The Mole (emcee/producer)

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The Mole (Jonah Mociun) is an emcee and producer who became a leader in the movement of no budget record labels. He is a native of California.

If You Don’t Like This You Have Bad Taste was self-released in 1994 under the name Pierre Johnson. Subsequent recordings were variously released under the names Turbo Punx, the Poetry Master, Johnny Sunshine, and Experimental Man, and through his outrageous live shows he developed a local following.

Relocating to Maui in 2002, he founded the Motion Recordings label and released Communion, his first album under the Mole moniker. Communion included one of his signature live tunes, Caitlin, which quickly began circulating on the internet and on mix tape compilations. Beloved Retard Babies, a collection of Communion out-takes, was later released as a companion piece to the album.

While part of Maui’s alternative music scene, the Mole met frequent collaborator Demune, and the pair released the Attack of the Zombie King EP in 2003. Bloody Flags, an anti-war single, also featured Demune, as well as Ancient Mith. In 2004, the Mole embarked on an extensive European tour. He formed the spin-off band Headley Grange with rocker Body Holiday, releasing the Hurt Fire EP later that year. Motion Recordings also began issuing albums by Nomar Slevik, Hairdresser Mike, and Mattr.

By the time he released Whirlwind World, the Mole had moved to Oakland, California. Styled after Choose Your Own Adventure books, Whirlwind World was an alien-themed concept album, its story changing depending on which track the listener “flipped” to. The Terms None duet This Is What Happens When My Thoughts Get Ahead Of Me was the lead single from the album, released in remixed form. As the release of Whirlwind World heralded a sizeable increase in fan-base (with sudden and unexplained popularity in Eastern European countries), an extensive West Coast tour followed, including a show at Burning Man. 2005 also saw the single release of fan favorite How 2 B Cool.

In 2005, the Mole went to New Orleans to record his Future Music album.

[edit] Partial Discography

Albums/EPs

If You Don't Like This You Have Bad Taste (as Pierre Johnson) - 1994
Splendid Sleeping Conditions (with Saggis Fife, as The Johnson-Fife Symphony) - 1995
Music For Pizza Parties (as Pierre Johnson) - 1995
The Christmas Album (with Don Johnson, as The Brothers Johnson) - 1995
Back To Attack (as Pierre Johnson) - 1996
Heart Core (with Don Johnson, as The Brothers Johnson) - 1996
The Poetry Master (as The Poetry Master) - 1999
The Odyssey of the Silkworm (as Johnny Sunshine) - 1999
Ch@os (as Turbo Punx) - 2000
Experimental Man (as Experimental Man) - 2000
North San Juan - 2001
Communion - 2002
Beloved Retard Babies - 2003
Attack of the Zombie King...(with Demune) - 2003
Ho Ho Ho (with Demune, Platelunch & Tang Li Wheebs) - 2003
Bloody Flags (maxi-single with ancient mith & Demune) - 2004
If I Were Real... (as DJ 0.0001) - 2004 audio
This Is What Happens When My Thoughts Get Ahead Of Me (maxi-single with Terms None) - 2004
Hurt Fire EP (with Body Holliday, as Headley Grange) - 2004
Whirlwind World - 2004 audio/order
Organopolis - 2005