Table of Contents
Johnny J. Blair
Alternative Rock
San Francisco, California, USA
Discography
1980 | Dancin’ So Hard (single) | |
1983 | Care Packages EP | |
1985 | Door in the Water | Morada Records |
1986 | Johnny J. Blair ("The Green Album") | |
1988 | 000 (promo) | |
1988 | Yellow House | |
1988 | Train Tracks in the Snow (Christmas Songs & Other Matter) | |
1989 | Normal Songs & Near Hits 1978-1989 (compilation) | |
1989 | Care Packages (expanded) | |
1989 | Love Love Alone (single) | |
1990 | 12 Songs About Love, God, Money | Narrowpath Records |
1991 | Suspension Britches in San Francisco (Works 1989-1991) | |
1997 | She's Not Some Animal (single) | |
2000 | Fire | |
2001 | Exotic Animals & Beaches of Pennsylvania (limited edition maxi-EP) | |
2001 | Exotic Animals & Beaches of Pennsylvania (expanded reissue) | |
2002 | Snapshots | |
2003 | After Hours - a Tribute to the Music of Lou Reed (contribution) | |
2005 | Treadmarks | Wampus Multimedia |
2005 | Word 2 Soul Project | |
2005 | Word 2 Soul Project: Volume I (expanded) | |
2007 | Grateful | Wampus Multimedia |
2008 | Nothing Like Williamsport (single) | |
2010 | Door In The Water (25th Anniversary Expanded Edition) | |
2010 | Snapshots: Live & Half-Plugged (expanded reissue) | |
2010 | Woody Guthrie’s America (single) | |
2010 | Precious Gem (Christmas single) | |
2011 | Death, God, Love, & Money (a compilation 1990-2000) | |
2011 | I Like the Street | Wampus Multimedia |
2011 | San Francisco Suspension Britches (Audio Diary Entries 1990-95) | |
2012 | The Sky Cries (special edition EP) | |
2013 | Halfway To Dakota (limited edition EP) | |
2013 | If I Could Dress Like Clive Owen (Music For Films Not Yet Made) |
Dancin’ So Hard (single)
1980 Independent
Produced by Rick Anderson (The Tubes)
Care Packages EP
1983 Independent
Co-produced by Jeff Lloyd
- Ya Gotta Care
- Circles And Cycles
- Ouch!
Door in the Water
1985 Morada Records
Reissued: 1988
- Welcome to the Open Door
- Ya Gotta Care
- One Planet-One Utopia-One Helmet
- Seven Long Years
- Eternal Life
- The Compleat Angler
- Circles and Cycles
- Please Don't Wait Too Long
- Everybody Needs Jesus Instead
- Open Door
- Sequel
Johnny J. Blair ("The Green Album")
1985 Independent
Johnny J. Blair – Banjos, basses, drums, guitars, organs, percussives, pianos, synthesizers, and lead vocals, except:
John Wilson – Bagpipes on “True Ecclesia”
Curt Hansen – Bass on “Politics and Religion Act One” and “(We're Still) Bobbin' for Apples, Adam”
Jonny V – Drums on “Goodbye Cruel Playground”; drums, mandolin, and vocal harmonies on “The First Stone”; drums and lead guitar on “When I was Out To Glorify Myself”
Scott Anderson – Drums on “Politics and Religion Act One,” “(We're Still) Bobbin' for Apples, Adam,” and “Names”
Tim Michaels – Drums on “I Love You Lord”
Dan Yacoubian – Lead guitar on “Ya Ya Ya,” “Politics and Religion Act One,” and “Politics and Religion Act Two”; lead guitar and vocals harmonies on “I Love You Lord”
Andrea Yacoubian – Vocals harmonies on “I Love You Lord”
Rick Savetto – Lead guitar on “Wind-Up Doll” and “Asteroid Danse”
Richard Sonquist – Kalimba and piano on “Scissors, Mercury, and Glass”
Bob Hogins – Piano and synthesizer on “Microscopic Coda”
Dave Barrett – Saxophone on “(We're Still) Bobbin' for Apples, Adam”
