Johnny Headband

The mercurial Detroit-based electro/space pop outfit Johnny Headband originated under the direction of siblings Chad and Keith Thompson, who each developed an intense early fascination with multimedia during adolescence. Swinging between genial and sharply focused, the pair cultivated their creative instincts through constant exposure to home movies and a broad array of sounds encompassing synth pop, Krautrock, disco, new wave, shoegaze, and classic rock. They devoted themselves to precise dance choreography, the assembly of an extensive wardrobe, and the creation of original material that fused the sultry, mascara-laden attitude of early Roxy Music and Berlin-era Bowie with the vivid, fluorescent energy of a Factory Records event.

In the group’s formative period, activity remained relentless across multiple fronts: Chad continued to shape tracks inside his personal studio while Keith periodically vanished on lengthy international routes as bassist for Electric Six. Even so, groundwork for future projects was already in motion by the arrival of the 2006 debut album Happiness Is Underrated. The 2009 Phase 3 EP marked the ensemble’s growth into a quartet, giving the Thompson brothers latitude to probe additional sonic areas, above all in performance. That direction reached its peak with the second album, captured inside a rustic cabin in northern Michigan. Released in May 2012 as Who Cooks for You, the record was succeeded by a European tour.