Jeffrey Lewis
Folk Rock Punk Band from United Kingdom
Jeffrey Lewis (born November 20, 1975) is an American singer-songwriter and comic book artist.
Early life
Lewis was born in New York City and grew up on the Lower East Side. He attended State University of New York at Purchase, graduating in 1997 with a degree in Literature. His Senior Literary Thesis was on the comic book Watchmen.Lewis also lectured on the topic of Watchmen at the Institute For Cultural Studies at the University of Leuven, Belgium, in 2000, and the text of his lecture ("The Dual Nature of Apocalypse in Watchmen") was published in the book The Graphic Novel, edited by Jan Baetens, in 2001.Starting in 2000, he spent about two years living in Austin, Texas, playing open mic nights, working odd jobs and distributing his autobiographical comics to local coffee shops.
Music
Several of his musical influences have been acknowledged in his songs such as "Williamsburg Will Oldham Horror", "The History of The Fall" and "The Chelsea Hotel Oral Sex Song", concerning the song by Leonard Cohen. Lewis' lyrics are complex and literate, often combining a nihilistic world-view with a hopeful message and sharp wit. Growing up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, his songs are also highly informed by his home surroundings, with songs name-dropping places such as Williamsburg, the FDR Drive and the East River.
Lewis is often regarded as part of the antifolk movement, foremost because he was one of the many bands and performers (including The Moldy Peaches, Kimya Dawson, Diane Cluck, Regina Spektor, Major Matt Mason USA and Lach) who played in the 1990s at New York's SideWalk Cafe and its biannual antifolk festivals and open mic events. His music also possesses certain traits of a perceived antifolk style – a downbeat self-deprecating humor, an off-kilter singing style, a mixture of acoustic and 'punk' songs which feature themes of everyday occurrences and feelings. Lewis himself does not mind the 'antifolk' tag: "I think it's a cool title. The fact that no one knows what it means, including me, makes it kind of mysterious and more interesting than saying that you're a singer/songwriter or that you play indie rock."After being signed by the British record label Rough Trade in 2001, Jeffrey Lewis released his first official album The Last Time I Did Acid I Went Insane. Also that year (in February), Lewis was visited by Kimya Dawson while living in Austin, Texas. Over the week she stayed there, they wrote five songs. These songs were later re-recorded with a full band and released by K Records under the moniker "The Bundles," on an album of the same name, in 2010.In 2003 Rough Trade released the album It's the Ones Who've Cracked That the Light Shines Through, credited to Jeffrey Lewis with Jack Lewis and drummer Anders Griffen. His third Rough Trade record, City and Eastern Songs, was released in the UK in November 2005 and in the US in September 2006. Most of Lewis's albums also include his brother, Jack Lewis, who wrote or co-wrote and sang and played bass on a number of the songs. In October 2007, Rough Trade released 12 Crass Songs, a Jeffrey Lewis album consisting entirely of songs written by the British punk band Crass, reworked to match Lewis's antifolk style.
He has also performed and collaborated with Kimya Dawson of The Moldy Peaches as well as Diane Cluck. Some of his hand-drawn comics appear in the cover art of his CD releases.
In June 2008 Jeffrey Lewis with his brother Jack were the support act for Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks in Europe. Other well-known acts that Lewis has performed shows or whole tours with include Devendra Banhart, Jarvis Cocker, Black Dice, Adam Green, Thurston Moore, the Fall, Kimya Dawson, Beth Orton, Frank Black, the Fiery Furnaces, Daniel Johnston, Scout Niblett, the Mountain Goats, Dr. Dog, The Moldy Peaches, Cornershop, Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players, Wooden Wand, the Cribs, Danielson, Herman Dune, Los Campesinos, Roky Erickson, and Super Furry Animals.
