The Music of Antony and the Johnsons

I sing to the music of Antony and the Johnsons while I paint or sculpt. I adore the song 'Bird Gehrl' From the album 'I Am A Bird Now'. It has the most haunting quality about it and as I delve into my own world of art I am intrigued by the world of Anthony and the Johnsons, most especially Antony's of course. Beautiful soul is he! There is some torment in his voice and lyrics. I often think that without tragedy art is kind of limp... I suspect Antony knows tragedy.

Antony and the Johnsons current members include:

Julia Kent (previously of Rasputina) - first chair cello
Parker Kindred - drummer
Jeff Langston - bassist
Doug Wieselman - horns
Maxim Moston - violin, arrangement
Rob Moose - guitar, violin

Albums: I Am a Bird Now, Hope There's Someone [EP], Antony and the Johnsons, and more...

Songs: Fistful of Love, For Today I Am a Bouy, You Are My Sister, etc.

Official site:

http://www.antonyandthejohnsons.com/

Antony's Journal August 28th 2007

Update from Antony:

"We all went to Allaire Recording studio for a week and did a lot more work on the new album. I am spending my days editing and mulling over different versions of each song, trying to figure out what goes where. But the record is mostly tracked now. There are just a couple of remaining things to do before we begin mixing.

Meanwhile Andy B. is mixing his Hercules and Love Affair record. Its turning out pretty crazy. Its for next year on DFA.

Todd Haynes' Bob Dylan movie is coming out in November. I did a cover of Knocking on Heaven's Door with Kevin Barker for it. We did it slow and minor. I had started singing it by myself when i was in Australia at the end of the tour in Jan 2006. Rob Moose was teaching me guitar and we bought a book of Dylan songs to learn, but then one day I guess i was just feeling really exhausted and deathy because I just started singing that song over and over, and I did it that night at the show.

Now I feel pretty good, I feel so different than ever before.

Charlie and me are working on editing the TURNING film. It looks great. The interviews with the models are poignant. TURNING was so magic. That was my favorite thing I have ever been a part of. Me and Charlie are doing an interview for BLENDER tomorrow for that project.

I got a nice new piano. I am giving my old one away. The piano we used a few weeks ago at 2nd Story Recording Studio has the long lost old Sorcerer piano in it, the one I recorded Dead Boy and certain songs from the last album on a few years ago!!! I was so happy to see it again. It seemed different. I tried to pretend that I recognized it. But it reminded me of the cat that changed color when it got a new owner. Norah Jones recorded her first record on that piano too. Anyway it sounded great.

I saw Beyonce live last week. She was incredible and cried real tears during Flaws and All. She was just the best. I am listening to Zeki Muren, the 2 new Dave Ruffin Motown collections and Strawberry Jams by Animal Collective."

http://www.antonyandthejohnsons.com/news/news.html

About Antony

Birth name Antony Hegarty
Born Chichester, West Sussex, England, 1971
Genre(s) Chamber pop
Dark Cabaret
Label(s) Secretly Canadian
Rough Trade