Mojave Gold

A storied underground Los Angeles rock outfit, emerging in 1986 with a sound that blends hard rock

swagger and punk rock barbarity, with Americana roots. Born in Montana, raised in Boise; lead

singer/guitarist Bryan Small moved to Southern California, soon formed The Hangmen, and quickly caught

the eye of Black Flag/Circle Jerks singer Keith Morris who then produced the original demos.

The band signed a deal with Capitol Records, and after their self-titled debut release (produced by Vic Maile

- The Who/Motorhead), they were quickly dropped; getting caught up in the hair metal feeding frenzy of the

late '80s. A brief brush with Geffen Records came and went, eventually leading to the band landing a deal

with Acetate Records for the release of 2000’s Metallic I.O.U., celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, in

2025.

Now 7 releases on - The Hangmen have aimed true - remaining committed to their steadfast brand of musical honesty and integrity. Through global touring, cult-like recognition, and the creation of purely authentic songs; The Hangmen advance into the amber desert horizon.

In Anaheim 1981, guitarist and singer Jeff Drake and skateboarding legend Steve Olson, future TSOL members Ron Emory and Mitch Dean formed The Joneses. It was Drake who proclaimed, “we were like Eddie Cochran meeting the New York Dolls at Chuck Berry’s house.” The band’s early singles include “Jonestown” “Criminals In My Car,” as well as “Graveyard Rock” and “Pillbox” on the 1982 BYO Records compilation, Someone Got Their Head Kicked In. It was the band’s line-up with Drake, John James, Rhys Williams and Mitch Dean that would see The Joneses named “Best Live Band” in the 1983 LA Weekly Reader’s Poll.

Despite heavy college radio airplay in the summer of 1986, legal delays kept the band’s full-length debut LP “Keeping Up With The Joneses” from being released until late 1987, on Doctor Dream Records.

Jeff Drake formed a new incarnation of the band, recording demos for RCA Records, who eventually passed on signing the band. These songs turned into the EP “Tits and Champagne,” released in 1989 by Trigon Records.

After serving a three-year prison sentence for bank robbery, Drake reformed another incarnation of The Joneses and recorded the “Anita Fix” EP in 1995.

In 2022, Drake released his autobiography, “Guilty: My Life As A Member Of The Joneses – A Heroin Addict, A Bank Robber, and A Federal Inmate” via Hozac Books.