Intertwining the musical DNA of two of Britain's most gifted songwriters, Jonny's debut album proclaims the advent of an irresistibly infectious new strain of psychedelic pop. With their respective bands Teenage Fanclub and Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Norman Blake and Euros Childs were prime movers in (to pick a couple of obvious highlights from their extensively illustrious back catalogues) Bandwagonesque and Barafundle-two of the best albums of the last twenty years. Now, they've pooled their resources to create a record bursting with exactly the kind of instantly memorable melodies their admirers have come to expect, but translated into a fresh and vibrant new setting.
Opening in the enchanted landscape of "Wich Is Wich" ("At the cauldron, she's got it going on"), it moves through the nuggety pop-psych of "Goldmine" and the vintage Blakeian (in both senses) romance of "Circling the Sun" to the full-scale, stone-age freak-out of "Cave Dance" ("You wear your hair long in the ancient style"). Everyone knew Jonny'd b(e) good(e), but this album is everything youˇÇd hope for from a collaboration between the still fresh-faced godfather of the British acid-folk revival (Childs) and the man whose undoubted mastery of melodious sludge-rock once kept Kurt Cobain on his Converse-clad toes (Blake).
Recorded in just ten days at Paul Savage's Chem 19 studio outside of Glasgow, with Teenage Fanclub's Dave McGowan and ex-BMX Bandit Stuart Kidd helping out on bass and drums, respectively, Jonny finds the perfect balance between Childs' whimsical wit and Blake's seriously exquisite harmonies.
Opening in the enchanted landscape of "Wich Is Wich" ("At the cauldron, she's got it going on"), it moves through the nuggety pop-psych of "Goldmine" and the vintage Blakeian (in both senses) romance of "Circling the Sun" to the full-scale, stone-age freak-out of "Cave Dance" ("You wear your hair long in the ancient style"). Everyone knew Jonny'd b(e) good(e), but this album is everything youˇÇd hope for from a collaboration between the still fresh-faced godfather of the British acid-folk revival (Childs) and the man whose undoubted mastery of melodious sludge-rock once kept Kurt Cobain on his Converse-clad toes (Blake).
Recorded in just ten days at Paul Savage's Chem 19 studio outside of Glasgow, with Teenage Fanclub's Dave McGowan and ex-BMX Bandit Stuart Kidd helping out on bass and drums, respectively, Jonny finds the perfect balance between Childs' whimsical wit and Blake's seriously exquisite harmonies.
06/06/11
Due to unforeseen circumstances, Norman Blake and Euros Childs aka Jonny have to cancel their US tour. We apologize for the inconvenience and refunds are available at point of purchase. Apex Manor have also canceled their appearances.
Hopefully, Jonny will reschedule their tour later this year, but in the meantime, listen and purchase their debut album Jonny now in the Merge store. Apex Manor’s The Year of Magical Drinking is also available for stream and purchase in the Merge store.
Hopefully, Jonny will reschedule their tour later this year, but in the meantime, listen and purchase their debut album Jonny now in the Merge store. Apex Manor’s The Year of Magical Drinking is also available for stream and purchase in the Merge store.
05/18/11
Jonny, the new musical partnership between Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub and Euros Childs of the now-defunct Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, have premiered their new video for “You Was Me” today at IFC.com.
Sure to make you long for a trip to beautiful Wales, the video showcases Pembrokeshire and wild horses frolicking along the water.
Watch the video for “You Was Me” at IFC.com now
Norman spoke with IFC.com about the Jonny partnership, the video, and more:
Jonny is available now on CD (with 4 bonus tracks!) and digital download now in the Merge store.
Jonny on tour:
All dates with Apex Manor except June 20 & 21 with Yo La Tengo!
June 03 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel
June 04 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel
June 07 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall
June 08 Boston, MA Brighton Music Hall
June 09 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge
June 10 Brooklyn, NY The Bell House
June 11 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live Upstairs
June 12 Vienna, VA Jammin’ Java
June 14 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
June 15 Decatur, GA Eddie’s Attic
June 16 Nashville, TN The Bluebird Cafe
June 17 Louisville, KY Zanzabar
June 18 Chicago, IL Old Town School of Folk Music @ Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall
June 20 Columbia, MO Blue Note w/ Yo La Tengo
June 21 Iowa City, IA Englert Theater w/ Yo La Tengo
Sure to make you long for a trip to beautiful Wales, the video showcases Pembrokeshire and wild horses frolicking along the water.
