MIND SPIDERS - "Meltdown" - LP - 2012

   I could tell you all about some long lost demo tape or some new demo tape by some fucking awesome band, but really, this is all I've been listening to lately. Fuck it.

POTENTIAL JOHNS - "The 90's" - CDR

    I have already discussed my long term obsession with this band, so I will spare you the gory details. As I mentioned before, Mike Wiebe made me a 90 minute tape of songs by the POTENTIAL JOHNS back in 2000 and I took the tape on every road trip or tour I went on until I lost it somewhere in Phoenix, AZ in 2006. I will go as far as to say that I felt like I had lost a piece of myself. I probably sent Jeff (the sole songwriter and person playing every instrument on these recordings) some long, rambling email whining about losing this tape and how much it meant to me. When I got home two weeks later, there was a package waiting for me containing this CD, other CD's full of home recordings and all of the MARKED MEN albums. Needless to say, I was beside myself with happiness and my roommates had to suffer through hearing this man's voice through my walls for the next year.
   This CD is 33 (one of them is repeated) untitled songs recorded on 4 track during the 90's in Texas. Some of them were re-recorded later and appeared on records. Many of them were only passed around on mix tapes and through the internet. All of them are pure pop genius.
                          Download POTENTIAL JOHNS

re-uploaded 2013

POTENTIAL JOHNS - tape - 1996

      That tape above is all I have of this compilation of bands from Denton, Texas. No insert. Not even a tape case. The tape is actually full of bands, but I honestly only got past these first 10 songs once or twice. When I first got this tape from Jayson Grumpy, I didn't even know the name of this band, but I was completely obsessed with them. I just rewound the tape over and over and listened to these songs every day. Later, I found out that the band was called the POTENTIAL JOHNS. I was obsessed with finding out any info about them and when a band from Denton called KID CHAOS came to my town, I asked them 1 million questions about the band. I found out that POTENTIAL JOHNS was just one guy named Jeff Burke playing all the instruments into his 4 track. One of the guys from KID CHAOS later sent me a 90 minute tape full of more songs by him and I was hooked for life. I carried that tape around on every tour I went on until I lost it in Arizona in 2006. By that time, I  had more clues, had tracked down this mysterious musical genius and Jeff sent me all the songs again on CDR.
   Over the years, POTENTIAL JOHNS has gotten more streamlined and more perfect, producing so many completely flawless pop songs that it is mind-boggling. These ten songs are the early, ragged punk years that are still flawless and beautiful in their own way. If you like this stuff, I urge you to track down any recordings that you can by any of Jeff's bands, but you've probably already heard it if you have any remote interest in punk. He's still playing in THE POTENTIAL JOHNS, MARKED MEN, and THE NOVICE



    Download POTENTIAL JOHNS tape here
    EDIT 12/12/11: There is a higher quality recording of alot of these songs here. It's not all the same versions though.