John

Four arms, four legs, two heads, wood, metal and plastic. JOHN. It’s a cryptic and unsearchable band name but it serves an important manifesto. Not only is it logical – with the duo being comprised of John Newton (drums/lead vocals) and Johnny Healey (guitar/backing vocals) – but it’s deliberately mundane, a response to the sensationalism that was often promoted through rock music when JOHN began playing together in 2013.

The pair formed in London’s East End opting to self-manage, self-release and self-distribute, adopting an ethos that’s served as an antidote to the reality of the day jobs required to exist in an ever-inflating city. They released their debut LP God Speed in the National Limit on their own imprint Pets Care Records in 2017. Critical praise swiftly followed and led to shows with IDLES, Mclusky, METZ and more.

Their second album, 2019’s Out Here on the Fringes, catapulted the band into the Top 40 of the UK Vinyl Chart as well as being featured as an Album of the Day on BBC 6Music with three playlisted singles. Having established an international presence touring across Europe with IDLES, JOHN return in 2021 with their third full-length, Nocturnal Manoeuvres: a new collection of tracks that finds them expanding upon their celebrated idiosyncrasies once more.