Kenny Jacobson - vocals, guitars, mandolin
Ammon Madsen - guitars, harmonica, vocals
Joe Rasmussen - bass, vocals
Kevin Merrell - drums, vocals, sex appeal
Influences
Bruce Springsteen, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Ryan Adams, Whiskeytown, Joe Ely, The Who, The Faces, Pink Floyd, Neil Young, Drive-By Truckers, Black Crowes, Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Steve Earle, The Replacements, Husker Du, Queen, Built To Spill, Indigo Girls, Martin Sexton, Slobberbone, Johnny Cash, Tom Petty, Lindsey Buckingham, AC/DC, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Bob Mould, Cheap Trick, Clem Snide, Gillian Welch, Jeff Buckley, Journey, Matthew Sweet, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Paul Simon, Prince, Richard Thompson, Spain, Son Volt, Stevie Wonder, Sun Kil Moon/Red House Painters, Allman Brothers, The Band, The Clash, The Court & Spark, The Frames, The Move, The Shins, Wilco
Sounds Like
Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Led Zeppelin, Ryan Adams/Whiskeytown, Joe Ely, The Faces, Pink Floyd, Neil Young, Drive-By Truckers, Two Cow Garage, Black Crowes, Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Steve Earle, The Replacements, Indigo Girls, Martin Sexton, Slobberbone, Johnny Cash, Gram Parsons, Lindsey Buckingham, AC/DC, Clem Snide, Journey, Matthew Sweet, Richard Thompson, Son Volt
Perhaps now more than ever, music artists are blurring the lines between genres. Case in point, Johnny 99 and their just-released EP, Four Songs. One minute, you think you have the four piece all figured out as a country outfit, the next minute, they detour into roots rock, or a decidedly punk/garage rock chord progression. I think a lot of people miss the fun and good times of rock music, explains singer/guitarist Kenny Jacobson. What's being call rock music today is just cookie-cutter angst and manufactured anger, and AAA is just a little too safe and precious. Our appeal is to those that want a fresh, new, gritty, underground feel - with the spirit of Springsteen, U2, Johnny Cash, and Led Zeppelin.
Interestingly, the group (which also includes guitarist Ammon Madsen, bassist Joe Rasmussen, and drummer Kevin Merrell) hails from sunny Orange County, California, which is best known for pop-punk, rather than alt-country. But according to Jacobson, Johnny 99 wouldnt have it any other way. It has definitely been a little more difficult to find where we fit in in Orange County. But the more we play, the more we keep hearing people say how much they like our kind of music, which is very encouraging of course. Hedging their bets, Johnny 99 also continues to play LA as much as they can.
The story of how Johnny 99 came into being is the classic finding the right combination tale. Jacobson had been trying to start a band since his return to Southern California post-college. By early 2002, Jacobson had met Madsen, and found they had similar musical tastes, and came up with a different angle to form a band - inviting anyone who wanted to come over to an acoustic jam night at Jacobson's house once a week. A rotating cast of characters was soon assembled - including fiddle, banjo, and accordion players, as well as acoustic guitarists. After about a year, Rasmussen signed on as bassist and Merrell occupied the drum kit. The chemistry was undeniable, and soon the four members began practicing and gigging together - what was originally conceived as a new folk/alt-grass group had now became a full-fledged rock band.
Taking their name from a song title that was used over the years by two of the groups favorite artists, Bruce Springsteen and Johnny Cash, the new group began penning original tunes, with Jacobson writing the majority of the songs, but with Merrell gaining ground. Soon, the group had penned two tracks which are among the finest on Four Songs - the melancholy country-tinged How Could I Say No? and the more uptempo Finding Out.
Although Four Songs was just issued in March of this year, the group is already planning their next move, which will be a self-produced debut full-length with the working title Rock N Roll Could Save Your Life. They are looking at a possible July 2006 release.
Check out our website (www.johnny99.com) for more demo songs and some footage of shows at the Key Club and Whisky A Go Go.
Promote Johnny 99 on MySpace!
How? Well here's a start:
Add the Johnny 99 MySpace Page to your "Top 8 Friends."
Add one of the songs on the player to your MySpace page. Simply click "add" next to whatever song you want and it will automatically show up on your page.
Be sure to tell all of your MySpace friends about us
Promote Johnny 99 on UKBands.Net!
If you're from the UK, please vote for us on www.ukbands.net. We're trying to spread our sounds through your country too! We're going to be on tour in the UK and Ireland in August. We've still got several dates open, so if you want us to come to your town, drop us a line and let us know.
You must be registered to vote on ukbands.net, if you register after clicking on the vote button your vote will be added after registration
Video from The Soundry at Pharaoh's in Coatbridge, Scotland Video recorded and edited by Andy at www.stagestorm.com
It's great being your friend. We're going back into the studio this summer to record another album. Let us know if you're interested in hearing more about it.
HEY GUYS
JUST FLOATING BY.
HOPE ALLS WELL WITH THE 99 CREW.
WE DONE A NAME CHANGE AND ARE NOW KNOWN IN THE MUSO WORLD AS AJENDA.
SPREAD THE GOOD WORD IN THE NAME OF HAPPINESS. )))
TAKE IT EASY
GAVIN
Johnny 99
Hey! I'm back from the tour,and i put together video of the highlights of 2006....complete with an interesting encounter i had with a Japanese toilet.....click here to see the video. Take care and i hope to see you soon.
Kevin
Our rates for rehearsals: (rates go down the more hours you book)
$25 for 1 hour
$35 for 2 hours
$45 for 3 hours
$12 for each additional hour after 3
For long sessions, booking 8 hours straight ($105), the following 4 are free (12 hours continuous).
Our rates for Analog recording on 24 track, 2" tape, Mastering on 1/4", then giving you a CD copy: (Rates include engineer).
$45 an hour.
For cd duplication, contact us in person.
If you wish to hear a demo, it must be picked up at our studio. (we don't mail out demo's)
Digital recording will be available in upcoming months.
Recording sessions require 24 hour notice.
Sessions limited to 10 hour blocks max at one time.
We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. (from midnight until 12 noon the following day and on holidays by appointment only. 12 hour notice required)
I can tell how much I like a girl based on how much time I spend getting ready to see her. If I shower, I'm into you... but if I just put on more deoderant, we should probably see other people!
My girlfriend makes these grand statements that are very intimidating: "You're my soul mate!" That's a lot of pressure... can I just be your little dipper?
Johnny 99
Happy New Year!!! I hope Santa was nice to you this year, and that 2007 is a great year. We are in Dublin getting ready for the show tonight........lovely.
Here is a little video i made of the guys in the band..for a laugh!...the Shawn Byrne bit will crack you up! Click here to watch it. Anyway, take care and hope to see you soon! Kevin
Everybody always wishes you a Happy New Year, but no one ever follows up. Wouldn't it it be nice to get a call in June "Hey, Johnny 99, its Tony from New Year's... I said it was going to be a great year and just wanted to see how it's going!"
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