According to John, he has "been very fortunate to have worked with some great people such as T-Bone Burnett and David Kershenbaum". His musical career has been "something like Alice in wonderland". John not only writes his own music and lyrics, but also has a talent for art and literature. In particular, he has illustrated his book, posters and CD covers. His work shows a sense of contemplation and stillness combined with a comical inclination of the surreal. Of his music, John says,
"I try not to trap my music in any style since this can be very dangerous. My music is sometimes magical, sometimes exotic, but at other times, sinister".
"I try to do what the poetry tells me to do".
"I also do a number of pen and ink drawings of characters that magically reappear in my songs".
John was born in Toronto on September 17, 1960, and studied classical piano at the age of six. Since his father was in the air force, he lived in various places including Toronto, Ottawa, London (England), Cold Lake Alberta, as well as Lahr, Germany, where he found himself at the age of 14, studying the guitar. At the age of 16, he started playing in the bands Albatross and Celsius, and toured in the Black Forest region of Germany.
By 1980, John returned to Toronto and began performing with the band Tulpa, who were early pioneers of the Queen Street scene. In 1983 John began his recording career with the release of Tulpas' first single "Apologize to Your Mother" followed by his first LP "Mosaic Fish". The following are his contributions to the world of music and literature:
1985 Mosaic Fish Midnight Music, U.K.
1986 Live at GBGB's Off the Board Records, New York
During 1990, John released his first solo recording.
1990 Library of the Sun Crane/Bag / Latent / BMG Canada
1992 Songs with the Ornamental Hermits BMG Canada
1995 Blackberry BMG Canada
1995 Triskelion Self Published
1998 Raggle Taggle True North/Universal, Canada
2000 The Crown of Life (Part 1) Crane/Bag Recordings, Canada
2001 The Crown of Life (Part 2) Crane/Bag Recordings, Canada
2001 Here's the Candy Minerva Press, U.K.
