Comparisons

Violent Femmes,  Billy Bragg

- Robbie Buck - Triple J Radio

Dave Faulkner (Hoodoo Gurus), Paul Kelly

- Radio National

Robert Foster (Go-Betweens), Jonathan Richman (Modern Lovers)

- dB Magazine (Adelaide)

The Clash, Talking Heads, Midnight Oil

- Xpress Magazine (Perth)

Johnnie Mac Emerges From The Aussie Underground With A Uniquely Twisted Flavour!

After filling this website with lots of content, it became painfully obvious that the last piece of info which was holding things up - was the bio.  Being an over-analytical management team… we had to question why this section was taking so much time.

The answer came down to the fact that we had no idea how the heck to clearly and accurately describe Johnnie Mac in words and how on earth do we package him up to fit into one genre?

…a genre or ‘label’ that would help people get an idea of what Johnnie Mac sounds like. We needed to use words that would paint a picture of familiar tunes, beats and rhythms that might closely compare with the original sounds of Johnnie Mac. Well our description notes looked something like…definitely rock, yet sometimes pop - only not quite pop as we know it. Occasionally country, but positively different to the usual country sounds we’re accustomed to. Sometimes folky – but definitely not a crooner!  Rap with an aussie twist. R&B but humorous.  Reggae – absolutely, but unusual reggae some might say.

Here’s the problem – and what a great problem to have. This guy is different!  And what’s more, his music isn’t always as familiar as those genre labels and words suggest – unless of course, you’ve heard Johnnie Mac’s music and by that, we mean - really listened to it.  Then it becomes so familiar due to his tunes getting stuck in your head for ridiculously long periods of time until you cant take it anymore.  ‘Incredibly Catchy’ should be a genre – but then again, Johnnie Mac songs are more than just incredibly catchy.

We’re back to the drawing board.  After many late nights and pondering over numerous red wines, the answer came to us after a memorable Johnnie Mac late night lounge gig. As we sat in front of an open log fire and listened intently with the goal of translating his sound into words, it suddenly came to us and we wondered why such a simple word had taken so long. 

Bent!

Think about it. Maybe for a while, or maybe even while listening to some of his tunes.

Bent… meaning ‘not straight – having a curved, twisted or angled shape’. Now this would have to be the perfect way to describe Johnnie Mac music… bent rock, twisted pop, warped country, distorted folk and the list goes on.

A new genre is born!  But would people get it!  Probably not.  They’d just think he was gay… not that there’s anything wrong with that!

So you decide for yourself. 'Bent' or otherwise, Johnnie Mac’s music is uniquely Australian, with mind provoking lyrics, humorous stories and a diverse array of sounds and rhythms. Once you take the time to listen to the story within the music, its easy to understand why this guy has become well known worldwide and you may also hear that whilst his songs are delivered expertly, they actually do have a kinda bent flavour and a kinda bent sound.  But it works and Johnnie Mac music is loved by people all over the world, so why not let some of those listeners write the bio…. this is how they describe Johnnie Mac’s music….

A passionate and provocative Aussie blend of the Violent Femmes and Billy Bragg. Powerful and inspiring messages with great melodies and a vibrant streak of angst.

There we were sitting around this omnipresent fookin piece of technology (the laptop) on a rainy Sunday morning in Country Ireland eagerly listening to each new Johnnie Mac tune comin all the way from the outback. I’d heard him sing these songs before in many an Irish pub - but never like this. This time he knows what he’s doin' and for a vegetarian his songs sure pack a rockin' meaty punch.  Teenagers and fat forty year olds will love this CD. It’s great to hear someone sing passionately, powerfully and poetically about things that mean a lot to all of us. Even on a laptop it sounds brilliant! Oh Johnnie Boy the guitars, the guitars are rockin....thank fook!

Johnnie Mac entertains us with some delicious songs about compassion and frustration, love and politics, addiction and admiration, nicotine and disintegration! With a Violent Femmes flavour, his songs and stories speak, sometimes tongue- in-cheek, from around the globe. More people should hear his brand of gentle-caustic Australian original music.

I don't believe it, I'm 14, my dad’s nearly 50 and here is one album we both enjoy... I actually love my Dad's Johnnie Mac album, go Johnnie!

Paul Kelly meets the Sex Pistols…  an awesome Aussie blend of rock, punk and folk. Johnnie Mac’s combination of bent lyrics with a raw and hard edged sound will blow your mind.

Johnnie Mac is a prodigy of the Aussie underground music scene who has finally emerged delivering his latest collection of songs with a captivating and rebellious raw energy. These songs tell stories that are oh so familiar - but only once we've been told. They weave their way into our psychies and paint pictures before our eyes. The years of ceaseless playing have shaped Johnnie into master of melody and a poetic lyricist...I'm overjoyed to finally have the products of his recent labours in my hot little hands...they'll be wearing thin in our cd players!

Having heard much about Johnnie Mac’s music, but never actually hearing it myself, I wasn’t sure what to expect.  The first song I played was The World Seems Happy and instantly it met the inherent strict standards I require for 'damn good music'.  Suddenly I was happily addicted. This album has an appeal that will cross generations with its insightful, pondering knack for telling stories, inspired and heart-filled delivery, and of course - catchy and enjoyable tunes to boot. Awesome stuff.

The Tale Of An Extra-Ordinary Man's Life As Told Through His Music

Johnnie Mac is an acoustic poet and a story teller.

His songs represent the changing face of alternative music in the new millenium.

