With their massed, fuzzy, feedback laden guitars, lethargic vocals; that often seem like an after thought, and a lead singer who at times seems to be channeling Day Dream Nation era Thurston Moore Hartford’s St. Johnny manages to combine both the best and worse elements of post Sonic Youth guitar rock.
Formed in 1991 the quartet consisted of Bill Whitten (guitar, vocals), Jim Elliott (bass), Wayne Letitia (drums) and Tom Leonard (guitar). Their debut single, released on their own Asthma label, caught the attention of Chicago’s Ajax Records who released 1992’s “Go To Sleep.” The two singles lead to a minor bidding war with the band ultimately signing with DGC. The Caroline Records release High As A Kite collected the singles and early eps.
Produced by Tom Leonard, their debut album, 1994’s Speed Is Dreaming, is characterized by controlled, methodical guitar sculpting, massed guitars and Whitten’s lackadaisical, stoner like, vocal stylings.
The group’s sophomore full-length, 1995’s Let It Come Down, co-produced by Whitten and Mercury Rev’s Dave Fridmann is almost unrecognizable as St. Johnny. Gone is the noisily melodic dirty punk rock replaced by Pavement-lite shambling and hip-hop/skronk hybrids.
St. Johnny broke up at the end of 1995 and Bill Whitten launched a new band the decidely less lethargic Grand Mal which still continues to record and release to this day.
DISCOGRAPHY
St. Johnny
Singles
“Go To Sleep” (7″) (Ajax Records) 1992
“A Car or A Boy” (7″) (Geffen) 1993
“Gilligan/Live at the Sports Page Cafe…” (7″) (Twisted Village) 1994
“I Give Up/One Of The Boys” (7″) (Love Kit) 1994
“Scuba Diving/Welcome Back Kotter” (7″) (Geffen)
EPS
Four Songs (EP7) (Asthma) 1992
Go to Sleep (EP7) (Ajax) 1992
Full-Length
High As A Kite (CD, Album) (Rough Trade UK, Caroline) 1993
Speed Is Dreaming (CD, Album) (DGC) 1994
Let It Come Down (CD, Album) (DGC) 1995
Tracks Appear On:
“Wild Goose Chasing” DGC Rarities: Vol.1 (CD) (Geffen Records) 1994
“Scuba Diving” Buy-Product (CD, Comp) (Geffen Records) 1995
“Scuba Diving” CMJ New Music April - Volume 20 (CD, Promo) (College Music Journal) 1995
“Scuba Diving” CMJ Presents Certain Damage! - Volume 64 (CD, Promo) (College Music Journal) 1995
My Companion (LP)
Incredible Son of Swag (CD) (Geffen/DGC) 1995
Grand Mal
Singles
Whole Lotta Nothing/Life’s a Gas (CDS) (Slash/London) 1998
Stay in Bed (Death in Vegas Remix) (CDS) (Slash/London) 1999
Full-Length and EPS
Grand Mal (EP) (No. 6) 1996
Pleasure Is No Fun (CD/LP) (No. 6) 1997
Maledictions (CD) (Slash/London) 1999
Precision Exits (self-released) 2000
Perfect Fit (CD) (Unsounds) 2002
Bad Timing (CD) (Arena Rock) 2003
Love Is The Best Con in Town (New York Night Train) 2006
Tracks Appear On:
“Stay in Bed” Jawbreaker: Music from the Motion Picture (London) 1999
“Hey Man” This is Next Year: A Brooklyn-Based Compilation (CD) (Arena Rock) 2001
Playing Time: 45 minutes 29 seconds
1. Go To Sleep (3:44)
2. God In My Head (3:56)
3. Highway (3:45)
4. Velocity (3:41)
5. My Father’s Father (3:37)
6. Matador (3:29)
7. Black (3:47)
8. Stupid (3:16)
9. High As A Kite (3:54)
10. Ashes/Slashes (3:19)
11. Unclean (9:01)
Playing Time: 46 minutes 15 seconds
1. A Car Or A Boy? (4:02)
2. I Hate Rock And Roll (3:14)
3. Down The Drain (3:12)
4. I Give Up (3:24)
5. What Was I Supposed To See? (2:57)
6. The Devil’s Last Stand (5:09)
7. You’re Not My Friend (0:17)
8. You Can’t Win (4:29)
9. Gran Mal (3:02)
10. Everything Is Beautiful (3:24)
11. Black Eye (4:47)
12. Turbine (5:01)
13. Stupid (3:17)
Playing Time: 50 minutes 45 seconds
1. Scuba Diving (3:37)
2. Just When I Had It Under Control (4:54)
3. Bluebird (3:02)
4. Pin The Tail On the Donkey (6:16)
5. Hey Teenager! (3:53)
6. Rip Off (1:38)
7. Deliver Me (4:15)
8. Fast. Cheap and Out of Control (4:00)
9. After Dark (2:41)
10. Wild Goose Chasing (3:04)
11. Do You Wanna Go Out? (5:04)
12. Million Dollar Bet (4:24)
13. Salvation Arm (3:57)
Posted in Music, The Bands, Uncategorized
