Jawbox

From their initial run beginning in 1989 and ending in 1997 to their reunions and into the present, Jawbox remains a band that channels a convergence of elements from the D.C. scene’s past and present. Formed by bassist Kim Coletta, vocalist/guitarist J. Robbins of Government Issue and drummer Adam Wade, the trio was joined in 1991 by vocalist/guitarist Bill Barbot, with Zach Barocas later taking over drums following Wade’s departure from the group in 1992. Across eight years, the band toured extensively while remaining a core D.C. punk band with a sound that joined the ferocity of hardcore with a penchant for balancing melody and dissonance. Jawbox reunited in 2019 and, beyond their current touring and recording, members of Jawbox have remained active in the scene in varied ways. Wade was a member of Shudder to Think, Coletta and Barbot operated DeSoto Records, and Robbins has produced a number of significant bands, including D.C. acts Faraquet and the Dismemberment Plan.

Drawn from the Chris Baronner digital collection on D.C. punk, the Sharon Cheslow punk flyers collection, the John Davis collection on punk, the D.C. punk collection, and the D.C. punk and indie fanzine collection at Special Collections in Performing Arts at the University of Maryland.

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