New York-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist John Brodeur is a craftsman of modern pop music, and an all-around musical athlete, having tackled guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and saxophone, on both his own albums and others’.
After years spent fronting bands that never quite broke out of the Upstate NY circuit, John played and sang practically every note on his Mr. Duck Records debut, Tiger Pop (2001). “Infected (So in Love with You),” the brisk, brash album opener, “just jumps out of the speakers” (says Swizzle-Stick.com), while “Dying For Me” and “Sucker” showed that John could do the one-man rock band thing as well as multitasking heroes like Jason Falkner and Lenny Kravitz. Waves of critical praise rolled in, and initial pressings of the album evaporated.
The trio that took these songs on the road--Brodeur on vocals and guitar, Keith Hosmer on bass, and Jason Schultz on drums--was christened the Suggestions. The trio gigged extensively in support of Tiger Pop, and released the Mix Tape EP in 2003. The CD, intended as a loose-bound collection of singles rather than a full-fledged album, included the Weezerific “Be True,” the sprawling, shape-shifting "Halo," and '70s-pop throwback "Birthday Girl (Into the Sun)". Web site Babysue called John's song's "instant classics," while Jennifer Layton of Indie-music.com offered a bold prediction: “Mix Tape offers a foregone conclusion that The Suggestions will be major label clients before too long.” Thanks to a well-fought promotional campaign, Mix Tape charted in the top 200 of the CMJ radio-airplay charts, and made dents at national specialty radio (#12 single & #15 album at FMQB; #18 at U.N.C.L.E.; #19 at H.I.T.S.; Smoking Section at A.F.R.O.) and satellite radio (Heavy Hitter at XM).
When Hosmer and Schultz stepped away from music to pursue other life ventures, John stepped away from the spotlight to put his talents as an instrumentalist and producer to use. (See discography below for a list of current and past projects.) He developed these talents during a five-year stint as co-host of one of Albany's best-loved open mic nights. During this time, John became a much-sought-after drummer, with a playing style that's been called equal parts Dave Grohl and Mitch Mitchell.
Now, John Brodeur is back with a second solo LP, Get Through, due for release on Mr. Duck Records in Oct. 2008. Featuring music that ranges from introspective pop-rock ("Make A Change") to moody, Beatlesque ballads ("Let's Pretend") to harder-edged power-pop ("Love and Misery"), Get Through is a minor tour de force, positioning John on the verge of a 15-year overnight success.
John is also fronting a new band: MAGGIE MAYDAY. The band features bassist Jenn McCarron (also of Hector on Stilts) and drummer Meghan Tully. Maggie Mayday's debut album, For the Birds is expected to see the light of day in early 2009. Check out maggiemayday.com for more.
John Brodeur has shared stages with Fountains of Wayne, the Fratellis, the Bravery, 311, They Might Be Giants, Gavin Degraw, Matisyahu, the Lemonheads, the Nightwatchman, O.A.R., Pernice Brothers, Freedy Johnston, Shiny Toy Guns, David Poe, Mohair, Cracker, Rustic Overtones, the Churchills, dada, Vertical Horizon, Glenn Tilbrook, Ludacris, Bleu, the Figgs, Angie Aparo, Candy Butchers, Mark Mulcahy, the Damnwells, Graham Colton, the Malarkies, Ben Arnold, Drums and Tuba, Richard Buckner, Jim Boggia, Sloan, and many more
From time to time, you can catch John behind the drumkit with Silver Rockets, Hector on Stilts, Guiltless Cult, and the Amazing Five Alpha Beatdown from Iceland.
Purchase tracks by John Brodeur, the Suggestions, and Maggie Mayday directly through the Snocap store at the bottom of this page.
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DISCOGRAPHY
Albums/EPs:
Tiger Pop (John Brodeur, 2001, Mr. Duck Records)
Infected (So In Love With You); Remains of a Heart; Dying for Me; Selfish; Sucker; Kitten; Changing Your Mind (Again?); It Goes Away; Easier; Confidentially; Peace.
Mix Tape EP (The Suggestions, 2003, Mr. Duck Records)
Be True; Halo (edited); Birthday Girl (Into the Sun); Masterpiece; Art of Dying; Changing Your Mind (Again!); Halo (original); Antidote (bonus track).
Get Through (John Brodeur, 2008, Mr. Duck Records)
Make A Change; Heartbreaker; I'm Bad; Flame; the Meltdown; Security; Silence, Please; Let's Pretend; Love and Misery; Fight; Get Thru; Home.
Compilation tracks:
“Tourniquet” and “Over My Grave” from Bump Into Fate CD (Norman, 1995, Paint Chip Records)
“Remains of a Heart” and “Struck Out” from Sink Into Solo CD (Brodeur, 1997, Paint Chip Records)
“Before She Watched Her Flame Go Out” from You’re Still Here CD (Brodeur, 2001, www.crumbs.net)
“Infected (So In Love With You)” from Frequency Modulation: A Low Watt Document CD (JB, 2001, Shut Eye Records)
“Sucker” from Magnet magazine New Music Sampler CD (Brodeur, 2001)
“Art of Dying” (George Harrison cover) from He Was Fab—A Loving Tribute to George Harrison CD (Brodeur, 2002, Jealousy Records)
“Starlet” from International Pop Overthrow Vol. 6 CD (Suggestions, 2003, Not Lame Records)
"Be True" from Lollipop magazine sampler CD (Suggestions, 2003)
"Sucker" and "Be True" from Albany Amped Vol. 1 compilation CD (Brodeur/Suggestions, 2007)
"Be True" from Cornerstone Player, the Fader magazine fall sampler (Suggestions, 2007)
Guest appearances and recording projects:
Katie Haverly Around the Bend CD (drums)
The Sense Offenders The Sense Offenders CD (drums, guitars, vocals, sax, melodica)
Five Alpha Beatdown Hello We Are Five Alpha Beatdown from Iceland CD (drums, vocals, guitars)
Guiltless Cult Help Me Out CD (drums, guitars, percussion)
Knotworking Notes Left Out CD (drums)
Knotworking The Garden Below CD (drums)
Knotworking “When We Were Small” split 7” with Überjerk (drums)
Brian Bassett Rock and Roll CD (guitars)
The Day Jobs How I Wanted To Be CD (percussion)
The Wait Hollywood EP (percussion)
 
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