John Bottomley

Artist Information

Biography

John was born in Toronto in 1960. He traveled around living in Ottawa, London England, Cold Lake Alberta, Lahr Germany and back to Toronto by the time he was 20. In England he studied classical piano and sang in the school Choir. Later in Germany bought his first guitar. A framus. At age 16 he started playing in bands and played the Black forest area of southern Germany. He cut his teeth with a band called Tulpa In Toronto. They were early pioneers of the Queen street scene. A punky,Rock, Raggea outfit.. Releasing there first record “Mosaic Fish.”on the now legendary Label Midnight Music in London in 1985. They played the clubs. Hundreds of them. In 1986 they were a frequent stay at CBGB’s in New York City. Hilly Krystal the owner managed them for a while and signed Tulpa to his Label “Off the board records.” They released a live album. Hilly wrote a book called“This aint no Disco” The story of CBGB’s where Tulpa is mentioned.

In 1990 John released his first Solo record Called “Library of the Sun.” It won best record of the year at Ottawa’s college radio station. Latent records signed him and later BMG directly. In 1992 he released “Songs with the Ornamental Hermits.” It won a Canadian Juno Award. In 1995 he released Blackberry which spawned a couple of top ten Hits. The Song “You Lose and you Gain.” Went to Number 3 on the Canadian Record Chart. It won a Socan award for one of the top songs of 1995. In 1998 he released a very different record called “Raggle Taggle.” It was nominated for Male vocalist of the year by the west coast music awards..In the year 2000 he moved to Bowen Island and released The Crown of Life, Star in the Singing grove, on His own Crane/Bag label just like he did in the beginning. Gentle acoustic recordings. He moved again into the mountains and released Songpoet, His song “ I Drifted by the Creek.” was a semi-finalist in the ISC awards. (International songwriting contest in America). In 2009 he released The Mountain Hammered Vol 1 and 2. His most current recording is called “ The Healing Dream.” A look back and a look forward.

Of his music, john say’s “I try not to trap my music in any style as that could be dangerous.” I have all kinds of songs. Ghost songs, Story songs, border ballads, Fairy tale, and majical ballads, Fable songs,

His work shows a musical and literal sense. At times otherwordly. Utopian even.

“ I have busked on the street, sang in clubs, music halls, theatres, fun fairs and festivals. There have been lots of highlights, and many more to come.



Discography

Solo

2010-The Healing dream

2009-The Mountain hammered vol 1

2009- the Mountain hammered vol 2

2007-Songpoet

2004-Star in the Singing Grove

2000-The Crown of Life

1998-Raggle Taggle

1995-Blackberry

1992-Songs with the Ornamental Hermits

1990-Library of the Sun



With the Band Tulpa

1986- Live off the board CBGB’s New York.

1985-Mosaic Fish

Instrumentation

Discography

SOLO RECORDINGS
The Healing Dream (2010)
The Mountain Hammered vol 1 and 2 (2009)
Songpoet (2007)
Star in the Singing grove (2004)
The Crown of Life part 2 (2002)
The Crown of Life part 1 (2000)
Raggle Taggle (1998)
Blackberry (1995)
Songs with the Ornamnetal Hermits (1992)
Library of the Sun (1990)

With the Band TULPA

Live at CBGB's (1986)
Mosaic Fish (1985)
Apologize/mystical dreams single (1983)

BOOKS

Star in the Singing Grove (2004)
Here's the Candy (2001)
Triskelion (1995)

Links

• MySpace

Audio

• Healing Dream (mastered)
  Listen  
• You Lose And You Gain
  Listen  
• Ghosts of Gold
  Listen  
• I Drifted By The Creek
  Listen  
• Long Way To Go
  Listen  
• Take You Higher
  Listen  
• Lion is the Child
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Ghosts of Gold
• I drifted by the Creek

Video

I Drifted by the Creek

Photo Gallery

Press

• CD of The Week [+ Show ]
  

  John Bottomley: The Healing Dream By Tom Harrison Sat, Dec 4 2010 COMMENTS(0) The Garage Bot...
  
  John Bottomley: The Healing Dream By Tom Harrison Sat, Dec 4 2010 COMMENTS(0) The Garage Bottomley has made many records and every one seems to have a different intent - instrumental explorations to concepts and allegories. They've all been good, too. By comparison, this one is a return to a straight forward collection of well-written songs. Featuring mainly Bottomley on guitar (acoustic and electric) and a bass/drums rhythm section, The Healing Dream nonetheless is rich in its sparing use of extra guitar, pedal steel or piano. They add just the right detail or create atmosphere. Bottomley sings with a conviction that is both gentle and vulnerable. At the risk of making him sound like the original flower child there is something sunny and idealistic about him but he also can turn, as when the twisted solo of "Bees" grabs or its guitar hook digs in.
  
