* En anglais uniquement
Jean Leider, aka
Jean Caffeine, was born in New York to a doctor father and a writer mother (Emily Leider, who pens Hollywood biographies). The family moved from coast to coast a few times before settling in San Francisco when
Jean was in second grade. As a teenager, she found herself drawn to rock & roll after witnessing a
Rolling Stones concert in 1975 at the Cow Palace. Soon after, she learned drums and discovered punk music, playing for a group called the Urge. She found early inspiration in punkers the Nuns (which featured
Alejandro Escovedo). In 1980,
Jean moved to New York City, hitting downtown at a musically fertile time on the heels of punk. She started as a DJ at venues like Danceteria and Club 57, then started drumming for an all-girl band, Pulsallama, which featured Ann Magnuson, later of
Bongwater.
After a growing reputation for their theatrical performances and a tour in England opening for
the Clash, Pulsallama came to an end. Subsequently,
Jean spent a brief period in a band called Clambake. In that unit,
Caffeine was joined by Cathy Crane (the Foams), Liz Gall (Buffalo Gals), and future Rolling Stone editor Holly George. Clambake released an
Alex Chilton-mixed EP and then called it quits. Afterward,
Caffeine found herself drawn to Austin, TX, where she took a rootsy direction fronting Jean Caffeine's All-Night Truckstop, a "garage country" combo that would play everything from
Tammy Wynette to
the Rolling Stones.
Caffeine's All-Nite Truckstop consisted of regulars Mick Buck and Dennis Ku, and featured at various times Seth and Amy Tiven (
Dumptruck), Mark Rubin (
Bad Livers), and Charlie Llewellin (
the Gourds), among others. The All-Night Truckstop released a self-titled CD and the cassette-only Hard Work and a Lot of Hairspray, which was produced by
Gurf Morlix (
Lucinda Williams). In 1997,
Jean released the cathartic, emotional solo effort, Knocked Down 7 Times Got Up 8. She also taught elementary school art and worked as an animator. Idée Fixee followed in 2000, and featured production by Lars Göransson (
the Cardigans). ~ Erik Hage