Johnnie’s music comes alive with a rockin' hard edged guitar, defiant vocals and a flavour that reflects Australia’s people, environment and an active outlook in the face of our challenging social issues.

Johnnie’s songs contain an admiration for the world and laugh in the face of the day to day dramas that most modern singers prefer to remain serious, sombre and moody over.

The lyric content merely points out the way things are, no matter how ugly.
Rather than laying the blame on the usual scapegoats of society for our "shit lot in life", he instead insists that we are all responsible.  The messages are strong, but sung humbly, often comically, and from the viewpoint of self experience.

The confusion and insecurities of life in drug abuse and modern love are beautifully espressed through heartfelt lyrics. The humorous and embarrassing side of “tragic” or “failed” relationships are accepted and provide an avenue of hope.

The power of the song, strong vocals and enchanting melodies combine to entertain and offer a unique view of the world and its people from a performer whose life has been as equally unusual.

Johnnie has sung his way around the world, performing to large audiences in places such as Siberia, The Gobi Dessert, Transylvania, Hungary, Prague, Ireland, Spain and at the Adelaide and Edinburgh fringe festivals. Numerous appearances on TV and radio have included interviews about his songs as well as stories of his work in environmental horticulture.

What, Where And With Who

MUSICAL STYLES:

A blend of  Rock / Pop / Indie / Blues / Punk / Folk / Australian Indigenous

SUPPORTS: (to name but a few...)

Ex- Sydney: Suspected Hippies In Transit, Itchy Rat, Happy Hate Me Nots, Toys Went Beserk, The Honeys , The Canteen Ladies,  Lixivius, Ian Miller (John Paul Young Band), Hunchbacks, Rebus, Orange, Datura, Bills Brother Frank, Lithium Sun, Doradus, Rah, Zahlu, Deborah Conway, Iota, Austen tayshus.
Ex-Melbourne:    Doug Anthony Allstars, Glide.
Ex-Perth: John Butler, Sleepy Jackson, Thrive, Tracy Redhead, Factor 8, Alan Boyd.
Ex-Adelaide: Prick Harness (P Harness), The Bustards, Fruit Bats.
Ex-Tasmania:  Wild Pumpkins At Midnight.
Ex-U.K.:     Eric Oakin.
Ex-Canada:   3 Canadians.
Ex-Holland:   Zyklus, 3 Wasps.
Ex-Ireland:    Punch Bag Theatre Group, Rob Perry (Dead Can Dance).
Ex-U.S.A.:     Azito

FESTIVALS / BENEFITS:  

Siberia:    Baikal Cultural Express International Festival
Amsterdam:    Ruigoort Environment Festival; East Timor Massacre Benefit; Greens Party Benefit Against Facism.
Scotland:    Edinburgh Festival
Australia:    World Environment Day Festival (Glenbrook Valley);  Adelaide Fringe Festival (5 performances); ‘Can Rock-N-Roll Save The World’ Festival (Adelaide); Wollumbin Festival (Tyalgum, New South Wales)

TOURS & FEATURE GIGS:

Siberian Tour:    Ulan Ude Football Stadium  (Audience: 5000 people); The Buryat Order of Lenin State Academic Opera & Ballet Theatre, Russia - (Audience: 2000 + TV viewing audience throughout eastern Europe); Ulan Ude Museum (Audience: 1500 people); Siberian Cultural Centre   (Audience: 1000 people)

Mongolian Tour: Theatre of Ulan Bataar (3 Performances); Dalangzagdad (Gobi Desert)

Irish Tour: With the Galway Theatre Company (4 Performances); Sligo University

European Tour:    France/Amsterdam/Hungary/Budapest/Transylvania/Prague

Scotland Tour:    Edinburgh University

South Australia Tour:    Lions Theatre - 4 performances (Adelaide); Outdoor Fringe Festival stage (Adelaide); The Venue (Adelaide); Gawler   (4 Performances)

Western Australian Tours:

Teatowel Tour (supported by Tracy Redhead) - Grosvenor Hotel (Perth); University of Western Australia (UWA Perth); Prince of Wales Hotel (Bunbury), Dunsborough Hotel (Dunsborough), Cafe Laguna (Yallingup),
  
Treaty Tour - Kulcha Arts Centre (Fremantle); Grosvenor Hotel (Perth); University of Western Australia (UWA Perth); Brass Monkey (Northbridge); Mojos (Fremantle); Scallywags (Joondalup), Jurien Bay Hotel (Jurien Bay).
  
Whistlestop Tour - Newport Hotel (Fremantle); Settlers Tavern (Margaret River); Prince of Wales Hotel (Bunbury); 3 Bears Bar (Dunsborough).

 AIRPLAY / T.V.:

Australia: To many to list!
Ireland:    RTE TV Nighthawkes Program.  Irish national TV performance and interview.
Holland:    Live to air performances and interviews on dutch radio.
Russia:    Live to air T.V. telecast from the Ulan Ude Football Stadium & Opera House

RECORDINGS:

1996:    Radio National recording of acoustic ‘Namatjira’

1997:    Played didgeridoo, guitar and blues harmonica for the Sydney Olympics 2000 Mascot Launch (worldwide distribution).

1998:    Songs & Stories Demo Tape

1999:    6 Track EP ‘Dance The Dance’ with former band - Lixivius

2008:    Debut Album ‘The World Seems Happy’ with drummer Malcolm Clark (Sleepy Jackson), Bassist Bill Jacobi (Goanna, Floyd Vincent & The Childbrides), Indigenous Percussion and Language - Kyle Slabb (Bundjalung) and vocalist Shamiren Carroll.