Watch the video for “You Was Me” at IFC.com now
Norman spoke with IFC.com about the Jonny partnership, the video, and more:
What about “You Was Me”? It’s nothing fancy, but it’s hard to let go once you’ve heard it.Read the full interview at IFC.com.
That was another one that was just at the kitchen table. You know what, I tell a lie: We were sitting in the living room of my flat in Glasgow, when I was living there. The flat overlooks a bowling green in Glasgow. Bowling is very popular. I think we were siting, having a glass of wine, next to guitars and keyboards. I think I may have started playing the main guitar riff. I think of that song as being a bit like a T. Rex song, with a very simple groove. That was the template for the music that inspired that. It was a pretty much stream-of-consciousness lyric. We were looking at the bowlers. Euros came up with the first line: “Keep on seeking/ Roll the ball/ Monday comes to nothing.” It must have been a Monday. The song really was stitched together that way. We wrote the lyrics in a few minutes.
That’s how most of the songs happen; we don’t really spend a great deal of time thinking about it too much. That’s, again, quite liberating because when I’m writing Teenage Fanclub and Euros is writing for his solo records, we spend much more time on the composition of the lyrics and the music. With Jonny, we wanted to take it pretty easy. Even if it doesn’t quite make sense, that’s OK. The lyrics start when we were watching the bowlers, then it goes somewhere else. We write it down, and we don’t tend to edit it too much.
Jonny is available now on CD (with 4 bonus tracks!) and digital download now in the Merge store.
Jonny on tour:
All dates with Apex Manor except June 20 & 21 with Yo La Tengo!
June 03 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel
June 04 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel
June 07 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall
June 08 Boston, MA Brighton Music Hall
June 09 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge
June 10 Brooklyn, NY The Bell House
June 11 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live Upstairs
June 12 Vienna, VA Jammin’ Java
June 14 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
June 15 Decatur, GA Eddie’s Attic
June 16 Nashville, TN The Bluebird Cafe
June 17 Louisville, KY Zanzabar
June 18 Chicago, IL Old Town School of Folk Music @ Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall
June 20 Columbia, MO Blue Note w/ Yo La Tengo
June 21 Iowa City, IA Englert Theater w/ Yo La Tengo
04/18/11
Record Store Day 2011 has come and gone and we have heard so many great reports of the support given to Independent record stores. We know you all love record stores as much as we do, and we hope you will celebrate “Record Store Day” more than once a year!
WILD FLAG‘s hotly anticipated “Future Crimes” b/w “Glass Tambourine” 7-inch is now available in the Merge digital store and from your favorite digital provider.
The remastered version of Superchunk’s Here’s Where the Strings Come In is available now on LP, CD, and digital download. The LP & CD versions come with bonus demo tracks and a download of The Clambakes Vol. 5: Cup of Clams.
Visit the Merge store for all of these releases as well as our new April releases from Jonny, David Kilgour and the Heavy Eights & Times New Viking.
WILD FLAG‘s hotly anticipated “Future Crimes” b/w “Glass Tambourine” 7-inch is now available in the Merge digital store and from your favorite digital provider.
The remastered version of Superchunk’s Here’s Where the Strings Come In is available now on LP, CD, and digital download. The LP & CD versions come with bonus demo tracks and a download of The Clambakes Vol. 5: Cup of Clams.
Visit the Merge store for all of these releases as well as our new April releases from Jonny, David Kilgour and the Heavy Eights & Times New Viking.
03/24/11
Apex Manor will join Jonny on their recently announced US tour! Fresh from SXSW, Apex Manor are currently playing shows on the east coast.
Watch John Norris chat with Ross & Adam from Apex Manor for Noisevox and an interview with China Shop over drinks in Austin.
The Year of Magical Drinking is available on CD and digital download now in the Merge store.
Apex Manor on tour!
* w/ Jonny
Mar 26 New York, NY The Mercury Lounge
Mar 28 Chicago, IL Schuba’s Tavern
Mar 29 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar
Jun 3 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel*
Jun 4 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel*
Jun 7 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall*
Jun 8 Boston, MA Brighton Music Hall*
Jun 9 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge*
Jun 10 Brooklyn, NY The Bell House*
Jun 11 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live Upstairs*
Jun 12 Vienna, VA Jammin’ Java*
Jun 14 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle*
Jun 15 Decatur, GA Eddie’s Attic*
Jun 16 Nashville, TN The Bluebird Cafe*
Jun 17 Louisville, KY Zanzabar*
Jun 18 Chicago, IL Old Town School of Folk Music @ Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall*
Watch John Norris chat with Ross & Adam from Apex Manor for Noisevox and an interview with China Shop over drinks in Austin.
