Juliana, James, Thom and Dolla Bill of the DEGENERATORS are amazed their lead singer's even here today, let alone the band itself.
The typically upbeat, playfully sexy, charismatic Juliana Jai plummeted into a downward spiral so deep when her mother told her she was dying of pancreatic cancer a few years back. Cut herself off from bandlife, stricken with debilitating grief, barely able to speak at times, let alone perform.
"In my right mind now, of course I know I my mom didn't expect me to find a cure for cancer," she shares, "but I grieved so hard so long, cut myself off from friends for long stretches, just dizzy with pain because I couldn't find a way to save my best friend. "
She left California looking for a new place to call home, drank more and more and more. "I was a functioning zombie, Jai continued, "Couldn't see a reason to go on with much of anything and just quit everything."
Founding bandmate James Spyder Gray never really let her quit the Degenerators though. He encouraged a sabbatical of sorts: take all the time you need away and let us know if and when youre ready to go.
Intriguingly, her mother kept telling Juliana before she died in 2004 that she loved the music of the Degenerators (known then as Four19, on hold due to Juliana's family situation), advising her daughter that as long as she kept writing more songs like mom's favorites STAR, SKINNYDIP and CHERRY PIE, she'd do well.
Gimme A Sign
And lo and behold about a year after her mom passed, the bands song STAR landed a prime feature spot on the WB reality series Big Man on Campus a pleasantly eerie coincidence even if you dont believe in spirits and ghosts.
Hearing one of moms favorite songs of ours on our first network television spot was so surreal, Juliana said. Felt like she made that happen. Like she was trying to send me a sign to go on or something, to get up and keep it moving that it was really, okay to go after happiness the way she did.
Now STAR, SKINNYDIP, among other great Degenerators joints are featured on the re-release of their Malice In Wonderland EP Vol. I while the band readies their new record a fun, yet substantial, brighter, more danceable, groovecentric collection, Jai says.
The Degenerators were invited to re-release their original Malice In Wonderland EP Vol. I in 2009 on the Luminary/Nuttsactor 5/Nail indie label.
Coming Together
The Degenerators Juliana, James, Thom Tritt and Dolla Bill Mentlow came together around 2002, infusing hard-hitting rock-alt with doses of fat reggae-hip hop grooves.
James and Juliana formed the band while working as a songwriting team and looking for the right bandmates. Tritt and Mentlow settled in and bonded with the unit largely over shared musical influences: rock and punk that grooved and raw-beat hip hop that touched the soul.
They each discovered bands and artists like the Roots, Fishbone, The Clash, Outkast, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bad Brains, Nirvana, Tribe Called Quest, BDP, NWA, Jay-Z, Bob Marley, The Police, Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone, Ohio Players, Zeppelin and more growing up against the shores of California Juliana up north and each of the guys in southern California.
All members are now based in Los Angeles.
More on the Bandmates
Degenerators frontgrrl Juliana Jai is widely recognized as an original member of the near-legendary Dakah Symphonic Hip Hop Orchestra.
Featured vocalist Jai, who absolutely rocks fusing singing/rap/spoken word styles and along with this 70+ orchestral and DJ ensemble, has played some the greatest stages known: architectural wonder Disney Concert Hall, the San Francisco Palace of Fine Arts, Stern Grove, Mandalay Bay's House of Blues, UCLA Royce Hall, USC Bovard and more.
Yet, when Jai hits the ground running with the Degenerators, fans see a part of this vocalist soar for which only a raw, four-piece like the DGs could possibly create room and space to be.
James Spyder Gray (bass guitar, drums) is a melodic and rhythmic force with his unique bass guitar style and equally amazing drum chops. His first musical breaks came early as a touring drummer for Michael Franti's Spearhead and co-wrote their radio single "Hole in the Bucket" as a kid on Capitol Records.
His writing collaborations with Jai which became The Degenerators are a great opportunity for fans to see Gray kill on both bass guitar and drums during their hot live shows (switching instruments regularly with his talent-heavy bandmates).
Thom Tritt (lead guitar) hails from LA punk-ska band Indofrumbah. The gifted guitar player's none-too-common ability to both burn on lead and lock great rhythm first brought Tritt to Jai and Gray's attention.
He shares a family-tight chemistry and like musical interests with his bandmates, and often shares vocals with Jai and Gray.
Dolla Bill Mentlow (drums, bass guitar) holds a rocksteady pocket that impresses every Degenerators show. Plus, Mentlow surprises fans with solid bass chops whenever he and Gray switch up onstage.
Funny thing is, this drummer's first musical instrument he ever mastered is actually guitar. He'd focused on drums way before meeting his DGs bandmates, but who knows...we may get to see the formidable music man pick up a telley at a live show or two down the road. ••
The DEGENERATORS are
JULIANA JAI
lead vox
JAMES SPYDER GRAY
bass guitar+drums
THOMAS TRITT
lead guitar
DOLLA BILL MENTLOW
drums+guitars
THE DGs
CONTACT LUMINARY/L.A. TEL [818] 763.2277 EMAIL MAIL_DEGENERATORS.NET
