John Holly Reed’s music has a always been on the edge.

More than just Jazz Noire. More than the blues or electronica or rock it evokes, there is something deeper and darker about this brand of auditory narcotic.
“. . .a jazz-tinged film noir, beatnik tome poem, seemingly co-written by the ghost of the Black Dahlia. . .” Aaron Segal, The Honorary Mayor of Paramount Pictures

From his early boyhood love of psychedelia and glitter rock, JHR knew he wanted to be in music.

Over time, that love/desire took on several different aspects.

As early as 12 years old, Ziggy was playing school dances writing original songs in a rock band. Stints at pub and folk rock, being a roadie, an assistant sound engineer, all led to ushering in the early 80’s as the frontman of X-Factor, and ADX (America). Moving next to NYC where her pursued writing for a time with ADX guitar player Michael Jung currently of the bands UM and Alice Doughnut. NYC became San Francisco and had Ziggy working with former members of the Wailers before moving to Los Angeles and starting Grubby Boey Productions with Mike Cavanaugh (RIP), one of the keyboardist’s from The Ronnie Laws Band.

Hard core rap ripped through the early 90’s and Grubby Boey Productions fit into that perfectly. By then, what had started as a writing duo with Mike Cavanaugh became a small demo studio when Ziggy moved to Hollywood Blvd. There where many up and coming rappers that came to enjoyed an affordable local place to make demo’s and a cool place to hangout a demo studio and local rappers was not enough.

The Metal scene was changing too, and bands like White Zombie and Nine Inch Nails and Ministry, were fusing psychedelic sounds, punk aesthetic, industrial angst and a driving rock “n” roll back beat. That was exactly what ZIggy was attempting to fuse with the Hip Hop sounds and production he had been pursuing, and living on Hollywood Blvd was about to pay off.

Usher in singer Frank Grennie of Rude Awakening fame who was fronting a band called Altered States of Consciousness at that time. ASC rehearsed just down the street between Hollywood and Sunset Blvd’s. Ziggy attended a couple of rehearsals with the band and began negotiations to take on the role of sound engineer. It quickly became apparent to everyone that joining ASC as a synth/FX player would be a much better fit. ASC became Manwax and played a series of LA shows with groups like Hole, Korn and others, tearing up the Sunset Strip as Grunge was just coming into being.

The excesses of the 90’s took their toll and Ziggy stepped away to pursue a career in film and raise a family.

The turn of the century brought new musical opportunities and challenges. It also brought about a renewed sense of purpose.

What followed was a decade of woodshedding, writing, auditioning, testing out new sounds and songs. After a few live gigs and recording an album only to have it lost in a data transfer corruption Ziggy had a realization. Through all of the years of music, live performances, and a dozen or more bands, he had never once performed under his birth name.

A conversation with ex Manwax bandmate and frontman Frank Grennie had the two whiteboarding names as the moniker of Tarasfear, which Ziggy had been writing and performing under was just not feeling right for the direction the music was taking. But what name was appropriate? After a few days of hashing it out the following became John Holly Reed.

John Lennon once said that “. . .the music belongs to the people.” and that always struck the proverbial chord with Ziggy.

Buddy Holly always had an honesty about his writing that resonated with Ziggy in ways that transcended the style of music he played and the simplicity of the sounds he used. Music like this tugged at Ziggy’s desire to write one chord, one note songs that were that simultaneously hypnotic and tragic.

Finally Lou Reed. A poetic storytelling genius. From the raw, simplistic musical stylings of Sweet Jane and Heroin to the jazz riffs of Walk On The Wild Side. The lyrical pain of Perfect Day to the romping of I Love You Suzanne. Lou Reed was the final piece of the nomenclatural puzzle.

Thus arrived John Holly Reed,

say it again,

say it out loud !!!

 

John Holly Reed