Johnny Nameless is known for a genre-bending sound that draws from vintage psych, new wave, surf, punk, goth, garage, torch, glam, and chamber pop. The band consists of John (vocals, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter), Susu (drums), and a looping pedal that acts as a third member in live settings. Formed in 2019, they have been described as “crafting an adventurous musical ride that is anything but ordinary” by the North to Shore Festival Committee. The creative partnership between John and Susu began in New York City in 2006 and evolved through years of collaboration, travel, and marriage before settling at the Jersey Shore. Their early work and live performances, rooted in John’s long-standing genre-defying solo career, have drawn attention across releases and press including Aquarium Drunkard, Stereogum, The New York Times, and more.
Johnny Nameless is built on curiosity and a refusal to lean on repetition. “Curiosity and a sense of wonder about the song and the approach to executing it,” the band explains when asked about what makes a good songwriter. They add that it “avoids cliches in words and style and stays away from being too self-involved,” noting, “so much great music has been written over the past 100 years or so of popular music, but there will always be a way to do something different if you seek it. There’s always room for one more.”
When it comes to cutting through in today’s attention economy, they are equally direct. “I suppose in a way it’s the same today as it was in the past in that ‘attention-grabbing’ doesn’t always mean new or original or interesting,” they say. “Attention” is usually temporary, but if your trying to make something that attracts it and has lasting power it should be exciting in a way that the rest is not and take listeners to places they haven’t before experienced and are maybe a little uncomfortable in at first. If something is good you won’t outgrow it, but it will grow and change with you.”
Their creative foundation is shaped by a wide range of influences. John cites “Scott Walker, Nico, Hendrix, The Beach Boys, VU, The Teardrop Explodes,” while Susu points to “Ginger Baker” as a key reference point.
Despite not closely tracking new releases, they remain inspired by their surroundings. “No not hard at all, though we admittedly don’t follow what’s going on in the music world as much as we should,” they say. “We’re energized by the friendships and find great value in those more than anything.”
Their latest work reflects what they describe as a fractured cultural moment. “Our current age of willful dissipation, mass hysteria, cult madness, misdirected desire, paranoia, and ill managed pleasure,” they explain.
On their approach to songwriting and recording, they emphasize momentum over overthinking. “Not if we can help it, but it does sometimes take a while to get a song to completion, usually because other material pours in and crowds it out or we tried it for a while and it no longer held any surprises,” they say. “We like to finish things and move on. It turns out as it does and we think it’s good to live with it, even if we think we might have done this or that differently. ‘Better’ is rarely better.”
They also reflect on lessons learned in the studio. “Like most bands these days, we have our own recording setup, though we rely mainly on a variety of Teac Cassette Multi-trackers that I’ve collected over the years,” they explain. “But this time we were lucky to have Pete Steinkopf mix it and he brought out so much more in each song than we could ever do with our gear. We hope to do this with him for future recordings.”v
