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Jonny Craig

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Jonny Craig

Jonathan "Jonny" Monroe Craig (born March 26, 1986 in Abbotsford, British Columbia) is a rock singer and musician, former vocalist for post-hardcore band Dance Gavin Dance and currently for bands Emarosa and Isles & Glaciers.

Music career

Debut

Craig began his singing career at the age of 15 as the vocalist for a band under the name of westerHALTS in Tacoma, Washington in 2001, and released a song titled "Change, Leisure, and Retirement." He then joined as the lead vocalist for Seattle based pop rock band Ghost Runner on Third in 2002.[6] He received positive reviews with this band's debut EP, Speak Your Dreams, released on January 4, 2005. Allmusic stated that Craig was: "the band's secret weapon, a passionate vocalist who doesn't rely on the usual emo techniques (belligerent screaming, post-hardcore barking, whiny moralizing -- that sort of thing) to put across his angsty lyrics. There's not a bad track to be found here, but Craig tends to outshine his bandmates throughout."[7]

Early on in his career with Ghost Runner On Third, it has been cited that overwhelming drug problems led to his departure as told by Dance Gavin Dance in their old blog concerning Jonny Craig after he was kicked out of the band. Though Jonny Craig has denied the statements made, Dance Gavin Dance has not backed off from those remarks, which they explain was the reason for all the band's problems and partly for his former band Ghost Runner on Third.[8] Dance Gavin Dance has also blamed Sean O'Sullivan's departure on Jonny Craig's behavior primarily, although there were other contributing factors.

Despite their past differences, both past and present members of Dance Gavin Dance have since become friends. Consider the Thief (Sean O'Sullivan's current band), were also listed in Emarosa's Relativity album on the special thanks section of the booklet.

Dance Gavin Dance and Emarosa

Jonny Craig's singing in Dance Gavin Dance's debut full-length album, Downtown Battle Mountain, also received positive reviews. Allmusic stated that "co-frontman Jonny Craig's regularly hysterical yelping may change your mind forever (he actually sounds like Michael Jackson in the bottom of his range!)."[9]

In an interview done on March 2007, it was cited that Jonny Craig came up with the name Dance Gavin Dance and had planned to name his previous band, "Ghost Runner On Third," by that name.[10] After being kicked out of Dance Gavin Dance after the "Saints and Sinners Festival" in New Jersey, Jonny Craig immediately filled in for A Skylit Drive and toured with them while their then-lead-singer Jordan was ill. The band made it very clear at shows and on their website that he was not the new lead singer and the situation would only be temporary. It had been only 2 weeks since he quit Dance Gavin Dance in which he joined Emarosa who was left without a lead singer.

Craig's singing in Emarosa's second album titled Relativity, received similar praise as his previous records did in the past. Digmagonline.com stated of Jonny Craig: "His range does nothing but impress, and the way he is effortlessly able to change between a shrill high note to a calming slow singing section is quite remarkable."[1]

Isles & Glaciers

In early September 2008, (then current) Chiodos and Cinematic Sunrise vocalist Craig Owens, confirmed rumors on his personal website, that both he and Jonny Craig would be recording an EP record by the end of the year, also mentioning Vic Fuentes and others.[11] Billboard confirmed this musician collaboration, project, and supergroup through a direct interview with Craig Owens, which was said to be featuring a member of Circa Survive, likely Anthony Green, but did not show up on the final confirmed Isles & Glaciers lineup.[12][13]

On December 15, 2008, Alternative Press officially announced and revealed the name and lineup of this new project, Isles & Glaciers. The band's first EP, The Hearts of Lonely People, was produced by Casey Bates in Seattle, Washington, was reworked on April 2009 in Michigan and was released March 9, 2010.

