12/9/09 - Gonken

Today's song is by Gonken. Gonken is 29 year old Jason from Kirkland, Washington. He is a punk artist (the style, not literally a punk although I have never hung out with him.) Here is what Jason says as his history:

Johnny Gonken

Embracing the punk individualist ethic wholeheartedly, Johnny Gonken creates music that is totally the product of his own wild imagination. With the fervor of an artist driven by his own need to have a unique voice in the world (and fueled by the talent to accomplish just that), Gonken churns out energetic, hooky and artistically defiant music he calls “quirky electro-punk rock.” It's a galvanizing sound and one that reverberates with the in-your-face rawk assault and stimulated by electronic surges.

Genius and Insanity

Deviation from the norm is frequently criticized, sometimes hated. But Gonken doesn't care. He's confident in his highly original music. He has a mark to make on the world and he's busy carving it in. His music can be seen as a reflection of the hypocrisy of the music industry. The unsigned independent who steps off the beaten path is written off as nuts. But the same wacko who makes it is praised for his forward-thinking music. “There's a fine line between genius and insanity,” Gonken says. “That line is fame. If you're underground, people call you crazy, but if you're famous, you're regarded as a genius.”

Fusion

Diversity is perhaps the defining element of Gonken's sound. His music finds roots in everything from pop punk to angry industrial – and a lot in between. Eclecticism drives his creative process and he seeks to offer as colorful a musical experience as possible. Besides music, he also draws energy from humor and sci-fi cinema. His inspired askewness charges through every song, his music raw yet primitive, raving mad yet with a satirical edge.

Apparently, he now has a digital album on Amazon (Here) and iTunes called, "Robots vs. Zombies". This song is not on that album. This song is called, "I Want a Robot For Christmas." Enjoy.