Cassandra Blair – Tambourine on “Locusts”
Mark Jones – Tambourine on “Microscopic Coda”
Scott Spenser – Trumpet on “Ya Ya Ya,” “Politics and Religion Act One,” “Politics and Religion Act Two,” and “Another Compleat Angler”
- Goodbye Cruel Playground
- The First Stone
- Weirder Than Money
- Eternal Life #2
- Desert Ruby
- Ya Ya Ya
- Politics and Religion Act One
- Rebellion Comes On
- When I was Out To Glorify Myself
- Locusts
- (We're Still) Bobbin' for Apples, Adam
- Politics and Religion Act Two
- Microscopic Coda
- I Love You Lord
- Names
- Eternal Life #3
- Him of Me
- Another Compleat Angler
- Scissors, Mercury, and Glass
- Wind-Up Doll
- Asteroid Danse
- Centered
- Someone Close
- Something's Happening to Your Heart
- True Ecclesia
- Birds
000 (promo)
1988 Independent
October was:
Johnny J. Blair – Mostly lead vocals & guitars, but also banjo, bass, keyboards, & percussives
Ron Davis – Mostly drums, congas, and timbales
Chris Haggerty – Mostly guitar and vocals, occasionally saxophone
Victor Valverde – Mostly bass and lead vocals, but also guitar, harmonica, and keyboards
Bridget Purifoy & Anna Valdez – Harmony vocals and occasional percussives
- Love, Love Alone (DJ-demo 1988)
- Spirit (outake 1986)
- Apathy (live 5/5/86)
- Seven Long Years (live 5/5/86)
- Dancin' by the River (unreleased 1986)
- One Fine Day (unreleased instrumental version 1986)
- Ready and Willing (unreleased 1986)
- Do Ya Wanna Know It? (alternative version 1986)
- And Nobody Else (alternative version 1986)
- Everything is Everything (alternative version 1986)
- Real Planet - Real World - Real Peace (unreleased 1986)
- Desert Ruby (rehearsal 3/86)
- One Fine Day (unreleased 1986)
- Love is Strange (rehearsal 3/86)
- Fascist Architecture (demo 1984)
- KUSF Interview 1985
- Welcome to the Open Door (alternative version 1984)
Yellow House
1988 Independent
- Dmitri Karamazov Escapes (Blair) (2:21)
- Open The Book (Blair) (1:48)
- Journalistic Girl (Blair) (3:13)
- Teen Reporter Meets the King of African Rockabilly (Blair) (3:35)
- Prayer for a Dying Rhino (Blair) (1:14)
- Apathy (Blair) (2:23)
- Ya Gotta Care (1983 version) (Blair / Lloyd) (2:24)
- Peter Lawford’s Last Words (Blair / Jergesen) (1:06)
- Sho Hideyo (Blair) (2:17)
- Yellow House (Blair) (5:16)
- Eros Obedient (Blair) (2:30)
- Polemics and Derision (Blair) (1:05)
- Do You Wanna Know It? (Blair) (4:59)
- Out of the Noisy Planet (Blair) (1:19)
- Permanent Vacation (Blair / Lloyd / Taylor) (3:47)
- Seems Like Its Time (Blair) (2:25)
- Richard Quatermaine Was There (Blair / Davis / Lloyd / Valverde) (2:26)
- Holds Me With The Muse (Blair) (3:20)
- Desert Ruby (Blair) (3:58)
- Dreams and Sermons Volume One (Blair) (4:51)
- Dreams and Sermons Volume Two (Blair) (2:15)
Train Tracks in the Snow (Christmas Songs & Other Matters)
1988 Independent
Johnny J. Blair – Lead vocals, harmony vocals, guitar, bass, banjo, drums, drum programs, keyboards, percussives, and violins. Except where noted.
- Open the Presents
- Green-on-Red / Frontiers of Love
- Silent Night
- When the Snow Came Down
- Jingle Bells 1 & 2
- What's Been Done
- Lose It – Find It
- Winterlude
- I Love You So Much
- It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
- Do Ya Want To Know It?
