John Brodeur is a craftsman of modern pop music, and an all-around musical athlete, having tackled guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and saxophone, on both his own albums and others’.
Brodeur played everything on his self-released debut CD,"Tiger Pop" (2001), save for a few hand-claps, gang vocals, and kitten’s purrs. “Infected (So in Love with You),” the brisk, brash album opener, “just jumps out of the speakers” (says Swizzle-Stick.com), while “Dying For Me” and “Sucker” showed that John could do the one-man rock band thing as well as multitasking heroes like Jason Falkner and Lenny Kravitz. Waves of critical praise rolled in, and initial pressings of the album evaporated.
The trio that took these songs on the road--Brodeur on vocals and guitar, Keith Hosmer on bass, and Jason Schultz on drums--was christened the Suggestions. The trio gigged extensively in support of "Tiger Pop", then released the "Mix Tape" EP in 2003. The record, intended as a loose-bound collection of singles rather than a full-fledged album, included the Weezerific “Be True,” the sprawling, shape-shifting "Halo," and '70s-pop throwback "Birthday Girl (Into the Sun)". Thanks to a well-fought promotional campaign, Mix Tape charted in the top 200 of the CMJ radio-airplay charts, and made dents at national specialty radio (#12 single & #15 album at FMQB; #18 at U.N.C.L.E.; #19 at H.I.T.S.; Smoking Section at A.F.R.O.) and satellite radio (Heavy Hitter at XM). Jennifer Layton of Indie-music.com was confident in the band: “Mix Tape offers a foregone conclusion that The Suggestions will be major label clients before too long.”
A full-length Suggestions LP, "Get Through," was shelved after its completion in 2004, due to contractual issues. (It is expected to see a proper release, finally, in early 2008.)
Over the ensuing two-year period, Brodeur stepped out of the spotlight to put his talents as an instrumentalist and producer to use. (See below for a list of current projects.)
In 2007, with band members distributed around the contiguous 48 states, Brodeur put the Suggestions to rest, and launched a new project: MAGGIE MAYDAY. The band, featuring bassist Jenn McCarron and drummer Meghan Tully, is off to a strong start--the single "Spit It Out" is fast becoming a MySpace favorite, and the band has already shared performed alongside such bands as 311, Matisyahu, the Bravery, and TV on the Radio. Maggie Mayday are working on their debut album, which should see the light of day in spring 2008. Check maggiemayday.com for more.
With and without his various bands, John Brodeur has shared stages with Fountains of Wayne, the Fratellis, the Bravery, the Nightwatchman, O.A.R., 311, Gavin Degraw, the Lemonheads, They Might Be Giants, Pernice Brothers, Shiny Toy Guns, Matisyahu, Mohair, Cracker, the Churchills, dada, Vertical Horizon, Glenn Tilbrook and the Fluffers, Bleu, the Figgs, Angie Aparo, Paranoid Social Club, Mark Mulcahy, As Fast As, the Damnwells, Graham Colton, the Malarkies, Drums and Tuba, Richard Buckner, Jim Boggia, Sloan, Elk City, Wes McDonough (SR-71), the Trouble Dolls, Varnaline, Lifter Puller, Lotion, and Laguardia. He has had the honor of opening sold-out shows for David Poe (Joe’s Pub, NYC), Freedy Johnston (Makor, NYC), and Mike Viola/Candy Butchers (Lizard Lounge, Boston).
You can also catch John behind the drumkit with Hector on Stilts, the Sense Offenders, Guiltless Cult, and the Amazing Five Alpha Beatdown from Iceland.
Purchase tracks by the Suggestions, Maggie Mayday, and John Brodeur directly through the Snocap store at the bottom of this page.
DISCOGRAPHY
Albums/EPs:
Tiger Pop (John Brodeur, 2000, Mr. Duck Records)
Infected (So In Love With You); Remains of a Heart; Dying for Me; Selfish; Sucker; Kitten; Changing Your Mind (Again?); It Goes Away; Easier; Confidentially; Peace.
Mix Tape EP (The Suggestions, 2003, Mr. Duck Records)
Be True; Halo (edited); Birthday Girl (Into the Sun); Masterpiece; Art of Dying; Changing Your Mind (Again!); Halo (original); Antidote (bonus track).
Get Through (The Suggestions, as yet unreleased)
I'm Bad; Make A Change; Heartbreaker; Flame; the Meltdown; Security; Silence, Please; Let's Pretend; Love and Misery; Fight; Get Thru; Home.
Compilation tracks:
“Tourniquet” and “Over My Grave” from Bump Into Fate CD (Norman, 1995, Paint Chip Records)
“Remains of a Heart” and “Struck Out” from Sink Into Solo CD (Brodeur, 1997, Paint Chip Records)
“Before She Watched Her Flame Go Out” from You’re Still Here CD (Brodeur, 2001, www.crumbs.net)
“Infected (So In Love With You)” from Frequency Modulation: A Low Watt Document CD (JB, 2001, Shut Eye Records)
“Sucker” from Magnet magazine New Music Sampler CD (Brodeur, 2001)
“Art of Dying” (George Harrison cover) from He Was Fab—A Loving Tribute to George Harrison CD (Brodeur, 2002, Jealousy Records)
“Starlet” from International Pop Overthrow Vol. 6 CD (Suggestions, 2003, Not Lame Records)
"Be True" from Lollipop magazine sampler CD (Suggestions, 2003)
"Sucker" and "Be True" from Albany Amped Vol. 1 compilation CD (Brodeur/Suggestions, 2007)
"Be True" from Cornerstone Player, the Fader magazine fall sampler (Suggestions, 2007)
Guest appearances and recording projects:
The Sense Offenders The Sense Offenders CD (drums, guitars, vocals, sax, melodica)
Five Alpha Beatdown Hello We Are Five Alpha Beatdown from Iceland CD (drums, vocals, guitars)
Guiltless Cult Help Me Out CD (drums, guitars, percussion)
Knotworking Notes Left Out CD (drums)
Knotworking The Garden Below CD (drums)
Knotworking “When We Were Small” split 7” with Überjerk (drums)
Brian Bassett Rock and Roll CD (guitars)
The Day Jobs How I Wanted To Be CD (percussion)
The Wait Hollywood EP (percussion)
   View Maggie Mayday's EPK |
