Tenni met Jessicka while attending Piper High School in Sunrise, Florida. They had begun writing songs, but had not yet formed a band when Moulder and Inhell joined them to create the band that would become Jack Off Jill. Jack Off Jill's first show was opening for fellow Floridian and long time friend Marilyn Manson and his shock-rock outfit, Marilyn Manson and the Spooky Kids, at a Davie, Florida night club called The Plus Five Lounge. The female foursome quickly became one of the most exciting and controversial underground bands during their heyday. Surname-free singer, Jessicka delivered gut-wrenching lyrics in an angelic to banshee-like voice and performed shocking on-stage antics that included stripping young men on stage while the band and crowd taunted the exposed fans, as well as covering the audience with spit and real blood and candy. Jessicka even spent a night in jail when she and Manson were arrested after a 1994 concert in Jacksonville, Florida, after being accused by the town's Christian Coalition for breaking the town's adult entertainment codes. [4] Though the members of Jack Off Jill never claimed to be shock rockers, they were often labeled as such. In fact, Jack Off Jill had more in common musically with riot grrrl acts such as Bikini Kill and Babes in Toyland than they did with Marilyn Manson and the Spooky Kids, with whom Jack Off Jill would later be constantly compared. It did not help that after a four year relationship, then boyfriend Twiggy Ramirez, began to mimic Jessicka's dress and appearance, making critics' comparisons draw even closer.[5]
Jack Off Jill released several independent records: "Children 5 and Up", "The Boygrinder Sessions", "Cannibal Song Book", (produced by JOJ and Manson) "Cockroach Waltz", and several 7" singles. It was not until, April 8, 1994, when JOJ played a benefit show for Rock Against Domestic Violence with Babes in Toyland and 7 Year Bitch, the same day lead-singer of American grunge rock band Nirvana, Kurt Cobain, was found dead in his Seattle home, that Jack Off Jill caught the eye of record labels. Drummer Lori Barbero from Babes wanted to sign them to her now defunct Minneapolis label Spanish Fly, but it was not to be. Jack Off Jill then caught the eyes and ears of Los Angeles based Risk Records, who signed them in January 1997. They replaced both Ah Cha Cha and Inhell with new members because the two were not ready to leave Florida. The band released their first national 7" "Girl Scout"/"American Made" in March of 1997. On September 9 1997, their first full-length Sexless Demons And Scars (produced by Gumball's leader Don Fleming, who produced Hole's Pretty on the Inside) was released..
After moderate underground success, touring with Lords of Acid, and playing to sold-out crowds in 1997, Jack Off Jill headed to Los Angeles in order to complete 1998's Covetous Creature, a remix EP of songs from Sexless Demons and Scars with the help of SMP (Scott Putesky), a founding member of Marilyn Manson and new drummer Claudia Rossi.[6] The new manifestation of Jack Off Jill hit the road on a national tour with Psychotica, joined along the way by Switchblade Symphony.
The band road-tested new songs in March of 1999 when JOJ were asked to take the opening slot on the Marilyn Manson / Monster Magnet / Hole tour after Hole departed.[3] With Putesky no longer in the guitar position, JOJ enlisted the help of Jessicka's then-boyfriend guitarist Clint Walsh, original JOJ guitarist Michelle Inhell (Oliver), and drummer Norm Block (formerly of Plexi) for the tour. On July 17, 2000, JOJ released their second full-length CD, Clear Hearts Grey Flowers on Risk Records, that featured a cover by artist Mark Ryden and was produced by Chris Vrenna of Tweaker and Nine Inch Nails. The new album was different from the first having a more Gothic rock sound and a cover of the Cure's "Lovesong" was added as a hidden track. Due to pressure, poor publicity for C.H.G.F, several line up changes, tension between founding members Jessicka and Robin, and management problems, Jack Off Jill played its last show at The Troubadour in Los Angeles in April of 2000. They were joined onstage by guitarist Helen Storer of the UK all-girl band Fluffy (and later of Thee Heavenly Music Association) and producer Chris Vrenna on drums. [7] JOJ officially called it quits in late 2000.
Years after their break-up, Jack Off Jill still manage to have a growing online cult following. Reviews for Jessicka's current band Scarling. begin with critics touting JOJ as "riot-goth legends" [8] and refer to Jack Off Jill's final album as," excellent, yet under- appreciated". [9]
In 2015, they reunited for some shows. One was in Ashville, North Carolina on July 18, 2015. They performed their last show was on October 23, 2015 (Jessicka's birthday) in London.
