This page is for those who need to know, and for
compulsive readers. If you have any comments, additions,
or subtractions!, write to johnhovorka@aol.com
All songs were written by John Hovorka unless otherwise noted.
1978
Although I played guitar and then bass guitar in various bands
from 1967 through 1978, the first band where I got to do my songs
to any appreciable extent was The 2x4's.
The 2x4's were first formed in late 1978 by John Hovorka
who sang and mostly played guitar and Tom Martel (later of Lou
Miami and the Kozmetix) who sang and mostly played bass.
Early members included Michelle Biard: (later of Digney Fignus)
drums, and John Morrill: drums. But we didn't really get
going until we got Steve Donnelly (later of Deck O Squares) on
drums in 1979.
1979
The 2x4's recorded demos at Oak Grove Studio in Melrose, Massachusetts,
and at Euphoria in Revere, Mass. Rolfe Anderson produced
these sessions and all subsequent 2x4's sessions.
John Hovorka: vocals, guitar, bass, Tom Martel: vocals, bass,
guitar, Steve Donnelly (later of Deck O Squares): drums and devices.
Songs recorded included: Bridgeport Lathe, Little Cities, A Regular
Guy, It Could Be You, Gone Manic, Guitar (Martel), and Midnight
Hour (Cropper/Pickett) (but you can maybe barely tell that it's
the same song)
Midnight Hour was released on the first Arf! Arf! Records compilation
in the early 80's. Erik Lindgren (formerly of Moving Parts,
later of Birdsongs Of The Mesozoic) added a synthesizer track
to the original recording and also remixed it at Euphoria.
A Regular Guy was released as a radio tape to WMBR in Cambridge,
Mass. and WERS in Boston in late 1979.
1979/80
Bridgeport Lathe b/w Little Cities, 45 RPM. Bessemer Process
Records (BPR301) OUT OF PRINT but now available
as part of The 2x4's studio album (CD). Produced by Rolfe
Anderson (who played bass for Human Sexual Response at the time
of these recordings, as well as in the first version of The Modern
Lovers around 1970 or so. Now he is the leader of Deck O
Squares). Engineer: Darlene Wilson. Recorded at Baker
Street Studio, Watertown, Mass. Band was: John Hovorka:
vocals, guitar, Tom Martel: bass, guitar, Steve Donnelly: drums
& devices, analog synthesizers on Bridgeport Lathe by
Erik Lindgren and Rolfe Anderson.
1980
The 2x4's unreleased studio album (CD) is
now AVAILABLE. See the Catalog Page and Order Page of this site
for more info. Produced by Rolfe Anderson. Recorded
at Oak Grove, Melrose, Mass. Remixed at Fort Apache, Roxbury
Mass. in 1987 with Joe Harvard: (former leader of The Bones) engineer.
Included the already listed personnel, plus Cubie on lead guitar,
and The Plywood Pentet (John, Tom, Rolfe, Steve, Ursula) backing
vocals on A Regular Guy. The songs we recorded were: A Regular
Guy, Gone Manic (John Morrill), Recombinant Phase, Zipperheads,
Nakkamichi Boogie (Martel), You've Got To Fight Fire With Fire
(later done by Lou Miami), Guitar (Martel) , Another Day (Martel),
Lathe & Drill Press (Hovorka/Martel), Aluminum, Mechanistic
Girlfriend.
The 2x4's disbanded in the summer of 1980. John Hovorka
left the band in June. Tthe final line-up of The 2x4's was Tom,
Cubie, Joe Davenport on drums.
1980/81
"The Price Of The Truth" -- John Hovorka (BPR302)
7" 33 RPM E.P., Bessemer Process Records OUT OF PRINT. This
was recorded in 1980 and released in 1981. Songs are: The
Price Of The Truth, American Decisions, #2AYN. Musicians
were: John Hovorka: vocal, guitar, Tom Martel: bass guitar &
acoustic bass guitar, Cubie: guitar, Tom Veldran: synthesizers,
Joe Davenport: drums, Marc Thor (Mark Thor Group): piano and backing
vocal. Recorded at Baker Street Studio, Watertown, Mass.
Darlene Wilson: engineer.
The Price of the Truth E.P. is now AVAILABLE
on CD. See the Catalog Page and Order Page of this site for more
info.
