The Johnnys are an Australian pub rock band from Sydney forming in 1982 and still active today that combines

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while ...

and punk musical styles. Members are Graham Hood, Billy Pommer Jr and Slim Doherty and have included founder, Roddy Ray'da (aka

Roddy Radalj Rodney John "Roddy" Radalj is a Croatian-born Australian musician and singer-songwriter. He has provided guitar, bass guitar and vocals in several influential Australian bands starting with Perth punk bands in the late 1970s before relocating to ...

) and Spencer P. Jones.

History

The Johnnys formed in 1982 in Sydney when bass guitarist Graham Hood tried out for the Hoodoo Gurus after quitting the Allniters. He met Hoodoo Gurus' guitarist Roddy Ray'da (aka

) and they discussed an idea for a side project: playing pub rock in a country music style at a punk pace—which was labelled as

cow punk Cowpunk (or country punk) is a subgenre of punk rock that began in the United Kingdom and Southern California in the late 1970s - early 1980s. It combines punk rock or new wave with country, folk, and blues in its sound, lyrical subject matte ...

. Ray'da left Hoodoo Gurus and, as a lead vocalist and guitarist with Hood and drummer Billy Pommer Jr, founded The Johnnys. The Johnnys performed its first concert at Palms disco on Oxford St, Taylors Square,

Darlinghurst Darlinghurst is an inner-city, eastern suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Darlinghurst is located immediately east of the Sydney central business district (CBD) and Hyde Park, within the local government area of the City of Sydney. ...

Sydney Australia in November 1982. New Zealand-born Spencer P. Jones joined on guitar and backing vocals. The four-piece released "I Think You're Cute" in October on Regular Records, Ray'da left the group in early 1984 and formed Love Rodeo. Jones took on lead vocals and the band signed with the Green Label to release "My Buzzsaw Baby (Really Cut Me Up)" and an extended play, ''The Johnnys'' in November 1984. In 1985, the band had signed with Mushroom Records which released their single, "Injun Joe" in November. "(There's Gonna Be a) Showdown" followed in March 1986 and then "Bleeding Heart " in June. Their debut album '' Highlights of Dangerous Life'' appeared in August and was produced by Ross Wilson of Daddy Cool and contained the three singles. Two non-album singles followed in 1987. Wilson produced their second album, ''Grown Up Wrong'', released in August 1988 which included two further singles, "Motorbikin" (July) and "Anything Could Happen" (November).

Michael Armiger Michael William Armiger is an English-born Australian guitarist and teacher. He has been a member of various groups including Paul Kelly Band (1983–84), Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls (1985–86), John Kennedy's Love Gone Wrong (1987– ...

(ex- Paul Kelly Band) replaced Hood on bass guitar. The band broke up in 1989 with Jones continuing in his side-project

Beasts of Bourbon Beasts of Bourbon were an Australian blues rock band formed in August 1983, with James Baker on drums (ex-Hoodoo Gurus, The Scientists), Spencer P. Jones on guitar (The Johnnys), Tex Perkins on vocals (Dum Dums), Kim Salmon on guitar and Boris ...

. According to rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, "Despite being one of the most popular bands on the pub-rock circuit, The Johnnys never crossed over into the premier league". They gigged sporadically before performing as a three-piece with guests for a Sydney benefit show for Spencer P Jones in JUne, 2016. They remain a trio and have toured New Zealand in 2018. They played most of the support spots on the 2019 Australian "Still Here" Tour by The Beasts (ex-Beasts of Bourbon).

Members

*Graham Hood – bass guitar *Billy Pommer Jr. – drums * Roddy Ray'da – guitar, vocals * Spencer P. Jones – guitar, vocals (d. 2018) *

– bass guitar *Paul "Slim" Doherty – guitar

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Singles

References

;General * Note: Archived n-linecopy has limited functionality. ;Specific {{DEFAULTSORT:Johnnys, The Musical groups established in 1982 Musical groups disestablished in 1989 New South Wales musical groups 1982 establishments in Australia 1989 disestablishments in Australia