Michael Aston - Episode 373

Steve Cooper talks with musician Michael Aston. Michael Aston is the founding member, lead singer and leader of Gene Loves Jezebel. 1989 he left Gene Loves Jezebel due to his unhappiness with the direction of the band and strained relations with his twin brother, Jay. Moving to California, he started The Immigrants which eventually became Edith Grove. Edith Grove released its debut album to rave reviews and he eventually decided to tone things down a bit and he wrote and released his first solo album, Why Me Why This Why Now?. He reformed Gene Loves Jezebel instead of writing and recording a new Edith Grove album; the band's debut album was its only album. Between 1993 and 1997 Jay and him were working together on various projects and recordings, including an album that would eventually become VII. Both brothers did a reunion tour from February 1997 to October 1997 as Gene Loves Jezebel, however that ended with the recording and subsequent tour for VII. Another bitter falling out ensued. According to Michael, he refused to be pushed out of the band after all of the work he had put into the reunion and reformed GLJ with the backing band used on the first '97 Pre-Raphaelite Brothers tour. This caused much confusion amongst the fans as to who had the rights to the band name. Jay sued Michael to stop him from using Gene Loves Jezebel. Judge O'Brien in LA Superior Court denied twice the injunctions intended to stop Michael from using the Gene Loves Jezebel name. Jay withdrew the case with prejudice meaning that he could never sue Michael again. Jay released VII in 1998. Jay erased all of Michael's vocals and credits off the album however, a copy of this album with Michael's vocals was released as The Doghouse Sessions. Michael owns the exclusive rights to Gene Loves Jezebel in the US and continues to perform and release new material as Gene Loves jezebel throughout the world.