- We Pay Our Dues
- A Frosty Picnic on Aran
- Sequel to the Sequel
- Circles and Cycles
- Helicopters Over the Glacier
- A Small Atlas is a Perfect Gift
- Seems Like It's Time
- I've Been Workin' on the Railroad
- Train Tracks on White Fields
Normal Songs & Near Hits 1978-1989 (compilation)
1989 Independent
- Journalistic Girl (Blair) +
- When the Snow Came Down (Blair) ++
- (I Wanna Bein) Pennsylvania (Blair) ‡
- Permanent Vacation (Blair/Lloyd/Taylor) +
- Please Don't Wait Too Long (Blair) ‡‡‡ ‡‡
- Welcome to the Open Door (Blair) ‡‡‡
- Sequel To The Sequel (Blair) ++
- When I was Out to Glorify Myself (Blair) +++
- Lose It-Find It (Blair) ++
- Desert Ruby (Blair) +++ ‡‡
- Just as I Am (Bradbury/Elliot)‡
- The First Stone (Blair) +++ ‡‡
- Dreams and Sermons Volume One (Blair) +
- Apathy (Blair) +
- Ya Gotta Care (Blair/Lloyd) * ‡‡
- One Planet-One Utopia-One Helmet (Blair) ‡‡‡
- Eternal Life #2 (Blair) +++
‡ - previously unreleased
‡‡ - 1989 remix
‡‡‡ - Door in the Water
* - Care Packages
+ - Yellow House
++ - Train Tracks in the Snow
+++ - Johnny J. Blair (“The Green Album”)
Care Packages (expanded)
1989 Independent
- Ya Gotta Care (Blair/Lloyd)*
- Circles And Cycles (Blair)*
- Ouch! (Blair)*
- Apathy (live) (Blair)‡
- Seven Long Years (live) (Blair)‡
- Fascist Architecture (cockburn)‡‡
- One Fine Day (Haggerty/Blair)+
- Dancin' By The River (Blair/Davis)+
- Ready And Willing (Haggerty)+
- Real Planet-Real People-Real Peace (Blair)+
- Spirit (Scott)+
- KUSF Interview 1985
- Welcome To The Open Door (Blair)‡‡
- Everything Is Everything (Valverde)+
- WBRB Promo 1988
- Love, Love Alone (Hardy)++
- Love Is Strange (Smith/Baker/Robinson/Valverde)+
- Weirder Than Money (Blair)+++
- Eternal Life #3 (Blair)‡‡
- One Fine Day (Instrumental) (Haggerty/Blair)+
- (I Wanna Bein) Pennsylvania (Blair)++
- Roll Me Home (Valverde)#
- Heart Of Gold (Young)++
- Dmitri Karamazov Escapes (Blair)+
- The Colonel`s Only Daughter (v1) (Blair)++
- The Colonel`s Only Daughter (v2) (Blair)++
- Sigh (Blair)++
- In Your Heartbeat (Blair)++
- Toy Parade (Leave It To Beaver) (DeVol)++
- My Bonnie (Traditional) (Traditional)++
* Care Packages EP
‡ Concert 5/5/86
‡‡ Demo 1984
+ October Sessions 1986
++ Demo 1988-1989
+++ Alternative Mix 1985
# Alternative Mix 1987
Love Love Alone (single)
1989 Independent
Produced by Dan Reilly
12 Songs About Love, God, Money
1990 Narrowpath Records
Suspension Britches in San Francisco (Works 1989-1991)
1991 Independent
She's Not Some Animal (single)
1997 Independent
Four songs
Fire
2000 Independent
Reissued 2006 on Foldback Records/Wampus Multimedia
With John Bechdel, Davy Jones, and Jab’O Starks
- Dancin' by the River (Urban BBQ Mix)
- People Medley: Everyday People/Fishers of Men/One for the Pastor
- Fire
- All Things are Possible
- One Wonderful Smile
- Love, Love Alone
- A Little Industrial Nachtmusik
- Lighten Up
- Dancin' by the River (Tex-Mex Garage Band Mix)
- Throw the First Stone
- Man of Sorrows
Exotic Animals & Beaches of Pennsylvania (limited edition maxi-EP)
