The Three Johns were a post-punk/indie rock band formed in 1981 in Leeds, originally consisting of guitarist Jon Langford (co-founder of the Mekons), vocalist John Hyatt and bassist Phillip "John" Brennan, augmented by a drum machine. The band initially formed just before the 1981 wedding of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer, and their first gig was to be part of a "Funk the Wedding" event, but they were refused permission to play because they were drunk. They signed to CNT Records in 1982, which Langford jointly founded. A reworking of the Mekons' "English White Boy Engineer", which attacked hypocritical attitudes towards South Africa and apartheid, led to the band being labelled as left-wing rockers. Their left-wing leanings were further evidenced by the sleeve of their 1984 Atom Drum Bop album, which carried the words "Rock 'n' Roll Versus Thaatchiism", a reference to then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her marketing by Saatchi & Saatchi. On 7 July 1985, The Three Johns played at the GLC's Jobs for a Change festival in London's Battersea Park. (...read more on wikipedia)
Links To Peel[]
Peel followed the band from the early 80's, following his consistent support for the Mekons, who also featured guitarist Jon Langford, and they did six sessions for his shows. Their left wing leanings sympathised with Peel's own political views and the band did a cover of his favourite football team, Liverpool's anthem, You'll Never Walk Alone, as a session track. However, after the group split in 1990, the band were rarely played on his programmes.
Festive Fifty Entires[]
- 1985 Festive Fifty: Death Of The European #14
Sessions[]
The Three Johns - John Peel Session -1 21st July 1982
1. Recorded: 1982-07-21. Broadcast: 10 August 1982. Repeated: 10 August 1982, 25 August 1982
- Pink Headed Bug / Lucy In The Rain / Heads Like Convicts / No Place / You'll Never Walk Alone
2. Recorded: 1983-03-05. Broadcast: 09 March 1983. Repeated: 29 March 1983
- Fruit Flies / Marx's Wife / Windolene / Men-Like Monkeys / Sad House
3. Recorded: 1983-10-26. Broadcast: 07 November 1983. Repeated: 22 December 1983, 23 January 1984
- Sun Of Mud / The Day Industry Decided To Stop / A Public Song For A Friend Under Suspicion Of Fire Bombing A Private Shop / Poo-Poo-Poodle Bourgeois / Mouths To Feed
4. Recorded: 1984-04-17. Broadcast: 30 April 1984. Repeated: 21 May 1984
- Nightingales / Train / Bloop / 3 Junk
5. Recorded: 1985-07-14. Broadcast: 23 July 1985
- Demon Drink / Coals To Newcastle / King Car / Torpedo / Third World War
6. Recorded: 1987-02-15. Broadcast: 02 March 1987. Repeated: 13 May 1987
- Key Largo / The Book Of The Dead / Computer / Never And Always
- No known commercial release.
Other Shows Played[]
- 22 June 1982: English White Boy Engineer (7") CNT Productions CNT 003
- 11 July 1982 (BFBS): English White Boy Engineer (7") CNT Productions CNT 003
- 25 July 1982 (BFBS): English White Boy Engineer (7") CNT Productions CNT 003
- 1983
- 14 February 1983: Pink Headed Bug (7") CNT Productions CNT 011
- 20 February 1983 (BFBS): Pink Headed Bug (7") CNT Productions CNT 011
- 23 February 1983: Pink Headed Bug (7") CNT Productions CNT 011
- 14 March 1983 (BBC World Service): Pink Headed Bug (7") CNT Productions CNT 011
- 17 May 1983: Men Like Monkeys (12" ) CNT Productions CNT 013
- 23 May 1983 (Mark Ellen sitting in): unknown
- 26 May 1983 (Mark Ellen sitting in): Windolene (12" - http://www.discogs.com/Three-Johns-Men-Like-Monkeys/release/499464 Men Like Monkeys]) CNT Productions CNT 013
- 01 June 1983 (BFBS): Men Like Monkeys (12") CNT Productions CNT 013
- 12 June 1983 (BFBS): Men Like Monkeys (12") CNT Productions CNT 013
- 15 October 1983 (BFBS): A.W.O.L. (7") Abstract ABS 019
- 15 October 1983 (BFBS): Rooster Blue (7" - A.W.O.L) Abstract ABS 019
- 17 October 1983: A.W.O.L. (7") Abstract Sounds ABS 019
