John Lombardo (born 30 September 1952) is one of the founding members of the American
alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from mainstream or commercial ...
band
10,000 Maniacs
10,000 Maniacs is an American alternative rock band that was founded in 1981. They have released nine studio albums, six EPs, and five live albums. They achieved their most significant success between 1987 and 1993, when they released four album ...
and one of the band's most influential members, writing much of its early material. He is also a member of
folk rock
Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk and rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music revival. Performers s ...
duo
John & Mary
John & Mary is a United States-based folk rock duo featuring John Lombardo and Mary Ramsey both members of alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs.
History 1989–1993
John & Mary was formed by John Lombardo and Mary Ramsey soon after they firs ...
.
Biography
Called by the ''Buffalo News'' "a dominant force" in the
Maniacs, Lombardo was in the group from its inception in 1981 until he left in 1986 after the release of their first major-label album ''
The Wishing Chair'', disagreeing with the direction of the band and frustrated with the lack of success. "I think I just really ran out of gas," Lombardo explained to
The Morning Call
''The Morning Call'' is a daily newspaper in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1883, it is the second longest continuously published newspaper in the Lehigh Valley, after '' The Express-Times''. In 2020, the newspaper permanently closed its ...
in 1997. "It was very much a nomadic, gypsy lifestyle, even though we were on a major label (Elektra). We weren't making very much money and it just got very frustrating for me. I needed a breather to find out what my own life was about."
Lombardo then formed the
folk rock
Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk and rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music revival. Performers s ...
duo
John & Mary
John & Mary is a United States-based folk rock duo featuring John Lombardo and Mary Ramsey both members of alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs.
History 1989–1993
John & Mary was formed by John Lombardo and Mary Ramsey soon after they firs ...
with the classically trained
Mary Ramsey
Mary Ramsey (born December 24, 1963) is a member of folk rock duo John & Mary and lead singer and violinist for the American alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs. Ramsey has also worked with other well-known artists such as Jackson Browne, Goo Go ...
, who played violin and viola for
10,000 Maniacs
10,000 Maniacs is an American alternative rock band that was founded in 1981. They have released nine studio albums, six EPs, and five live albums. They achieved their most significant success between 1987 and 1993, when they released four album ...
and sang backing vocals on the 1993 album ''
MTV Unplugged
''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV showcasing musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999 and less frequently from 2000 to 2009, when it was usually billed as ''MTV Un ...
''. The pair made two recordings under the name John & Mary, ''
Victory Gardens
''Victory Gardens'' (1991) is the debut album from John & Mary, recorded in 1990 just six months after the two met in December 1989 and immediately following their signing with Rykodisc. John Lombardo, former member of 10,000 Maniacs and respon ...
'' in 1991 and 1993's ''
The Weedkiller's Daughter
''The Weedkiller's Daughter'' (1993) is the second album from John & Mary.
The ''Weedkiller's Daughter'' was produced by John Lombardo and Armand John Petrie and, like their first album ''Victory Gardens'', features 10,000 Maniacs members Rob B ...
''. Lombardo remained on cordial terms with his former band, with two Maniacs (
Rob Buck and
Jerry Augustyniak appearing as guest performers on their albums, and John and Mary opened for the 10,000 Maniacs on tour. Lombardo would also work with the band in 1990 to remaster
Hope Chest, a compilation of their first two albums, released in 1990.
Lombardo returned to the Maniacs in 1994 after
Natalie Merchant
Natalie Anne Merchant (born October 26, 1963) is an American alternative rock singer-songwriter. She joined the band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and was lead vocalist and primary lyricist for the group. She remained with the group for their first se ...
's departure, with
Ramsey
Ramsey may refer to:
Geography British Isles
* Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, a small market town in England
* Ramsey, Essex, a village near Harwich, England
** Ramsey and Parkeston, a civil parish formerly called just "Ramsey"
* Ramsey, Isle of Man, t ...
joining as the lead singer. The duo released two albums with the Maniacs: 1997's ''
Love Among the Ruins'', which contained a cover of the
Roxy Music
Roxy Music are an English rock band formed in 1970 by Bryan Ferry—who became the band's lead vocalist and principal songwriter—and bassist Graham Simpson. The other longtime members are Phil Manzanera (guitar), Andy Mackay (saxophone ...
song "
More Than This" that did well in the U.S. charts; and 1999's ''
The Earth Pressed Flat
''The Earth Pressed Flat'' is the seventh album by 10,000 Maniacs, released in 1999. The album contains nine songs that had been written for, but not used in, the band's previous album, '' Love Among the Ruins'': "The Earth Pressed Flat", "Once ...