1982
Noise Pencil recorded at at Baker Street Studio, Watertown, Mass.
Darlene Wilson: engineer. Weirton West Virginia was released
as a radio tape, then later appeared on the compilation album
Nobody Gets On The Guest List on Throbbing Lobster Records in
1984. Other songs on this tape included Metropolitan Areas,
This Is The Life, Discipline Might. At the time of
this recording, Noise Pencil was: John Hovorka: vocals, guitar;
Jack Hickey: (later with Turbines, The Lyres) guitar; Bill Norcott
(formerly of Phobia, Lou Miami & The Kozmetix): bass, Andrew
Joslyn: (also on bass with The Postmoderns) drums. Other
later members of Noise Pencil were Mark Natale (later of Condo
Pygmies and then the A-Bones) on bass; Alan Scheinfeld:
drums (later of The Electric Logs, and some other great bands
which I had the pleasure to hear a couple of years ago)
Other Noise Pencil material included: Party Sheets, I Don't Like
(Hovorka/Hickey), The Songs Are My Friends, Repression, Cult Of
Personality, I Get Excited, Construction Of Music, Iron Line,
Love Canal, Decadent Eras, Iron Man, The Price Of The Truth, The
Sun Also Rises
"Noise Pencil", an album that covers most of this ground,
is available on CD. See the Catalog Page and Order Page of this
site for more info.
1983
Turbines recorded I Get Excited, Whirlpool, Independence Day,
The Final Line. Rob Dimit was the engineer.
John Hovorka: vocal, guitar; Jack Hickey: (later of The Lyres)
lead guitar; Dave Shibler (formerly of Charlie Pickett & The
Eggs): bass; and Fred Nazzaro (later of The Titanics, formerly
of Cryptic Edge): drums. Note: This line-up has been consistent
from the beginning of the Turbines, right up through their occasional
reunion shows. The last of these occurred in August 2000
at Lilli's in Somerville, Mass.
"Early Turbines" 4 song short-EP (CD) is available.
See the Catalog Page and Order Page of this site for more info.
1984
Turbines: Wah Hey! b/w No Sure Bet, 45 RPM Arf Arf Records, available
through Arf! Arf! Records. Produced by Erik Lindgren.
Band = same as above. Is back in print. (Arf! Arf!
Records are easy to find on the web.) Unreleased track from this
session: Pieces Of Steel.
1985
Turbines: Last Dance Before Highway (album) Big Time America
Records, OUT OF PRINT. But sells for eight bucks or so,
at www.gemm.com and places like that. It is definitely worth it
if you like this kind of stuff. Produced by Fred Gianelli
(of Psychic TV). Recorded in so many studios I have lost
count. Mixed at Euphoria in Revere, Mass. Band = same
as above. Wah-Hey!, Skull & Crossbones (Sparkle Moore),
That's The Way Life Is (Hovorka/Hickey), Slop (Shibler/Hovorka/Hickey),
Rock In My Pocket (Hovorka/Hickey), Throw It Down (Hovorka/Hickey),
Hangin' Tough (Hickey), Highway 51 (C. Jones). Unreleased
Track: Soul Purpose (Hickey). Extra track released elsewhere:
Rock Pile on third Throbbing Lobster compilation album: Claws.
1986/1987
Turbines: Magic Fingers And Hourly Rates (album) New Rose Records.
OUT OF PRINT. Produced by Turbines & Joe Harvard, Engineered
by Sean Slade & Paul Kolderie. Recorded at Fort Apache
East. Band = same as above. Songs were: Rules
Of The Road (Hovorka/Hickey/Shibler/Nazzaro), Roy's Motel (Hovorka/Hickey),
Eye For An Eye (Hovorka/Shibler), Big Motor Man (Hovorka/Hickey/Nazzaro),
Stray Dog (Hovorka/Hickey/Shibler), Goin' Nowhere Fast (Hickey),
Last Ride (Hickey), She's My Witch (Kip Tyler), 1969 (Iggy Pop),
Little Pig (Dale Hawkins)
1988/1989
HOVORKA - Unreleased album. Much of
this material is now available on Hovorka / Empire State (CD)
album. See Catalog Page and Order pages of this web site for more
information on this. Produced by Joe Harvard. Engineer:
Albert Caiati (drummer for The World Famous Bluejays). Recorded
at Coyote Studios, Brooklyn, NY. Mixed at Fort Apache East
Roxbury, Mass. John Hovorka: vocal and guitars, Michan Walker
bass guitar all tracks except Broz Brosnan (formerly of Free Booze.
