John Munson | |
|---|---|
 Munson performing with Semisonic in 2023 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | December 13, 1966 |
| Instrument(s) | Bass guitar, piano, guitar, double bass |
| Member of | Semisonic, The New Standards |
| Formerly of | Trip Shakespeare, The Flops, The Twilight Hours |
John Munson (born December 13, 1966) is an American musician who is best known as the bass player for Semisonic. He was also a member of Trip Shakespeare during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Matt Wilson, lead vocalist of Trip Shakespeare, recalled how Munson joined that band in 1985:
Back in Minneapolis, we started trying out bass players. John is somebody that I'd played with in a band a few years earlier, so we already knew each other. But John was not that good of a bass player when I had known him before, so it didn't really occur to me to try him out. But he came over anyway and played, and he'd improved a lot. And I don't believe it's because he kept active, either. I don't know what it is. He's not a major practicer. [1]
When Trip Shakespeare dissolved, Munson and fellow band member Dan Wilson—Matt's brother—formed a new band called Pleasure with Jacob Slichter, which later became Semisonic.
Currently Munson is working on several different projects, including working with former Trip Shakespeare mate Matt Wilson on new songs as The Flops and later The Twilight Hours, [2] and also on the New Standards, a band that plays covers of a wide variety of music in a jazz format. Other members of the New Standards include Chan Poling (formerly of Minneapolis dance pop band The Suburbs) and Steve Roehm. Munson teaches Sound For Image class at Minneapolis Community and Technical College in Minneapolis. Munson has also provided music and commentary for the program Wits on Minnesota Public Radio. While performing on Wits, Munson's back-up band was called the Witnesses and its members were as follows: Janey Winterbauer on vocals, Steve Roehm on vibes, Richard Medek on drums, and Joe Savage on pedal steel. [3]
In 2017, Munson produced Minneapolis songwriter and novelist Dylan Hicks' album Ad Out. [4] [5] He reteamed with Hicks in 2020 in the duo Munson-Hicks Party Supplies. Originally intending to write a musical together, their collaboration turned instead for inspiration to the 1970 album Nilsson Sings Newman by Randy Newman and Harry Nilsson. The duo's debut, the self-titled Munson-Hicks Party Supplies, was released in 2020. Star Tribune music critic Chris Riemenschneider called it "one of the most charming albums of the year". [4]
Semisonic is an American rock band formed in Minneapolis in 1995, consisting of Dan Wilson, John Munson, and Jacob Slichter. They are best known in the U.S. for their 1998 single "Closing Time". They also had international success with the singles "Singing in My Sleep", "Secret Smile" and "Chemistry".
Feeling Strangely Fine is the second studio album by American rock band Semisonic. It is the follow-up to the band's debut album Great Divide recorded at Seedy Underbelly Studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The album contains some of Semisonic's best-known songs, including the major radio hit "Closing Time", as well as the singles "Singing in My Sleep" and "Secret Smile". The song "Never You Mind" was featured in the 1999 film Never Been Kissed.
All About Chemistry is the third studio album by American rock band Semisonic, released on March 13, 2001, through MCA Records. With this release, the band failed, at least in America, to capitalize on the momentum it had generated with the song "Closing Time" from their previous album, Feeling Strangely Fine. This had a softer edge than Feeling Strangely Fine and was not as popular with the fans. By 2002, the album had sold 58,000 copies, and its poor sales partially led to the band going on an unofficial hiatus. However, it has a five star rating by Q Magazine. The track "Chemistry" was featured on the soundtrack for 40 Days and 40 Nights.
Great Divide is the debut studio album by American rock band Semisonic. It was released April 9, 1996, by MCA Records. It was produced by Paul Fox, and was recorded and mixed by Ed Thacker.
Daniel Dodd Wilson is an American musician, singer, songwriter, visual artist and record producer who has been called the songwriter's songwriter. His songwriting résumé includes "Closing Time", which he wrote for his band, Semisonic; "Not Ready to Make Nice", co-written with The Chicks; and "Someone Like You", co-written with Adele. Wilson's work earned him a Grammy nomination for "Closing Time" and garnered him Grammy wins for Song of the Year and Album of the Year as a producer for Adele's 21 in 2012.
The Flops were a collaboration of John Munson and Matt Wilson . They played several shows, mostly in Minneapolis, between 2001 and 2005. They covered material from the Trip Shakespeare days, Matt's solo efforts and some new material.
Trip Shakespeare was an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota and active from the mid 1980s to early 1990s. The band included Dan Wilson and John Munson, who would later go on to be founding members of Semisonic.
The New Standards is a minimalist jazz trio formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2005 and composed of Chan Poling, John Munson and Steve Roehm. With Poling on piano, Munson on bass and Roehm on vibraphone, the band reinterprets songs from a wide variety of genres, from classics like Rodgers and Hammerstein's My Favorite Things to London Calling by The Clash.
"Secret Smile" is a song by American rock band Semisonic. The single, released to American radio on January 11, 1999, gained the band brief international popularity. A live version of the song recorded at The Gorge Amphitheatre, as well as a mix by the Orb had previously been released as a B-side to "Singing in My Sleep". The song was featured in the film Simply Irresistible and in the TV series Charmed and Dawson's Creek.
Chandler Hall "Chan" Poling is an American musician and composer.
Lulu is an album by the Minneapolis-based band Trip Shakespeare, released in 1991. The band supported the album with a North American tour. "Bachelorette" was a modern rock hit.
Across The Universe is an album released by Trip Shakespeare in 1990. It was the band's first release on A&M Records, the major label that they had signed with earlier in the year.
Matthew Robert "Matt" Wilson is an American singer-songwriter best known as the frontman of the band Trip Shakespeare.
The Twilight Hours is a band formed by Matt Wilson and John Munson. Munson and Wilson also played together in Trip Shakespeare and The Flops, and Munson is also known for his work with Semisonic, The New Standards, and John Munson and the Witnesses.
Dylan Hicks is an American singer-songwriter and novelist from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Polara is the self-titled first album by Minneapolis alternative rock band Polara.
You're Not Alone is an EP by rock band Semisonic. Released on September 18, 2020, it is the band's first collection of new material in 19 years following their hiatus after touring 2001's All About Chemistry. The EP was preceded by the release of its title track on June 26, 2020.
Are You Shakespearienced? is the second studio album released by Minneapolis alternative rock band Trip Shakespeare. It was released in 1989 on Minneapolis indie label Gark Records, then reissued in 1998 on Minneapolis label Clean/Twin/Tone Records, and again in 2014 on Omnivore Recordings.
Volt is the final work released by Minneapolis alternative rock band Trip Shakespeare. A six-song EP of covers, it was released in 1992 by Minneapolis label Clean Records.
Little Bit of Sun is the fourth full-length studio album by American alternative rock band Semisonic, released on November 3, 2023 through Pleasuresonic Recordings. It is the band's first full-length album in 22 years since All About Chemistry, and was preceded by four singles: the title track, "Grow Your Own", "The Rope", and "Out of the Dirt". It has received positive reviews from critics.
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