John Pippus

Artist Information

Biography

Selected one of "The Best 10 Indie Vancouver acts of 2011" by VANMUSIC.CA

From sharing a stage with Jackson Browne to playing to small, but appreciative coffee house audiences, John has lived a life filled with music and well-earned stories. Critics have declared him, “…a folk/roots gem”, and “…a refined tunesmith with serious pop hooks”. Earshot Magazine’s Shelley Gummeson says:

”He has a gift for making us believe that he’s been down road and around the block, and is still kickin’ it.”

John’s songs have been played on over 100 radio stations around the world.

Favorite venues John has played include: The Bluebird Café (Nashville), The Tractor Tavern (Seattle), The Vogue Theatre (Vancouver), Canon’s Gait (Edinburgh), Bruxelles Bar (Dublin) and The Newtown Festival (Wellington, New Zealand), and Bluebird North (Vancouver).

MAY 2012: Three-week solo/acoustic tour in Holland.

Sounds like? Try this: Situated between the musical influences of John Hiatt, Tom Waits, and Steve Earle. And a healthy nod to the blues greats as well.

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"If John Pippus’ Wrapped Up in the Blues does one thing brilliantly, it’s to fully live up to its name. The Vancouver bluesman lives and breathes his musical muse."
- The Vancouver Sun, Sept. 2011

"The real take-away here is the sense of fun and energy that comes through on every song. Pippus has the attitude and personality to put out an upbeat dead-on-tempo blues party."
- Rustzine Magazine, Nov. 2011

"It’s his variety of voices that really impresses me, ranging from smoky to gravely. He plays his songs with fun-loving attitude, throwing in some full-body wiggles... It’s all about attitude when it comes to setting yourself apart from the competition, and John is as sassy as they come."
- Lauren Eldridge, Backstage Vancouver, Jan. 8/10

Instrumentation

John Pippus - guitar, vocals, harmonica

Booking contact: jpippus@hotmail.com

Discography

"Wrapped Up In The Blues" released 2011.

"Born A Genius" released 2010.

"This City". First full-length album released 2009.

"Song Tourist". Six-song demo CD released June 2006.

"Blurry Photograph" included on compilation CD,
"Independent Artists Supporting War Child (Holland)". Released Summer 2006.

"Man Of Constant Sorrow" included on compilation CD sent overseas to Canadian military soldiers.

Various singles for tv/film placement.

Links

• Reverbnation
• Independent Artists' Community (IAC)

Audio

• Those Five Days
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• WholeLottayourlove_MP3 Master
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• Born A Genius
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• Airplane Woman
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• Oh Oh Oh
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• Shopping Cart Joe
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• One World
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• Follow The River_MP3
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• You Don't Love Me
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Lyrics

• Those Five Days
• Whole Lot Of Your Love
• Born A Genius
• Airplane Woman
• Oh Oh Oh
• Shopping Cart Joe
• One World
• Follow The River
• You Don't Love Me

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• ExploreMusic's AlanCross on "Born A Genius" [+ Show ]
  

  by Alan Cross | September 27, 2010 9:00 am Don’t let the pompous-sounding title of this album, B... by Alan Cross | September 27, 2010 9:00 am
  
  Don’t let the pompous-sounding title of this album, Born a Genius, turn you off. It’s strictly tongue-in-cheek. All trepidations should be erased by the first 60 seconds of this delicate acoustic track.
  
  Sounds like: Gordon Lightfoot, Bruce Cockburn, Jack Johnson
  
  
  

• New Album, "Born A Genius" [+ Show ]
  

  ohn Pippus Born A Genius Self-Released Vancouver singer/songwriter, John Pippus was born a genius...ohn Pippus
  Born A Genius
  Self-Released
  Vancouver singer/songwriter, John Pippus was born a genius and he wants everyone to know it.
  Born a Genius is Pippus’ second full length album. It appears that he has exorcised a few of his demons after the lonely pre-dawn lament of his first album, and he’s got stuff to say.
  Opening with “Where I Come From”, lays down believability for the rest of the songs on the album. “Where I come from we believe in what we say” sings John. He has a gift for making us believe that he’s been down road and around the block, and is still kickin’ it.
  Social commentary is just one of threads that run through Born a Genius. With some solid songwriting John has turned an observant eye towards some of society’s ills. “Let’s Legalize It”, is a jarring, ragged song that incorporates a siren, a heavy hip hop style rhythm and some strong views. Pippus’ handy guitar work blends in well, though it is somewhat strident in the vocals. He does settle in with that weary, smoky, scotch soaked voice apart from that, and shows a pleasing variety in range in the other songs. “One Shot”, which is a somewhat scathing call to action, is a good example of where everything works together.
  Whoever says, ‘when I grow up I’m going to become a nameless social outcast and push a shopping cart around’? Pippus addresses this too often seen scenario with compassion in “Shopping Cart Joe”. Born a Genius is not all about how we’ve gone to hell in a hand basket. There are relationships, humor and reflective moments too.
  Permeating the album is a modern, up to date sound. There are a few times when these touches feel like a pair of shoes that look good, but don’t fit quite right. You wear them anyway, trying to work them in. Those moments are few.
  It has been noted that John Pippus has gotten a bit of a late start in his music career. I think he’s just getting warmed up and we’re in for more treats down the road.
  
  It is evident with Pippus’ latest album Born A Genius, you can teach an old dog new tricks.
  
  By Shelley Gummeson
  Sep 17, 2010

• "Humor and Energy" Unifies Born A Genius [+ Show ]
  

  JOHN PIPPUS: Born A Genius (DMA) By Tom Harrison Fri, Aug 20 2010 COMMENTS(0) Quick Spins ...
  JOHN PIPPUS: Born A Genius (DMA)
  
  By Tom Harrison Fri, Aug 20 2010 COMMENTS(0) Quick Spins
  
  
  Pippus's second CD can't be labelled blues or tagged folk but it is earthy without also being retro. Samples and a nod, just a nod, to hip hop see to that, His "Leaving On Your Mind" might steer closely to The Clash's "Should I Stay Or Should I Go?" but it does so in good humour and a spark of energy. As varied as it is, humour and energy might be the album's unifying factors.

• Wrapped Up In The Blues [+ Show ]
  

  "If John Pippus’ Wrapped Up in the Blues does one thing brilliantly, it’s to fully live up to its na..."If John Pippus’ Wrapped Up in the Blues does one thing brilliantly, it’s to fully live up to its name. The Vancouver bluesman lives and breathes his musical muse."
  - Francois Marchand, The Vancouver Sun, Sept. 16/11

• Wrapped Up In The Blues [+ Show ]
  

  "[The album is]... blues based but he takes liberties, occasionally, as in “Walk Away,” sounding lik..."[The album is]... blues based but he takes liberties, occasionally, as in “Walk Away,” sounding like Led Zeppelin rather than a blues purist. Good for Pippus. Like any genre, boundaries have to be pushed otherwise it can choke on its idealism."
  - Tom Harrison, The Vancouver Province, Sept. 16/11

Setlist

Two 45 min. sets of original material. Blues, power folk, roots.

Basic Requirements

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