later of Love Criminal): bass guitar on Party Sheets and Tragedy,
Tom McCrum (later of Tandy, Velvet Mafia, The Shakes) : drums
and backing vocals. Let's Make Steel, Might Get Shot, Empire
State, Tragedy, Power Drunk, Party Sheets, Thievin' Lyin', I Wish
It Would Rain, Down The Road, I'll Take, 22 Hours, Skull &
Crossbones# (Sparkle Moore). Additional Unreleased Track:
Rules Of The Road (Hovorka/Hickey/Shibler/Nazzaro).
1990
HOVORKA Drillin' b/w A Lot Of Nerve. 45 RPM.
Diesel Only Records. John Hovorka: vocal, electric guitars,
acoustic guitar, Broz Brosnan bass guitar, Tom McCrum drums and
backing vocals, Dawn Alvan (formerly of The Toasters) backing
vocals. Engineer: Albert Caiati. See
Midnight Records web site or see me. I charge two
dollars for this 45 RPM record. They charge not much more.
1991 - 1994
HOVORKA continued to do live shows. Dan Coleman played lead
guitar during 1992 and 1993. Unrecorded material included:
Whiskey & Cigarettes, Downbound Note, Five Seconds To Decide,
Party Sheets, Next Alabama, I'm Goin' Down, Never Wake Up. 5 Seconds
To Decide. Some of this material may appear on a Hovorka
Live in 1992 EP in the near future. HOVORKA broke up on
March 10, 1994.
Wah-Hey! did no studio recording: They were: John Hovorka:
vocals, guitar, Tom McCrum: drums, Darlene Youmans (formerly of
Carrie Nation, later of Tandy, and Xanna Don't): fiddle, Rick
Snow: bass guitar. Material included: The Red Trucks, Wilderness
Man, In The Long Run, Get Away, That's The Way Life Is (Hovorka/Hickey),
Wah-Hey!. A CD of Wah-Hey Live is a possibility at some
point in the future.
Also right around this time, The A-Bones released Wah Hey! as
a single on Sympathy For The Record Industry Records. I
recommend this version very much.
1995 - 1996
I played lead guitar in Tandy, a country-rock band. Also,
in July 1996, Ramona Herboldsheimer and I were talking about
starting a "Noise Pencil cover band" called Noise Pencil
II, with her bandmate from ORANS , Julie Kantner. This didn't
work out, but the jam session we did have was great.
1997
HOVORKA "Drive All Night" MSR001 AVAILABLE
NOW. John Hovorka:
vocals, 12-string electric guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar,
bass guitar, programming, keyboards, Ramona Herboldsheimer (now
plays guitar for The Lothars, formerly in Orans, Twig, Wild
Stares) drums, John Russell (formerly of Free Booze who played
out a lot in Dublin, Ireland in the early 1980's) harmonica.
Produced by John Hovorka, Broz Brosnan, Ramona Herboldsheimer.
Engineers were Craig Randall, Shawn Brophy, Bean. Recorded
at Brass Giraffe in New York. Mastered by Scott Anthony.
Songs are Dirt Road, My True Story, Iron Line, Big Motor Man (Hovorka/Hickey),
You'll Never Know, You Know That, Route 66 (Bobby Troup), The
Ballad Of Sheriff John Castle, No Promised Land, Alcohol Beast,
Bridgeport Lathe, In The Long Run, I Get Excited. It was
recorded in 1997 at Brass Giraffe Studios in New York City with
Craig Randall engineering, and many thanks to him for handling
various production tasks on this one, also.
1998
John Hovorka "Chalk Pyramids" MSR003
AVAILABLE NOW.
In February 1998 I finished some home demos. Most of these
were released on Chalk Pyramids in January 2004. Songs on
it are: One I Love, Eyes Shut Tight, Blocked, Angel, Wilderness
Man, Metal Snowball, Blue Area, Back On The Grid, Greenland, Darkest
Heaven. Four of these songs (re-recorded) also appeared
in the HOVORKA Greenland CD.
