A Grape Dope
A Grape Dope | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | John Herndon |
| Also known as | Johnny Machine |
| Born | April 9, 1966 Long Island, New York, U.S.[1] |
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | Instrumental hip hop, indie hip hop, jazz, post-rock, electronica, progressive rock, dub |
| Occupation(s) | Producer, musician |
| Instrument | Drums |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Labels | Galaxia |
| Website | www |
John Herndon (born April 9, 1966)[2] is an American musician and artist. Based in Chicago, he was a founding member of the post-rock band Tortoise, where he plays drums and percussion.
Herndon also works as a producer for instrumental hip hop under the name A Grape Dope.[3]
Early life
[edit]Herndon was born in 1966 on Long Island, New York. He was the second child of his family, with a brother two years older than him. After his family moved to Boston, Herndon's father was jailed and his mother was a drug addict, so the children were put into the foster care system when Herndon was a toddler. He described the experience as abusive, but remained in the system until his father was released from prison in 1971.[2]
In 1976, Herndon moved to the North Carolina mountains with the Grateful Union Family Trust, a commune that Herndon's father and his girlfriend were a part of.[2]
Career
[edit]John Herndon is a member of the bands Tortoise and Isotope 217, playing mainly drums but some other percussion (vibraphone, etc.) and occasional keyboards.[4] He produced Deep Puddle Dynamics' song entitled "More from June" in 2002.[5] He released the Missing Dragons EP under the alias A Grape Dope on Galaxia in 2003.[6] It features a guest appearance from rapper Doseone.[7]
Personal life
[edit]He is the father of dance-pop musician 2hollis.[8]
Discography
[edit]Albums
[edit]- Backyard Bangers (2020)
EPs
[edit]- Immediate Action (2000)
- Missing Dragons (2003)
Productions
[edit]- Deep Puddle Dynamics - "More from June" from We Ain't Fessin' (Double Quotes) (2002)
Contributions
[edit]- Themselves - "You Devil You" and "Hat in the Wind" from The No Music (2002)
- Doseone - "By Horoscope Light I&II" from Ha (2005)
Remixes
[edit]- Tommy Guerrero - "Birds Over Head (John Herndon Remix)" from Junk Collector (2001)
- Trans Am - "Cold War" from Extremixxx (2002)
- Themselves - "Dr. Moonorgun Please" from The No Music of AIFFS (2003)
- Via Tania - "On Sawyer" from Boltanski (2004)
- Via Tania - "Felt Cave" from True (2005)
References
[edit]- ^ Ankeny, Jason. "John Herndon". Allmusic.
- ^ a b c Locker, Melissa (19 November 2020). "John Herndon of Tortoise has a deal for you". Chicago Reader.
- ^ Gordon, Scott (May 27, 2009). "Tortoise's John Herndon to DJ with Madison's Ka-Boom!Box at Mickey's". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on June 15, 2012.
- ^ "A GRAPE DOPE, "MISSING DRAGONS"". Brainwashed.
- ^ Hunt, Sam (March 31, 2002). "Dusted Reviews: Deep Puddle Dynamics / Anticon - More From June / We Ain't Fessin' (double quotes)". Dusted Magazine.
- ^ Bryant, Andrew (July 2, 2003). "A Grape Dope: Missing Dragons EP". Pitchfork Media.
- ^ Lee, Andy (May 2003). "A Grape Dope - Missing Dragons". Exclaim!.
- ^ Pierre, Alphonse (2025-03-07). "In Defense of 2hollis". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
External links
[edit]- A Grape Dope discography at Discogs
- John Herndon discography at Discogs
- U-Sheen discography at Discogs
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- 1966 births
- American hip-hop record producers
- American alternative rock drummers
- Living people
- Tortoise (band) members
- The For Carnation members
- Five Style members
- Isotope 217 members
- Drummers from North Carolina
- Rappers from North Carolina
- Drummers from Chicago
- Rappers from Chicago
- American rock drummer stubs
- American hip-hop biography stubs