The Christian Underground Encyclopedia

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====== Johnny Respect ======

Punk Rock / Rockabilly\\
Roseville, Michigan, USA

Johnny Respect consists of four young guys who are totally into playing punk rock mixed with a little rockabilly. This includes a drummer - Mark Pulst, a bassist - Phil Smith, and guitar players - John Moustakas and Sam Oginsky. Both John and Phil share the job of singing as well as writing the lyrics to their music. However, each of them contributes in writing and arranging the music. This tends to keep the music more energetic and helps provide a fresh sound that they hope others will come to enjoy. It also gives each of them a chance to express our their personal tastes in music by threading it with those of the other members. For the most part, they have similar tastes in music. They all love punk rock and rockabilly; which is why they decided to start this band. But Johnny Respect also differs in tastes in such styles as blues, metal, big band and jazz. Mind you, they all respect and on many occasions enjoy listening to all styles of music. But they are also influenced in different ways and that is why they feel that this band has something good to offer. Johnny Respect also hopes that by combining a fifties' style with melodic punk, they might be able to attract a somewhat older crowd as well as kids their age and younger. It's not like they're trying to bridge the generation gap or anything like that &endash; Johnny Respect just really digs 50's rock.

But Johnny Respect wants you to know that we do feel strongly about what they write because what they write describes who we are. "We realize that we are not going to solve the problems of every kid that listens to our music, but we do want to provide a positive alternative that might be a good influence on a troubled kid," the band says. "We, as humans on this earth, feel that it is our responsibility to be a light that brightens a room. This comes from what we believe personally to be true. Now, we don't feel that we should bash others in the head with what we believe; however, we love to talk to those who are willing to listen."

As a band, Johnny Respect also feels responsible for the crowd. If the crowd is getting too rough or if a fight breaks out in the middle of their show, it concerns and angers them to a point. "We will not tolerate and have never tolerated anyone who wishes to ruin someone's good time by being a pain. We make no apologies for feeling this way because that is who we are and that is what we think is right. We want people to dig our music and we want people to be able to go to a show and have a rad time and not have that time ruined by ignorance," the band said recently.

After parting ways from [[Bulletproof Records]], Johnny Respect self-released a 3 song EP under their own New Pop Records moniker in 2000. The band went on until about 2005, but reunited on two occasions, in 2008 for Ripped Heart Productions' 20th anniversary show and in 2017 for The Underground reunion/release party for the book //Scene and Unseen: Flyer Art of The Lansing Underground//.

Members still play as a part of the worship band at Community Christian Church in Sterling Heights, Michigan.

===== Discography =====

| 1996 | [[https://christiantapeunderground.wordpress.com/2020/07/28/johnny-respect-the-adventures-of-johnny-respect/|The Adventures of Johnny Respect]] | [[2 Jake Records]] |
| 1997 | Blue Collar Moxy | [[Bulletproof Music]] |
| 1998 | Life Ain't What It Used To Be | [[Bulletproof Music]] |
| 2000 | Demographics | New Pop Records |
| 2006 | Last Show Give-A-Way |

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==== The Adventures of Johnny Respect ====

1996 [[2 Jake Records]] (002)

John - Guitar, vocals\\
Phil - Bass, vocals\\
Mark - Drums

  - Keep It
  - Self Destruct
  - FX
  - The Ballad of the Invisible Man

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==== Blue Collar Moxy ====

1997 [[Bulletproof Music]] (BPD3009)

  - Authority
  - Self-Destruct
  - Keep It
  - Ballad of the Invisible Man
  - Never Tried
  - I'm Not Here
  - Broken Homes
  - FX
  - Rock This Town
  - Live It Up Boy
  - Ritchie
  - Walking Away
  - Anti-Soc
  - One Day

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==== Life Ain't What It Used To Be ====

1998 [[Bulletproof Music]] (BPD3030)

  - Time Marches On
  - The Mind as a Hypocrite
  - Catch 22
  - Life By Numbers
  - Independence 101
  - Your Fear
  - Displace the Blame
  - Broken Homes
  - Empty Box
  - Untitled

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==== Demographics ====

2000 New Pop Records

Phil Smith - Vocals, bass\\
Johnny - Vocals, guitar\\
Sam Oginsky - Drums

  - New Pop
  - Shot Gun
  - Jabbermouth

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==== Last Show Give-A-Way ====

2006 Independent

B-Sides, Rarities, and album tracks.

Phil Smith\\
Sam Oginsky\\
Johnny\\
RJ

  - Ballad of the Invisible Man (Demo)
  - Self-Destruct
  - Keep It
  - Independence 101
  - Catch 22
  - New Pop
  - Last One Standing
  - Heart in Hand
  - Let's Pretend I'm Gone
  - You and All It Entails
  - F/X

Track 1 Taken from //Take Time To Listen Vol. 3//\\
Track 2 & 3 Taken from //Blue Collar Moxy//\\
Tracks 4 & 5 taken from //Life Ain't What It Used To Be//\\
Track 6 taken from //Demographics EP//\\
Track 7 taken from the //Demographics// recording sessions. with Steve Dresser on guitar (Previously Unreleased)\\
Tracks 8-10 taken from //The Last Demos// Recording Sessions (Previously Unreleased)\\
Track 11 First Recording from 1995 (Previously Unreleased)

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