- The Three Johns
Infobox musical artist
Name = The Three Johns
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Background = group_or_band
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Born =
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Origin = flagicon|EnglandLeeds ,England
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Genre =Post-punk ,Dance rock , New Wave
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Years_active = 1981-1990
Label = CNT,Abstract Records ROIR
Associated_acts =The Mekons
URL =
Current_members =
Past_members =Jon Langford John Hyatt Phillip "John" Brennan
Notable_instruments =The Three Johns were a New Wave band formed in 1981 in
Leeds originally consisting ofThe Mekons co-founder,Jon Langford (guitar) as well as John Hyatt (vocals) and Phillip "John" Brennan (bass), augmented by adrum machine .Larkin, Colin (1992) "The Guinness Who's Who of Indie & New Wave Music", Guinness Publishing, ISBN 0-85112-579-4]History
The band initially formed just before the wedding of
Prince Charles andDiana Spencer , and their first gig was to be part of 'Funk The Wedding' event, but they were refused permission to play because they were drunk. They signed to CNT Records in 1982, releasing two singles and an EP for the label, including a re-working of the Mekons' "English White Boy Engineer", which attacked hypocritical attitudes towardsSouth Africa and apartheid, the band being labelled as left-wing rockers. The band explained"We're not a socialist band. We're a group of socialists who are in a band. It's a fine distinction but an important one"
The mid-1980s saw the band regularly in the
UK Indie Chart with singles such as "A.W.O.L.", "Death of the European" (anNME 'Single of the Week'), and "Brainbox". During the band's career, the members maintained their day jobs - Langford as a graphic designer and Hyatt a teacher of Fine Art atLeeds Polytechnic . The band's left wing leanings were further evidenced by the "Atom Drum Bop" album, the sleeve carrying the words "Rock 'n' Roll Versus Thaatchiism", a reference to then Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher .The band split up in late 1988 after a disastrous US tour, but reformed in 1990, releasing "Eat Your Sons", a concept album dealing with cannibalism, before splitting again.Strong, Martin C. (1999) "The Great Alternative & Indie Discography", Canongate, ISBN 0-86241-913-1] Langford continued with The Mekons, later releasing a solo album, while Hyatt concentrated on his academic career.
The band recorded six sessions for
John Peel 'sBBC Radio 1 show, and reached number 14 in the 1985Festive Fifty with "Death of the European". [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/artists/t/threejohns/ The Three Johns at theBBC 's "Keeping It Peel" site] ]Discography
Chart placings shown are from the
UK Indie Chart .Lazell, Barry (1997) "Indie Hits 1980-1989", Cherry Red Books, ISBN 0-9517206-9-4]ingles
* "English White Boy Engineer" (1982) CNT
* "Pink Headed Bug" (1983) CNT #44
* "Men Like Monkeys" EP (1983) CNT
* "A.W.O.L." (1983) Abstract #14
* "Some History" EP (1983) Abstract #17
* "Do The Square Thing" (1984) Abstract #6
* "Death Of The European" (1985) Abstract #3
* "Brainbox (He's A Brainbox)" (1985) Abstract #3
* "Sold Down The River" (1986) Abstract #10
* "Never And Always" (1987) Abstract
* "Torches Of Liberty" (1988) AbstractAlbums
* "Atom Drum Bop" (1984) Abstract #2
* "The World By Storm" (1986) Abstract #4
* "Live In Chicago" (1987) Last Time Around
* "Crime Pays - Rock 'n' Roll In The ... Demonocracy - The Singles 82-86" (1986) Abstract
* "The Death Of Everything" (1988) T.I.M #19
* "Deathrocker Scrapbook" (1992) R.O.I.R.
* "Eat Your Sons" (1990) Tupelo
* "The Best Of..." (1996) DojoReferences
External links
* [http://www.threejohns.co.uk/ The Three Johns - Unofficial Site]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:51uh6j6h71t0 AMG profile]
* [http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=74125068 MySpace music page for the band]
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