{"id":3127,"date":"2010-06-17T11:43:48","date_gmt":"2010-06-17T19:43:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/?p=3127"},"modified":"2010-06-17T11:50:17","modified_gmt":"2010-06-17T19:50:17","slug":"gimme-five-john-harrison-of-north-elementary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/2010\/06\/gimme-five-john-harrison-of-north-elementary\/","title":{"rendered":"Gimme Five! John Harrison of North Elementary"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Picture-3.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3152\" title=\"north elementary photo by by Daniel Coston\" src=\"http:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Picture-3-300x235.jpg\" alt=\"north elementary photo by by Daniel Coston\" width=\"256\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Picture-3-300x235.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Picture-3-360x282.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Picture-3-102x80.jpg 102w, https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Picture-3.jpg 522w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 256px) 100vw, 256px\" \/><\/a>After spending most of the early nineties recording ambling melodies and random sounds on a boom box in his bedroom, John Harrison got his hands on a 4-track.\u00c2\u00a0 The device allowed him the newfound ability to meld songs and noises into layered compositions.\u00c2\u00a0 The result was experimental, a whim.\u00c2\u00a0 It was also a sonic epiphany for Harrison that eventually led to the stylistic center of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.northelementary.com\/\">North Elementary<\/a>, a band whose music bursts with noise collage embellishment and power pop cheer.<\/p>\n<p>Nowadays, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.myspace.com\/northelementary\">North Elementary<\/a> functions as much as a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153musical collective\u00e2\u20ac\u009d as anything.\u00c2\u00a0 Harrison is ever the adept and amused lead songwriter, but he shares creative control with an imitable crew made up of Chad AC (drums), Jimmy Thompson (bass), Betty Rupp (keyboard\/vox), and Sean Parker (guitar\/vox).\u00c2\u00a0 With five records (<em>Out of Phase<\/em>, <em>Lose Your Favorite Things<\/em>, <em>Berandals,<\/em> <em>Lovesday Dead Down, <\/em>&amp; <em>Not For Everyone Just for You<\/em>) and a 7\u00e2\u20ac\u009d project ( the Weeble Wobble Sound Series) wrapped and a new full length on the way, North Elementary has no intention of slowing down, but you should probably take this opportunity to catch up.\u00c2\u00a0 See North Elementary along with Inspector 22 and The Wild Complete at <a href=\"http:\/\/reservoirbar.net\/calendar.html\">The Reservoir<\/a> this Tuesday, June 22<sup>nd<\/sup>.<\/p>\n<p>And now just five quizzical questions of the principal of North E:<\/p>\n<p><strong>1. If your band were a planet,  which would it be?<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Picture-2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-3142\" title=\"uranus\" src=\"http:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Picture-2-232x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"207\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Picture-2-232x300.jpg 232w, https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Picture-2-62x80.jpg 62w, https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Picture-2.jpg 491w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Uranus  \u00e2\u20ac\u201c hahahahaha\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6that never gets old<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. When was the moment you  first thought music was something you might like to try?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve always been interested  in sound\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6..first by listening to the radio and wondering where it  was all coming from\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.. and then by recording things  on an old tape recorder \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6..like the birds outside, cars going by and  things like that.\u00c2\u00a0 I was attracted to drums at first\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.I wanted  to make those sounds and I guess when you do that you are wanting to  become a musician&#8230;..that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s how it all started.\u00c2\u00a0 I liked sounds  and wanted to know how to make them\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.I still do that.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Describe the way your visual   art and your music shape each other. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>They both come from a  similar  place. A need to create something that wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t there before.  \u00c2\u00a0 If I get tired or bored of myself in one medium I can change  up the tools and ways to output my thoughts and ideas  instead of just not creating.\u00c2\u00a0 Using both mediums gives me a way  to still be creating when a musical or visual art lull arrives.\u00c2\u00a0  I get musical ideas while painting or screen printing  \u00e2\u20ac\u201c I certainly listen to a lot of  music while do it.\u00c2\u00a0 On the flipside &#8211;   I like view sounds as you would view color\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6..I like to create so  it gives me another way to do so.<\/p>\n<p><strong>4. Who\/what might be a few  inspirations or influences that might really surprise people?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3144\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3144\" style=\"width: 220px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><strong><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Picture-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium  wp-image-3144\" title=\"&quot;This Way&quot; by John Harrison\" src=\"http:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Picture-1-224x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"220\" height=\"294\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Picture-1-224x300.jpg 224w, https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Picture-1-59x80.jpg 59w, https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Picture-1.jpg 452w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 220px) 100vw, 220px\" \/><\/a><\/strong> <\/strong><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3144\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">&quot;This Way&quot;  by John Harrison <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong> <\/strong>Hmmmm\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.not sure how  surprising  it would be but some of the first music I heard and was played around  me in a live setting where southern  Baptist hymns\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6..I still like the melodies in those songs such as  <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=m7CHddSMDXc\">\u00e2\u20ac\u0153nothing but the blood\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=wGQdVOaa61w\">\u00e2\u20ac\u0153that old rugged cross.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/a> The  songs have deep meaning and an obvious redemption quality  \u00e2\u20ac\u201c\u00e2\u20ac\u201c I like the weight they carried  \u00e2\u20ac\u201c they seemed very important.<\/p>\n<p>I like really like the  soundtrack  to <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rent_%28musical%29\">RENT<\/a>.\u00c2\u00a0 I listen to it every year when I drive to St Louis at  Christmas time.\u00c2\u00a0 The production and some of the lyrics are over  the top but most every song is pretty good and many <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=MlNzpl3vz5Y\">are<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=d1N4jOSR3-Y\">downright<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=x8iTeDl_Wughttp:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=x8iTeDl_Wug\">brilliant<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6..<\/p>\n<p>The Beastie Boys  \u00e2\u20ac\u201c I think they are a creative force for good &#8211; from my purchase of  \u00e2\u20ac\u0153License to Ill\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in the 8<sup>th<\/sup> grade to watching  the awesome <a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0486541\/\">Scott Walker documentary<\/a> released by  their production company <a href=\"http:\/\/www.oscilloscope.net\/\">Oscilloscope Laboratories<\/a> last year I always  check in to see what is up with them.<\/p>\n<p><strong>5. What did you dream of being  when you were a kid? (how\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d that turn out?)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I first wanted to be a  garbage  man.\u00c2\u00a0 It looked like fun to ride on the outside of the truck and  compact all the garbage.\u00c2\u00a0 I used to wait for  them in the summer so I could watch them compact it\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6sometimes they  let me pull the lever.\u00c2\u00a0 This dream died once I realized how early  you had to get up.\u00c2\u00a0 Once that dream died I  dreamed of being a backup number two guard for the Atlanta Hawks in  the NBA\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6..this did not turn out good.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c     \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u201c<\/p>\n<p>Follow your feet over to <a href=\"http:\/\/reservoirbar.net\/calendar.html\">The Reservoir<\/a> this Tuesday to catch North Elementary live. And by all means,  give John a  high five  when  you see him!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After spending most of the early nineties recording ambling melodies and random sounds on a boom box in his bedroom, John Harrison got his hands on a 4-track.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":3152,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[311],"class_list":["post-3127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts","tag-gimme-five"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3127","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3127"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3127\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3156,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3127\/revisions\/3156"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3152"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3127"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3127"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/mill\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3127"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}