{{Short description|Australian musical group}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Use Australian English|date=January 2012}}
{{Infobox musical artist | background = group_or_band | image = | image_upright = | alt = | caption = | alias = | origin = Perth, Australia | genre = {{Hlist|Rock|country|folk}} | years_active = {{Start date|1988}}–{{End date|1990}}; {{Start date|1992}}–{{End date|1996}} | label = {{Hlist|Waterfront|Citadel|Ra|Hi Gloss}} | spinoffs = The Blackeyed Susans | spinoff_of = Wet Taxis, Chad's Tree | current_members = | past_members = see Members }}
'''The Jackson Code''' were an Australian rock, country and folk band, which formed in Perth in 1988. The original line-up was Kenny Davis Jr on accordion and keyboards; Jason Kain on guitar (ex-Wet Taxis, Chad's Tree), Mark Snarski on guitar and vocals (ex-Chad's Tree) and Kathy Wemyss on vocals and trumpet (ex-Wet Taxis, Chad's Tree). The group released four studio albums ''Del Musical Del Mismo Nombre'' (1989), ''Strange Cargo'' (1992), ''Draggin' the River'' (1993) and ''The Things You Need'' (1995) before disbanding in 1996.
==Biography== ===1988–1991: Formation === The Jackson Code were formed in 1988 in Perth as a country, folk four-piece by Kenny Davis Jr on accordion and keyboards; Jason Kain on guitar (ex-Wet Taxis, Chad's Tree), Mark Snarski ({{abbr|a.k.a.|also known as}} Marek Snarski)<ref name="NLA Strange">{{Citation |author1=Snarski, Marek |author2=Jackson Code (Musical group) |title=Strange Cargo |date=1992 |publisher=Citadel Records |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/24605560 |access-date=4 August 2023 }}</ref> on guitar and vocals (Chad's Tree) and Kathy Wemyss on vocals and trumpet (ex-Wet Taxis, Chad's Tree) while Chad's Tree were about to disband.<ref name="McF" /><ref name="Holmgren Wet">{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040310145814/http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/w/wettaxis.html |url=http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/w/wettaxis.html |title=Wet Taxis |first1=Magnus |last1=Holmgren |first2=Roger |last2=Griffin |publisher=Australian Rock Database |archive-date=10 March 2004 |access-date=4 August 2023 |url-status=usurped }}</ref> From September 1988, Snarski started writing non-Chad Tree material, which included tracks working with Kain and Wemyss, "Kerosene", "Joe's Flame", "Bringer of Light", "Strange Lullaby" and "Hotel Stationery".<ref name="McF">{{cite encyclopedia|last=McFarlane |first=Ian |authorlink=Ian McFarlane |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop |title=Encyclopedia entry for 'The Jackson Code' |url=http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=954 |access-date=20 November 2009 |year=1999 |publisher=Allen & Unwin |location=St Leonards, NSW |isbn=1-86508-072-1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040418233515/http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=954 |archivedate=18 April 2004 }}</ref><ref name="Gerard 1" /> In 1991, Snarski described their early performances: {{quote|It actually started out one night when Mathew De La Hunty asked me if I'd support Tall Tales and True as a solo act; and I thought 'Ohh, no, what I'll do is rope in Jason and Kenny.' and I rang Mathew back and said 'pay us a little more money and I'll do it as the Jackson Code.' It was actually Jason, Kenny and myself who played the first night and we roped in Kathy for the second night.|Mark Snarski<ref name="Gerard 1">{{cite web |url=http://davidgerard.co.uk/pf/16/pf16.pdf |title=Mark Snarski and the Jackson Code |first=David |last=Gerard |date=October–November 1991 |work=Party Fears |issue=16 |page=4 |access-date=3 August 2023 }}</ref>}} Snarski had relocated to Sydney and for the band's debut album, ''Del Musical Del Mismo Nombre'', he used the previously written material and added Mark Dawson on drums, Amanda Pearson on vocals and percussion and Barry Turnbull on bass guitar.<ref name="McF"/><ref name="Gerard 1" /> It was released in August 1989 on the Waterfront label to critical acclaim,<ref name="McF"/> and was re-released on CD in 1993.<ref name="NLA Del musical">{{Citation |author1=Snarski, Mark |author2=Jackson Code (Musical group) |title=Del musical del mismo nombre |date=1993 |publisher=Citadel Records |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/27709501 |access-date=4 August 2023}}</ref> A major influence for Snarski was his trip to Spain, the album's title is Spanish for "From the Musical of the Same Name". The Jackson Code recorded the album in four days on a budget of $1000.<ref name="McF" /> The lush romanticism of the songs had critics searching for superlatives.<ref name="McF" /> Writing in ''Rolling Stone'', reviewer Jon Casimir described it as one of the minor masterpieces of 1989.<ref name="McF" /> According to Casimir they took inspiration for its "self-styled urban Romantic Cabaret" from German writers Brecht and Weill, as well as Tom Waits.<ref name="McF" /> They promoted the album with national tours, playing shows in Sydney and Melbourne. Rather than capitalise on their acclaim however, Snarski took a hiatus: travelling for two years in Spain and USA.<ref name="McF"/>
