The Wallflowers

The Wallflowers

The Wallflowers are an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1989 and fronted by Jakob Dylan. Their sound spans alternative rock, americana, folk rock, pop rock, rock and roots rock. The group remains active and has gone through repeated line-up changes while staying centred on Dylan.

Early line-up and formation

The band begins when Jakob Dylan contacts his childhood friend Tobi Miller about starting a group. They have played together in several bands at school before moving in different directions after graduation. Dylan goes to art school in New York City, while Miller forms the 45's. After that band splits in 1989, Miller reconnects with Dylan and they start building a new project called the Apples.

Bassist Barrie Maguire joins from the 45's, Peter Yanowitz is added on drums in 1990, and Rami Jaffee becomes the final original member on keyboards after meeting Dylan at the Kibitz Room in Los Angeles. The group changes its name from the Apples to the Wallflowers and begins playing clubs on the Sunset Strip, including the Whisky a Go Go, Gazzarri's and the Viper Room.

Record contracts and debut album

A demo tape brings the band to the attention of manager Andrew Slater, who takes them to Virgin Records. Paul Fox produces their self-titled debut album, which is released in 1992. The album is recorded with a preference for live takes and relatively little equipment, and the songs are written by Dylan with musical input from the rest of the band. After the release, they tour as support for acts including Spin Doctors and 10,000 Maniacs.

The band later parts company with Virgin and returns to playing Los Angeles clubs. During this period several members leave and are replaced: Barrie Maguire is asked to leave, Jimmie Snider fills in briefly, Greg Richling joins on bass in 1993, and Peter Yanowitz later leaves in 1994. Jimmy Iovine and Tom Whalley then sign the group to Interscope Records in 1994.

Breakthrough with Bringing Down the Horse

The second album, Bringing Down the Horse, is released in 1996 and becomes the band’s commercial breakthrough. T Bone Burnett produces the record. Tobi Miller quits during the preparation for recording, and several guitarists contribute before Michael Ward joins as a permanent member. Matt Chamberlain plays drums throughout the sessions.

The album generates the singles “6th Avenue Heartache”, “One Headlight”, “The Difference” and “Three Marlenas”. “6th Avenue Heartache” features Adam Duritz of Counting Crows. The record becomes a major radio and sales success, reaching multi-platinum status, peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and winning two Grammy Awards for “One Headlight” in 1998. The band also appears on Saturday Night Live and tours widely in the United States and Europe. Their version of David Bowie’s “Heroes” is used as the lead single for the 1998 Godzilla soundtrack.

Later albums in the 2000s

Breach follows in 2000, co-produced by Andrew Slater and Michael Penn and recorded largely at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles. Guest contributors include Elvis Costello, Mike Campbell and Frank Black. The album receives positive reviews but sells less strongly than its predecessor and peaks at No. 13 in the US.

Red Letter Days is recorded in 2001 and 2002 with production by founding member Tobi Miller and Bill Appleberry. The band uses portable recording equipment while touring with John Mellencamp, and some work is done at Rami Jaffee’s house and later at Jackson Browne’s studio in Santa Monica. Michael Ward has left by then, so Dylan handles much of the guitar work with contributions from Mike McCready, Rusty Anderson and Val McCallum. The album is released in 2002 and peaks at No. 32.

Rebel, Sweetheart follows in 2005, recorded in Atlanta with Brendan O’Brien producing and contributing guitar. Fred Eltringham joins on drums and Stuart Mathis on lead guitar. Dylan paints the cover art. The album includes “The Beautiful Side Of Somewhere” and “God Says Nothing Back”, and it is the band’s first DualDisc release. After this period the group ends its relationship with Interscope Records.

Hiatus, solo work and later regrouping

The band does not tour in 2006, and Dylan begins solo work, including a deal with Columbia Records. Rami Jaffee joins the Foo Fighters as a touring and session member and also records with Willie Nile and Pete Yorn. Jaffee leaves the Wallflowers before the 2007 touring run, leaving Dylan, Greg Richling and Fred Eltringham as the core band, with Stuart Mathis touring on guitar.

A greatest-hits collection, Collected: 1996-2005, appears in 2009 and includes singles, album tracks, a demo of “God Says Nothing Back” and the unreleased “Eat You Sleeping”.

Glad All Over and Exit Wounds

In 2012 the band records Glad All Over at Easy Eye studio in Nashville with Jay Joyce producing. Dylan brings lyrics rather than completed songs, and the group writes the music together in the studio. Jack Irons joins on drums after Fred Eltringham leaves, and the album is issued on Columbia Records. “Reboot the Mission” appears as the first single.

Exit Wounds follows in 2021 on New West Records, produced by Butch Walker. The album is the band’s seventh studio release.

Membership and collaborations

Over time the Wallflowers include Barrie Maguire, Tobias Miller, Jakob Dylan, Peter Yanowitz, Rami Jaffee, Greg Richling, Michael Ward, Mario Calire, Fred Eltringham, Stuart Mathis and Jack Irons, with later touring line-ups also featuring other players. The group also records covers for film soundtracks, including Bee Gees’ “I Started a Joke” for Zoolander, the Beatles’ “I’m Looking Through You” for I Am Sam, Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic” for American Wedding, and Warren Zevon’s “Lawyers, Guns and Money” for a tribute album.