Misplaced Pages

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 81.110.104.91 (talk) at 19:41, 31 August 2009 (Undid revision 311048026 by Michig (talk)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Jon the Postman (real name John Ormerod) is a punk rock singer from Manchester. Among his various jobs, the best known was that of a postman, hence the nickname.

Biography

He has been described as "a committed and omnipresent figure on the punk and post-punk scene in Manchester". He initially became known for waiting until headline bands had finished their set (sometimes before they had finished) before mounting the stage, grabbing the microphone, and performing his own versions of rock 'n' roll classics such as "Louie Louie".

He attracted a cult following and became a local celebrity in Manchester, playing his first official gig on 29 May 1977 in support of Warsaw. With local musicians joining him, he formed a band, becoming a regular support act, and when a special concert was held to mark the last night of Manchester's Electric Circus venue (captured on the Virgin Records album Short Circuit: Live at the Electric Circus), with a bill that included Joy Division, The Fall, Steel Pulse, and John Cooper Clarke, he closed proceedings by performing "Louie Loiue" backed by Buzzcocks. He released two albums, Jon the Postman's Puerile and Jon the Postman's Psychedelic Rock 'N' Roll 5 Skinners Steppin' Out of Holts' Brewery, both released on Dave Bentley's Bent Records. The first featured an extended version of "Louie Louie" while the second included a similar treatment of Van Morrison's "G.L.O.R.I.A.". Both albums were reissued on a single CD by Overground Records in 1998. A further recording session known as Jon the Postman's Legendary Lost Session was never released other than on a bootleg, although two songs turned up on a long-unavailable compilation LP entitled The Disparate Cognoscenti released on the Fall's now-defunct Cog Sinister label.

Jon the Postman was portrayed by Dave Gorman in the motion picture 24 Hour Party People.

Discography

Albums

• John the Postman's Puerile (1978), Bent
• Steppin' Out (of Holt's Brewery) (1978), Bent (as John the Postman's Psychedelic Rock 'n' Roll Five Skinners)
• Jon the Postman's Legendary Lost Session (unreleased)

Compilation appearances

• The Disparate Cognoscenti (1988), Cog Sinister - 2 tracks credited to Jon the Postman's Legendary Lost

References

1. Inglis, Ian (2006) Performance of Popular Music: History, Place and TIme, Ashgate, ISBN 978-0754640578, p. 93
2. ^ Ogg, Alex (2006) No More Heroes: a Complete History of UK Punk from 1976 to 1980, Cherry Red Books, ISBN 978-1-901447-65-1, p. 310-311
3. Voiceprint Music - Jon The Postman - Puerile
4. Quantick, David "John the Postman's Puerile (review)", Q, September 1998
5. Smith, Mark E. & Middles, Mick (2003) The Fall, Omnibus Press, ISBN 978-0711997622, p. 119-120
6. Gorman, Dave "Acting", davegorman.com, retrieved 20 August 2009

External links

• Jon the Postman at the Manchester District Music Archive

• Living people
• English punk rock musicians
• Music from Manchester