Artist description We play guitar pop rock alternative songs because it's so fun to do.

Music Style Pop & Rock Alternative

Musical Influences The Cars, Weezer, Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond etc.

Similar Artists The Cars and Weezer

Artist History Trapper John is an alternative power pop rock band based out of Columbus, Ohio. Formed in the summer of 2000, Trapper John has played local venues such as Little Brother’s, Bernie’s and many others multiple times in Columbus. After their first EP “16-bit” spawned the single “Always away” (to be featured in an upcoming independent film by director Jaan Woo) Trapper was encouraged to record again. This time, hoping for the best quality possible, Trapper recorded their second EP, “I’d like to see the City,” at the highly respected Workbook Studios in their hometown. Engineered/Co-Produced by Jon Chinn (of Pretty Mighty Mighty) they were better able to capture the live energy of their shows as well as add more layers to the songs. The fall of 2001 proved to be an interesting time for Trapper John. In November of 2001 Trapper John planned and played a benefit concert for the local United Way chapter. Local musicians helped raise money as well as a mass amount of canned food. Trapper gave back to the community in which they have been playing for over a year and had a good time doing it. Later that month, they received notice that they will be featured on the third Igloo Rechords Compilation CD. “Igloo Strikes Back #3” will feature twenty bands from LA to NYC and will be released nationally. In December Trapper’s EP “I’d Like to see the City” was reviewed in the Columbus Alive. Having played shows in places as varied as Indiana to NYC, Trapper continues to build an ever-increasing fan base.

Group Members The members are John Bobo on guitar and lead vocal, John Garratt on guitar and keyboards, Matt Thiedt on bass and Ben Harris on drums.

Instruments Vocals, guitars, bass, drums, a keyboard and some miscellaneous stuff.

Albums 16-bit and I'd like to see the City

Press Reviews Trapper John goes to school With the five-track offering I’d Like to See the City, Columbus quartet Trapper John melds 90210-style high school longing into some well-constructed pop songs. Made up of John Bobo (vocals, guitar), John Garratt (guitar, keyboards), Ben Harris (drums, piano, synthesizer) and Erik Kang (bass, vocals), Trapper John seems like music dreamed up in the throes of young love gone wrong, like Marcy’s Playground or a boy-filled Veruca Salt. Bobo sings for love lost with charming melodrama and wit. You will hear a lot of “My girlfriend hates me” and some “even though I have to laugh I keep hoping that she’ll ask me back” here. But it’s obvious Trapper John sees the ridiculousness of it all too. The album’s namesake number, Go See Sheila, is a tongue-in-cheek ballad about transcontinental stalking, with Bobo talking an interlude into the phone: “I’m sorry the police had to get involved/ I wasn’t aware of the restraining order/ I just thought since we went to college together/ You wouldn’t mind if I flew 3,000 miles to come see you/ Plus, I’d like to see the city.” Lyrics be damned, the music brings these tracks up to speed. All the Time is a clean, MTV buzz-bin rocker, with some inventive drumming from Harris and Elliott Smith-mode, lazy-eyed vocals from Bobo. On Ronnie Miller, the ties Bobo shares with Ben Lee become a bit more apparent. He not only looks a hell of a lot like him, but sounds a bit like him too. The bridge here is perfect with its melodic nod to Radiohead and Smith. One complaint has to be pointed out: The first three songs have the exact same intro. Bobo’s rhythm guitar overdoes the whole Jesse’s Girl intro a bit as he scratches out a perfect four-four beat before the band kicks in. Always Away suffers this same repetition before heading off to school on a riff recalling the late Smoking Popes. Garratt adds some well-placed guitar work, with absolutely no messing about; each riff is worthy of the Say Anything soundtrack. Trapper John may look pretty young, but luckily they sound mature as musicians. Bobo’s probably already over the broken heart he so effectively documents in I’d Like to See the City. This makes me believe by the next Trapper John release he’ll return with some nicely honed sarcasm and cynicism to add an edge to the creative songwriting. Plus, I love saying “Bobo.” You can catch Trapper John on December 20 at The Scarlet and Grey Cafe with Dutch Van Dyme and The Flying Seacows. —Ryan Horns December 6, 2001 Copyright � 2001 Columbus Alive, Inc. All rights reserved.

Location Columbus, OHIO - USA

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