2001 Independent
- She's Not Some Animal (3:17)
- One Wonderful Smile (Edit-Remix) (5:08)
- Exotic Animals & Beaches of Pennsylvania (2:46)
- Air Raid (6:34)
- Lighten Up (Edit-Remix) (4:38)
- No Be No Yes Be Yes (4:39)
- Dumb Angel (2:33)
- (I Wanna Bein) Pennsylvania (3:50)
- (I Wanna Bein) Pennsylvania (Accappella Mix) (3:49)
Exotic Animals & Beaches of Pennsylvania (expanded reissue)
September 2001 Independent
- She's Not Some Animal (RR Mix) (3:18)
- Dumb Angel (Narrowpath Mix) (2:34)
- (I Wanna Bein) Pennsylvania (RR Mix) (3:52)
- Exotic Animals & Beaches of Pennsylvania (Breon Edit) (2:48)
- Silver Moon (4:03)
- One Wonderful Smile edit-remix (5:10)
- No Be No Yes Be Yes (4:40)
- Air Raid (6:36)
- Lighten Up (single edit) (4:41)
- (I Wanna Bein) Pennsylvania (Acappella) (3:49)
- Swing Low Sweet Chariot/Swing Down Chariot (demo) (7:01)
- Nobody's Fault But Mine (live 7/4/03) (3:10)
- Workin' on a Building (live 7/4/03) (5:10)
- Love Love Alone (live 7/4/03) (3:35)
- I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass (live 7/4/03) (3:02)
- Dancin' by the River (live 7/4/03) (3:07)
Snapshots
2002 Independent
- Workin' On a Building (5:12)
- Love, Love Alone (3:16)
- Unresolved (3:17)
- Like A Father to A Son (4:07)
- Steinbeck Found the Valley (1:31)
- Desert Ruby (3:24)
- Weirder Than Money (4:18)
- I'm Too Ugly for CCM, Too Stupid for TBN (5:09)
- For What It's Worth (3:28)
- Ya Gotta Care (4:19)
- I'm a Jerk (3:03)
- Dancin' Barefoot (4:11)
- Dancin' by the River (3:36)
- The Story of Desert Ruby (1:42)
After Hours: a Tribute to the Music of Lou Reed
2003 Independent
cover version of “Sunday Morning,” backed by members of The Badlees
- Sunday Morning
Treadmarks
2005 Wampus Multimedia
Produced by Mark Doyon
- One Planet–One Utopia–One Helmet (3:51)
- Music Up Inside of Me (4:05)
- The Sky Cries (4:37)
- Somebody Loves You (Like Dino Said) (4:03)
- Sam Said (4:24)
- She's Not Some Animal #3 (3:30)
- One Wonderful Smile (2 A.M.) (4:44)
- I Like the Street (4:18)
- Prelude: Green-on-Red/Frontiers of Love (6:27)
Word 2 Soul Project: Volume I
A Neo-Soul Rockin' Gospel Celebration of Singers & Players
2005 Independent
With Chris Bovard and Tim Breon
- Reach (5:41)
- Symphony of Praise (4:23)
- The Benediction (3:36)
- He Wants to Bless You (4:17)
- In His Kingdom (3:53)
- I'm Fine With That (3:49)
- Jesus Divine (Fine Line) (3:47)
- Carpenter's Kid (4:19)
- There He Stays (5:06)
- Even In The Night (3:48)
- Who Do You Say I Am? (4:27)
- The Standard (4:21)
- Free Me (8:13)
Word 2 Soul Project: Volume I (expanded)
A Neo-Soul Rockin' Gospel Celebration of Singers & Players
2005 Independent
- Reach (5:40)
- A Symphony of Praise (4:23)
- Benediction (3:36)
- He Wants to Bless You (4:17)
- In His Kingdom (3:53)
- I am Fine With That (3:49)
- A Fine Line (3:47)
- Carpenter's Kid (4:19)
- There He Stays (5:05)
- Even in the Night (3:48)
- Who Do You Say I Am? (4:27)
- The Standard (4:20)
- Free Me (8:13)
- Just One Victory (demo) (3:41)
- First Flame (outtake) (5:09)
