Bob Dylan, Loudon Wainwright III, Nic Jones, Martin Carthy, Cat Stevens, Elvis Costello, Steve Goodman, Randy Newman, David Bowie, Abba, Phil Spector, Gilbert O'Sulivan, Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention
Wesley Stace was born in Hastings, Sussex in 1965, and educated at The King's School, Canterbury, and Jesus College, Cambridge. Under the name, John Wesley Harding, he has released 15 albums, ranging from traditional folk to full on pop music. His most recent pop release Adam's Apple (2004) was called "the finest album of his career" (All Music Guide), "one of his best, a sharp collection of pop that cleverly weds sunny melodies to dark matters" (The New Yorker) and "a dazzling piece of popcraft that shows wide range and real heart" (No Depression.)
John Wesley Harding has been joined onstage by Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, John Prine, Bruce Springsteen (with whom he recorded a duet on his album Awake), Joan Baez, Peter Buck, Evan Dando, David Baddiel, Rick Moody, Scott MacCaughey and Robyn Hitchcock amongst others. He has appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Late Show with David Letterman, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. His songs have been featured in films (including High Fidelity) and covered by other artists. His most recent record was "Songs of Misfortune", a (mostly) a capella recording by The Love Hall Tryst, featuring the ballads from his first novel, Misfortune. The recently released DVD "A Bloody Show" documents an epic show filmed at Bumbershoot in Seattle, featuring songs from Misfortune, on which JWH is accompanied by a rock band, a string quartet and The Love Hall Tryst, and readings from the novel. His new record "Who was Changed and Who was Dead", recorded with The Minus Five, is released in March 2009 by Popover Corps. His series of "Cabinet of Wonders" variety shows in Spring 2009 in New York City at Le Poisson Rouge include appearances by Rosanne Cash, Graham Parker, Josh Ritter, Rick Moody, Colson Whitehead and Jonathan Ames.
His first novel, Misfortune, under his real name Wesley Stace, was published to great acclaim in 2004 by Little, Brown (USA) and Jonathan Cape (UK) - translations followed in Italy, France (where it has become a bestseller), Holland, Taiwan, Japan, Spain and Israel. It was nominated for The Guardian First Book Award, The Commonwealth Writers' Prize, The James Tiptree, Jr. Award, listed as one of the books of the year in The Washington Post and The Boston Phoenix, and was one of Amazon's Top Ten Novels of the Year. His second novel, BY GEORGE, was published in August 2007; it was one of the New York Public Library's Books To Remember of 2007, and Booklist Editor's Choice for books of the year. He has recently completed his third novel, and is currently artist-in-residence at Fairleigh Dickinson University, NJ, where he curates the Words & Music Festival.
He has lived in America since 1991, and resides in Fort Greene, Brooklyn with his wife Abbey, daughter Tilda and son Wyn.
Wes, brilliant show and night, thanks for making me laugh (not as easy as some might think!) and LOVE the live CD esp. Window Seat (see, I'm learning, song titles...) Really sad I couldn't make the Filo, hope the rest of the tour is fun (and no more dodgy Spanish!)
It's amazing. You are one of the few musicians that actually sounds better live than in studio. Not that your studio stuff is bad by any means. =P Goth Girl live will forever be my favorite song.
Hey there JWH, great to be able to finally count you amongst our friends. Have been fans for many, many moons. We've got a new album out, would be honored if you'd give it a listen and share your thoughts. Take care, VL
I really enjoyed hearing what you had to say on the 360 deal with yourself panel at sxsw. It is much appreciated. Also enjoyed the uke set you and Amanda did while we were all waiting. Cheers.
May i suggest Bad Dream Baby with jarvis playing those drums!! i will NEVER forget Iota nite!! thanks for coming and making my early times in the dc area a really positive beginning!!
"The End" just outrocked all expectations I had for the "Minus 5 album". It's up there with your best songs. "Slippery Slide To Bliss" is too, or almost, since it's kind of gotten lost on an EP that I feel lucky to have gotten while it lasted. Keep up the great work and thank you for the music! Yours Y.
P.S.: No offense Wes, but I'm finding it kind of funny that the entry from the lady below calls you John.
Wes, love the new album, I will be playing two tracks on 101.9 FM WRXP in NYC this sunday night one around 9:05PM and the other around 10:50PM, Looking forward to hearing the new songs live...
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!HAPPY NEW YEAR!WHY WE FIGHT IS ONE OF MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE ALBUMS...IF ANYONE READING THIS HASNT HEARD IT YOU SIMPLY MUST!AN UNDERDOG CLASSIC!
