Trailblazing Australian
cowpunks The Johnnys will perform five New Zealand concerts in late September -
their first tour here in three decades.
NZ tour dates are: The Cook, Dunedin (26th); Blue Smoke, Christchurch (27th);
San Fran, Wellington (28th); Galatos, Auckland (29th); Sawmill, Leigh (30th).
The Johnnys barnstorming shows at legendary NZ venues like The Gluepot and
Warners back in the 80's made an impenetrable impression.
Their 1986 album
Highlights Of A Dangerous Life was a runaway success in
Australia and New Zealand. It was firmly embedded in the NZ Album Top 20 chart,
where it remained for 10 weeks, thanks to infectious tracks like
Bleeding
Heart,
Injun Joe, and
(There’s Gonna Be A) Showdown.
The band – comprising Kiwi-born Graham Hood (bass and vocals), Slim Doherty
(guitar) and Billy Pommer Jr (drums) - will be knocking out their 2018 NZ tour
in the same dynamic fashion.
Says Graham Hood: “After so long away, it will be great to tour New Zealand
this Spring and reconnect with everyone. Full-length sets, a whole lot of fun
and some very talented local opening acts. See you there!”
The tour also serves a tribute to their very ill bandmate, guitarist Spencer P.
Jones (The Johnnys, Beasts of Bourbon) who won’t be crossing the Tasman.
The band formed in Sydney in 1982 when Kiwi-born Graham Hood (ex-Normals) tried
out for the Hoodoo Gurus after quitting the Allniters. He met Hoodoo Gurus'
guitarist Roddy Ray'da and, with drummer Billy Pommer Jr, they formed The
Johnnys, playing their first show at Palms Disco on Oxford Street in Sydney.
Spencer P. Jones joined on guitar and the four-piece released their single
"I Think You're Cute", before joining major label Mushroom.
They racked up eight singles and three albums, played the length and breadth of
Australia and New Zealand – convened an instant party wherever they went – and
cemented their place as the indisputable, rough riding champions of cowpunk.
The Johnnys played a blistering 6-song appearance at Punk It Up’s farewell
Kings Arms show earlier this year, which proved to be the catalyst for this
five-date tour. Of that brief appearance, reviewer Sarah Kidd said: “The
audience couldn’t get enough as the mosh pit doubled in intensity for the band
who delivered their tracks such as ‘There’s gonna be a Showdown’ and ‘Injun
Joe’ to an extremely appreciative audience.”
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