In 3/98 Eyes Shut Tight, the first song recorded in this 5-month-long
home recording session was released the Sweetwater Tavern Compilation
CD, "Where's My Shoe?" (Angst Records, Brooklyn, NY)
1999 - 2002
MSR002 HOVORKA - Greenland AVAILABLE NOW.
The new HOVORKA band formed in April 1998. They were
John Hovorka: vocals and 12-string electric guitar, Kevin Fitzgerald
(formerly of The Ghost Of Mankind, Deadeye and Maggot): bass guitar,
backing vocals, Charlie Bonet (formely of The Ghost Of Mankind
and Reagan Youth): drums. They recorded the Greenland CD
in 1999-2000, It contains the following tracks: Wilderness
Man, Blocked, The Unconcerned, Social Control, Cult of, I'll Take,
Expressway Girl, Angel, Eyes Shut Tight, Get Away, Never Wake
Up, Imprisoned Populations, Wah Hey! It was recorded at
Brass Giraffe Studios in New York City with Craig Randall engineering.
2003-2004
John Hovorka and the Dawn of Mechanized Farming. (Also known as
DOMF) AVAILABLE NOW
This 6 song EP was recorded in August 2003 at Ins and Outs
Studio in New Paltz, NY with Kol Marshall engineering. (He
has produced King Diamond and Mercyful Fate and is now playing
keyboards for Ministry.) Produced by Joe Kelly (of Provan).
Personnel on the CD is: John Hovorka, vocals, guitars,
plus the band Provan. They are: Marc Bendian, bass guitar,
backing vocals, guitar Colin Devine, drums (no longer with
DOMF, now just with Provan), Joe Kelly, percussion, keyboards,
Bill Lutz, guitar, backing vocals. Songs are: Don't
Stop Now, Reality, Finally Realize, I Can't Help, Imagine The
Day, War Zone.
Colin left DOMF in late 2003. Karin Roach, also
of The Hiway Stars,and formerly of The Kenn Firpo Rent Explosion,
joined the band on drums in 2004.
2005
In 1/05 John Hovorka released a
solo album, MUSIC FOR REPUBLICAN CONVENTION HALLS. It is minimal.
primitive, potentially annoying and mostly instrumental. It explores
the mood of authoritarianism and the fact of anxiety. Parental
Advisory. Synthesizer Advisory.
AVAILABLE NOW.
(THERE IS NO IMAGE FOR THIS HERE YET BUT IT IS ON THE "CATALOG"
PAGE.)
2006
"State Highway 946 -- The Chalk Pyramids
Remix CD" was released. AVAILABLE
NOW
John Hovorka and the Dawn of Mechanized
Farming got a new drummer, Ken Wohlrob, and started playing out
again late in the year. See Testsite
- John Hovorka Blog for more info.
2007
John Hovorka and the Dawn of Mechanized
Farming continue to play out.
The 2x4's album that was recorded in 1979 - 1980 was released
in May 2007.
The Price Of The Truth John Hovorka EP from 1981 was re-released.
AVAILABLE NOW
Reorganization of JH & DOMF: Bill, guitar, quit, Marc bass,
switched to guitar, Joe backing vocals, percussion, etc switched
to bass guitar. Ken was still on drums. John was still on guitar
and vocals. John opined that the recording of the new DOMF EP
was probably not going to get done until sometime the following
year.
2008 - 2009
John Hovorka and the Dawn of Mechanized
Farming broke up at the end of March 2008. John immediately started
doing solo shows and these immediately started going really well.
Thus he decided to just to solo shows for a while.
2021
Update: I have a lot of updating to do on this part
of this page. So come back soon. But in brief:
"John Hovorka And The Dawn Of Mechanized
Farming" 6 song EP was released in 2006 or so.
Empire State by Hovorka,
recorded in 1988-1989 was released in April 2008.
Peace Bridge by John Hovorka
was released in 2019.
Runs + Drives by John Hovorka
and the Dawn Of Mechanized Farming CD was released in December
2019.
John Hovorka did some solo
shows at home on Facebook during the 2020 phase of the pandemic,
then recorded some of his songs as solo acoustic numbers and released
them on Youtube in 2021. And put songs up on Youtube, Bandcamp,
iTunes, Spotify and so on.
His current project is
a new take of "Change Of Status" to be released as a
digital single when it is done.
Contact:
johnhovorka@aol.com
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