Artist description John has never tried to intentionally sound like any one artist or group. What he writes...he writes. If it sounds like anyone, it has been subconsciously pulled from his myriad of influences. These influences encompass the full spectrum of his musical experiences...from his discovery of early blues and rock - to his days in college for music - to todays pop. He has been likened to so many different artists but never consistently pinned to anyone. You have to listen for yourself in order to form your own oppinion. There are a lot of pieces to John's puzzle. John desires to be a successful songwr

Music Style Rock / Pop

Musical Influences The very last scene in the movie

Similar Artists You're call....

Artist History John grew up in Kingston, NY. A small town about 2 hours north of New York City. He began his fervent love for music upon discovering an old box full of 45 rpm's in his mother's attic when he was 9 or 10 years old. Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Sonny-Boy Williamson , Muddy Waters, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Doo-Wop, Girl Groups and Big Bands all took John by the hand and led him down this road. He became involved in music from 3rd grade all the way through college. He now has his own studio from which he writes and records his pop, jazz, and fi

Group Members John performs all the tracks on the CD From Discontent. He wrote, recorded and performed the entire project alone in his studio. John performed almost 100% of "Blood In The Wood" by himself. He recruited the bass playing of Leroy Seals on one track and the sax playing and backing vox of Dave DeGraw on 2 tracks.

Instruments Drums, Guitars, Keyboards, Piano, Bass, various percussion and Vox Humana.

