Johnny J. Blair
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Johnny J. Blair is an American singer-songwriter. His influences range from Ray Davies, Brian Wilson, Smokey Robinson, David Bowie and Elvis Costello to Stravinsky, Gershwin, and Boyce and Hart. He is known for his innovative brand of pop, a fast-paced mix of old-school soul, psychedelia, punk/new wave, and the melodicism of classical, gospel, jazz, and world beat. Spotlight Magazine dubbed him "the Harry Houdini of rock 'n' roll" for his "escape from typecasts."
Blair's artistic vocabulary is influenced by The Bible, classic comedy (Charlie Chaplin, Marx Brothers) the poetry of T.S. Eliot, and the writings of Raymond Chandler, Graham Greene, and John Steinbeck. Common subjects are metropolitan allegories, apocalyptic justice, surreal road trips, and offbeat nostalgia.
Blair's concert set includes originals joined to covers from glam rock to Motown to show tunes to spirituals. Besides making music for comic books and documentaries, he has collaborated with and produced a variety of artists.
He is currently the touring bassist for former Monkee Davy Jones.
His most recent album is Grateful, released by Wampus Multimedia in 2007.
[edit] Selected Discography
Dancin’ So Hard (single) Produced by Rick Anderson (The Tubes), 1980
Care Package (EP), 1983
Door in the Water (full length), 1986, reissued 1988
Johnny J Blair, a.k.a. "The Green Album" (full length), 1987
Yellow House (full length), 1988
Love Love Alone (single), Produced by Dan Reilly, 1989
Suspension Britches in San Francisco (Works 1989 1991) (full length), 1991
She's Not Some Animal (single), 1997
Fire (full length), 2000, reissued 2006 on Foldback Records/Wampus Multimedia
Exotic Animals & Beaches of Pennsylvania (limited edition maxi-EO), 2001
Snapshots (full length), 2002
After Hours: a Tribute to the Music of Lou Reed (full length) cover version of "Sunday Morning," backed by members of The Badlees, 2003
Treadmarks (Wampus Multimedia) (full length), 2005
Word2Soul Project (full length), 2006
Grateful (Foldback Records/Wampus Multimedia) (full length), 2007
