10.16.2008
Vote For John Biz!

Aloha! So Ol' Bizzerino is up for The Deli magazine's Artist of the Month! please click here to vote daily- It would be really great of you, and I truly appreciate it!

9.30.2008
John Biz Gets Radio Play
On WFMU

One of the songs from my recent tXXXs Demos called Mornings Made of Gold was played today on WFMU by Jesse Jarnow on his new program: The Frow Show with Jesse. WOOOHOOOO!!! Check out Jesse's blog here.

You can download tXXXs Demos for free. Awww, shucks.

9.22.2008
CMJ Dates confirmed, friend-o's!

I'm playing 9:30 pm Friday October 24th at Pete's Candy Store

CMJ Afterparty - tXXXs Standard Time, Bitches
Crash Mansion on Saturday October 25th (with the amazing Australian Cattle God Records crew from Austin).

Keep an eye out for one or 2 more Northeast Mini Tour dates to be announced soon.

9.12.2008
Neil Young Is Livin' La Vida

So, interestingly enough, on 9.11.2008, 2 songs from the John Biz / Higgins - Vida record were posted on Neil Young's site in the Living With War section (under "New Listings"). Here's the link: John Biz / Higgins songs on Neil Young's Site. The songs are "Reduce It To Something" and "Juicy Starfruit Young and Alive".

In "Reduce It To Something", the lyrics are very succinct and there is an incredible amount suggested by the music. The horns represent a muzac type setting, similar to what you might hear in a Wall Mart. It paints a picture of materialism. The words "We could have been something, conducive to nothing; we could have been nothing - reduce it to something!" are hopeful. They refer to the country as having been inflated to become an unrealistic, unsustainable environment that is collapsing - but not entirely. The title suggests we reduce it to something manageable and realistic. I guess it's about the nation getting back on it's feet. The muzac part enters again at the end but is challenged by an incredibly aggressive, defiant and hopeful guitar - it's hope coming back. It's about people rising to the challenge and taking control. I think of this track as my personal opus, and really hope you enjoy it.

"Juicy Starfruit Young and Alive" talks about better times, and the deterioration we have experienced as a nation. It references my beloved grandfather and the freedom he fought for being washed away. "I'm rolling in my grave... and then the wave breaks" talk about a breaking point where change is necessary. Exactly what kind of change is left unmentioned, however I'm a hopeful guy.

9.11.2008
CMJ'd!

I'm excited to announce that I got into CMJ again this year. I'll post a date when the schedule is confirmed. Keep an eye out for a writeup on my new record, Vida in the upcoming CMJ issue of The Deli Magazine.

9.8.2008
Free Tunes!

Aloha. Here are some acoustic demos i recorded in tXXXs. click this link to download a zip file containing the whole thing.

There's an album cover in the folder too. Just download the file, double click to open it, then select the mp3's and drag the files into an itunes folder. You might have to select the album once it's in itunes and click "get info", then "artwork" and simply add the jpg for the album art. If the downloading process is confusing for anyone, email me at mr.johnbiz@gmail.com - I can help explain it, it's super easy.

These are home recordings, made in Austin, Dallas and (finished in) Brooklyn. Not too many extras - it's pretty raw, which is always a bit risky. Just a few backing vox and an extra guitar here and there, but no drums, bass or electrical (amplified) instruments of any kind. I mixed this in headphones, and it's unmastered so i hope it translates well to your speakers, but it should sound decent in headphones at the very least. I'm certainly no professional recording engineer. It's possible some tracks might have some different volumes. I'm probably done with this material, as I'm moving in an entirely different direction musically these days. Most of these 21 tracks are originals, but there are some interesting covers as well. Tried to catch the vibe from tXXXs while i was there. it was a trying time and i was fairly isolated, but i think it's a pretty balanced record nonetheless. there's a lot of space in this recording, and i think it just feels like my impression of tXXXs, being a Brooklyn kid out of my element and all. Oh, and the cover was taken in the graveyard from one of the opening scenes in Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I think it's a free mason cemetery - yikes. enjoy, share, whatever. Smell ya later...