The Johns - EP torrent

"The Johns" project began, in earnest, late 2005 on sidewalk in Chicago's University Village in front of a Caribou Coffee shop where singer/songwriter Jon Scarpelli played for the first time as a legit solo artist. As one would imagine, random folks passing by, some to get a warm cup of conglomerate sized coffee and talk and some just to study weren't particularly interested in some guy pouring his heart out 15 feet away in the corner. Nevertheless, Jon realized it was finally time to start pursuing the vision of years of home studio recordings and demos as a solo artist. Though redisent to be a salesman, Jon set out to quietly introduce his music and message to friends and small crowds all over Chicago.

At the time Jon was maintaining a co-leadership of the high energy rock outfit called VESSEL with brother Mat and long time friend Tim Smyth and was using the solo performances for a more personal and introspective outlet. Playing small venues like The Store, Silvies, The Bird's Nest, Lilly's and Gallery Cabaret, Jon developed a multifaceted approach to the solo guitar/vocal shtick. From touching folk songs about the heartbreaking irony of love and the human condition to old favorites like Roxanne to comedic impromptu sing-a-longs about anything and everything, Jon has cultivated a musical personality that is inviting, intimate and moving.

Wanting to move closer towards the initial vision of the songs, full realizations of the demos and EP's, Jon, coinciding with the dissolution of VESSEL, changed the band over to The Johns using Mat and Tim and adding Mark Carlson on drums.

Since then they've been honing the sound, playing shows, experimenting, diversifying and bringing tears to listeners. Still, however, they aim to maintain the heart of the music initialized by Jon's solo shows and the original recordings. Developing a relationship with their crowd, making them laugh and dance and sing-a-long. They even went so far as to hand out the lyrics to a crowd of 100 folks and held an official mass sing-a-long. A kind of celebration.

The band named is about anonymity and doesn't have anything specifically to do with the singer (note the different spellings). The Johns aim to proceed as an undefinable sort of pop music.

The music is sometimes bittersweet and filled with the kind of melancholy that is healthy. Other times it's just powerful.