The Year of Magical Drinking is available on CD and digital download now in the Merge store.
Apex Manor on tour!
* w/ Jonny
Mar 26 New York, NY The Mercury Lounge
Mar 28 Chicago, IL Schuba’s Tavern
Mar 29 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar
Jun 3 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel*
Jun 4 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel*
Jun 7 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall*
Jun 8 Boston, MA Brighton Music Hall*
Jun 9 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge*
Jun 10 Brooklyn, NY The Bell House*
Jun 11 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live Upstairs*
Jun 12 Vienna, VA Jammin’ Java*
Jun 14 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle*
Jun 15 Decatur, GA Eddie’s Attic*
Jun 16 Nashville, TN The Bluebird Cafe*
Jun 17 Louisville, KY Zanzabar*
Jun 18 Chicago, IL Old Town School of Folk Music @ Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall*
03/14/11
Jonny, the new musical partnership between Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub and Euros Childs of the now-defunct Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, will bring their charming live show to the United States beginning June 3 in Toronto with a second leg of dates planned for later this fall.
Intertwining the musical DNA of two of Britain’s most gifted songwriters – Norman Blake & Euros Childs, Jonny’s self-titled debut album proclaims the advent of an irresistibly infectious new strain of psychedelic pop. With their respective bands Teenage Fanclub and Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, Norman Blake and Euros Childs were prime movers in (to pick a couple of obvious highlights from their extensively illustrious back catalogues) Bandwagonesque and Barafundle—two of the best albums of the last twenty years. Now, they’ve pooled their resources to create a record bursting with exactly the kind of instantly memorable melodies their admirers have come to expect, but translated into a fresh and vibrant new setting.
Too modest to be a supergroup, too whole-hearted to be a side project, “Here’s Jonny….”
Jonny is available from your favorite digital outlets including iTunes, Amazon, and the Merge digital store. The CD version will include the 4-song Free EP and will be in stores on April 12. You can now stream the whole Jonny album in the Merge store, and be sure to check out the video for “Candyfloss,” too!
“Jonny is a good-natured, light-hearted collection of bubblegum pop, with one foot in the garage.” ~The Guardian
Jonny on tour!
Jun 3 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel
Jun 4 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel
Jun 7 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall
Jun 8 Boston, MA Brighton Music Hall
Jun 9 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge
Jun 10 Brooklyn, NY The Bell House
Jun 11 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live Upstairs
Jun 12 Vienna, VA Jammin’ Java
Jun 14 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Jun 15 Decatur, GA Eddie’s Attic
Jun 16 Nashville, TN The Bluebird Cafe
Jun 17 Louisville, KY Zanzabar
Jun 18 Chicago, IL Old Town School of Folk Music @ Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall
Intertwining the musical DNA of two of Britain’s most gifted songwriters – Norman Blake & Euros Childs, Jonny’s self-titled debut album proclaims the advent of an irresistibly infectious new strain of psychedelic pop. With their respective bands Teenage Fanclub and Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, Norman Blake and Euros Childs were prime movers in (to pick a couple of obvious highlights from their extensively illustrious back catalogues) Bandwagonesque and Barafundle—two of the best albums of the last twenty years. Now, they’ve pooled their resources to create a record bursting with exactly the kind of instantly memorable melodies their admirers have come to expect, but translated into a fresh and vibrant new setting.
Too modest to be a supergroup, too whole-hearted to be a side project, “Here’s Jonny….”
Jonny is available from your favorite digital outlets including iTunes, Amazon, and the Merge digital store. The CD version will include the 4-song Free EP and will be in stores on April 12. You can now stream the whole Jonny album in the Merge store, and be sure to check out the video for “Candyfloss,” too!
“Jonny is a good-natured, light-hearted collection of bubblegum pop, with one foot in the garage.” ~The Guardian
Jonny on tour!
Jun 3 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel
Jun 4 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel
Jun 7 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall
Jun 8 Boston, MA Brighton Music Hall
Jun 9 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge
Jun 10 Brooklyn, NY The Bell House
Jun 11 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live Upstairs
Jun 12 Vienna, VA Jammin’ Java
Jun 14 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Jun 15 Decatur, GA Eddie’s Attic
Jun 16 Nashville, TN The Bluebird Cafe
Jun 17 Louisville, KY Zanzabar
Jun 18 Chicago, IL Old Town School of Folk Music @ Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall
02/01/11
The self-titled debut album from Jonny is available from your favorite digital outlets today including iTunes, Amazon, and the Merge digital store. Jonny is the new musical partnershop between Norman Blake from Teenage Fanclub and Euros Childs of Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci.