- United (4:21)
- Voices (outtake) (8:50)
Grateful
2007 Foldback Records/Wampus Multimedia
With Davy Jones, Michael Miller, Michael Roe, and Chris von Sneidern
- I'm So Glad U Let Me In (4:07)
- My Bonnie (3:24)
- Journalistic Girl (3:32)
- One Planet-One Utopia-One Helmet (3:23)
- Grateful (1:10)
- She's Not Some Animal #2 (3:13)
- The Sleeping Giant (Of Love) (5:26)
- Drive a Nail (2:23)
- The Brakeman's Dead (5:08)
- Unresolved (Graham Greene's Script for Laurel & Hardy) (3:19)
- Please Don't Wait Too Long (3:12)
- Exotic Animals and Beaches of Pennsylvania (2:52)
- Dumb Angel (2:30)
- (I Wanna Be In) Pennsylvania (3:49)
- Desert Ruby (3:54)
Nothing Like Williamsport (single)
2008 Independent
- Nothing Like Williamsport (4:56)
- Nothing Like Williamsport (Grand Slam Mix) (6:26)
Door In The Water (25th Anniversary Expanded Edition)
2010 Independent
- Welcome to the Open Door (3:57)
- One Planet One Utopia One Helmet (3:28)
- Please Don't Wait Too Long (3:14)
- Ya Gotta Care (SimpleMindFunk Mix) (2:53)
- Eternal Life (5:34)
- The Compleat Angler (3:45)
- Rebellion Comes On (4:03)
- Seven Long Years (2:26)
- Locusts (1:17)
- Open Door (4:07)
- Circles & Cycles (Big Country Version) (2:18)
- Sequel (0:52)
- Spirit (4-track demo) (3:47)
- One Planet One Utopia One Helmet (live 1986) (3:39)
- Apathy (live 1986) (2:23)
- Seven Long Years (live 1986) (2:29)
- Desert Ruby (band rehearsal 1986) (3:14)
- Everybody Needs Jesus Instead (2:48)
- KUSF-FM (San Francisco) interview 4/86 (6:44)
- Please Don't Wait Too Long (instrumental 2-track demo) (3:57)
- Sequel to the Sequel (1:09)
Snapshots: Live & Half-Plugged (expanded reissue)
2010 Independent
- Workin' on a Building (live 9/02) (5:12)
- Love, Love Alone (live 9/02) (3:15)
- Unresolved (Graham Greene's Script for Laurel & Hardy) (3:19)
- Like a Father to a Son (4:09)
- Steinbeck Found the Valley (1:33)
- Desert Ruby (TV broadcast 8/01) (3:26)
- Weirder Than Money (live 10/90) (4:20)
- I'm Too Ugly for CCM, Too Stupid for TBN (Church Basement Mix) (5:09)
- For What it's Worth (live 9/02) (3:28)
- Ya Gotta Care (live 9/02) (4:21)
- I'm a Jerk (3:05)
- Dancin' by the River (CSN Gypsy Lizard Mix) (3:38)
- Dancin' Barefoot (live 8/02) (4:13)
- The Story of Desert Ruby (TV broadcast 8/01) (1:42)
- (Don't Let Them) Changes (live 10/90) (2:20)
- One Planet One Utopia One Helmet (live 10/90) (4:00)
- Please Don't Wait Too Long (live 10/90) (3:16)
- The Check is in the Mail (live 10/90) (3:13)
- Back in the U.S.S.R. (live 10/90) (3:17)
- People Medley (live 8/01) (5:19)
- Nobody's Fault but Mine (live 9/02) (3:15)
- Throw the First Stone (live 9/02) (5:48)
Woody Guthrie’s America (single)
2010 Independent
For Akron/Family “Woody Guthrie Project”
Precious Gem (Christmas single)
2010 Independent
- Precious Gem (4:01)
- Train Tracks in the Snow (2:14)
Death, God, Love, & Money (a compilation 1990-2000)
April 2011 Independent
- The Sleeping Giant (of Love) (early mix) (5:26)
- I Can't Help Falling in Love With You (4-track demo) (3:01)
