Tag Archives: Antony and the Johnsons

Anohni and the Johnsons: My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross

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On July 7, 2023, “Secretly Canadian” label released “My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross”, the fifth Anohni and the Johnsons (formerly known as Antony and the Johnsons) studio album. It was recorded in 2023, and was produced by Jimmy Hogarth and Anohni.

Personnel:

  • Anohni – vocals, piano
  • Leo Abrahams – guitar
  • Jimmy Hogarth – guitar, mixing
  • Samuel Dixon – bass guitar
  • Chris Vatalaro – drums
  • Martin Slattery – clarinet, piano, keyboards, percussion
  • Rob Moose – strings
  • William Basinski – saxophone
  • Greg Calbi – mastering

Track listing:

All tracks by Anohni Hegarty.

  1. It Must Change
  2. Go Ahead
  3. Silver of Ice
  4. Can’t
  5. Scapegoat
  6. It’s My Fault
  7. Rest
  8. There Wasn’t Enough
  9. Why Am I Alive Now
  10. You Be Free

Nina Simone

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On April 21, 2003, Eunice Kathleen Waymon aka Nina Simone, died aged 70. She was singer, songwriter, musician (piano), arranger, and civil rights activist. In her career, Simone has recorded more than forty albums. Many famous musicians have cited Simone as their influence, among the others: Aretha Franklin, Adele, David Bowie, Antony and the Johnsons, Dianne Reeves , Sade , Beyoncé,  Janis Joplin , Nick Cave, Jeff Buckley, Van Morrison, Elkie Brooks, Lena Horne, Bono, Cat Stevens, Peter Gabriel, Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill, Elton John, Alicia Keys and Lana Del Rey. John Lennon cited Simone’s version of “I Put a Spell on You” as a inspiration for the Beatles’ song “Michelle”.

For her work, Simone received various awards including:

  • In 2000, “Grammy Hall of Fame Award”for her interpretation of “I Love You, Porgy”
  • Honorary degrees in music and humanities, from the “University of Massachusetts Amherst” and “Malcolm X College”
  • Honorary degree by the “Curtis Institute of Music”
  • In 2002, city of Nijmegen, in Netherlands, named a street the “Nina Simone straat”
  • In 2009, Simone was inducted into the “North Carolina Music Hall of Fame”
  • In 2010, her home town Tryon, in North Carolina, placed her statue in the “Trade Street”

Antony And The Johnsons: I am a Bird Now

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HUJP.PH.21233-3, 9/15/04, 4:52 PM, 16G, 5552x5616 (320+991), 100%, Eakins, 1/100 s, R69.3, G54.8, B77.9

On February 1, 2005, “Secretly Canadian” label released “I Am a Bird Now”, the second Antony and the Johnsons album.  It was recorded in 2004, and was produced by Antony Hegarty. On September 6, 2005, the album won the “Mercury Prize”.

Personnel:

  • Antony Hegarty – vocals, organ, piano
  • Lou Reed – vocals, guitar
  • Devendra Banhart– vocals, guitar
  • Jason Hart – piano
  • Jeff Longston – bass
  • Rainy Orteca – bass
  • Todd Cohen – drums
  • John Bollinger – drums
  • Parker Kindred- drums
  • Doug Wieselman – saxophone
  • Steve Bernstein – horn
  • Paul Shapiro– horn
  • Maxim Moston – violin
  • Julia Kent – cello
  • Keith Bonner – flute
  • Boy George– vocals
  • Joan Wasser– viola
  • Danielle Farina – viola
  • Rufus Wainwright– vocals
  • Julia Yasuda – Morse Code, vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Antony Hegarty.

  1. Hope There’s Someone
  2. My lady Story
  3. For Today I Am a Boy
  4. Man Is the Baby
  5. You Are My Sister
  6. What Can I Do
  7. Fistful of Love
  8. Spiralling
  9. Free at Last
  10. Bird Gerhi

Anthony And The Johnsons: The Crying Light

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Aj the crying light

On January 20, 2009,“Matador” label released “The Crying Light”, the third Antony and the Johnsons’ studio album. It was recorded in 2008, and was produced by Antony Hegarty. The album’s cover artwork features a 1977 photograph of butoh dancer Kazuo Ohno, by Naoya Ikegami.

Personnel:

  • Antony – vocals, arrangements
  • Thomas Bartlett, Greg Cohen, Will Holshouser, Wil Holzhouser, Julia Kent, Parker Kindred, Jeff Langston, Rob Moose, William Whittman – musicians
  • Maxim Moston, Doug Wieselman – arrangements, musician
  • Nico Muhly – arrangements
  • Hiroko Taguchi, Antoine Silverman, Sarah Hewitt Ruth, Susan Perelman, Brian Miller, Alexandra Knoll, Bridget Kibbey, Danielle Farina, Keith Bonner, Lisa Albrecht, Tim Albright, Leise Anschuetz, Anja Wood, Amy Zoloto – orchestra
  • Dan Bora, Hector Castillo, Keith Gary, Scott Lehrer, Stewart Lerman, Alex Nizich, William Whittman – engineer
  • Bryce Goggin – engineer, mixing
  • Jason Lader – mixing
  • Greg Calbi – mastering, remastering
  • Daniel Murphy – layout design
  • Don Felix Cervantes – photography
  • Johanna Constantine – make –up
  • Naoya Ikegami – portraits

Track listing:

All tracks by Antony Hegarty, except where noted.

  1. Her Eyes Are Underneath the Ground – Antony Hegarty, Nick Hegarty
  2. Epilepsy Is Dancing
  3. One Dove – Antony Hegarty, Barry Reynolds
  4. Kiss My Name
  5. The Crying Light
  6. Another World
  7. Daylight and the Sun
  8. Aeon
  9. Dust and Water
  10. Everglade