The Jonny CD will be released in stores on April 12, but is available for pre-order now in the Merge store. The CD version will include the four bonus songs from the “Free” EP and all pre-orders of the CD through the Merge store will receive an immediate download of the entire album including the bonus tracks beginning today.
You can now stream the whole Jonny album in the Merge store, and be sure to check out the video for “Candyfloss,” too! US tour dates will be announced soon!
The Jonny CD will be released in stores on April 12, but is available for pre-order now in the Merge store. The CD version will include the four bonus songs from the “Free” EP and all pre-orders of the CD through the Merge store will receive an immediate download of the entire album including the bonus tracks beginning today.
You can now stream the whole Jonny album in the Merge store, and be sure to check out the video for “Candyfloss,” too! US tour dates will be announced soon!
01/05/11
Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub) and Euros Childs (Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci) are pleased to announce details of their debut album together as Jonny. Inter-twining the musical DNA of two of Britain’s most gifted songwriters, Jonny’s debut album proclaims the advent of an irresistibly infectious new strain of psychedelic pop. The self-titled, co-written album will be released via digital download on February 1st and in stores on April 12. Pre-orders of the CD from the Merge store will receive the digital version beginning February 1st.
Blake’s Teenage Fanclub and Childs’ Gorky’s toured together in 1997, and when Blake contributed guitar and vocal harmonies to Gorky’s bitter-sweet How I Long To Feel That Summer In My Heart in 2001, Euros remembers “it just felt like he was part of the band… from that point on it always felt like we might do something together in the future, it just took a few years to actually get it organized”. Euros eventually made it up to Norman’s house in Glasgow in 2006 to record “what we thought was an EP”, and the duo played a handful of rapturously received live shows, before finally getting down to putting a whole album together early in 2010.
The album artwork is also revealed to be the inspiration behind their unusual name. Blake came across the image on a friend’s website “and thought it would make a great record sleeve… and name for a band.” “Sleeve first, band-name after”, confirms Childs, “that’s always the best way.”
A US tour later this year is in the works!
Pitchfork premiered the new video for “Candyfloss.” Watch it now!
Jonny album track listing:
1. Wich is Wich
2. Candyfloss
3. Waiting Around For You
4. Goldmine
5. You Was Me
6. Circling The Sun
7. English Lady
8. The Goodnight
9. Bread
10. Cave Dance
11. I Want To Be Around You
12. I’ll Make Her My Best Friend
13. Never Alone
To further kick things off, Jonny are giving away a free, four-track download EP of non-album songs. Click to download!
Free EP track listing:
1.Gloria
2.Beach Party
3.Continental
4. Michael Angelo (by 23rd Turnoff)
Blake’s Teenage Fanclub and Childs’ Gorky’s toured together in 1997, and when Blake contributed guitar and vocal harmonies to Gorky’s bitter-sweet How I Long To Feel That Summer In My Heart in 2001, Euros remembers “it just felt like he was part of the band… from that point on it always felt like we might do something together in the future, it just took a few years to actually get it organized”. Euros eventually made it up to Norman’s house in Glasgow in 2006 to record “what we thought was an EP”, and the duo played a handful of rapturously received live shows, before finally getting down to putting a whole album together early in 2010.
The album artwork is also revealed to be the inspiration behind their unusual name. Blake came across the image on a friend’s website “and thought it would make a great record sleeve… and name for a band.” “Sleeve first, band-name after”, confirms Childs, “that’s always the best way.”
A US tour later this year is in the works!
Pitchfork premiered the new video for “Candyfloss.” Watch it now!
Jonny album track listing:
1. Wich is Wich
2. Candyfloss
3. Waiting Around For You
4. Goldmine
5. You Was Me
6. Circling The Sun
7. English Lady
8. The Goodnight
9. Bread
10. Cave Dance
11. I Want To Be Around You
12. I’ll Make Her My Best Friend
13. Never Alone
To further kick things off, Jonny are giving away a free, four-track download EP of non-album songs. Click to download!
Free EP track listing:
1.Gloria
2.Beach Party
3.Continental
4. Michael Angelo (by 23rd Turnoff)
Jonny :: (Merge) 2011
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