The New York Times has published his writings and graphic works.The New York Times online Op-Ed page "Measure For Measure" hired Jeffrey Lewis to write a number of short essays on the topic of songwriting, some of which he drew in comic book form. All went up on The New York Times website at intervals from 2008 to 2013.Lewis has created a number of illustrated historical songs, usually sung while flipping through accompanying books of color drawings, including ten such pieces which are in use by The History Channel on their website.In November 2011 The New York Times ran a feature article on Jeffrey Lewis in the Arts section of November 23, written by Ben Sisario.Lewis published a comic strip in The Guardian newspaper in London. It was entitled "What Would Pussy Riot Do?" and it was printed on the occasion of a new release of a single with the same title.In a January 2018 "MusicMakers" interview with Adafruit, Lewis announced he was working on numerous new projects, including "Writing a new issue of my comic book series, mastering an album I recorded of covers of Tuli Kupferberg songs, mixing an album I recorded in collaboration with Peter Stampfel, and working on writing and recording new songs with my band for my own next album. Remastering and repackaging my old 2005 album “City & Eastern Songs" for a deluxe vinyl re-issue."
Artwork and writing
Jeffrey has his own comic book series titled Fuff (formerly called Guff).
In March 2009, he designed the cover to the sixth issue of Bearded magazine.
Comics
Reflections on Tomorrow thus a yesterday Flower Shall Doom (1998)
The Worldwide Comix Scavenger Hunt vol 1 (1998–2003)
Reflections #2 (1998–2003)
Trip to Key West (1999)
1999 European Travel Diary (1999)
Jeff's Austin Diary (2001)
Come to My Show (2004) (reissued as "Fuff # 0" in 2011)
Guff # 1 (2004) (reissued as "Fuff # 1" in 2005)
Guff # 2 (2005) (reissued as "Fuff # 2" in 2008)
Guff # 3 (2005) (reissued as "Fuff # 3 in 2008)
Fuff # 4 (2006)
Fuff # 5 (2006)
Fuff # 6 (2007)
Fuff # 7 (2008)
Fuff # 8 (2010)
Fuff # 9 (2014)
Fuff # 10 (2014)
Fuff # 11 (2016)
The Art of Touring (2007) (A compilation book featuring a comic story that also appears in Fuff # 6)
Comic book press kit for Mountain Goats' album Heretic Pride (2008)
The chapter "Tuli Kupferberg" in The Beats: A Graphic History (2009) (co-author)
Early life
Lewis was born in New York City and grew up on the Lower East Side. He attended State University of New York at Purchase, graduating in 1997 with a degree in Literature. His Senior Literary Thesis was on the comic book Watchmen.Lewis also lectured on the topic of Watchmen at the Institute For Cultural Studies at the University of Leuven, Belgium, in 2000, and the text of his lecture ("The Dual Nature of Apocalypse in Watchmen") was published in the book The Graphic Novel, edited by Jan Baetens, in 2001.Starting in 2000, he spent about two years living in Austin, Texas, playing open mic nights, working odd jobs and distributing his autobiographical comics to local coffee shops.
Music
Several of his musical influences have been acknowledged in his songs such as "Williamsburg Will Oldham Horror", "The History of The Fall" and "The Chelsea Hotel Oral Sex Song", concerning the song by Leonard Cohen. Lewis' lyrics are complex and literate, often combining a nihilistic world-view with a hopeful message and sharp wit. Growing up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, his songs are also highly informed by his home surroundings, with songs name-dropping places such as Williamsburg, the FDR Drive and the East River.
Lewis is often regarded as part of the antifolk movement, foremost because he was one of the many bands and performers (including The Moldy Peaches, Kimya Dawson, Diane Cluck, Regina Spektor, Major Matt Mason USA and Lach) who played in the 1990s at New York's SideWalk Cafe and its biannual antifolk festivals and open mic events. His music also possesses certain traits of a perceived antifolk style – a downbeat self-deprecating humor, an off-kilter singing style, a mixture of acoustic and 'punk' songs which feature themes of everyday occurrences and feelings. Lewis himself does not mind the 'antifolk' tag: "I think it's a cool title. The fact that no one knows what it means, including me, makes it kind of mysterious and more interesting than saying that you're a singer/songwriter or that you play indie rock."After