JOHN BIZ
American Awesome EP (2007) IPR - 013

From an interview with
"Rock Is Life" in 2007:
American Awesome is all over the place, but sort of rotates around the same thing. It's another analog recording that really shows a personal struggle, which at times even makes me a bit uncomfortable. I mean, I really do my best to keep my cool, but sometimes I kind of get overwhelmed with everything, especially in New York City. "Cha Cha Cheeseburger" was written as soon as I woke up from a crazy dream. It was written in about a minute and a half, and just came right out. It is comical but there are serious undertones that any New Yorker can relate to. What I think this song shows is that at the time it was written, all the things that were going on around me were building up like a tidal wave, and I was holding it all in, but mind let the wave break. "Let It Go" was written as I was desperately trying to find some Zen - some way to tell myself that it was ok to let go of that negative energy that was running through my veins to avoid a personal disaster. "True Frient" and "Just Come Back" are two heartfelt pieces that discard the ego to save a sinking ship, so to speak and hold on to a meaningful relationship. (In fact, I actually get a visual of a "ghost ship in a storm" when I hear "Just Come Back").

JOHN BIZ
B-Squad Leaders (2004) IPR - 003

Accompanying The Elephant In The Room, this disk was recorded during the same time with the help of Biz's frients. Damn good pop/rock songs full of colorful, poetic imagery and bright, heavy guitar work that contrast the turmoil he was experiencing at the time. Ironically, this record is extremely fun, which goes to show you that Biz just can't be killed by conventional weapons. It's upbeat. It's catchy as all hell, and it just keeps getting better with each listen.

JOHN BIZ (& The Rolling Stallones)
Demos for Burt Reynolds EP (2007) IPR - 012

Toasty harsh-mellow with a healthy slice of attitude. Aggressive guitar and high performance rhythm section gracefully speeds along a dark winding highway. Lush authentic vocals, emotionally driven lyrics, infectious melodies. Songs that bring back the golden era. Loud engine, soft breeze- good living. This EP was written during Biz's homeless period in 2006. It was recorded in one day, and it is just DRIVEN. Short and to the point, with a surprisingly expansive instrumental, this EP is one of the finest known works by John Biz (& The Rolling Stallones).

JOHN BIZ
The Elephant in the Room (2004) IPR - 002

Recorded at Kill Todd Now Studios in Brooklyn by Christopher Hill, and mixed by Matt Robnett. Featuring John Biz and his frients. Very interesting material. Honest, heartfelt, and often viewed as a narrative of a dark time. It was written as he was going through some tough stuff. Despite the dark nature of this record, it makes for a really great and powerful listening experience. It features some exceptional songwriting and guitar work. Many of the songs are recorded sans bass, but Biz's low, heavy and fucking catchy guitar more than makes up for that in this streamlines masterpiece. He begins to blend folk with punk, and gives it a pop twist that leaves you singing these songs after hearing them just once. Biz really begins to grow into his own skin as an artist on this record, and just months after this was released, he recorded The Happiest Days of My Life with Steve Albini, effectively turning over a new leaf. It's amazing that this record was made during such a shit storm, and with virtually no budget. Well done!

JOHN BIZ
The Happiest Days of My Life (2006) IPR - 004

The Happiest Days of My Life is very streamlined. It was written in a flash, and was designed to capture a specific moment in time. It was written in few days, we had about 5 rehearsals total with a band I had just met and put together on the spot, we played one show at the Mercury Lounge and then went straight to Chicago, where it was recorded in 4 days. We didn't want that record to represent anything other than what it truly was. I had nothing at the time, and i didn't think that album should suggest anything different from that. Most of those songs were first takes with very little in the way of production or overdubs. What you hear on that record is the god damned truth, plain and simple. I see it as a melodic punk-folk hybrid, in that all of the songs were written on an acoustic guitar in folk format, but with a more aggressive, garage-punk kind of presentation. I see such a distinct connection between folk and punk.

JOHN BIZ/HIGGINS
Aloha (2008) IPR - 016

Recorded by Steve Albini during the Vida sessions, featuring the entire cast of characters from the full length Vida, Aloha offers a very different group of material. John Biz / Higgins kept the intensity found in Vida, but laid out this accompanying EP in a more folk based fashion. Don't take our word for it - here's what SanDiegoPunk.com had to say upon hearing an advance copy of the Aloha EP:

John Biz gets right to the point with this six-track EP, starting us off with an upbeat tune akin to Velvet Underground. Aloha maintains sprightly melodies and short wispy vocals throughout the album, and pleasantly surprises the listener with an unexpected trumpet melody found in "Perfect Holiday Part 2". John didn't forget about the ladies on this record either. In "Faith" and "In The Wake", expect to swoon a bit over the romantic vocal cadences and starry-night style lyrics. There will surely be lip synching fans galore. -Daisy Gomez