Velvet Underground, Lou Reed solo, Captain Beefheart, Iggy and the Stooges, Iggy solo, James Brown, Frank Zappa, Sex Pistols, Ramones, Blue Cheer, Tom Verlaine, Alice Cooper, Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, Muddy Waters, Bauhaus, early lps of The Clash, late 1960s Rolling Stones, Patti Smith, L7, Blue Oyster Cult, the Jesus and Mary Chain, Joan Jett, middle period David Bowie. There are various bands and artists I like that came too late to influence me but I want to mention anyway: Jester's Funeral (who did an lp of songs inspired by my stories), The Pixies, Cracker, The TOADIES, Monster Magnet, Kyuss, Fu Manchu, PJ Harvey, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and Witch.
John Shirley is an author, screenwriter and singer/songwriter. He writes lyrics for the Blue Oyster Cult and others, and for his own recordings. He wrote the first four drafts of the script for THE CROW, and shares Credit for that film with David Schow. He is the winner of the Bram Stoker award (Bram Stoker created Dracula, award is given by the Horror Writers of America) for his story collection BLACK BUTTERFLIES. He's the author of Demons, Cellars, In Darkness Waiting, the cyberpunk classic City Come A-Walkin', Eclipse, A Splendid Chaos and many other books. His new story collection is LIVING SHADOWS from Prime Books. His only nonfiction book is Gurdjieff: An Introduction to His Life and Ideas. . .
The Weinstein Company is "moving ahead" with plans for a movie based on John Shirley's novel DEMONS. His Alternative Apocalypse novel THE OTHER END has recently been also optioned for development as a movie. John Shirley's script "Edgar Allan Poe's Ligeia"has been filmed starring Michael Madsen, Wes Bentley and Eric Roberts; it's now in final edit. His forthcoming new novels are the urban fantasy novel BLEAK HISTORY from Simon and Schuster and BLACK GLASS (the "lost cyberpunk novel") from ESP.
.John Shirley was the original lead singer of the seminal punk band Sado-Nation (wrote Johnny Paranoid etc) and the New York punk funk band Obsession. He's now forming a band called The Screamin' Geezers. He lives in the San Francisco area. . .
All lyrics and vocals on the songs here are by John Shirley. Musicianship and composition of music by Dave Corboy and SadoNation for "Johnny Paranoid," Tony DeStefano for "Essence", Sync 66 (Chris Cunningham) and Jerry Antonias For "There's an Ocean Between Us" and "Sonic Fingers"..."Dance of the Urban Primitive" is music by Rob Hardin and John Shirley (background vocals and keyboards by Rob Hardin). "Box in My Head" (a fairly new jazzy demo, scroll down to hear it) is guitar by Dale Van Wormer, bass by Corby Simpson, JS sings...and John Shirley worked out the vocal melodies, don't you know, so he's writing the music too.
BLUE OYSTER CULT albums with lyrics by John Shirley are HEAVEN FORBID, and CURSE OF THE HIDDEN MIRROR, available on iTunes. There are 16 songs with lyrics by JS on those two albums. Key songs with lyrics by JS: Damaged, The New Gods Return, Pocket, See You in Black, Live for Me, The Power Underneath Despair, Dancing on Stilts.
John Shirley and the Panther Moderns are found on the new Mabuhay Records compilation "The Best of the Mabuhay" with the Mutants and Razorburns and other fine bands. Mabuhay will be releasing the Panther Moderns album Red Star.
Just read your intro + black glossary buried under threads on your message board. I don't recall any other cyberpunk book that I've been nearly as stoked for, this century.
So long as you're not drop-callin us, Ima save up some flow for this straight up. Thanks for the texer, john. I'm issuing with this just as soon as it drops, hodey-brudder.
Thanks for the add. You may recall a long time ago (way over 10 years ago) purchasing an Iggy Pop picture disc or two from a member of the BOC boards on AOL. Well, that would be me and I still have your autograph "picture" which is in my basement aka "rock n roll museum." I use to be the Webmaster for "Underbelly Online" way way back if that helps (shortly after you were doing the VR show if memory serves)
Also, check out my tunes and let me know what you think.
Are you doing any writing at the moment - books, lyrics, movies or TV?
Is there ever going to be an Obsession Re-release? I feel like such an idiot; I ran across an Obsession record when I was managing a used record store, but didn't know what it was at the time.
Man, what I'd give for a brand new Obsession CD... you still have the originals?
hey john, I got that Red Star album w/Panther Moderns, and its DOPE! It had been a loooong time comin' w/that one, but it sure was worth the wait. Now it spins in regular rotation along w/all my other wackass music. You rock !
quite a multitalented individual-- I enjoyed your intro to Gurdjieff, and also the Constantine novelization, I'm looking forward to exploring more of your work-- thx for the music too! PEACE
The Amputations is currently creating music to your song "In one hand I hold a rope". We hope to do it justice. Thanks a ton for the lyrics. Praise "BOB"!
My Mom was recounting how she had Thanksgiving dinner in NY in the late 70s / 80s, and didn't realize until later that night that on of the dinner guests was IGGY POP. Do you remember that dinner?
Well looky here. We finally come full circle. The original genre outlaw and co-founder of cyberpunk is finally on myspace. Hallelujah & Praise Bob. The Serpent Is Eating Itself . . . Welcome Home, John ;b