  Tom Harrison - The Vancouver Province (Dec 4, 2010)
  

• Songpoet [+ Show ]
  

  While inclined to sound a little earnest at times, creates an eloquent collection of well-crafted wr...While inclined to sound a little earnest at times, creates an eloquent collection of well-crafted writing that lives up to it's Songpoet title on his latest album. Elements of Mike Scotts windswept Celticisms and the down-home roots of Dylan feature, but with a first-rate supporting cast in tow he manages to stamp his considerable authority on the graphically evocative 'The Ballad of Charlie Pillberry" and the epic, atmospheric closer, 'Trafalgar, where Bottomley's gravelly vocal and accompanying musicians produce possibly the albums finest cut.

• Penguin Eggs Review [+ Show ]
  

  Songpoet (Crane/Bag Recordings) John Bottomley began his recording career with the Toronto ’80s ban...Songpoet (Crane/Bag Recordings)
  John Bottomley began his recording career with the Toronto ’80s band Tulpa. He released his first solo recording called Library of the Sun in 1990. He had some mainstream success, won a Juno Award in the ’90s and toured the country.
  Songpoet is his eighth solo release. Although he has been out of the musical limelight out west here in the past few years, he has not lost his ability to charm with a wonderful song.
  This is an eloquent collection of eight mystical, rootsy songs including a spooky story called The Ballad of Charlie Pillberry. As well, a wonderfully strong epic historical ballad that he does as a duet with Ruth Sutherland called Trafalgar closes the album.
  Songpoet is a collection of terrific songs presented with skill and passion, delivered with his gravelly, evocative voice. John Bottomley, it’s good to hear from you again.
  

• Sonpoet Aus Lahr und sein Meisterwerk
  

  Songpoet from Lahr and his masterwork. October 26/2007

• CBC Radio 1 [+ Show ]
  

  The Juno's got it right when they named John Bottomley Most Promising male vocalist of 1993. The Sin...The Juno's got it right when they named John Bottomley Most Promising male vocalist of 1993. The Singer/Songwriter makes the kind of thoughtful, hook filled folk-pop that has become all too rare in the last decade and a half. The Latest album Songpoet
  is packed with great radio songs-and fans of intelligent music-should go out of there way to check this out.

• Blackberry is Ripe
  

  A potent Songwiter

• Nick Krewan [+ Show ]
  

  ...Blackberry represents a gigantic leap forward for one of Canada's truly underestimated song-writi......Blackberry represents a gigantic leap forward for one of Canada's truly underestimated song-writing prophets. His best stuff ever!......

• Star in the Singing Grove
  

  Remarkable!

• Betsy Powell [+ Show ]
  

  Bottomley works through a collection of self produced songs ranging from gentle ballads to numbers t...Bottomley works through a collection of self produced songs ranging from gentle ballads to numbers that rock out. There is not a dud track here. The employment of several members of Sarah Mclachlans band has brought some changes to the background embroidery-mainly psychedelic guitar chords and textures. Every track is a Raggle Taggle winner.

• jeff Bateman [+ Show ]
  

  " Bottomley, the songwriter, again flashes his potent abilitly to recapturre a sense of wonder and m..." Bottomley, the songwriter, again flashes his potent abilitly to recapturre a sense of wonder and mystery that's woefully missing from contemporary life. But Blackberry is his breakthrough because of the music-warm, rich and accesible enough for radio to embrace in a heartbeat."

Setlist

I have about 30 or 40 originals i do live. Also
i have a long list of traditional covers with Jigs and reels and popular songs.

Originals

You Lose and You gain
A Candle in the Dark
Take you Higher
Elsie Strawlight
I drifted by the Creek
Klee Wyck
The Ballad of Charlie Pillberry
Panic Wreck
Fury of the Funnel
Sarah Whitehead
Carry Carry Carry
Mandolin Clown
Ghosts of Gold
The River
Golden Age
The Ballad of Jacob Peck
SHe Lay down by the water
ect........


Cover Songs
Handsome Molly
Northwest Passage
Witch of Westmoorland
Nine pound Hammer
Banks of Ponchatrain
ect.......

Basic Requirements

Calendar