biography
Link to the short version...
The long version
To listen to John Eye’s music is to fall into a trance. His bewitching vocals, powerful rhythms and hypnotic and ever-evolving lines will transport you to an unfamiliar world. There’s no turning back now. But it doesn’t matter – you weren’t trying to escape.
"Vocalist John Eye could certainly charm the skin off a snake," wrote J. Lianna Ness of Boston’s The Noise, confessing to being mesmerized by the artist’s "atmospheric disturbances."
"cannonicus 3.14," is the title of John Eye’s latest c.d. released in the Fall of 2010. The beat-driven E.P. spans rock and club genres and includes a traditional Lakota Sioux sun dance song. The work is a testament to nearly 20 years of musical evolution and showcases original songs and re-mixes by John Eye and renowned East Coast producers and DJ's.
"I want to make music that creates an atmosphere and a mood," John Eye explains, describing his new songs as "sensual, chill, and sexy."
Coinciding with the album release was the Cannonicus Sun Dance music video directed by Herschel Smith Jr. The fast-paced video is shot in the style of a trailer for a Brit influenced gangster/action film and illustrates the cinematic quality of John's music.
A former art student, John Eye has been painting with sound since he formed the band "one of us" in 1992. It started out as his way to "compile and illustrate all the emotions and ideas that seemed difficult to confine to a canvas." The band released seven recordings and tracks on various compilations exhibiting a continually evolving sound and songwriting style, mastering genres from rock, to world, to beat driven dance music.
"one of us" toured heavily, with memorable shows at legendary venues including Club Babyhead in Rhode Island; The Webster Theater in Connecticut; The Bank and CBGB's in New York City; and Paradise Rock Club and the Somerville Theatre in Boston.
Over the years John has collaborated with many talented artists. Working with Joel Simches, longtime master soundman for the Dresden Dolls, helped John refine his production and engineering techniques. Another co-conspirator, Christian Gilbert of the 90’s band, Opium Den, pushed John to explore world music influences and raw emotional composition.
Today John records music under his own name. His recordings are engineered and produced almost exclusively in his private studio, Necessary Blackout, where he continues to explore new ideas and acquire new influences.
The best part of expressing himself with music, John says, comes in the moment he unleashes new material. The sonic world he imagined becomes real, leaving his mind and enrapturing the listener.
"I love feeling that excitement. It’s like you have a secret you haven’t told anyone yet. Then you share it with everyone and wait for their reaction."
