Be Your Own Pet

Be Your Own Pet, an American punk/garage rock band, was formed in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2003. The band’s core lineup generally consisted of lead vocalist Jemina Pearl, guitarist Jonas Stein, bassist Nathan Vasquez, and drummer John Eatherly. Early in their career, originating from the Nashville School of the Arts and local all-ages venues, they released singles and EPs with Infinity Cat Records. Their track “Damn Damn Leash” received early support from BBC Radio One’s Zane Lowe, establishing an initial following in the UK. Subsequent attention-grabbing performances at CMJ in 2004 and South by Southwest in 2005 helped generate buzz in the United States. They released their self-titled debut album in 2006, which garnered critical acclaim from publications such as NME and Pitchfork. NME included Jemina Pearl in the Top 10 of their annual “Cool List,” and Nylon magazine featured the band on the cover of their summer 2006 issue. Their television debut occurred on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” in 2006.

The band followed their debut with a second album, “Get Awkward,” released in 2008. After this release, the group disbanded, citing industry pressures, including misogyny directed at Pearl and general burnout. They posted a message on their website on August 1, 2008, announcing their split after a UK tour, with their final show of that period taking place at Dingwalls in London. Post-breakup, members pursued individual projects: Jemina Pearl released a solo album, “Break It Up,” in 2009 and later joined The Ultras S/C. Jonas Stein focused on his band, Turbo Fruits, while John Eatherly played drums for various bands and later fronted Public Access TV and Club Intl.

After a 14-year hiatus, Be Your Own Pet reunited in 2021 at the specific invitation of Jack White to open several dates on his Supply Chain Issues Tour. This reunion led to a signing with Third Man Records, co-owned by White and Pearl’s husband, Ben Swank. In March 2023, they released “Hand Grenade,” their first new music in 15 years, followed by the single “Worship the Whip” and the announcement of their third studio album, “Mommy,” released on August 25, 2023. They undertook a UK tour and subsequently embarked on a series of shows with The Linda Lindas in the western United States and Vancouver, Canada, in March and April 2025.