Emma-O -- all instruments and vocals and everything else unless otherwise stated
All songs featured written and arranged by Emma-O.
Additional musicians who have appeared on Emma-O's music over the years:
Edgar LeBel -- bass, back-up vocals
Ziggy Sweet -- drums, back-up vocals
Mark Johnson -- drums
Matt Coverley -- drums
Influences
General: Punk rock from old school to hardcore to emocore to pop-punk. Metal, grunge, new wave, alternative, classic rock, 50's rock'n'roll.
Dronica: Syd Barrett and early Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Captain Beefheart, The Doors, Nature, machines, the city, noise, dissonance, aliens, psychedelia, mind-altering experiences
The Gloom: Jesus and Mary Chain, Joy Division, Roy Orbison, X, Alice in Chains, Nirvana, Velvet Underground, Nico, Suicide (the band), death, sadness, dark subjects
The Impatiens: X, early Doughboys, Ramones, Hard-Ons, The Nils, The Asexuals, The Descendents, The Damned
Guitar Influences: Johnny Ramone, Jimi Hendrix, Syd Barrett, Donita Sparks, Billy Zoom, Bernard Sumner, David Minehan, Kurt Cobain, Johnny Thunders
Vocal influences: Exene Cervenka, Ian Curtis, Belinda Carlisle, Courtney Love, Stevie Nicks
She has been called "the female Johnny Ramone", and rumour has it she channels the spirit of Jimi Hendrix for guitar instruction. Known for her blistering rhythm guitar and screeching licks, Emma-O has been shredding riffs across Ontario for fifteen years. After performing in nearly every major club in Toronto and putting in time, sweat and energy hauling gear and promoting hers and other bands' shows, Emma-O left the hustle and bustle of big city life in 2008 to retreat to more natural settings, where the serenity and "greener pastures" were more conducive to songwriting and creativity. Always sticking true to her DIY punk roots and ethics, Emma-O writes, produces and promotes her own music (EMMA-O, THE GLOOM) without the assistance of a record label, and co-writes and produces the music for the experimental duo DRONICA, which she co-founded in 2005 with Cowboy Junkies' accordion player Jaroslaw Czerwinec. She is an accomplished and prolific songwriter, contributing material to various projects over the years, most recently with THE JOHNNYS and FIDGET, and in the past decade with THE IMPATIENS, PIMPINELLA, UNDERWIRE and TRANS LOVE AIRWAYS (all from Toronto). In 2002, her hard work paid off when her song "Phone Sex Girl" held the number one position on the punk charts at mp3.com Australia for seven consecutive weeks. In 2005 she repeated that same success with her project The Gloom, holding the number one position on the lo-fi charts for four weeks. In addition to this, several of her songs have held top positions at Soundclick.com, Amazon.com and various other sites around the world, and continue to remain steady on the charts year after year. Emma-O has been featured on APTN (Aboriginal People's Television Network), TVO (TV Ontario), Much Music, Spirit Magazine, The Globe and Mail, The Blue Envelope zine, the radio stations CFRB, CKLN, CIUT, THAT Radio (all from Toronto) and Banana Peel Radio (Vancouver). As well, she has showcased herself as a natural actor by appearing on Bravo Television and short indie films and projects by Toronto production company To Be Scene.
Believing in the philosophy of "Do what you love and love what you do", Emma-O works, lives and breathes music, art and expression. Emma-O grew up listening to The Clash, The Buzzcocks, Sex Pistols, X and Stiff Little Fingers, and knew at a very early age that punk rock meant much more than studded jackets and crazy haircuts. It's an attitude, a way of life, a life of freedom. To Emma-O, being "punk rock" means being who you want to be, and doing what makes you happy in life, and not stifling oneself with labels and stereotypes. Emma-O's free-spirited, unconventional attitude and thinking is a breath of fresh air in a world that is rife with mediocrity and conformity.
A diverse artist with a wealth of creativity to share, Emma-O is also a published writer and published photographer. She has been a visual artist her entire life. She is a beaded jewellery designer, and learned her craft working for haute-couture jewellery designers Erickson-Beamon (Toronto location). A natural entrepreneur, Emma-O was a self-employed jewellery designer from 2000 to 2003, and from 2003 to 2008, she ran her own business providing promotional services for bands and the arts scene in Toronto. She has been building, marketing and promoting her own web sites since 2000.
But it is more than a musical calling that drives Emma-O. A long-time student of the Natural and Esoteric arts, Emma-O is a Truth-seeker finding her way to an enlightened path. She uses the arts as a way to connect herself and others to something more meaningful than a mere physical existence. A fierce defender of the Earth and its creatures, she believes in the power and beauty of the Natural world and its ability to transform and heal. Compelled by a fire that burns within, Emma-O is always sharing information, ideas, images and sounds that will hopefully educate, enlighten, uplift and inspire those that seek positive change within themselves and the outside world.
Punk, hippie, goth, or all of the above? Emma-O can't be placed into a box with a neat label attached. You can try to figure out what category she fits into, but you probably won't succeed. And that's exactly how Emma-O prefers it! She likes to keep people guessing. With her unique persona blended with a touch of mystery, magic and spirit, Emma-O piques the curiosities of those who encounter her diverse world, and is sure to keep them coming back for more.
Emma-O's bands and projects, past and present:
Emma-O -- 2004-present -- all guitars, all vocals, percussion, organ, keys, songwriting and arranging, recording, production, engineering
The Gloom -- 2003-present -- all guitars, all vocals, percussion, songwriting and arranging except for collaborations with The Futz's Edgar LeBel, recording, production, engineering
Dronica -- 2005-present -- all guitars, effects, vocals, organ, keys, percussion, co-songwriting and arranging with the Cowboy Junkies' accordion player Jaroslaw Czerwinec, recording, production, engineering
The Impatiens -- 2005-2007 -- all guitars, lead and back-up vocals, co-songwriting and arranging with Johnny Vine, production, engineering
The Johnnys -- 2006-2007 -- lead and rhythm guitar, back-up vocals, co-songwriting and arranging
Fidget -- 2006-2007 -- rhythm guitar, back-up vocals, co-songwriting and arranging with Nicole LeGault and Teresa Hart
Pimpinella -- 2003-2004 -- all guitars, all vocals, songwriting and arranging, recording, production, engineering
Underwire -- 2000-2003 -- lead and rhythm guitar, lead and back-up vocals, bass, percussion, songwriting and arranging, recording, production, engineering
Trans Love Airways -- 1998-2000 -- rhythm guitar, back-up vocals, co-songwriting and arranging with Trans Love Airways
PLEASE ALSO VISIT EMMA-O'S OTHER MUSICAL PROJECTS:
Peace Sunday, June 5, 1982, Rose Bowl, no nukes - nuclear disarmament - stop nuclear madness concert - NYC - Central Park - June 12, 1982, 1,000,000 person march and rally for Nuclear Freeze. Photography and presentation by Curtis Rainbow. 'Give Peace a Chance' music by Achim Schultz. Inspiration by Yoko Ono. Dedicated to John Lennon.
As we stand with the most precious part of our lives... I cannot recall the moment in time it began, For at that moment I knew happiness, a happiness I had never known before, for just the thought gave me joy beyond belief...
It is a love of passion and desire as love which does not end, love does not wither and love is not, in fact a contract and can only be considered as a gift...
I realize I now know the true meaning of love as long as this life endures and beyond, for my dreams, my realities, the feeling of ecstasy it brought to me...
Love it is a never-ending need, one that will last a lifetime... and will never let you forget how true love has made you feel...
May Faith, Hope & Love Always Be Your Treasures.... ~John~
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