ABOUT JM
BIOGRAPHY
Although it all began as a solo songwriter’s year-long web project, MyNameIsJohnMichael has evolved into a full-on, powerhouse band featuring an ensemble cast of New Orleans’ finest young indie-rock musicians. Continuing the ambitious project for 2008 and looking forward to a promising 2009 debut album, this group is ready for anything, already abundantly proving that things don’t always go as planned.At the close of 2007, New Orleans born rock prodigy John Michael Rouchell announced that starting January 1, 2008, he would set out to write, record, and release one song per week for the entire year. Listeners could download the songs for free through his website www.mynameisjohnmichael.com, and at the end of the year, the listeners at large will be able to vote on the tracks that will make the record (to be re-recorded and released in early 2009). But he had no idea where his “solo” project would take him.Coming on strong right out of the gate, Rouchell was churning out songs that captured the perked ears and full attention of the New Orleans indie rock scene, and whether by invitation or imposition, other musicians began to get involved in the weekly recordings. Soon, this one-man show turned into a six-man spectacle, keeping the steady flow of fresh material, building a fan base through live shows, and pushing through 2008 with an unyielding goal of 52 songs in 52 weeks. In an ever-ailing music industry, the young men of MyNameIsJohnMichael are working hard to make a debut record for the fans, chosen by the fans, “turning the famously caustic A&R process into a democratic love-in” (Blog of New Orleans).MyNameIsJohnMichael is a six piece indie rock act with a powerful sound that blends the exuberance of Elvis Costello, the lush arrangements of early British indie acts like The Smiths, and the harmonic energy of modern acts like Fleet Foxes and Delta Spirit. Featuring players from some of New Orleans’ most promising indie rock acts (The City Life, Antenna Inn, Rotary Downs), this group is a force to be reckoned with, exploding on stage with songs that OffBeat Magazine says “are split between dark, ambient ballads and Springsteen-inspired panoramic rockers.” Conveying stories of isolation and triumph in the modern era, John Michael’s “Bright Eye’d vocals,” as described by Blog of New Orleans, are grounded by the drive and swagger of the rhythm section (Eric Rogers, Joe Bourgeois) and vibrantly accented by the ever-changing timbre of guitars, trumpets, synthesizers, percussion and vocal harmonies provided by the team of multi-instrumentalists (Leo DeJesus, Cory Schultz, Michael Girardot), creating a wall of sound that is both hook-laden and earnest.Due to the rigorous recording schedule of 2008, MyNameIsJohnMichael has only just begun to tour regionally, but the group has big plans for what started as a small project. The only way to understand what MyNameIsJohnMichael is setting out to do is to check out www.mynameisjohnmichael.com and enjoy! As each week passes, a promising 2009 debut comes more clearly into focus.
THINGS I LIKE
My pug named Miles, vinyl, coffee, Parliament Lights, 2008, innovation, Oscar Wilde, Arthur Rimbaud, Lafcadio Hearn, people with stage names, the hot towel that one gets upon arriving at a sushi restaurant, beauty, New Orleans, New York, "me time," rooftops, D'Angelo, Claude Debussy, in other words: many a different things. Just e-mail me here and I'll let you know what I think about something.
