When the four members of Be Your Own Pet stepped into a practice space in December, 2021, it had been more than a decade since they'd all been in the same room. The quartet had last been together in London's Heathrow airport, having just played to sold out rooms across the UK. Their trajectory had been fast--in the span of two years and starting when they were just 16, BYOP released two albums (via Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace in the US and XL Recordings in the UK), found themselves magazine cover stars, and played to ravenous crowds around the world. But the flame might have burned too quickly and they decided to call it quits.
The quartet had been living in a pressure cooker--both to put on wild performances every night and to keep up with the wild party lifestyle expected to come with their records. Vocalist Jemina Pearl was facing her own layer of stress as the focal point of constant judgment and attention singing at the center of the stage--not to mention as the only woman in the group.
After this white-hot run of a few years as teenagers, the four Nashville musicians moved on, carving their own unique paths. Stein led the way for four studio albums with Turbo Fruits and spun disco records as a DJ, bassist Nathan Vasquez took his own turn at the front with Deluxin', drummer John Eatherly undertook a variety of projects including Public Access T.V., and Pearl released a Thurston Moore- and Iggy Pop-featuring solo album before stepping away to start a family.
With a fresh slate of tour dates already booked, Be Your Own Pet are looking forward to sharing this new version of themselves with fans who are thrilled to reconnect and new fans who may not have been old enough to remember their first run. But the band are also longing to reconnect with each other and a part of themselves. The quartet are ready to step back out into the wild, vicious Be Your Own Pet world and rough things up again - but this time, on their own terms.
~~~
Be Your Own Pet - singer Jemina Pearl, guitarist Jonas Stein, bassist Nathan Vasquez, and drummers Jamin Orral John Eatherly - had a profound influence on bands of their day and beyond. Pearl's shadow looms especially large, with her ferocious vocal delivery and wild onstage antics.
"We were young and fearless," Stein recalls. "I hardly knew how to play the guitar. After seeing some really great underground touring punk bands and playing live shows at pizza joints and house parties, we had the whole 'we can do that, too' attitude. Our youthful confidence was unmatched at the ripe age of 15. We never knew what was to come next."
Vasquez shares similar recollections of the band's formation - "Meeting at school (Nashville School for the Arts) and joining the band was kind of a dream come true. What came after that far exceeded anything I had in mind though."
Be Your Own Pet's popularity was immediate and intense - the band nearly broke the "hype machine." They were quickly signing deals with tastemaker labels like XL & Ecstatic Peace, gracing the cover of major magazines, giving late-night TV performances, jet-setting to festivals around the world, and opening for everyone from the Arctic Monkeys to Sonic Youth... all while being too young to drink.
But the fact that they were teenagers was besides the point. This wasn't kitsch or cute... this was THE REAL DEAL. That's what was so special about the band, and what legions of kids (as evident in the oh-so-many stage invasions they incited) and older (possibly jaded) listeners connected to.
show less
The quartet had been living in a pressure cooker--both to put on wild performances every night and to keep up with the wild party lifestyle expected to come with their records. Vocalist Jemina Pearl was facing her own layer of stress as the focal point of constant judgment and attention singing at the center of the stage--not to mention as the only woman in the group.
After this white-hot run of a few years as teenagers, the four Nashville musicians moved on, carving their own unique paths. Stein led the way for four studio albums with Turbo Fruits and spun disco records as a DJ, bassist Nathan Vasquez took his own turn at the front with Deluxin', drummer John Eatherly undertook a variety of projects including Public Access T.V., and Pearl released a Thurston Moore- and Iggy Pop-featuring solo album before stepping away to start a family.
With a fresh slate of tour dates already booked, Be Your Own Pet are looking forward to sharing this new version of themselves with fans who are thrilled to reconnect and new fans who may not have been old enough to remember their first run. But the band are also longing to reconnect with each other and a part of themselves. The quartet are ready to step back out into the wild, vicious Be Your Own Pet world and rough things up again - but this time, on their own terms.
~~~
Be Your Own Pet - singer Jemina Pearl, guitarist Jonas Stein, bassist Nathan Vasquez, and drummers Jamin Orral John Eatherly - had a profound influence on bands of their day and beyond. Pearl's shadow looms especially large, with her ferocious vocal delivery and wild onstage antics.
"We were young and fearless," Stein recalls. "I hardly knew how to play the guitar. After seeing some really great underground touring punk bands and playing live shows at pizza joints and house parties, we had the whole 'we can do that, too' attitude. Our youthful confidence was unmatched at the ripe age of 15. We never knew what was to come next."
Vasquez shares similar recollections of the band's formation - "Meeting at school (Nashville School for the Arts) and joining the band was kind of a dream come true. What came after that far exceeded anything I had in mind though."
Be Your Own Pet's popularity was immediate and intense - the band nearly broke the "hype machine." They were quickly signing deals with tastemaker labels like XL & Ecstatic Peace, gracing the cover of major magazines, giving late-night TV performances, jet-setting to festivals around the world, and opening for everyone from the Arctic Monkeys to Sonic Youth... all while being too young to drink.
But the fact that they were teenagers was besides the point. This wasn't kitsch or cute... this was THE REAL DEAL. That's what was so special about the band, and what legions of kids (as evident in the oh-so-many stage invasions they incited) and older (possibly jaded) listeners connected to.
