JD Samson

JD Samson (born August 4, 1978) is an American musician, producer, songwriter and DJ best known as a member of the bands Le Tigre and MEN.

JD Samson
JD Samson
Background information
Born (1978-08-04) August 4, 1978
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Occupation(s)Musician
Labels
Associated acts

Background

Samson grew up in Pepper Pike, Ohio and attended Orange High School. She came out as a lesbian at age 15 and is well known for her support of both LGBT and feminist causes. Samson graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 2000, with a degree in film.[1]

In 2010, Samson served as a judge at the 9th annual Independent Music Awards.[2]

Career

Le Tigre

Samson joined Le Tigre in 2000 when co-founder Sadie Benning left the band before the album Feminist Sweepstakes was recorded.[3] Samson had previously worked as the band's projectionist and slide show operator during live performances in support of their first record, Le Tigre. The self-proclaimed "underground electro-feminist performance artists" combined visuals, music and dance in their performances. Samson's contributions to Le Tigre include the song "Viz", which deals with her experiences as a member of a sexual minority,[4] and "New Kicks," which contains excerpts of a protest that Samson recorded.

Feminist Sweepstakes came out in 2001 and was released on Mr. Lady Records & Videos in North America and on Chicks On Speed Records in Europe.[5] Le Tigre's final album, This Island (2004), was Le Tigre's first on a major label (Universal Records). Ric Ocasek of the Cars produced one track, "Tell You Now".[6] Samson and her Le Tigre bandmates Kathleen Hanna and Johanna Fateman also produced the Christina Aguilera song "My Girls ft. Peaches", for Aguilera's album Bionic.[7] In the second half of 2006 the band decided to take an extended break.

In 2016, Le Tigre reunited to show support for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, releasing their first song in a decade entitled "I'm With Her".[8]

JD Samson and MEN

In 2007 Samson and Fateman formed a new project, MEN, as a DJ, production, and remix team. After initial songwriting and outside remix work, Fateman took time off to have a child, and Samson recruited the members of their side band Hirsute, including Ladybug Transistor's Michael O'Neill and Ginger Brooks Takahashi, to perform live as MEN. Samson has said that their music speaks of "issues such as wartime economies, sexual compromise, and the demand for liberties through lyrical content and an inventive, high-energy stage show".[9]

In 2009 MEN self-released an EP called MEN that sold out following US tours with Peaches and Gossip. MEN also toured in the UK and Europe during this time. Their debut album Talk About Body was released on February 1, 2011 via Iamsound in the US and through Sony/Columbia in Europe. The album included singles for the songs "Who Am I To Feel So Free", "Off Our Backs", and "Credit Card Babies".

In the spring of 2012 MEN changed their name to JD Samson & MEN and released an EP Next in April followed in September by the song "Let Me Out Or Let Me In" in support of the Russian feminist punk-rock collective Pussy Riot. JD Samson & MEN's second full-length album was titled Labor.[10]

Other bands

Samson also has performed as a member of the band The New England Roses and as keyboard player of electro-punk artist Peaches' live band, The Herms, with Radio Sloan and Samantha Maloney.[1]

Songwriting

Samson has a songwriting and publishing deal through Universal Music Publishing Group. She has written songs for Christina Aguilera ("My Girls ft. Peaches"), Junior Senior ("Can I Get Get Get"), Cobra Starship ("Shwick"), French Horn Rebellion ("Girls ft. JD Samson and Fat Tony"), The Aikiu, Bitch the Ferron and Pelifics ("Spray Painted Knuckles"),[11] among others.

Performance art

Samson is a co-founder of the performance art group "Dykes Can Dance". In 2003, she released 'JD's Lesbian Calendar', a collaboration with photographer Cass Bird, which was followed up in 2006 with 'JD's Lesbian Utopia', a calendar documenting Samson's travels around the U.S. in an RV.[1]

Film/TV

Samson appeared in John Cameron Mitchell's 2006 film Shortbus as "Jid", a patron of the Shortbus club.[12]

Samson appeared in the Netflix series The Mr. Peabody and Sherman Show as a musical guest.

Samson makes a brief appearance as a Postmates employee delivering food in the Netflix series Russian Doll.[13]

Commentary

Samson wrote a widely quoted piece on the economics of being an artist for The Huffington Post[14] in 2011. Titled "I Love My Job But It Made Me Poorer," the article examines the financial realities of a long-term career in music. In 2013 she began writing occasionally for Talkhouse.[15]

gollark: *Space* letters.
gollark: Why does that URL say *darkness*?
gollark: I don't think "obliterate entire polity" is a very good idea generally.
gollark: And/or just fiddling with the universe at a lower level.
gollark: I've wanted to play D&D for ages but never actually got round to doing anything about it…

References
  1. "JD Samson – Feminist Electropunk Artist – Biography". The European Graduate School. August 4, 1978. Archived from the original on July 1, 2014. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  2. "9th Annual IMA Artist Judges". The Independent Music Awards. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  3. "Le Tigre Bio | Le Tigre Career". MTV. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  4. Liebetseder, Doris (2013). Queer Tracks: Subversive Strategies in Rock and Pop Music: Subversive Strategies in Rock and Pop Music. Ashgate. p. 235. ISBN 9781409472032.
  5. "Le Tigre – Feminist Sweepstakes (CD, Album)". Discogs.com. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  6. Vincentelli, Elisabeth (October 17, 2004). "Just What They Needed?". The New York Times.
  7. Nicholson, Rebecca (June 10, 2009). "Le Tigre and Christina Aguilera is a brilliantly odd pairing". The Guardian. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  8. Minsker & Philips (October 19, 2016). "Le Tigre Return With New Video for Pro-Hillary Clinton Song "I'm With Her"". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  9. "Talk About Body". Iamsoundrecords.com. April 23, 2014. Archived from the original on September 14, 2014. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  10. Mirk, Sarah (September 30, 2013), "JD Samson Talks About Her New Album and Being an Activist Artist", Bitch Magazine
  11. "JD Samson Discography". Discogs.com. August 4, 1978. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  12. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367027
  13. SAMSON, JD (February 1, 2019). "You may recognize me as the PostMates Delivery human on @RussianDoll this season. I am very proud to be associated with @nlyonne and her amazing genius-ness". @jdsamson. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  14. Samson, JD (October 5, 2011). "I Love My Job, But It Made Me Poorer". Huffington Post.
  15. "JD Samson (Le Tigre, MEN) Talks Bat For Lashes' The Haunted Man". The Talkhouse. April 3, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
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