Just Water
Just Water was among the first wave of bands in the New York City Punk Rock scene of the 1970’s, with Mitchell Dancik on lead vocals and guitar, Danny Rubin on lead guitar and vocals, Tom Korba on bass, and Gus Martin on drums and vocals. Their songs have recently appeared in numerous TV shows and films including “Mr Robot”, “Chicago Fire”, “The Righteous Gemstones”, “The Spectactular Now” and “My New Gun”. Just Water is name-checked by Wayne County on the opening track of the 1976 compilation album “Max’s Kansas City”. Wayne wanted to officially document the bands that defined Max’s, the club that (along with CBGBs) was the heart of the 1970’s punk/new wave movements. Max’s was initially famous as Andy Warhol’s preferred nightspot, but was recast by Tommy & Laura Dean as a punk theatre. The very first act to take the stage at the second coming of Max’s Kansas City was Just Water, and Max’s named a drink after them: “The Just Water“.
Just Water and their label Branded Records went on to release the single “King Kong” and the album “The Riff”, which were among the very first indie releases.
Their amped up 1978 version of “Singin’ In The Rain” was the first single since “96 Tears” (a 1966 record by Question Mark & The Mysterians) to gain heavy rotation airplay without the backing of an “official” record label. Just Water were signed to Stiff Records in Europe, and temporarily stopped recording in 1979 after being managed briefly by famous Beatle promoter Sid Bernstein. Just Water’s entire catalog was digitally remastered in 2007 and released on the 3-CD set “Downtown & Brooklyn”. It can be played on all streaming services.
Just Water played more than 50 sets at CBGB’s and were recorded for a “Live At CBGB’s” album, but club owner Hilly Kristal destroyed the tapes after record companies refused him the rights to Blondie and Talking Heads. However, a live at CBGBs set was salvaged for future releases. In 1978 Just Water was the first rock band to play the notorious Studio 54.
Just Water reunited in 2009. They continue to release new music, including the 2010 single “Time Machine on 17“, a journey back in time to Max’s on 17th Street, 2018’s “Days Of The Gilded Manes“, a look at rock’s glory years, 2019’s “45“, an homage to making your first record, their 2020 album, Zero To Sixty, and their latest albums Buyer Beware, and Start a Band.
ALBUMS & SINGLES
