Gonken
"It is really hard to desribe Gonken. He'll shock some, please others, and make a lasting impression on everyone. Mixing several genres including rock, dance, hip-hop, industrial, and experimental, Gonken is a one-man act who has more talent than most 4 piece bands, all members combined. Hmm, think early Beck, with a twist of Prince and Nine Inch Nails."
-Hannah Rae of Bipolar Audio
Tell me about your history? How did you get where you are now?
Johnny Gonken
Embracing the punk individualist ethic wholeheartedly, Johnny Gonken creates music that is totally the product of his own wild imagination. With the fervor of an artist driven by his own need to have a unique voice in the world (and fueled by the talent to accomplish just that), Gonken churns out energetic, hooky and artistically defiant music he calls quirky electro-punk rock. It's a galvanizing sound and one that reverberates with the in-your-face rawk assault and stimulated by electronic surges.
Genius and Insanity
Deviation from the norm is frequently criticized, sometimes hated. But Gonken doesn't care. He's confident in his highly original music. He has a mark to make on the world and he's busy carving it in. His music can be seen as a reflection of the hypocrisy of the music industry. The unsigned independent who steps off the beaten path is written off as nuts. But the same wacko who makes it is praised for his forward-thinking music. There's a fine line between genius and insanity, Gonken says. That line is fame. If you're underground, people call you crazy, but if you're famous, you're regarded as a genius.
Fusion
Diversity is perhaps the defining element of Gonken's sound. His music finds roots in everything from pop punk to angry industrial and a lot in between. Eclecticism drives his creative process and he seeks to offer as colorful a musical experience as possible. Besides music, he also draws energy from humor and sci-fi cinema. His inspired askewness charges through every song, his music raw yet primitive, raving mad yet with a satirical edge.
Gonken is nuts, and by nuts we mean psycho, and by psycho, we mean inspired in a very devastatingly brilliant way. - A&R Select
Have you performed live in front of an audience? Any special memories?
I play locally in the Seattle area. I went on tour in 2003 and will did a few more tours in 2004 and 2005.
Your musical influences
Alec Empire, Beck, Blink-182, Cex, Daft Punk, Nine Inch Nails
What equipment do you use?
Guitars(acoustic & electric), keyboards/synths, drum machines/loops, and a computer.
Anything else?
You can purchase Gonken releases at http://automationrecords.com
http://myspace.com/gonken
