Girls with dreadlocks and nose rings and guys with dilated pupils, pay attention: Johnnyfrankcranks, a feel-good, reggae-inspired band, is ending its five-year run and playing its last show Friday at O'Hooley's Pub, 24 W. Union St.
This group might come across as another jam band that was under the influence of either drugs or alcohol -or both -in a dorm room when they decided that they were good musicians. But actually, each member has talent; all play not only one instrument but several during the band's usual 60-to 90-minute set.
We're really trying to be the next big boy band
guitarist, bassist and backup vocalist Jacob Reid joked. I don't necessarily like to think of us as a jam band particularly because I think we have jam-like qualities to our music but I think we're more original than that.
Just as soon as the band establishes a definite reggae or funk tone in its beats and melodies, the vibe changes to a hard-rock feel and then back to a dance-barefoot-and-twirl-in-circles-as-fast-as-you-can-to-the-psychedelic-guitar music. Not surprisingly, the band's strongest quality is its originality.
I think what makes us different from other bands is that we didn't start up playing all kinds of cover songs and then gaining popularity that way. We pretty much always relied on our own stuff
saxophonist Mike Krackowski said.
The members of Johnnyfrankcranks -singer, harmonica player, guitarist and bassist Brendan Dane, drummer and percussionist Elden Rowland, guitarist and bassist Brandon Swonger, Reid and Krackowski -taught one another how to play their instruments. Then they hit the party circuit, playing original songs to a devout following of friends, who, five years later, still supports the group at every show.
We have a good time. We're pretty laid back
and a lot of bands
I think
take themselves too seriously and forget why they do it
and we have a lot of friends (who) always show up at our shows so it helps to have that support all the time. Even if it's a weird night
you'll still have the base of our friends come
Rowland said.
Although they never had to worry about not having an audience to play for, the band did struggle with creating a name that reflected its personality and its musical aspirations. Dane came up with Johnnyfrankcranks when he was drunk.
They tried to change the name but always returned to the original, meaningless one.
We went through so many stupid ways to change our name
like throwing a dictionary on the floor and each of us hold a penny and throw the penny