When the four members of Be Your Own Pet stepped into a practice space in December, 2021, it had been more than a decade since they'd all been in the same room. The quartet had last been together in London's Heathrow airport, having just played to sold out rooms across the UK. Their trajectory had been fast--in the span of two years and starting when they were just 16, BYOP released two albums (via Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace in the US and XL Recordings in the UK), found themselves magazine cover stars, and played to ravenous crowds around the world. But the flame might have burned too quickly and they decided to call it quits.
The quartet had been living in a pressure cooker--both to put on wild performances every night and to keep up with the wild party lifestyle expected to come with their records. Vocalist Jemina Pearl was facing her own layer of stress as the focal point of constant judgment and attention singing at the center of the stage--not to mention as the only woman in the group.
After this white-hot run of a few years as teenagers, the four Nashville musicians moved on, carving their own unique paths. Stein led the way for four studio albums with Turbo Fruits and spun disco records as a DJ, bassist Nathan Vasquez took his own turn at the front with Deluxin', drummer John Eatherly undertook a variety of projects including Public Access T.V., and Pearl released a Thurston Moore- and Iggy Pop-featuring solo album before stepping away to start a family.
With a fresh slate of tour dates already booked, Be Your Own Pet are looking forward to sharing this new version of themselves with fans who are thrilled to reconnect and new fans who may not have been old enough to remember their first run. But the band are also longing to reconnect with each other and a part of themselves. The quartet are ready to step back out into the wild, vicious Be Your Own Pet world and rough things up again - but this time, on their own terms.
~~~
Be Your Own Pet - singer Jemina Pearl, guitarist Jonas Stein, bassist Nathan Vasquez, and drummers Jamin Orral John Eatherly - had a profound influence on bands of their day and beyond. Pearl's shadow looms especially large, with her ferocious vocal delivery and wild onstage antics.
"We were young and fearless," Stein recalls. "I hardly knew how to play the guitar. After seeing some really great underground touring punk bands and playing live shows at pizza joints and house parties, we had the whole 'we can do that, too' attitude. Our youthful confidence was unmatched at the ripe age of 15. We never knew what was to come next."
Vasquez shares similar recollections of the band's formation - "Meeting at school (Nashville School for the Arts) and joining the band was kind of a dream come true. What came after that far exceeded anything I had in mind though."
Be Your Own Pet's popularity was immediate and intense - the band nearly broke the "hype machine." They were quickly signing deals with tastemaker labels like XL & Ecstatic Peace, gracing the cover of major magazines, giving late-night TV performances, jet-setting to festivals around the world, and opening for everyone from the Arctic Monkeys to Sonic Youth... all while being too young to drink.
But the fact that they were teenagers was besides the point. This wasn't kitsch or cute... this was THE REAL DEAL. That's what was so special about the band, and what legions of kids (as evident in the oh-so-many stage invasions they incited) and older (possibly jaded) listeners connected to.
read more
The quartet had been living in a pressure cooker--both to put on wild performances every night and to keep up with the wild party lifestyle expected to come with their records. Vocalist Jemina Pearl was facing her own layer of stress as the focal point of constant judgment and attention singing at the center of the stage--not to mention as the only woman in the group.
After this white-hot run of a few years as teenagers, the four Nashville musicians moved on, carving their own unique paths. Stein led the way for four studio albums with Turbo Fruits and spun disco records as a DJ, bassist Nathan Vasquez took his own turn at the front with Deluxin', drummer John Eatherly undertook a variety of projects including Public Access T.V., and Pearl released a Thurston Moore- and Iggy Pop-featuring solo album before stepping away to start a family.
With a fresh slate of tour dates already booked, Be Your Own Pet are looking forward to sharing this new version of themselves with fans who are thrilled to reconnect and new fans who may not have been old enough to remember their first run. But the band are also longing to reconnect with each other and a part of themselves. The quartet are ready to step back out into the wild, vicious Be Your Own Pet world and rough things up again - but this time, on their own terms.
~~~
Be Your Own Pet - singer Jemina Pearl, guitarist Jonas Stein, bassist Nathan Vasquez, and drummers Jamin Orral John Eatherly - had a profound influence on bands of their day and beyond. Pearl's shadow looms especially large, with her ferocious vocal delivery and wild onstage antics.
"We were young and fearless," Stein recalls. "I hardly knew how to play the guitar. After seeing some really great underground touring punk bands and playing live shows at pizza joints and house parties, we had the whole 'we can do that, too' attitude. Our youthful confidence was unmatched at the ripe age of 15. We never knew what was to come next."
Vasquez shares similar recollections of the band's formation - "Meeting at school (Nashville School for the Arts) and joining the band was kind of a dream come true. What came after that far exceeded anything I had in mind though."
Be Your Own Pet's popularity was immediate and intense - the band nearly broke the "hype machine." They were quickly signing deals with tastemaker labels like XL & Ecstatic Peace, gracing the cover of major magazines, giving late-night TV performances, jet-setting to festivals around the world, and opening for everyone from the Arctic Monkeys to Sonic Youth... all while being too young to drink.
But the fact that they were teenagers was besides the point. This wasn't kitsch or cute... this was THE REAL DEAL. That's what was so special about the band, and what legions of kids (as evident in the oh-so-many stage invasions they incited) and older (possibly jaded) listeners connected to.
show less
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