Solo work

Jonny Craig has released the solo album A Dream is a Question You Don't Know How to Answer on August 18, 2009 through Rise Records. This is the first individual artist on the label. He has been taking solo promotion and press photos for the release in late 2009 with photographer Gage Young in Orlando, Florida.[14]

Rise Records has listed Jonny Craig as an individual artist on their official website, and released his myspace music page.[15][16]

He further released three songs on his myspace from the solo album, Titles, "Istillfeelher III", "Children of Divorce" and "7 AM, 2 Bottles and The Wrong Road". Craig went on his first solo tour from November through December, supporting acts AFI, Cinematic Sunrise, and then headlining with support from Tides of Man and The Receiving End of Sirens. He is currently headlining a tour with support from Tides of Man and Eye Alaska and will be playing The Bamboozle[17] festival and SXSW.[18]

Further information

In an interview with Hartimes.ca, Craig talks about his childhood experiences and religious views. He says that staying in school and not getting into trouble was always difficult for him. Jonny Craig considers himself an atheist, but said he grew up Christian in his early days. He states that if you don't believe in a god, you shouldn't be persecuted for it, but it also goes both ways. Craig ends the interview saying to "respect music, no matter what it is, it's here for all kinds of people, that's what we want people to know." [19] In another interview with indie star tv, he proceeded to claim an atheist belief with a Christian background especially in music. He states that all of his music is soulful and has some kind of meaning mainly because his music career began as a child singing gospel music with his church/school.[20] Jonny Craig gives all credit for his musical talent to his grandmother (Ruth Lyons) who he says, "taught me everything i know about music, she was super Christian, super gospel. Her husband was a preacher. She taught me everything I know about music and despite the fact that I may not believe in her beliefs, i believe in what she taught me."[20]

Craig is inspired by artists Aretha Franklin, Boys II Men, Craig David, Mewithoutyou, as well as Motown artists.[20][21]

Craig's voice has been compared to Michael Jackson.[22]

Discography

With Ghost Runner On Third
  • Speak Your Dreams (EP) [23]
With Dance Gavin Dance
With Emarosa
With Isles & Glaciers
Solo work
List of guest appearances
  • Lower Definition
    • The Greatest of All Lost Arts [24]
      • "Pueblo Cicada"
  • Broadway
    • Kingdoms
      • "Don't Jump the Shark Before You Save the Whale"
  • Pierce the Veil
    • A Flair for the Dramatic
      • "She Makes Dirty Words Sound Pretty"
  • MikeyWhiskeyHands!
    • Unreleased
      • "This Ain't a Game" (credited as Dr.Craig) [25]
      • "$ex, Drugz and WhiskeyHands" [25]
  • Falling Closer
    • The Sweet Release
  • Ambrosia Caprice
    • Live Show @ The Boardwalk

References

  1. ^ a b Digmagonline.com
  2. ^ Sputnikmusic.com
  3. ^ Clevelandleader.com
  4. ^ Allmusic.com
  5. ^ [1]
  6. ^ Ghost Runner on Third at Purevolume.com
  7. ^ Speak Your Dreams Review. Allmusic.
  8. ^ Lamgoat.com . (November 10, 2007).
  9. ^ Downtown Battle Mountain Review. Allmusic.
  10. ^ APpunk.net . (March 2007).
  11. ^ Iamcraigowens.com . (September 2008).
  12. ^ Altpress.com . (October 2008).
  13. ^ Billboard.com . (October 2008).
  14. ^ Gage Young at Flickr.com
  15. ^ Riserecords.com
  16. ^ Indiestar.tv Graf Wall
  17. ^ California Lineup - The Bamboozle Music Festivals. The Bamboozle
  18. ^ SXSW: Jonny Craig. SXSW
  19. ^ Hardtimes.ca
  20. ^ a b c [2]
  21. ^ Altpress.com Retrieved 2009-10-09
  22. ^ Altpress.com. Retrieved 2009-01-04.
  23. ^ Demonoid.com
  24. ^ Sputnikmusic.com
  25. ^ a b MikeyWhiskeyHands! at Myspace.com
  26. ^ Falling Closer at Purevolume.com
  27. ^ [3]
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