It looks like The Blue Jean Committee is destined to be one of those once-forgotten but now-beloved bands that was under-appreciated during its heyday. The “fake” band features Fred Armisen and Bill Hader, and were local favorites in the bumpin’ Northampton, Massachusetts scene in the ’70s. But now, they’re charging back full steam: They will be the subject of the season finale of IFC’s Documentary Now!, and they performed on Late Night with Seth Meyers earlier this week.
We put quotes around “fake” because The Blue Jean Committee are about to do more than many real bands ever will: release music with the support of a record label. Their debut EP, Catalina Breeze, is currently slated for a 12″ vinyl release on November 20 via Drag City, a real label that is home to a bunch of legitimate artists. The 7-track record is currently available for pre-order from Drag City’s website.
But the Catalina Breeze EP isn’t actually even the group’s first release: They had a single in 2014, “Massachusetts Afternoon”, and it’s available on iTunes right now, along with a B-side by a far more synth-driven act The Fingerlings, whose story we are also infinitely curious about.
We can’t wait for the band’s Documentary Now episode, because there are some major gaps in public knowledge of The Blue Jean Committee’s history. They were first seen on a Saturday Night Live sketch from 2011, performing “Massachusetts Afternoon” in a quaint bar. Here’s what we’ve gathered from that clip: Jason Segel, Jason Sudeikis and Keenan Thompson all used to be in the band, Bill Hader used to be a bartender at the venue, and Gonzo and Rowlf The Dog from The Muppets were among their early supporters.
Clearly, so many things happened between then and their current reunion, and we are dying to hear all about this roller-coaster soft rock journey.
