It’s a very well known fact that rock music in general has always had an anti-authoritarian, anti-establishment, DIY socio-political stance philosophically and lyrically and it would seem the perfect fit for a musical artist from the native community.
Punk rock emerged in the mid-1970’s and bands, eschewing the perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock, created fast, hard music, typically with short songs, stripped-down instrumentation and often political or nihilistic lyrics. Typical punk instrumentation is characterized by a line-up that includes one or two electric guitars, an electric bass, and a drum kit, along with vocals.
Punk rock vocals sometimes sound nasal, and are often shouted instead of sung in a conventional sense. Complicated guitar solos are considered self-indulgent and unnecessary, although basic guitar breaks are common. Guitar parts tend to include highly distorted power chords or barre chords.
Raging hard out of the great white north The Johnnys come at us like a runaway freight train with a sound that has been likened to Joan Jett meets The Donnas or something between Wednesday 13 with a taste of feminine LA Gunns. For some reason I am reminded of the premier punk husband/wife team from X; John Doe and Exene Cervenka. Arguably the best to ever come from that movement.
The CD title track I Like It A Lot comes on with fast hard drumming and chunky power chords and the raw sexual nihilism in the lyric is a characteristic reminiscent of classic punk.
I’m Hot (I Get What I Want) oozes punk attitude all over your CD player and it’s the raw sexual nihilism of the sound that is cool. Driving like a freight train straight to your dancing bone there is excellent guitar work in the break to a nice cut and vocal refrain. This is very cool and professional.
In track 4, Kon Tiki is a reference to the ocean crossing voyages of Thor Heyerdahl, Norwegian explorer in rafts made of reeds from the New World across the Pacific to the Philippines. The lyric should make the political stance a little bit clearer but this is an intelligent approach to your craft and shows us that The Johnnys are thinking about what they’re saying.
The song Two Steps Forward is very stark, very spare with a lighter sentiment but it still rocks hard. These people have studied and they understand the nuances and textures of the genre. This piece has excellent female vocals in the tone of the genre.
I Like It A Lot ends with Who’s Your Mama and an R n B inspired intro riff that leads to the feminist-rallying cry of the new millennium done with plenty of attitude. “Who’s your mama, who’s your mama, who’s your mama today?” This song rocks like a runaway freight train.
Ms. Johnny took part in the Vancouver for Aboriginal Music lab at Vancouver Community College this summer, where she said she was able to connect with other aboriginal songwriters and try out something new. “I wrote my first traditional aboriginal song while I was there ... It was a dream come true for me… “
This is such an incredible thing about Native American talent. You see we get to do these things. Here is a woman who can rock the house down then walk down to the lake and sing a prayer song to the creator for sharing all this beauty with us.
"I believe that whatever it is that you want to do in life, you should just do it," she said. "Don't listen to what anybody says, just do it." So, ok, Nike you better move MJ aside he’s gonna get run over by VJ and the Johnnys.
For further info on this artist please surf to the following web site: http://www.iicoc.com/artist_october_07
Reporter
Jamison Mahto
Indigenous Internet Chamber of Commerce
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The Johnnys December 2007
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