===1992–1996: Citadel and Ra Records=== Snarski revived the Jackson Code in 1992 to record their second studio album, ''Strange Cargo''.<ref name="McF" /> Davis Jnr, Kain, Snarski and Wemyss were joined in the studio by Dawson, Pearson and Turnbull, together with string, brass and hand-clap sections.<ref name="NLA Strange" /><ref name="McF" /><ref name="Lang 1">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article126985454 |title=The Musical Butchers |first=Rebecca |last=Lang |newspaper=The Canberra Times. The Good Times |volume=67 |issue=21,198 |date=29 April 1993 |accessdate=4 August 2023 |page=28 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> ''Strange Cargo'' was released on Citadel Records in August 1992.<ref name="McF" /><ref name="Lang 1" /> It had been recorded and mixed within one week.<ref name="Lang 1" /> ''The Canberra Times''{{'}} Rebecca Lang praised Wemyss' "riveting" vocals on "Trap the Light" and "Lucifer's Polka" and Snarski's lyrics "dubbed 'aural film noir,'>"<ref name="Lang 1" /> Australian musicologist Ian McFarlane noticed Snarski's "melodramatic vignettes, detailing a range of emotions and shady characters. The music ranged from rock to pop to country to jazz to European folk."<ref name="McF" /> At the ARIA Music Awards of 1993 it was nominated for Best Independent Release.<ref name="BIR ARIA" />
The band signed to RooArt in 1993 and released one of that years' finest albums, ''Draggin' the River'' in December.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.cs-ma-NAMO~248 |title=Jackson Code |publisher=National Library of Australia |work=Australian Music Online |access-date=6 July 2009}}</ref> Music journalist Ed Nimmervoll reviewed it, "Snarski invented a dark, brooding, menacing world for his songs to live in, and each song was like a little snapshot or movie captured in that world."<ref name="Nimmervoll">{{cite web |url=http://www.immedia.com.au/im_m/archive/000613-212/nimmervoll.html |title=Still Playing |first=Ed |last=Nimmervoll |author-link=Ed Nimmervoll |website=Music & Media Business News |date=13 June 2000 |issue=212 |via=National Library of Australia |archive-url=http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20000817232518/http://www.immedia.com.au/im_m/archive/000613-212/nimmervoll.html |archive-date=17 August 2000 |access-date=4 August 2023 |url-status=live }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> At the ARIA Music Awards of 1994 it was also nominated for Best Independent Release.<ref name="BIR ARIA" /> The band's fourth and last studio album ''The Things You Need'' was released in September 1995.<ref name="McF" /><ref name="NLA Things You">{{Citation |author1=Snarski, Mark |author2=Jackson Code (Musical group) |title=The Things You Need |date=1995 |publisher=Ra Records |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/27709200 |access-date=4 August 2023 }}</ref> McFarlane described the latter two albums, "vivid splashes of literary colour amid a world of grunge and techno."<ref name="McF" /> The group issued four non-charting singles during 1993 to 1995.<ref name="McF" />
After touring with American crime writer James Ellroy in 1996, Snarski left Australia for Europe eventually settling in Madrid. <blockquote>'There was this one afternoon where I'd dropped everyone off and I was carting this amp up the stairs of - what's that theatre we played in St Kilda? I just put it down and decided, I've had enough of this.'<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/music/bands-of-brothers/2005/08/31/1125302632297.html | title=Bands of brothers | newspaper=The Age | date=2 September 2005 | accessdate=10 June 2015 }}</ref></blockquote>
=== Afterwards === The Jackson Code's drummer Mark Dawson played with the Blackeyed Susans (also worked with Ed Kuepper). Kenny Davis Jr and Kathy Wemyss also briefly played with the Blackeyed Susans. Wemyss later performed with Midnight Oil at the opening ceremony of the Sydney Olympics in 2000, later she formed her own band Wemo. Davis joined Decoder Ring. Barry Turnbull and Mandy Pearson formed another group Love Me.<ref>[http://members.ozemail.com.au/~lovememusic/revfeat.htm Love Me website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081021230512/http://members.ozemail.com.au/~lovememusic/revfeat.htm |date=21 October 2008 }}</ref>
