Biography
What began as a stage alias adopted by surreal singer-songwriter Carl Johns—owing to his unease at seeing his own name on promotional items—has since 1997 expanded into Noahjohn, a collective that rotates through a total of 25 members. Johns also launched both Speakeasy Records and the Wild Chirp fanzine in Madison, Wisconsin.
After growing up in Southern Indiana, where he studied piano, guitar, and drums, Johns moved beyond a stretch of spiritual, emotional, and vocational doubt at Indiana University in Bloomington and discovered a fresh interest in literature, creative writing, and music. Having played drums in garage bands, collaborated with bluegrass players, and received an accordion from an uncle, he started crafting original songs during a solitary, idle period in Madison, Wisconsin. Most of those surreal rural narratives surfaced on his debut album, Tadpoles.
Although Tadpoles earned positive notices throughout the United States, it became a critical favorite in England, drawing warm praise from both the London Sunday Times and Mojo. By the close of 2000, Johns had assembled a steady Noahjohn roster that included drummer Pete Kaesberg, bassist Lisa Maerae Hinzman, and multi-instrumentalists Eena Ballard and Stephen Burke.
After growing up in Southern Indiana, where he studied piano, guitar, and drums, Johns moved beyond a stretch of spiritual, emotional, and vocational doubt at Indiana University in Bloomington and discovered a fresh interest in literature, creative writing, and music. Having played drums in garage bands, collaborated with bluegrass players, and received an accordion from an uncle, he started crafting original songs during a solitary, idle period in Madison, Wisconsin. Most of those surreal rural narratives surfaced on his debut album, Tadpoles.
Although Tadpoles earned positive notices throughout the United States, it became a critical favorite in England, drawing warm praise from both the London Sunday Times and Mojo. By the close of 2000, Johns had assembled a steady Noahjohn roster that included drummer Pete Kaesberg, bassist Lisa Maerae Hinzman, and multi-instrumentalists Eena Ballard and Stephen Burke.