Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? Just ask The Jesus Lizard.

The Chicago-bred outfit recorded “Head,” “Goat” and other monosyllabically titled noise-rock classics before disbanding in relative obscurity in 1999.

The Jesus Lizard – fronted by unhinged and occasionally unclothed lead howler David Yow – mostly headlined nightclubs back in its heyday. But concert bookers and the music-buying masses gradually caught up with the band over the last decade. And now reunited, the members find themselves playing much higher profile gigs, including headlining slots at last weekend’s Pitchfork Festival in Chicago and tonight at the Capitol Hill Block Party in Seattle.

So we caught up with Yow to talk about The Jesus Lizard’s reunion, the band’s first show in Seattle in more than a decade and the likelihood he’ll drop trousers onstage tonight.

So why did you guys break up in the first place?

Well, (drummer) Mac (McNeilly) left the band in ’97. Things were kind of different after that. And then we had a three-record deal with Capitol, and after having done two records with them that weren’t selling like hotcakes, they told us that we didn’t have to do a third.

When I got that news I think I said, ‘OK, great. I quit.’ I think we played one more show in Sweden, and that was kind of the end of that. At least for me, personally, after Mac left it was kind of just a job.

So it wasn’t fun toward the end?

The single most important ingredient in any band is the chemistry between the people in the band.

And it worked really, really well with Mac and not so well with that other guy (replacement drummer Jim Kimball).

I guess you could say you’re in a similar situation as Slint or maybe even the Pixies in that you’re generating more buzz than when you were first together. Are you surprised?

It’s surprised me. I don’t really understand exactly why. I’m guessing it’s YouTube and the Internet and just sort of word of mouth.

We seem to be substantially more well-known and more in demand than we ever were when we were playing all the time back in the old days; which is pretty cool, really, because some of these guarantees we’re getting are pretty (flipping) incredible.

That’s always nice.

Yeah, I don’t mind that at all. It’s been a bad year. I’ve been flat broke. I’ve been borrowing money to pay rent since January, and these shows are saving my ass.

In the ’90s, you used to take your pants off and stage dive and stuff. I think you’re 48 now.

Yes.

Is that something you have to tone down, or are you still as much of a wild man on stage?

I’m trying not to take my pants off. I don’t know if anybody ever wanted to see it in the first place. They certainly don’t now – an old man with a saggy ass that looks like Willie Nelson and (stuff). Nobody wants that.

Are there songs you’re especially excited about dusting off and doing again?

I’m in Nassau right now, at Duane’s (guitarist Duane Denison) house. And when we first all came down here in January and practiced for a few days, I honestly got kind choked up when we were doing a couple of songs – like “Monkey Trick,” I think, and either “Nub” or “Seasick.”

Do you have any particular memories of playing Seattle?

There was the one (show) where we were opening for Ministry. (The promoters) told me that I couldn’t stage dive. I said, ‘Well, can I jump down into the barricade and climb into the audience?’

So I did that. And then after the show (the fire marshal) said that I had flagrantly not obeyed their rules by stage diving. He was a real (jerk), and he actually went through all the trouble of telling any venue in Seattle that if we played there he would shut down the club.

Have you played Seattle since ’97 (the year the band was banned)?

Uhhhh, No.

So in a way you’ll have the last laugh.

Yeah, well, that guy, I think he’s no longer the fire marshal. Though it sure would be funny if, once this comes out, they try to reinstate that.

Ernest Jasmin: 253-274-7389

ernest.jasmin@thenewstribune.com

blogs.thenewstribune.com/rockcity

Capitol Hill Block Party

When: Music starts at 3 p.m. today, 1 p.m. Saturday

Where: Main stage by Neumo’s, 925 E. Pike St., Seattle

Tickets: $23 a day, $42 for both days

Information: TicketsWest (1-800-992-8499 or www.ticketswest.com)