Original Line-up
* Jessicka (Jessicka Fodera) vocals
* Tenni Ah-Cha-Cha (Tenni Arslynian) drums
* Agent Moulder (Robin Moulder) bass, piano
* Michelle Inhell (Michelle Oliver) guitar
Former members
* Lauracet Simpson (Laura Simpson) – drums 1996-1997
* Ho Ho Spade (Jeff Tucci) – guitar 1996-1997
* SMP (Daisy Berkowitz / Scott Putesky) – guitar 1997-1998
* Claudia (Claudia Rossi) – drums 1997-1999
* Clint Walsh – guitar 1999-2000
* Norm Block – live drums 1999-2000
* Hellen Storer (Helen Storer) – live guitar 2000
* Chris Vrenna – live drums 2000
Jessicka is now singing with Scarling
Robin is now writing, recording and creating with TCR
The current musical status of the other members can be found by going to www.jackoffjill.com
Witch Hunt
Jack Off Jill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Witch hunt witch cunt burn this girl
Dead girl's dance they burn and twirl
Witch hunt witch cunt burn this girl
Dead girl's dance they burn
I'm running out of air
There's a carnival in the graveyard tonight
And they fall on my skin making tiny holes
Erasing my legacy
Nothing hurts
Nothings right
I am nothing
Turning to the left
I get on a ride
And the ride's dark
And drive Nazi cars
And I am no longer afraid
Because I've held on so tight
That I've crushed them
I've crushed them
It covers me
And I try to find comfort in the darkness
Where I am no longer your misanthropic majesty
With only one match and one chance to burn
Only one
I'm burning
I'm fucking burning
Dead girl's dance they burn they twirl
Witch hunt witch cunt burn this girl
The lyrics of Jack Off Jill's song "Witch Hunt" are dark and unsettling, revealing a twisted narrative of persecution and self-destruction. The title itself suggests a hunt or search for witches, utilized as a metaphor for the ongoing oppression and marginalization of women, especially those who refuse to conform to society's gender roles. The opening lines set the tone, as the dead girl's dance, an eerie and ominous gathering, is described as a place of burning and twirling. The repeated phrase "witch hunt witch cunt burn this girl" is both an invocation of violence and a condemnation of it, as the singer both acknowledges and condemns the brutality of those who seek to punish or destroy her.
As the song progresses, the tone shifts to a more introspective and personal one, as the singer reflects on her own struggles with identity and belonging. The imagery of a "carnival in the graveyard" adds to the sense of unease and foreboding, as the singer recognizes her own sense of mortality and transience. The poison falling from the clouds, which leaves tiny holes in her skin and erases her legacy, represents the corrosive effects of oppression and trauma, which can undermine one's sense of self-worth and agency.
Despite the bleakness of these lyrics, there is also a sense of defiance and resistance, as the singer refuses to be intimidated or broken by the forces that seek to destroy her. The image of crushing the Nazi cars suggests a rebellion against fascist ideologies, while the final lines of the song ("I'm burning, I'm fucking burning") can be read either as a tragic admission of defeat or a bold assertion of identity and autonomy. Overall, "Witch Hunt" is a powerful and provocative song that exposes the dark underbelly of our society's attitudes towards women and nonconformity.
Line by Line Meaning
Dead girl's dance they burn and twirl
There is a dance going on that features a deceased girl who is being burned and twirled on a pyre.
Witch hunt witch cunt burn this girl
This is a comment about a witch hunt where a girl is being accused of being a witch and they want to burn her because her genitals look different from what is expected.
I'm running out of air
The singer is feeling overwhelmed and suffocated, like they are running out of breath.
There's a carnival in the graveyard tonight
This line is creating a creepy, atmospheric feel, describing something strange and disturbing happening at a graveyard.
With the clouds that fall with poison
The clouds are poisonous and falling from the sky, potentially killing or harming anyone they come in contact with.
And they fall on my skin making tiny holes
The poisonous clouds are leaving marks on the singer's skin, possibly causing physical harm.
Erasing my legacy
The effects of the poison are so severe that they are destroying the singer's personal history and legacy.
Nothing hurts
Despite everything that is happening, the singer feels numb and detached, as if nothing can hurt them anymore.
Nothings right
This line further emphasizes the singer's detachment and lack of emotional connection to anything happening around them.
I am nothing
The singer feels completely insignificant and worthless in the grand scheme of things.
Turning to the left
This line describes the singer's physical movement, potentially indicating a change in perspective or a search for something new.
I get on a ride
The singer is riding something, potentially symbolizing a journey or movement through life.
And the ride's dark
The ride is in complete darkness, indicating a lack of clarity or direction.
And drive Nazi cars
This is a comment on the fascist nature of society and how it can be oppressive and controlling.
And I am no longer afraid
Despite everything happening around them, the singer is no longer afraid and is feeling empowered and free.
Because I've held on so tight
The singer's determination and grip on their own life is what has allowed them to overcome their fear.
That I've crushed them
The things that once held the singer back or scared them have been crushed or overcome through their own strength and determination.
It covers me
This line is ambiguous and can be interpreted in a few ways, but it likely means that some sort of change or transformation is happening and the singer is being consumed or enveloped by it.
And I try to find comfort in the darkness
Despite everything happening, the singer is searching for a sense of safety and solace in the darkness.
Where I am no longer your misanthropic majesty
This line is addressing someone or something that once held power over the singer, but they are no longer beholden to it or afraid of it.
With only one match and one chance to burn
This line is referencing the earlier witch hunt imagery, and implies that the artist only has one chance to destroy their oppressors and turn the tables.
Only one
This line emphasizes how narrow the singer's opportunities for change or revolution are.
I'm burning
This line is either meant literally (in the context of burning witches) or metaphorically (in the context of the singer's personal transformation).
I'm fucking burning
This line adds emphasis and intensity to the idea of transformation and change happening within the song.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind