17:
249:
published in 2022 by
University of Texas Press. The book is "a rollicking narrative of a criminal underworld," wrote critic Jason Mellard, as well as "an exemplary microhistory with close attention to currents that broader accounts of modern Austin have missed, if not outright ignored."
327:
with
Sublett, published in late March 2017, tells the history of the famed music hall affectionately known as "the 'Dillo" which served as an Austin music industry stage and incubator of Austin culture far beyond the decade it was in existence (1970-1980). And, in
244:
called it "a remarkable piece of scholarship" that "makes you think that
Sublett should be hailed as an Ellroy-level master of modern crime writing." Sublett mined the history of Austin crime and corruption in the 1970s for another true crime chronicle in
98:
Sublett left The
Violators after six months to concentrate on the Skunks, and the Violators disbanded thereafter, but the Skunks recorded numerous singles, EPs and LPs, and played across the US, including the punk meccas of New York City,
236:, chronicles his years-long work researching and writing a book about the Austin underworld of the 1950s-1970s, centered largely upon a group known as the Overton Gang. Sublett's nonfiction book on the gang was published in 2015, titled
311:
which debuted in 2007 with music by Austin-based singer-songwriter Darden Smith. In 2009, however, Sublett asserted his sole authorship of the play and announced that future productions would feature his own original
127:. The band more or less disbanded in 1983, but more recently have performed annual reunion shows at their favorite Austin club, the Continental Club. The Skunks were inducted in the Austin Music Hall of Fame in 2007.
1059:
332:
Sublett chronicled the colorful history of Esther's
Follies, Austin's longest running comedy, magic, and political satire stage show, which debuted in 1977 on the city's infamous downtown Sixth Street.
169:). Sublett currently performs in various club ensembles, variously known as Jesse Sublett's Big Three Trio and The Murder Ballad Show (the latter featuring his longtime collaborator and friend,
599:
420:
954:
793:"The capital city depicted in Jesse Sublett's look back at the small-time mobsters of the Sixties is weirder than any municipal marketing slogan could imagine – and more fun"
672:
941:"What if, in It's a Wonderful Life, Mr. Potter were the hero and George Bailey the heel? Then you'd have Broke Not Broken, the true tale of Lubbock banker Homer Maxey"
79:
in
January 1978 with bandmates Bill Blackmon and Eddie Munoz. Soon thereafter, The Skunks and The Violators (a band that included Sublett on bass guitar along with
706:
694:
1047:
107:. Sublett sang and played electric bass in the band. He also wrote most of the band's original material. Munoz left the band at the end of 1978 to join the
204:, relates the story of his girlfriend's murder when he was 22, his career with The Skunks, and his battle with throat cancer. Writing in the
825:
376:
173:). His most recent musical performances feature his upright bass work, a grittier vocal style and an ongoing fascination with the work of
319:, by Broadus Spivey and Jesse Sublett, published in 2014 by Texas Tech University Press, is one of several works co-authored by Sublett.
303:(chronicling the so-called "Perfect Storm" of 1991), which Sublett wrote, aired on the History Channel in 1999 and also premiered at the
1128:
67:
Sublett and his wife, Lois
Richwine, were married in 1984. They have one son, Dashiell Sublett, who was born in Los Angeles in 1993.
52:
863:"A Cancer Survivor on the Healing Nature of Birds, Writer-and-musician Jesse Sublett found solace in popular Texas birding spots"
1064:
862:
652:
529:
481:
446:
349:
792:
185:
Sublett began writing seriously in the 1980s. As of 2024, 12 books have been published under his name. His first novel,
812:
1048:"Jesse Sublett's Latest True-Crime Book Takes on the Last Gangster in Austin, The rise and fall of the Junkyard King"
809:
416:
138:
bands that arose in Austin from about 1985 to 1990, and who were perceived as reacting to the more ironic outlook of
808:“Last Gangster in Austin: Frank Smith, Ronnie Earle, and the End of a Junkyard Mafia by Jesse Sublett (review)"], "
450:
153:
Sublett played in numerous other ensembles over the years, including Secret Six, Flex, and a stint playing with ex-
56:
1118:
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285:
Sublett has also written extensively for non-fiction television, contributing to numerous series broadcast on
1113:
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533:
161:
and Carla Olson, as well as a band called World's Cutest
Killers featuring Kathy Valentine, Kelly Johnson (
878:
1123:
274:
Sublett's adaptation (written with director/producer
Stephen Purvis and Tom Huckabee) of the Austin play
35:. His essays and journalism have appeared in a wide range of publications, and he is also known for his
224:
940:
581:
502:
373:
1004:
978:“Esther's Follies The laughs, the gossip, and the story behind Texas' most celebrated comedy troupe "
900:
754:
644:
473:
690:
619:
337:
330:
Esther's
Follies The laughs, the gossip, and the story behind Texas' most celebrated comedy troupe,
150:. Moser began using the term in print, and it ended up becoming the catchphrase for these bands.
1108:
707:"New book tells the story of Austin’s ‘last gangster’ and the man who worked to take him down."
559:
92:
324:
223:
critic Greg Beets described it as "a gripping memoir that never feels forced or emotionally
1103:
341:
146:
bands. He used the phrase during a casual conversation with his friend, local music writer
104:
8:
48:
843:
778:
638:
549:
See the Skunks compilation CD, "Earthquake Shake: Live," 2000, or their other releases.
467:
304:
232:
582:"Young, Loud, and Cheap: The Skunks, the Band That Broke Austin Out of the Seventies,"
91:, and Marilyn Dean) made their Austin debut at a University of Texas area club called
1078:
815:", Texas State Historical Association, Volume 126, Number 4, April 2023, pp. 604-605.
740:
648:
525:
477:
442:
206:
166:
36:
773:
397:
247:
Last Gangster in Austin: Frank Smith, Ronnie Earle, and the End of a Junkyard Mafia,
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147:
143:
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806:
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131:
28:
210:, critic Marion Winik described the book as "riveting" and chose it for the
660:
537:
489:
454:
1016:
340:. His papers are collected in the Southwestern Writers Collection of the
158:
120:
115:, the band saw some touring success as headliners and as opening act for
88:
955:"The definitive history of Austin's iconic Armadillo World Headquarters"
1074:
162:
84:
76:
32:
901:"Deep in the Art: How In the West Became Deep in the Heart (of Texas)
676:
139:
124:
116:
108:
100:
16:
1068:
723:
387:, Texas State University–San Marcos (retrieved September 18, 2009).
774:"Adaptation: One writer's long, strange trip from fact to fiction"
299:
Boneyards: The Secret Lives of Machines." A two-hour documentary,
31:. As a musician, he is best known for his long-running rock trio,
27:(born May 15, 1954) is a musician, writer, and visual artist from
1042:
238:
1960s Austin Gangsters: Organized Crime that Rocked the Capital
307:
in Austin. He wrote the original book for a stage play called
95:, marking the beginning of the punk/new wave scene in Austin.
1065:"Jesse Sublett: Never the Same Again: A Rock 'N' Roll Gothic"
640:
Dissonant Identities: The Rock'N'Roll Scene in Austin, Texas
469:
Dissonant Identities: The Rock'N'Roll Scene in Austin, Texas
253:
Sublett's essays and journalism pieces have appeared in the
227:... Sublett's prose remains rich, fierce, and humbling."
20:
Jesse Sublett performing at the 2012 Texas Book Festival
189:, was published by Viking Penguin in 1987, followed by
1056:, June 10, 2022. Jesse Sublett Interview by Joe Gross.
695:
University of Texas at Austin College of Communication
39:
featuring a bass-playing sleuth named Martin Fender.
177:and various jazz, blues and traditional composers.
1030:, February 4, 2001 (retrieved September 19, 2009).
1095:
1090:, April 8, 2011, with live performance. (52:42)
317:Broke, Not Broken: Homer Maxey's Texas Bank War
503:"Yesterday When I Was Younger Than Yesterday"
59:for two years, then moved to Austin in 1974.
1017:"Dallas TX:Broad turnpike vs skinny tollway"
524:(new ed., University of Texas Press, 2004),
439:Never the Same Again: A Rock 'N' Roll Gothic
202:Never the Same Again: A Rock 'N' Roll Gothic
1071:, June 2004 (retrieved September 18, 2009).
1005:Texas State Publications 1995 Annual Index
600:"The Skunks play Continental Club Dec. 26"
336:Sublett has also written a history of the
576:
574:
433:
431:
429:
278:was produced as a feature film entitled
15:
997:History of the Texas Turnpike Authority
930:Writers Guild of America-West #1202313
852:website (retrieved September 20, 2009).
697:website (retrieved September 19, 2009).
691:Musicians Off the Record: Jesse Sublett
666:
368:
366:
364:
1096:
321:Armadillo World Headquarters: A Memoir
230:"Adaptation," Sublett's 2008 piece in
631:
571:
426:
417:“Interview Jesse Sublett, The Skunks"
217:list of "most surprising new books".
130:Sublett is credited with naming the "
1061:Jesse Sublett author page on Amazon.
361:
522:The Improbable Rise of Redneck Rock
514:
13:
844:Index of articles by Jesse Sublett
813:Texas State Historical Association
620:"Austin Music Awards Hall of Fame"
111:. With his replacement on guitar,
14:
1140:
1036:
810:Southwestern Historical Quarterly
678:Jesse Sublett's Little Black Book
350:Texas State University–San Marcos
180:
1129:People from Blanco County, Texas
1067:, interview of Jesse Sublett at
655:), p. 148–149 & p.271 n.84 (
305:South by Southwest Film Festival
62:
57:Southwest Texas State University
51:, where he was valedictorian at
1010:
1007:(retrieved September 19, 2009).
989:
970:
961:
947:
933:
924:
912:
893:
871:
855:
837:
818:
799:
785:
766:
747:
729:
716:
700:
684:
681:(retrieved September 18, 2009).
613:
592:
421:It's Psychedelic, Baby Magazine
70:
1043:Jesse Sublett official website
552:
543:
495:
460:
409:
390:
1:
826:"LIVES: Rock 'n' Roll Gothic"
355:
53:Lyndon B. Johnson High School
42:
881:Deep in the Heart (of Texas)
280:Deep in the Heart (of Texas)
7:
398:"A Statewide Investigation"
10:
1145:
1084:Jesse Sublett on Rag Radio
726:, retrieved July 19, 2024.
628:, retrieved July 20, 2024.
47:Jesse Sublett was born in
645:Wesleyan University Press
474:Wesleyan University Press
441:(Ten Speed Press, 2004),
383:, Wittliff Collections,
338:Texas Turnpike Authority
724:"Jesse Sublett, Author"
372:"Biographical Note" at
200:Sublett's 2004 memoir,
1119:Music of Austin, Texas
722:Jesse Sublett website
21:
877:Marjorie Baumgarten,
423:", February 10, 2024.
19:
1114:Musicians from Texas
986:, February 15, 2018.
919:The Austin Chronicle
868:, December 19, 2018.
610:, December 15, 2008.
560:"Out of the Shadows"
511:, December 15, 2008.
374:Jesse Sublett Papers
342:Wittliff Collections
999:(The Authority, ),
744:, December 4, 2005.
673:"Jesse's Music Bio"
604:Austin Music Source
589:, December 8, 2000.
406:, January 11, 2008.
187:Rock Critic Murders
165:) and Jebin Bruni (
49:Johnson City, Texas
1124:Writers from Texas
1022:2010-12-22 at the
1003:, also indexed at
921:, February 8, 2008
834:, August 26, 2001.
779:The Texas Observer
451:excerpts available
415:Klemen Breznikar,
233:The Texas Observer
195:Boiled in Concrete
22:
899:Claiborne Smith,
741:Los Angeles Times
657:excerpt available
653:978-0-8195-6276-0
534:excerpt available
530:978-0-292-70197-7
486:excerpt available
482:978-0-8195-6276-0
447:978-1-58008-598-4
295:Search and Rescue
207:Los Angeles Times
167:Public Image Ltd.
105:Max's Kansas City
1136:
1053:Austin Chronicle
1031:
1014:
1008:
993:
987:
974:
968:
967:Jesse Sublett, .
965:
959:
958:
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945:
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937:
931:
928:
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916:
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906:Austin Chronicle
897:
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887:Austin Chronicle
875:
869:
859:
853:
841:
835:
822:
816:
803:
797:
796:
789:
783:
782:, July 11, 2008.
770:
764:
760:Austin Chronicle
751:
745:
733:
727:
720:
714:
704:
698:
688:
682:
670:
664:
635:
629:
625:Austin Chronicle
617:
611:
596:
590:
586:Austin Chronicle
578:
569:
568:, July 28, 1997.
565:Austin Chronicle
556:
550:
547:
541:
518:
512:
508:Austin Chronicle
501:Margaret Moser,
499:
493:
464:
458:
435:
424:
413:
407:
396:Stayton Bonner,
394:
388:
370:
301:The Killer Storm
242:Austin Chronicle
220:Austin Chronicle
216:
136:alternative rock
75:Sublett founded
1144:
1143:
1139:
1138:
1137:
1135:
1134:
1133:
1094:
1093:
1086:Interviewed by
1039:
1034:
1024:Wayback Machine
1015:
1011:
995:Jesse Sublett,
994:
990:
976:Jesse Sublett,
975:
971:
966:
962:
953:
952:
948:
939:
938:
934:
929:
925:
917:
913:
898:
894:
876:
872:
861:Jesse Sublett,
860:
856:
842:
838:
824:Jesse Sublett,
823:
819:
805:Jason Mellard,
804:
800:
791:
790:
786:
772:Jesse Sublett,
771:
767:
763:, May 28, 2004.
752:
748:
734:
730:
721:
717:
705:
701:
689:
685:
671:
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632:
618:
614:
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593:
579:
572:
557:
553:
548:
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519:
515:
500:
496:
484:), p. 102-104 (
465:
461:
437:Jesse Sublett,
436:
427:
414:
410:
395:
391:
371:
362:
358:
291:The Great Ships
214:
183:
81:Kathy Valentine
73:
65:
55:. He attended
45:
12:
11:
5:
1142:
1132:
1131:
1126:
1121:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1092:
1091:
1081:
1072:
1062:
1057:
1045:
1038:
1037:External links
1035:
1033:
1032:
1009:
988:
983:Kirkus Reviews
969:
960:
946:
932:
923:
911:
909:, May 8, 1998.
892:
890:, May 8, 1998.
870:
854:
836:
831:New York Times
817:
798:
784:
765:
746:
736:"Reading List"
728:
715:
711:Texas Standard
699:
683:
665:
630:
612:
591:
570:
551:
542:
532:, pp.282-283 (
513:
494:
459:
425:
408:
403:Texas Observer
389:
379:2012-12-12 at
359:
357:
354:
268:Texas Highways
256:New York Times
182:
181:Writing career
179:
171:Jon Dee Graham
155:Rolling Stones
148:Margaret Moser
134:" movement of
113:Jon Dee Graham
83:(later of the
72:
69:
64:
61:
44:
41:
37:mystery novels
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1141:
1130:
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1125:
1122:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1112:
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1105:
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1101:
1099:
1089:
1088:Thorne Dreyer
1085:
1082:
1080:
1076:
1075:Jesse Sublett
1073:
1070:
1066:
1063:
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1028:TOLLROADSnews
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864:
858:
851:
850:
849:Texas Monthly
845:
840:
833:
832:
827:
821:
814:
811:
807:
802:
794:
788:
781:
780:
775:
769:
762:
761:
756:
755:"Sheet Music"
750:
743:
742:
737:
732:
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719:
713:June 3, 2022.
712:
708:
703:
696:
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687:
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679:
674:
669:
662:
658:
654:
650:
646:
642:
641:
637:Barry Shank,
634:
627:
626:
621:
616:
609:
608:Austin360.com
605:
601:
595:
588:
587:
583:
577:
575:
567:
566:
561:
558:Andy Langer,
555:
546:
539:
535:
531:
527:
523:
517:
510:
509:
504:
498:
491:
487:
483:
479:
475:
471:
470:
466:Barry Shank,
463:
456:
452:
448:
444:
440:
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430:
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418:
412:
405:
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399:
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386:
385:Alkek Library
382:
381:archive.today
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375:
369:
367:
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360:
353:
351:
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346:Alkek Library
343:
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262:Texas Monthly
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156:
151:
149:
145:
141:
137:
133:
132:New Sincerity
128:
126:
122:
118:
114:
110:
106:
102:
96:
94:
90:
86:
82:
78:
68:
63:Personal life
60:
58:
54:
50:
40:
38:
34:
30:
29:Austin, Texas
26:
25:Jesse Sublett
18:
1051:
1027:
1012:
996:
991:
981:
972:
963:
949:
935:
926:
918:
914:
904:
895:
885:
880:
873:
866:
857:
847:
839:
829:
820:
801:
787:
777:
768:
758:
753:Greg Beets,
749:
739:
731:
718:
710:
702:
686:
677:
668:
661:Google Books
639:
633:
623:
615:
603:
594:
584:
563:
554:
545:
538:Google Books
521:
516:
506:
497:
490:Google Books
468:
462:
455:Google Books
438:
411:
401:
392:
335:
329:
325:Eddie Wilson
320:
316:
315:
310:
302:
298:
294:
290:
286:
284:
279:
275:
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266:
260:
254:
252:
246:
241:
237:
231:
229:
225:manipulative
218:
211:
205:
201:
199:
194:
190:
186:
184:
175:Howlin' Wolf
152:
129:
97:
74:
71:Music career
66:
46:
24:
23:
1104:1954 births
598:Joe Gross,
580:Ken Lieck,
276:In the West
159:Mick Taylor
121:The Ramones
89:Carla Olson
1098:Categories
879:Review of
520:Jan Reid,
356:References
191:Tough Baby
163:Girlschool
157:guitarist
77:The Skunks
43:Early life
33:The Skunks
647:, 1994) (
476:, 1994) (
140:punk rock
125:John Cale
117:The Clash
109:Plimsouls
1069:The WELL
1020:Archived
377:Archived
309:Marathon
289:such as
144:New Wave
287:History
85:Go-Go's
651:
528:
480:
445:
312:score.
297:, and
265:, and
240:. The
123:, and
101:CBGB's
93:Raul's
323:, by
215:'
212:Times
1079:IMDb
649:ISBN
526:ISBN
478:ISBN
443:ISBN
193:and
142:and
103:and
1077:at
846:at
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