being signed by the British record label Rough Trade in 2001, Jeffrey Lewis released his first official album The Last Time I Did Acid I Went Insane. Also that year (in February), Lewis was visited by Kimya Dawson while living in Austin, Texas. Over the week she stayed there, they wrote five songs. These songs were later re-recorded with a full band and released by K Records under the moniker "The Bundles," on an album of the same name, in 2010.In 2003 Rough Trade released the album It's the Ones Who've Cracked That the Light Shines Through, credited to Jeffrey Lewis with Jack Lewis and drummer Anders Griffen. His third Rough Trade record, City and Eastern Songs, was released in the UK in November 2005 and in the US in September 2006. Most of Lewis's albums also include his brother, Jack Lewis, who wrote or co-wrote and sang and played bass on a number of the songs. In October 2007, Rough Trade released 12 Crass Songs, a Jeffrey Lewis album consisting entirely of songs written by the British punk band Crass, reworked to match Lewis's antifolk style.
He has also performed and collaborated with Kimya Dawson of The Moldy Peaches as well as Diane Cluck. Some of his hand-drawn comics appear in the cover art of his CD releases.
In June 2008 Jeffrey Lewis with his brother Jack were the support act for Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks in Europe. Other well-known acts that Lewis has performed shows or whole tours with include Devendra Banhart, Jarvis Cocker, Black Dice, Adam Green, Thurston Moore, the Fall, Kimya Dawson, Beth Orton, Frank Black, the Fiery Furnaces, Daniel Johnston, Scout Niblett, the Mountain Goats, Dr. Dog, The Moldy Peaches, Cornershop, Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players, Wooden Wand, the Cribs, Danielson, Herman Dune, Los Campesinos, Roky Erickson, and Super Furry Animals.
The New York Times has published his writings and graphic works.The New York Times online Op-Ed page "Measure For Measure" hired Jeffrey Lewis to write a number of short essays on the topic of songwriting, some of which he drew in comic book form. All went up on The New York Times website at intervals from 2008 to 2013.Lewis has created a number of illustrated historical songs, usually sung while flipping through accompanying books of color drawings, including ten such pieces which are in use by The History Channel on their website.In November 2011 The New York Times ran a feature article on Jeffrey Lewis in the Arts section of November 23, written by Ben Sisario.Lewis published a comic strip in The Guardian newspaper in London. It was entitled "What Would Pussy Riot Do?" and it was printed on the occasion of a new release of a single with the same title.In a January 2018 "MusicMakers" interview with Adafruit, Lewis announced he was working on numerous new projects, including "Writing a new issue of my comic book series, mastering an album I recorded of covers of Tuli Kupferberg songs, mixing an album I recorded in collaboration with Peter Stampfel, and working on writing and recording new songs with my band for my own next album. Remastering and repackaging my old 2005 album “City & Eastern Songs" for a deluxe vinyl re-issue."
Artwork and writing
Jeffrey has his own comic book series titled Fuff (formerly called Guff).
In March 2009, he designed the cover to the sixth issue of Bearded magazine.
Comics
Reflections on Tomorrow thus a yesterday Flower Shall Doom (1998)
The Worldwide Comix Scavenger Hunt vol 1 (1998–2003)
Reflections #2 (1998–2003)
Trip to Key West (1999)
1999 European Travel Diary (1999)
Jeff's Austin Diary (2001)
Come to My Show (2004) (reissued as "Fuff # 0" in 2011)
Guff # 1 (2004) (reissued as "Fuff # 1" in 2005)
Guff # 2 (2005) (reissued as "Fuff # 2" in 2008)
Guff # 3 (2005) (reissued as "Fuff # 3 in 2008)
Fuff # 4 (2006)
Fuff # 5 (2006)
Fuff # 6 (2007)
Fuff # 7 (2008)
Fuff # 8 (2010)
Fuff # 9 (2014)
Fuff # 10 (2014)
Fuff # 11 (2016)
The Art of Touring (2007) (A compilation book featuring a comic story that also appears in Fuff # 6)
Comic book press kit for Mountain Goats' album Heretic Pride (2008)
The chapter "Tuli Kupferberg" in The Beats: A Graphic History (2009) (co-author)
View full biography
- Biography -
28 albums