- Keep Sharing the Crayons (early mix) (4:46)
- She's Not Some Animal (Cove Mix) (3:13)
- Oh! Noel (4-track demo) (3:29)
- And I Love Her (4:27)
- Only Fools (Instrumental, 4-track demo) (3:55)
- The Check is in the Mail (2:46)
- Ruby Tuesday (4-track demo) (3:40)
- Tapioca Tundra (Kraftwerk Mix) (3:25)
- Spying, Surfing, & Dancing (demo) (3:41)
- Autobiography 1957-79 (4-track demo) (5:46)
- Cassandra, Can Ya? Part II (4:38)
- Meet Me at the Summer Place (3:55)
I Like the Street
2011 Wampus Multimedia
- I Like the Street (Electric Velvet Version) (4:40)
- What Goes On (3:00)
- If I Could Dress Like Clive Owen (3:39)
- Spying in Barcelona (2:03)
- Kept on Walkin' (Pivotal Moments in Time) (4:04)
- Big Town Winding Down (3:26)
- Even in the Night (3:56)
- Night Garden (3:58)
- Love That's Here to Stay (4:19)
- It's in Your Hands + Variations on Satie (6:39)
San Francisco Suspension Britches (Audio Diary Entries 1990-95)
April 2011 Independent
- San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) (4-track demo) (5:00)
- I'm So Glad U Let Me In (early mix) (4:07)
- The Brakeman's Dead (early mix) (5:08)
- Fascist Architecture (3:37)
- Don't Let it Bring You Down (4-track demo) (3:34)
- (Don't Let Them) Changes (2:19)
- My Bonnie (early mix) (3:24)
- Cast Your Fate to the Wind/Hey Gyp (rehearsal 3/90) (3:59)
- Pipe of Peace (Chippewa Indian Song) (rehearsal 3/90) (3:51)
- One Planet/One Utopia/One Helmet (rehearsal 3/90) (2:56)
- (We're Gonna Take a) Permanent Vacation (rehearsal 3/90) (3:26)
- Heart of Gold (rehearsal 3/90) (2:37)
- Fascist Architecture (Slow Version, rehearsal 3/90) (3:23)
- Dylan Warm Up (rehearsal 3/90) (0:24)
- It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry (rehearsal 3/90) (4:09)
- Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness) (sound check 12/95) (4:19)
- Dancing With the Possums (4-track demo) (3:01)
The Sky Cries (special edition EP)
2012 Independent
Samuel Bowen & Johnny J Blair
- The Sky Cries (Sam Bowen & JJB full band version 2011) (3:46)
- Lay Me Down (3:14)
- When You Tell Me That You Love Me (demo) (2:38)
- The Strange Tale of Taylor Matthew Jordan (rough demo) (5:29)
- The Sky Cries (TREADMARKS version) (4:37)
Halfway To Dakota (limited edition EP)
January 2013 Independent
- Love That's Here to Stay (4:19)
- Love Love Alone (single edit) (w/Davy Jones) (3:04)
- Halfway to Dakota (3:36)
- Night Garden (w/Beyondo & Mike Garson) (3:58)
- Man of Sorrows (5:24)
- Pictures of You (blue guitar version) (4:01)
If I Could Dress Like Clive Owen (Music For Films Not Yet Made)
July 2013 Independent
- If I Could Dress Like Clive Owen (3:39)
- Spying, Surfing, Dancing (3:41)
- It's in Your Hands (single edit) (3:52)
- Big Town Winding Down (instrumental) (3:31)
- Kept On Walkin' (CVS dub mix 2013) (4:19)
- Exotic Animals & Beaches (2:52)
- Love, Love Alone (3:31)
- A Little Industrial Nachtmusik (3:23)
- If I Could Dress Like Clive Owen (remix single edit) (3:19)
- Spying in Barcelona (complete unedited improvisation) (20:20)
(to be continued)