Albums From Discontent and Blood In The Wood

Press Reviews "John...great work! Best of luck with your art." John Ondrasik - Five For Fighting "Yo John! Nice stuff! Very nice production too! Kept the "LIVE" feel in it which aint too easy these days! Keep up the jamz dude! " C.P.Roth - Blessid Union of Souls http://www.blessidunion.com/ "His rock and roll is so good....music that's as creative as it is commercial...hooks that recall classic top 40 acts such as Tommy James and the Shondells framed by sophisticated production that suggests the Beatles...if music was all it took, Schrader would be a star." Times Herald Record - Middletown, NY. "The arrangements are genuinely inventive and the groove is undeniable....Schrader breathes new life into the music scene." Kingston Daily Freeman - Kingston, NY. "Schrader has a catchy sense of creating pop songs....his lyrics are original and his voice carries the 'slice-of-life' themes with passion and appropriate intensity." Phil Farber, Kingston Daily Freeman - Kingston, NY. "This man can write and play music! Keep your ears open for the name JOHN SCHRADER!!!" Kaleidoscope Magazine - Albany, NY. "From Discontent" truly captures the depth of his soul. His lyrics connect on such a profound level. John's rustic wisdom pulses through his fingertips and crystalizes experience into song........very poignant lyrics. Saugerties Post Star - Saugerties, NY. "Count them 16, I said 16 songs!!! John Schrader shoots a load and a half with this marathon performance [From Discontent], where he not only plays all the instruments and sings all the vocals, but also wrote, arranged and produced this project. Geez, my brain is about to explode just thinking about it...one thing for sure, I tip my hat to him....WOW! " Rock Rican, More Sugar Magazine. John Schrader's CD "From Discontent" was named as one of the top 10 BEST reviewed CD's of the year 2000 by More Sugar Music Magazine(NY, NJ, CT, LI) in the Dec. 2000 issue!!! "It's not particularly common these days for a band or an artist to produce a CD that holds together, that carries with it a quality of songwriting, and a mood throughout. John Schraders lastest CD, "Blood In The Wood" succeeds at accomplishing both with a musical and lyrical honesty that, to sound cliched, is refreshing and vital. The majority of today's music- especially with regard to pop, rock and alternative- suffers from over-produced efforts that sound like they use Pledge to "get that sheen" but we all know that the real problem is that the majority of today's bands and artists lack any real depth of songwriting. Counter to this, John's songwriting grows with each song, not just each CD release. As you listen to "Blood In The Wood", you will be traveling down a highway that sounds both familiar, personal, detailed and moving. Guitars jangle, drums pound and it all comes together with ease. John's songs invite you to learn just what his life is about, where he would like to go and what he is willing to do to simply get there. All too often, when an artist produces their own work, with help from their engineers and a friend or two, the end result can be stale, over-produced, narrow-minded and lifeless. This is not the case with Blood In The Wood. John wrote, produced, arranged and played all the parts using real instruments with reckless abandon, focusing on passion and instincts, not perfection. He also got some help from some guest appearances. The end result is the urgent sound of a band playing. Unlike other solo songwriter efforts that sound like they're locked away in a bedroom MIDI studio with too much equipment, too much hard disk space and too much time on their hands. In the end, it is a job well done and very much worth listening to. Listen to "Blood In The Wood", then listen again." Scott James, Recording Engineer / Independent Producer (NYC). Scott James has worked with Billy Joel, Beastie Boys, Roger Daltrey, Jimmy Buffet, Slayer and many others. "Having been introduced to John's world last year with his debut release "From Discontent", I waited with anticipation for his next CD to reach my hands. This long awaited 2nd offering by far surpasses his previous work [which was named as one of the top ten CD's reviewed in the year 2000 by More Sugar Music Magazine]. Once again, John takes control of his destiny by handling all the chores from writing to arranging to producing to engineering. Then he outdoes himself by playing all the instruments. Is there anything this guy CAN'T do?!?! He has improved on all fields with "Blood In The Wood", and has entered uncharted waters to everyone's surprise. His lyrics are both descriptive and straightforward. From begining to end, this 13 song CD rocks!" Gus Amador, More Sugar Music Magazine , NY, NJ, CT, PA, LI June 2001 "Blood In The Wood" named 'Album Of The Week' in the August 24th issue of GO Magazine in Middletown, NY. "If justice mattered in the music business, John Schrader would be a star! The Kingston, NY resident has it all. He has a raspy voice that oozes emotion. He has a sharp pen that expresses his deepest thoughts and feelings, from anger at self-absorption - "blame it on everyone and everything but me," he shouts - to lovesick pain - "I wanna run when someone says your name," he sings. Plus, Schrader, who plays just about all of the instruments on the album, can rock with the best of them or lay his balledeering heart on the line." Steve Israel, Times Herald Record - Middletown NY- 2001 "Kingston's John Schrader has spilled blood over his craft. The songwriter's second album, "Blood In The Wood," is a collection of very personal songs, laced with his blues-driven guitar. This isn't a self-pitying, self-serving album however. The music and lyrics are melodic, rocking, lucid, intricate and poetic. Schrader's music, based on his intense experiences, makes for an intriguing sound. John's voice has a scratchy quality that can be compared to John Mellencamp but without the happy-go-lucky vibe. Schrader cuts right to the chase (his spoken word tirade on "Mind Flush" is frighteningly honest). While Schrader may be serious, the music is very dramatic. "Blood In The Wood" showcases all of Schrader's talents as a musician, as he plays pretty much all of the instruments on the album. The reason behind the multi-tasking is that he wanted to keep the album personal. He's not selfish, however. He's a realistic songwriter who just wants to get his message out without any interference....and he's working hard to get it out in the open. "Blood In The Wood" is proof that John Schrader's dedication to his music is intense!" Lee Park, Poughkeepsie Journal - August 31, 2001 "This boy can play AND sing his ass off....DAMN good!!" Little Joe Cook (9/30/01 Boston) - Recording artist and veteran of Allan Freed's Rock -N- Roll review, Dick Clark's American Bandstand and Harlem's Apollo Theatre. "John Schrader's' new CD [Blood In The Wood] is a welcome surprise -- an unusual combination of strong rock grooves with smart and really cleverly written lyrics. Add to this, innovative guitar playing and pristine production sound and quality, and you've got a very promising new force on the rock scene. "....really impressive, John. I wish you much continued success." Mindy Jostyn - Recording Artist (Played/Toured w/ John Mellencamp, Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, Shania Twain, Carly Simon, Pat Benetar,Cyndi Lauper, Joe Jackson, and many more)

Additional Info John has played with members of Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Billy Joel, Matchbox 20, Indigo Girls, The David Letterman Band, Richie Havens, Macio Parker, Al Green, Southside Johnny ,Blood Sweat and Tears, Arlen Roth, Leslie West. He has also played with Bo Diddley Jr. in NYC and Little Sammy Davis(Favorite of Don Imus!). John's band shared the bill with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. John has also played w/ Miles Evans (son of Gil Evans). John also scores music for film and video.

Location Kingston, New York - USA

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