Zone Magazine Issue 033 - Jan Johnson
In our feature interviews in this issue we talk to cover legendess vocalist and producer JAN JOHNSTON. A name that for Trance and Progressive fans simply means quality. Starting out in the early ‘90s with short-lived pop band JJ, her fortunes took an upward sweep working firstly with the King of Trance, BT on his ECSM album, and then Australian powerhouse Anthony Pappa (as Freefall) on breakthrough release ‘Skydive’. Signings to Perfecto, Universal and more has spread the Jan Johnson gospel and showcased not only her vocal talents, but also her song writing abilities. Soundtrack syncs and contributions to Grammy Award nominated albums as well as 4 solo albums and countless singles has kept this doyen of the scene at the top of her profession.
In our feature interviews in this issue we talk to cover legendess vocalist and producer JAN JOHNSTON. A name that for Trance and Progressive fans simply means quality. Starting out in the early ‘90s with short-lived pop band JJ, her fortunes took an upward sweep working firstly with the King of Trance, BT on his ECSM album, and then Australian powerhouse Anthony Pappa (as Freefall) on breakthrough release ‘Skydive’.
Signings to Perfecto, Universal and more has spread the Jan Johnson gospel and showcased not only her vocal talents, but also her song writing abilities. Soundtrack syncs and contributions to Grammy Award nominated albums as well as 4 solo albums and countless singles has kept this doyen of the scene at the top of her profession.
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featureinterview
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Words Anthony Piercy
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Photography Evy Vinck, Niven Bonar,
Gavin, Robbie, L. Wing
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Connect https://www.hardkissmusic.com
Back in 90’s San Francisco; Scott, Gavin and Robbie Hardkiss helped
pioneer the American Underground/EDM/Rave scene with their club nights,
warehouse parties and groundbreaking record label. They forged a new
direction for dance music with a string of vinyl releases culminating in the
seminal compilation Delusions Of Grandeur.
Hardkiss are an original DJ band. For many of their fans, Delusions of Grandeur
was the first time they encountered electronic dance music. The Rave scene was
raging and Hardkiss DJs, Gavin, Robbie & Scott were hitting multiple cities every
weekend, introducing a new generation to their psychedelic funk techno sound
collages. It was unclassified music. Before there were genres, there was
Hardkiss.
Delusions Of Grandeur made the Billboard Dance charts, went to #1 on the
Rolling Stone Alternative Album chart and launched the international DJ/
production careers of the Hardkiss brothers. This hard-to-find compilation
celebrated its 20th Anniversary with an official digital release in 2015.
In 2014, a year after the heartbreaking loss of “brother” Scott Hardkiss, Gavin and
Robbie Hardkiss partnered with Scott’s wife Stephanie, to relaunch the Hardkiss
Music label with the release of a new Hardkiss album - Hardkiss '1991' - which
was described by Magnetic Magazine as “a throwback to that heady time as
well as a timely loop into the future.” Reunited in the Bay Area in 2010, Gavin
and Robbie produced this album that stands tall in the often repetitive world of
electronic dance music. Named for the year the Hardkiss collective was formed,
1991 references the sounds and sentiments of their early rave days while
exploring new musical directions.
Acclaimed British music journalist Kris Needs declared that "Hardkiss’ music defies
musical barriers, time and space with off-the-teabags loved-out majesty and
manages to suspend the listener in a bottomless pool of fragrant intoxicants and
rabbit aphrodisiac heart rhythms."
Hardkiss celebrated the 20th anniversary of Delusions of Grandeur with a
PledhMusic campaign through which they released a commemorative 20th
Anniversary double CD includes a 32 page booklet written by Terry Matthews of
5Magazine. This and other special offers including vinyl and The Hardkiss Vault
'91 – '99, which contains 65 songs, remixes, b-sides, unreleased gems and
obscurities, are now available exclusively on their website .
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