=1524-7848 |volume=20 |issue=9 |pages=78 }} Russinger wrote most of the lyrics, addressing issues such as racism, the underground church in China, materialism, temptation, and human's internal spiritual battles with their sinful nature.

Not all content was well received; three tracks in particular caused the band trouble. "Rock 'n' Roll & My Baby", which deal with New Age spiritualism, and "Death Train", dealing with the victims of the Holocaust. Finally Russinger dealt with his own former speed addiction in "Spiritual Heroin",{{cite journal |last=Menke |first=Jimmy |date=May–June 1998 |title=Tools / Music |journal=YouthWorker Journal |issn=0747-3486 |volume=XVI |issue=5 |pages=69–70 }} describing how Christ can fill the need created by addictions, which one reviewer described as a "slightly disturbing metaphor."{{cite journal |last=Rimmer |first=Mike |date=June 1998 |title=Ruby Joe – Sinking The Eight Ball |journal=Cross Rhythms |issue=45}} All of this led to trouble with the Christian music establishment; the album was pulled from some Christian book stores and the band disallowed from playing at a Christian music festival.{{cite journal |last=Thompson |first=John J. |authorlink=John J. Thompson |title=bankshots: Ruby Joe |pages=46 |date=September–October 1998 |issue=20 |journal=7ball |issn=1082-3980}}

On their second release, Hot Rod Deluxe (1999), the band added elements of swing revival, leading one reviewer to refer to it as "swingabilly".{{cite web |url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/RubyJoe.asp |title=Ruby Joe / Hot Rod Deluxe |accessdate=18 November 2008 |last=Terry |first=Jenn |date=1999-05-03 |publisher=Jesus Freak Hideout}} This effort was produced by Billy Zoom (of X) and joined by the horn section of Royal Crown Revue, including Bill Ungerman, Mando Dorame, and Scotty Steen.{{cite journal |title=7ball Bullpen Bulletins |pages=14 |date=March–April 1999 |issue=23 |journal=7ball |issn=1082-3980}} This release is generally considered to be their better effort,{{cite journal |last=Cummings |first=Tony |date=June 1999 |title=Ruby Joe – Hot Rod Deluxe |journal=Cross Rhythms |issue=51}} more focused than their debut. The lyrics also shift in attitude from their first album; on Hot Rod Deluxe it became "easier to see the biblical point" that is trying to be made.

The band also appeared on the 1999 Jackson Rubio various artists compilation Jackson/Rubio's Rockabilly and Western Gospel Hymns. This album contained reworked spirituals and standard hymns such as "Amazing Grace"; Ruby Joe provided renditions of "Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho" and "Walk Dem Golden Stairs". Reviews of the band's performance were mixed; One reviewer called the band's cuts "standouts",{{cite web |url=http://www.smackdabdesign.com/fishbowl/rockabilly.html |title=Jackson/Rubio Has Some Fun |accessdate=14 November 2008 |author=Dave |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120181951/http://www.smackdabdesign.com/fishbowl/rockabilly.html |archivedate=20 November 2008 }} while another stated that their rendition of "Joshua" "grows fairly long in the tooth by the song's end and easily pales in comparison to, say, Elvis' more passionate and varied arrangement from his gospel magnum opus His Hand in Mine."{{cite web |url=http://www.tollbooth.org/review99/jrrock.html |title=Jackson/Rubio's Rockabilly and Western Gospel Hymns |accessdate=14 November 2008 |author1=Bert Gangl |author2=Trish Patterson |author3=Steven S. Baldwin |year=1999}} Russinger later provided lead vocals on the Scott Blackwell produced album Punk Praise Volume 1 (2001, Abundant Praise records).{{cite journal |title=News / Modern Rock |pages=15 |date=January–February 2001 |issue=34 |journal=7ball |issn=1082-3980}} The disc featured musicians from worship teams around Southern California.

• Joe Baugh
• Christina Hock – drums
• Amber Reeves – bass
• Greg Russinger – lead vocalist and guitarist

• 1997: Year After Year (EP, independent)
• 1998: Sinking the Eight Ball
• 1999: Hot Rod Deluxe

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• {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p370964|label=Ruby Joe}}

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Category:Christian rock groups from California

Category:Musical groups established in 1996

Category:Musical groups from Orange County, California

Category:American psychobilly musical groups

Category:Swing revival ensembles