the johns

the johns formed when singer Johnny Pizzolato, Keyboardist Derek Bishop, and original bass player John Crommet started playing together about 2 years ago. Johnny P met guitarist Javier Quiroz months later at their job where they were both jaded waiters in NYC. For a few months the band played with a drum track from a computer, which proved to not rock hard enough for them. Last summer, Javier and drummer Jon Ream met through a mutual friend at a party, and the name "the johns" was attached to the project. After the original bass player quit, Jamie King joined the crew to solidify the lineup just before the boys' first West Coast adventure this summer. Touring together for the first time enabled them to bond musically and as friends in ways that they had never experienced before, only increasing their desire to continue to make great music.
Whereas many bands are comprised of members who are influenced by the same types of music, the johns are unique in that they all come from different musical backgrounds. Derek Bishop is a well-trained keyboardist with some solo material that is really technically advanced, and his talent is intricately woven into the music. Javier Quiroz has harder rock influences and his aspiration to be a solo guitarist in a band with only one guitar serves for amazing interludes. Jon Ream was primarily in punk bands before playing with the johns and his urge to push the tempo keeps the songs upbeat and surging forward. Jamie King has hip-hop roots, producing intricate bass lines to compliment the rest of the band. The different musical influences, with Johnny P's unique voice serving as the backbone, combine to make something that is aesthetically appealing to audiences, and although radio-ready, something different than what is heard song after song on the radio today.