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A singer songwriter with the gift of devising dulcet guitar lines and intimate, heartfelt lyrics - Johnny Barker has been performing original material for well over a decade. He is a consummate performer whose talents reach far beyond the music industry. After the end of his first band (Jester) in 2002, Johnny continued as a solo artist before forming Nephew in 2004. Nephew was a three-piece power trio which captured the independent grunge ethos of a bygone era. Not particularly redolent of any group, Nephew was in turn stepped in melodic highs and pounding rhythms giving rise to their reputation as Auckland's loudest band. Nephew released an independent album in 2005 quoted in the Groove Guide - "There's a songwriting prowess here rare in the current climate." - Gavin Bertram, Groove Guide Issue 100.
As a counter-point to the rock scene, Johnny still focused on his solo career which culminated at the end of 2005 with a sellout show at Pt Chevalier's Ambassador Theatre accompanied by the limited release of 'Johnny Barker: Live at the Kings Arms' - "Armed with a voice placed on a knife-edge between Thom Yorke and Billy Corgan, Barker manages to slow one's heartbeat in a single listening" - Jose Barbosa, Real Groove Sept 05.
Most recently Johnny received a NZ On Air grant which he used to record his yet-to-be-released EP 'Lullabies for Macy Rose' (named for his newborn niece). He has also provided his talent as a multi-instrumentalist to the likes of Florence Hartigan & Annabel Fay and toured nationwide in support of Reb Fountain.
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