Pool Of Sound - Johnny Boy

Johnny Boy Theme

Formed in 2002, 'Johnny Boy' was an indie pop band from Liverpool consisting of two members; the London born Lolly Hayes (Lorraine Hayward) on guitar, samples and vocals and Liverpool resident Davo (Andrew Davitt, a keyboard tech for the 'Manic Street Preachers') also on guitar, samples and vocals. Both of them, when asked about their roles in the duo, commonly specify them by giving the generic answer of, "Vocals, loops and guitars". 'Johnny Boy' take their name from the protagonist in Martin Scorsese's film, 'Mean Streets'.
Their debut single, 'Johnny Boy Theme' featured Scorsese's opening voice-over from the film and was released on the Welsh independent label Boobytrap Records at the start of 2003.
'Johnny Boy' describe their sound as "Church bells, boy-girl vocals, loops, twists, warps, walls of sound and edgy guitars combined to rekindle the idea of  the 'Clash's' fourth album Sandanista! having a shootout with Phil Spector.

The single attracted the attention of Vertigo Records who signed up the duo and brought in the 'Manic Street Preachers' James Dean Bradfield to produce the follow-up single, 'You Are The Generation That Bought More Shoes And You Get What You Deserve', which reached No.50 and spent two weeks in the UK Singles Chart in August 2004. It attracted hysterical praise everywhere from broadsheets to blogs, nor did it want for celebrity endorsement: the duo being feted by 'Manic Street Preachers' frontman James Dean Bradfield and Mick Jones, who may well have heard an echo of his post-'Clash' band 'Big Audio Dynamite' amid the track's audacious melange of styles. One review said, "Lolly Hayes and Davo have produced a piece of ethereal pop brilliance." Johnny Marr said it was "the best thing out all year."
Despite this, and the quality of the good reviews, there were tales of singles not reaching shops, and of bitter artistic disputes and litigation with their their label Vertigo, who had seemed to show little interest in them and the duo parted company at the end of the year, putting their recently completed debut on hold, although it later received a limited release in Europe.

James Dean Bradfield also co-produced their debut album, 'Johnny Boy', which never settled on one particular style but are all held together by the duo's apparently limitless supply of euphoric melodies, and the lyrical tone.
Sadly the album, which received mixed reviews, failed to live up to the excellence of the two singles
but some would say that it warrants precisely the same kind of acclaim as their hit-single-that-never-was. The one thing it doesn't deserve is the same fate.
Andrew became one of the Liverpool music scene's best-loved unsung heroes helping out any and every band you care to mention, and played acoustic guitar in 2012 when the 'The Justice Collective' recorded a new version of 'He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother', inspired by Everton FC's Hillsborough tribute on 17 September 2012.

Keith Mullin of 'The Farm' said, "Mick Jones came from London with Davo the unsung hero of the 'Justice Tonight Band', who plays with 'Big Audio Dynamite' and Paul Weller. Davo's a local lad from Wavertree, who has to be applauded for the work he's done with both JTB and 'He Aint Heavy'. He is a legend in my eyes."

see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2020/05/pool-of-sound-ultrabeat.html