I Wanna Do Something Illegal With Amy Rose Spiegel
2020 - United KingdomIndie Rock
Vinyl 7" ⎯ 2 Tracks
Cara Records

Mama Nature Says You're Grounded
2020 - United KingdomDigital FLAC ⎯ 1 Tracks
Moshi Moshi Records

Keep It Chill In The East Vill
2020 - United KingdomDigital FLAC ⎯ 1 Tracks
Moshi Moshi Records

Preserve Our National Reserve / Washing My Hands Again
2020 - United KingdomDigital FLAC ⎯ 2 Tracks
Moshi Moshi Records

Jeffrey Lewis Did Not Choose The Tracks Or Sequence For This Out-Takes And Rarities Album 2007-2014
2016 - United KingdomIndie Rock, Lo-Fi, Folk Rock
Vinyl LP ⎯ 15 Tracks
Soild Gold Records

No. 2 Girl
2015 - United KingdomIndie Rock, Lo-Fi, Folk Rock
Hybrid CD-Record ⎯ 2 Tracks
People In A Position To Know

Come On Board
2011 - United KingdomLo-Fi, Indie Rock
CD Album ⎯ 13 Tracks
Not On Label (jeffrey Lewis Self-released)

A Turn In The Dream-Songs
2011 - United KingdomFolk Rock, Indie Rock
CD Album ⎯ 15 Tracks
Rough Trade

City & Eastern Tapes
2008 - United KingdomFolk Rock
CD Album ⎯ 18 Tracks
Not On Label (jeffrey Lewis Self-released)

20 Minute Split Single
2007 - United KingdomFolk Rock, Spoken Word
CD Single ⎯ 4 Tracks

12 Crass Songs
2007 - United KingdomFolk Rock, Indie Rock, Folk
CD Album ⎯ 12 Tracks
Rough Trade

Tapes From The Crypt - 14 Songs Dug Up From Jeffrey Lewis' Home Recordings 1997-2001
2006 - United KingdomAcoustic, Lo-Fi, Indie Rock
CDr Album Compilation ⎯ 14 Tracks
Not On Label (jeffrey Lewis Self-released)

City & Eastern Songs
2005 - United KingdomFolk Rock, Acoustic, Lo-Fi
CD Album ⎯ 12 Tracks
Rough Trade

History Of Punk On The Lower East Side Of NYC 1950-1975
2004 - United KingdomCD Mini ⎯ 2 Tracks
Not On Label (jeffrey Lewis Self-released)

Four Seasons
2003 - United KingdomAlternative Rock, Acoustic, Folk
Vinyl, Box Set 7" ⎯ 7 Tracks
Hallso

No LSD Tonight
2003 - United KingdomFolk Rock, Acoustic, Lo-Fi
Vinyl 7" ⎯ 4 Tracks
Rough Trade America

It's The Ones Who've Cracked That The Light Shines Through
2003 - United KingdomFolk Rock, Acoustic
CD Album ⎯ 13 Tracks
Rough Trade

AFNY Collaborations Volume 1
2002 - United KingdomFolk Rock, Acoustic, Lo-Fi
CDr Album Compilation ⎯ 8 Tracks
Olive Juice Music

Graveyard / Spirit Of Love
2002 - United KingdomLo-Fi, Indie Rock
Vinyl 7" ⎯ 2 Tracks
Nowhere Fast Records

Kimya Dawson And Jeff Lewis
2001 - United KingdomCDr Album ⎯ 5 Tracks
Not On Label (jeffrey Lewis Self-released)

The Chelsea Hotel Oral Sex Song
2001 - United KingdomFolk Rock, Acoustic
Vinyl 7" ⎯ 1 Tracks
Rough Trade

Songs From Austin
2001 - United KingdomCDr Album ⎯ 13 Tracks
Not On Label (jeffrey Lewis Self-released)

The Last Time I Did Acid I Went Insane
2001 - United KingdomFolk Rock, Acoustic
CD Album ⎯ 10 Tracks
Rough Trade

Indie-Rock Fortune Cookie
1998 - United KingdomFolk Rock, Acoustic
Cassette Album ⎯ 13 Tracks
Not On Label (jeffrey Lewis Self-released)

The River / Travel Light / Finish Line
- United KingdomFolk Rock, Acoustic, Lo-Fi
Digital FLAC ⎯ 3 Tracks
Not On Label (jeffrey Lewis Self-released)
- Videos Jeffrey Lewis -
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Last Update : 01 April 2021
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