The Jackson Code's retrospective compilation double album, ''The Second Greatest Story Ever Told'' (September 1998) has one disc of tracks from the four studio albums and a second disc of rarities.<ref>[http://www.musicaustralia.org/apps/MA?function=showDetail¤tBibRecord=000025247234&itemSeq=10&total=11&returnFunction=searchResults&scope=scope&simpleTerm=Valentines+%28Musical+group%29+&sessionId=reuseSearchCE448E85F41B95665444C2C6806B9F3F1194251520575 Music Australia]</ref> In 2003, ''Del Musical Del Mismo Nombre'' was re-issued on CD format by Citadel Records. In June 2006, Snarski in Belgium sang with a specially reformed the Triffids for "An Evening with the Triffids" – an exhibition and show in remembrance of their lead singer David McComb.<ref>[http://australiantimes.co.uk/living.aspx?ID=148 Australian Times (26 November 2007)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081022104133/http://australiantimes.co.uk/living.aspx?ID=148 |date=22 October 2008 }}</ref> The Jackson Code's "Everybody's Got Something to Lose" was used in the Australian television series ''Heartbreak High'' Season 1, Episode 9 "Family Addition" in April 1994.<ref>[http://www.australiantelevision.net/hbh/music.html ''Heartbreak High'' music listing]</ref> ''Del Musical Del Mismo Nombre'' was re-released in January 2011.<ref name="ARIA Jan2011">{{cite web |url=http://aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-new-releases.htm |title=ARIA Charts – New Australasian Releases |publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) |date=January 2011 |via=National Library of Australia |archive-url=http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20110217004118/http://aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-new-releases.htm |archive-date=17 February 2011 |access-date=6 August 2023 |url-status=live }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
==Members== * Mark Snarski - vocals, electric & acoustic guitar * Kathy Wemyss - vocals, trumpet, castanets * Mark Dawson (aka Bongo Fury) - drums * Jason Kain - electric & acoustic guitar * Kenny Davis Jr - piano, hammond organ, accordion * Barry Turnbull - electric & acoustic bass * Mandy Pearson - vocals, percussion
==Discography== ===Studio albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- !Title !Album details |- ! scope="row"| ''Del Musical Del Mismo Nombre'' | *Released: August 1989<ref>[http://www.citadel-records.com/mailorder/600/discs/jcdelmus.html Citadel Records - Del Musical Del Mismo Nombre] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021003101704/http://www.citadel-records.com/mailorder/600/discs/jcdelmus.html |date=3 October 2002 }}</ref> *Label: Waterfront (DAMP 115) *Format: LP, Cassette |- ! scope="row"| ''Strange Cargo'' | *Released: August 1992<ref>[http://www.citadel-records.com/mailorder/600/discs/jccargo.html Citadel Records - Strange Cargo] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041221145622/http://www.citadel-records.com/mailorder/600/discs/jccargo.html |date=21 December 2004 }}</ref> *Label: Citadel (citcd528) *Format: CD |- ! scope="row"| ''Draggin' the River'' | *Released: December 1993<ref>[http://ozindiemusic.com/TJC_Disc.htm Oz Indie Music - Draggin' The River] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081022135834/http://ozindiemusic.com/TJC_Disc.htm |date=22 October 2008 }}</ref> *Label: Ra Records (4509938842) *Format: CD |- ! scope="row"| ''The Things You Need'' | *Released: September 1995<ref>[http://www.tagtuner.com/music/albums/The-Jackson-Code/The-Things-You-Need/album-v2e9be2 Tag Tuner - The Things You Need]</ref> *Label: Ra Records (0630111812) *Format: CD |}
===Compilation albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- !Title !Album details |- ! scope="row"| ''The Second Greatest Story Ever Told'' | *Released: September 1998<ref>[http://www.cd-database.net/database/misc/d30d9e0f.html CD Database]{{Dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}</ref> *Label: Silk Sheen (SILK008) *Format: 2×CD |- |}
===Singles=== * "Who's Watching Who?" - Ra (September 1993) * "Poison Berries" - Ra (January 1993) * "Bring Yourself Home to Me" - Ra (January 1994) * "The Things You Need" - Ra (July 1995)
==Awards and nominations== ===ARIA Music Awards=== The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony held by the Australian Recording Industry Association. They commenced in 1987.
{{awards table}} ! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- | 1993 | ''Strange Cargo'' | rowspan="2"| Best Independent Release | {{nom}} | rowspan="2"| <ref name="BIR ARIA">{{cite web |url=http://ariaawards.com.au/history/award/best-independent-release |title=Winners by Award – 25th ARIA Awards 2011 |publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) |via=National Library of Australia |archive-url=http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20120324123007/http://ariaawards.com.au/history/award/best-independent-release |archive-date=24 March 2012 |access-date=4 August 2023 |url-status=live }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> |- | 1994 | ''Dragging the River'' | {{nom}} |- {{end}}
==References== <references/>
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson Code, The}} Category:Australian indie rock groups Category:Musical groups from Western Australia Category:Musical groups established in 1989 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1996