Biography
Formed in 1991 at U.C. Berkeley in California, the Jenny Thing stood out as a genuine college band whose sound mirrored the British-dominated music filling late-’80s campus radio playlists. The quartet included Matt Easton on vocals and guitar, Shyam Rao on guitar, Ehren Becker on bass, and Michael Phillips on drums. Easton and Phillips had been friends since childhood, Easton met Becker in junior high, and Rao completed the lineup after crossing paths with Easton during college. While numerous early-’90s American alternative acts adopted flannel attire and heavy metal riffs, the Jenny Thing stayed true to their new wave foundation and openly displayed their admiration for the Cure, the Smiths, and New Order. Local club dates brought steady support from fellow students, though the band never landed a major-label contract. They also made an appearance on the television show Star Search. Their debut album, Me, arrived in 1993 on the independent label Kendall Swim School Records. After issuing two further albums, the group ended once Rao relocated, leading Easton to begin solo recording. In 2000 Easton independently issued Love Ambition Demo via the Internet.
Albums