''. In 2002, after leaving the Maniacs following the death of guitarist Rob Buck, John & Mary released ''
The Pinwheel Galaxy
John & Mary is a United States-based folk rock duo featuring John Lombardo and Mary Ramsey both members of alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs.
History 1989–1993
John & Mary was formed by John Lombardo and Mary Ramsey soon after they first ...
'' and then ''
Peace Bridge
The Peace Bridge is an international bridge between Canada and the United States at the east end of Lake Erie at the source of the Niagara River, about upriver of Niagara Falls. It connects Buffalo, New York, in the United States to Fo ...
'' (2007) under the name John & Mary and the Valkyries.
Lombardo continues to perform regularly with John & Mary and has rejoined
10,000 Maniacs
10,000 Maniacs is an American alternative rock band that was founded in 1981. They have released nine studio albums, six EPs, and five live albums. They achieved their most significant success between 1987 and 1993, when they released four album ...
as a touring member, contributing to their 2015 album ''
Twice Told Tales'', performing on their 2016 live album ''
Playing Favorites'', and playing regular gigs with the band.
Discography
With 10,000 Maniacs
*''
Human Conflict Number Five'' (EP) (1982)
*''
Secrets of the I Ching
''Secrets of the I Ching'' is the first album by American alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs (following their 1982 EP, ''Human Conflict Number Five''), released in 1983 by Mark Records. While the album also contained the band's own Christian Bu ...
'' (1983)
*''
The Wishing Chair'' (1985)
*''
Hope Chest: The Fredonia Recordings 1982-1983'' (1990)
*''
Love Among the Ruins'' (1997)
*''
The Earth Pressed Flat
''The Earth Pressed Flat'' is the seventh album by 10,000 Maniacs, released in 1999. The album contains nine songs that had been written for, but not used in, the band's previous album, '' Love Among the Ruins'': "The Earth Pressed Flat", "Once ...
'' (1999)
*''
Campfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure and Unknown Recordings'' (2004)
*''
Twice Told Tales'' (2015)
*''
Playing Favorites'' (2016)
*''
Live at the Belly Up'' (2017)
With John & Mary
*''
Victory Gardens
''Victory Gardens'' (1991) is the debut album from John & Mary, recorded in 1990 just six months after the two met in December 1989 and immediately following their signing with Rykodisc. John Lombardo, former member of 10,000 Maniacs and respon ...
'' (1991)
*''
The Weedkiller's Daughter
''The Weedkiller's Daughter'' (1993) is the second album from John & Mary.
The ''Weedkiller's Daughter'' was produced by John Lombardo and Armand John Petrie and, like their first album ''Victory Gardens'', features 10,000 Maniacs members Rob B ...
'' (1993)
*''
The Pinwheel Galaxy
John & Mary is a United States-based folk rock duo featuring John Lombardo and Mary Ramsey both members of alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs.
History 1989–1993
John & Mary was formed by John Lombardo and Mary Ramsey soon after they first ...
'' (2002)
With John & Mary & the Valkyries
*''
Peace Bridge
The Peace Bridge is an international bridge between Canada and the United States at the east end of Lake Erie at the source of the Niagara River, about upriver of Niagara Falls. It connects Buffalo, New York, in the United States to Fo ...
'' (2007)
References
External links
*
John & Mary and the Valkyries MySpace
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lombardo, John
1952 births
Living people
10,000 Maniacs members
John & Mary members
American folk guitarists
American male guitarists
American rock guitarists
American male singer-songwriters
American folk singers
American rock singers
American folk rock musicians
American rock songwriters
Singer-songwriters from New York (state)
People from Jamestown, New York
Musicians from Buffalo, New York
Guitarists from New York (state)
20th-century American guitarists