The band has a long history behind it even though it is still very young. Soul Asylum had been around a while, and so had the Jayhawks, Wilco, and Run Westy Run when the Golden Smog was formed by combining musicians in the Minneapolis area. Originally Dave Pirner was drumming for them, just like he had started out drumming in Loud Fast Rules (which became Soul Asylum). Other members included Dave Murphy(Soul Asylum) Marc Perlman and Gary Louis(Jayhawks) Jeff Tweedy (Wilco) Kraig Johnson (Run Westy Run) and Noah Levy(The Honeydogs).
Carla Bozulich was in a band called Ethyl Meatplow, which was a rocking industrial influenced group without any guitars. On the other end of the spectrum was her side project called the Geraldine Fibbers which did classic country covers and a few of their own songs along the same vein. When Ethyl Meatplow split up, the Fibbers became her main interest, and they started throwing in a variety of influences. They were refered to Jessy Greene and she became one of their violinist, though this duty appears to have been somewhat shared. While touring with the Golden Smog, Jessy made a decision to leave the Geraldine Fibbers. She left after finishing the album Butch, becoming a member of the Jayhawks (and the Golden Smog) as a violinist. (How did the Geraldine Fibbers feel? Lets just say there video for "California Tuffy" includes a burning violin being smashed to bits.) Then sometime in the summer of '97, Jessy, Kraig, and Dave got together and played at the 400 club in Minneapolis. They were recording by that winter and had 10 recorded songs by December 23. By April of '98 at least 14 songs were worked out and ready to go.
So where did they get the name? From this comment: "Oh Geez its Golden Smog all over again!"
The three members of O'Jeez all have been in other bands, but they have fun playing on instruments they don't usually have a chance to perform with.
(Jester) Mainly works on the violin and viola and sings backup vocals. With O'Jeez she plays guitar, and picks up the violin only for "Walk at the Lake". She suggested taking non-classical violin lessons, since she took Cajan lessons herself. Find her playing on Butch or Lost Somewhere Between the Earth and My Home by the Geraldine Fibbers, or Sound of Lies by the Jayhawks, and hopefully soon on an Afghan Whigs record. Currently started a new band, Viovoom. Check them out at www.viovoom.com/bio.html/
(Stew) Known for playing guitar with Run Westy Run and the Jayhawks, he picks up a bass and plays it with ease. Now he's hanging in a new band, Iffy. check it out at www.foodchainrecords.com/iffy/iffy.html
(Reno) Known for playing guitar and singing/songwriting for Soul Asylum, but started out on the drums in Loud Fast Rules. He plays the drums, picks up a trumpet, and a recorder in O'Jeez. He has also done some producing work for a few other bands, Gazebo Princess is the name of one of them. Still running about doing the Soul Asylum thing, which makes his fans very happy.