John Zonn
from WikiMusicGuide, the free music guide. Your music wiki.
Thompson meets Zappa, Dylan, Bailey, Barrett, Otway, Gainsbourg, Harper, Stanshall, Bragg, Reed & a bunch of others down the local coffee-house, where they meld into a hybrid musical-performance-poet-artiste: John Zonn!
Putting pen to paper, the man writes songs of 'social and political import' (ref: Janis Joplin), as well as ballads of everyday existence and 'up-in-the-air' love ditties. He also plays live and is a generally good bloke.
Contents |
About
It was 2001 when Zonn produced his first solo recording in over ten years. A track from this LP - Photocopy of My Mind - was played on Swindon Hospital Radio, UK.
2002 saw the re-release - with new cover design - of Hard Fruit, the seminal second album, well-known for it's hippily contradictory approach to the 80's.
Early in 2004, John independently released a 'one-song' CD entitled - Don't Speak Too Soon - which was on the playlist at: KIDN, KFMU & NPR radio stations, Colorado, USA. Then, during his live tour of South-East England, he went in the studio again to create the aptly named - Portfolio Career - which was a collection of new and old songs.
Tracks from the album have featured regularly on RADIO GETS WILD online radio station and in 2005 he was given a Silver Award.
Other recent successes have included the track - Mucky Pup - reaching number One in the ROCK CIRCLE website charts and the resurgence of live shows at Scaledown in London and various other places.
In July 2007 he released a new EP, which - within days of release - had already been played three times at the "poshest restaurant in Monsanto", Portugal. Since then it has also touched the turntable at RÁDIO CLUBE DE MONSANTO and the hi-fi system at The Juggler café, Hoxton, London.
December 2007 brought more good news in the form of the classic tineolacide tune - Night of the Moths - achieving Song of the Day status at BEAT THE MIX online music platform.
And to cap it all, John was recently interviewed and recorded playing live for The Friday Show at Ravensbourne College of Design & Communication at Chislehurst, in Kent...
Now it's 2008 and Zonn has more surprises for music lovers - like the latest headline, which is that John has been invited to take part in judging entries for this year's 1st Annual NATIVE-E MUSIC AWARDS (for upcoming Native American and Canadian Aboriginal artists) that takes place in Sioux City, Iowa, USA. He wishes good luck to all the entrants! --Johnzonn 06:40, 4 April 2008 (PDT)
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with JOHN ZONN!
Awards & Certifications
| Year | Award | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Silver Artist Award | Radio Gets Wild (Internet Radio Station) |
| 2007 | Song of the Day | Beat The Mix (Online Music Platform) |
News
- August 2008 - Will be on the judging panel for 1st Annual Native-E Music Awards.--Johnzonn 06:47, 4 April 2008 (PDT)
Tours & Concerts
- 25th April 2008 - Scaledown, Upstairs at The King & Queen, 1, Foley Street, London, UK. Plus others.--Johnzonn 08:00, 18 April 2008 (PDT)
- John plays sometimes at Viva Viva, Hornsey, London, UK.--Johnzonn 05:12, 2 February 2008 (PST)
- John had a song playing all day, every day, from 25th February until 11th March 2007, at the Virtual Open Mic (see External link at bottom of page). -- 11.23, 26 February 2007 (PST)
Announcements
- January 2008 - John was interviewed for The Friday Show at Ravensbourne College of Design & Communication, where he was also video-ed playing the song Los Galgos.--Johnzonn 05:11, 2 February 2008 (PST)
- December 2007 - Night of the Moths was chosen as Song of the Day at Beat The Mix online music platform.--Johnzonn 05:11, 2 February 2008 (PST)
- July 2007 - New EP CD out now!!--Johnzonn 05:11, 2 February 2008 (PST)
Discography
Comprehensive list of the recordings made.
Albums
| Year | Title | Labels |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Precarious Flamingo | JR Discs |
| 1988 | Hard Fruit | JR Discs |
| 2001 | Photocopy of My Mind | JR Discs |
| 2002 | Hard Fruit (Re-release) | JR Discs |
| 2004 | Portfolio Career | JR Discs |
EPs
 |
Singles
 |
Compilations & Live Releases
Listening Room
Other artists
Influences
John has said that he is influenced by anything and everything that affects him, whether directly or indirectly. This is nature at work, of course, but musical influences (not necessarily in order of importance) include:
Similar artists
Contemporaries
Trivia
- John originally billed himself as Alias John Riley - a name that he adopted from a song on the Fifth Dimension album by The Byrds, which was titled simply John Riley. He later took the name Zonn, when an MC at a gig said "...and John's on next..."
- John performed his first live solo gig in 1997.
Reviews
- The songs of John Zonn: Caffeine Days, Headhunter's Song, Photocopy of my Mind and Don't Speak Too Soon seem to me the beginning of a rebirth of Beatles. The main and background vocals in Don't Speak Too Soon create a perfect blend that you would either sing with it, dance with it or do both at the same time. Caffeine Days is soft and mellow and invokes an introspective mood. Remember Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds in the song Photocopy of my Mind. John Zonn intended it that way I guess, and created a twist in the lyrics to focus on delivering what's inside his mind. John Zonn is a breath of fresh air in music. He abandons the convenience of distortion effects to direct your ears to the vocals and lyrics instead. ---Jodelen Ortiz, www.WikiMusicGuide.com Admin Member
External Links
- John Zonn (myspace)
- John Zonn
- JR Discs
- Virtual Open Mic
- Indie Store
- Carbon Logic
- 1st Native American & Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards
06:51, 4 April 2008 (PDT)
Categories: Rock | Pop | Folk | Acoustic | Alternative | Experimental | Upcoming Artist