- 22 October 1983 (BFBS): A.W.O.L. (7") Abstract ABS 019
- 26 October 1983: A.W.O.L. (7") Abstract ABS 019
- 31 October 1983 (BBC World Service): Rooster Blue (12" - A.W.O.L.) Abstract
- 30 November 1983: A.W.O.L. (EP - A.W.O.L.) Abstract
- 03 December 1983 (BFBS): A.W.O.L. (7") Abstract ABS 019
- 1984
- 23 April 1984 (BBC World Service): Do The Square Thing (7") Abstract ABS 023
- 25 April 1984 (BFBS): The World Of The Workers (12" EP) Abstract 12 ABS023
- 02 May 1984 (BFBS): The World Of The Workers (12" EP) Abstract 12 ABS023
- 30 August 1984: Bloop (v/a album - Enemies Of The State) 1 In 12
- 19 September 1984: Teenage Nightingales To Wax (LP - Atom Drum Bop) Abstract Sounds
- 17 October 1984: Missing (LP – Atom Drum Bop) Abstract Sounds
- 31 December 1984 (BBC World Service): Sad House (v/a album - Raging Spool) New Musical Express NME 014
- 1985
- 02 January 1985: The Devil’s Music (LP – Atom Drum Bop) Abstract Sounds
- 25 March 1985: Fruit Flies (v/a album - Never Mind The Jacksons...Here's The Pollocks) Abstract Sounds 12 ABS 030
- 31 March 1985 (BFBS): Fruit Flies (v/a album - Never Mind The Jacksons...Here's The Pollocks) Abstract Sounds 12 ABS 030
- 05 May 1985 (BFBS): Fruit Flies (v/a album - Never Mind The Jacksons... Here's The Pollocks) Abstract 12 ABS 03
- 13 May 1985: Death Of The European (7") Abstract Sounds
- 28 May 1985: Twentieth Century Boy (12" EP - Death Of The European) Abstract 12 ABS 034
- 02 June 1985 (BFBS): Rabies (12" EP - Death Of The European) Abstract 12 ABS 034
- 03 June 1985 (BBC World Service): Rabies (12" EP - Death Of The European) Abstract 12 ABS 034
- 03 June 1985 (BBC World Service): Twentieth Century Boy (12" EP - Death Of The European) Abstract 12 ABS 034
- 04 June 1985: Death Of The European (7") Abstract Sounds
- 09 June 1985 (BFBS): 'Death Of The European (12")' (Abstract Sounds)
- 11 June 1985: Death Of The European (7") Abstract Sounds
- 03 July 1985: Death Of The European (7") Abstract Sounds
- Peel 014 (BFBS): 'Death Of The European (12")' (Abstract Sounds)
- Peel 016 (BFBS): Rabies / 20th Century Boy (12"-Death Of The European)' (Abstract Sounds)
- 05 October 1985 (BFBS): Rabies (7") Abstract Records
- 13 November 1985: Brainbox (He's A Brainbox) (7") Abstract
- 23 December 1985: Death Of The European (7”) Abstract Sounds FF#14
- 1986
- 01 March 1986 (BFBS): 'A.W.O.L. (7")' (Abstract Sounds)
- 29 March 1986 (BFBS): Sold Down The River (12") Abstract Records
- March 1986 (Radio Bremen): Sold Down The River (7") Abstract
- 31 March 1986 (BBC World Service): Sold Down The River (7") Abstract
- 26 April 1986 (BFBS): 'King Car (LP-The World By Storm)' (Abstract Sounds)
- 28 April 1986 (BBC World Service): Demon Drink (LP - The World By Storm) Abstract
- 06 May 1986: Torches Of Liberty (LP - The World By Storm) Abstract
- 12 May 1986: King Car (LP - The World By Storm) Abstract
- 21 June 1986 (BFBS): The Ship That Died Of Shame (LP - The World By Storm) Abstract
- 14 July 1986: Coals To Newcastle (LP - The World By Storm) Abstract
- 14 October 1986: The Day Industry Decided To Stop (album - Live In Chicago) Last Time Round
- 1987
- 01 September 1987: Never And Always (12") Abstract
- 04 September 1987 (Radio Bremen): Never And Always (12") Abstract
- 13 September 1987 (BFBS): Never And Always (12") Abstract Sounds
- 28 September 1987: Kick The Dogs Right Out (v/a LP - Mindless Slaughter) Anhrefn
- 17 November 1987: Kick The Dogs Right Out (v/a LP - Mindless Slaughter) Anhrefn
- 1988
- 21 March 1988: Torches Of Liberty (7") Abstract Sounds ABS 049
- 05 April 1988: Torches Of Liberty (7") Abstract Sounds ABS 049
- 18 October 1988 (Radio Bremen): Spin Me Around (album - The Death Of Everything) T.I.M.
- 16 November 1988: Humbug (LP - The Death Of Everything) T.I.M.
- 1991
- 04 January 1991 (BFBS): Toleration (album - Eat Your Sons) Tupelo Recording Company