Bill Whitten is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 songwriter

Songwriter

A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...

 and musician

Musician

A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....

. He was the founding member, principal songwriter and singer/guitarist for St. Johnny

St. Johnny

St. Johnny were a New York-based Rock band, formed in 1989 and split c.1995. They were signed to DGC Records.-Members:*Bill Whitten 1989-1995 *Tom Leonard 1989-1993 *Jim Elliot 1989-1995 *Wayne Letitia 1989-1994...

. He is currently the singer/songwriter/guitarist for Grand Mal.

St. Johnny formed in 1989 in Hartford, Connecticut and made three full length albums, two for DGC Records

DGC Records

DGC Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and currently operates as an auxiliary label of Interscope Records.-Company history:...

, before disbanding in 1995. Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...

 described St. Johnny as “a Connecticut band that likes their music loud and hard, are intent on a punk-edged sound that has more in common with the Ramones or Sonic Youth than with the latest Sub Pop release. In addition, St. Johnny possess a flair for songcraft, hooks and…hummable melodies”.

Grand Mal

Grand Mal (band)

Grand Mal is an American rock band, formed by Bill Whitten in New York City in 1995 and has recorded for No.6 Records, Slash/London Records, Arena Rock Recording Co., New York Night Train and Groover Recordings.-Members:...

 was formed in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 in 1995 and has recorded for No.6 Records

No.6 Records

No.6 Records was an independent record label, started in 1989 as a subsidiary of Rough Trade Records by A&R representative and booking agent Terry Tolkin...

, Slash

Slash Records

Slash Records is a record label in Los Angeles, originally specializing in local and punk rock bands.The label was formed in 1978 by Bob Biggs as an outgrowth of the Los Angeles-based fanzine, Slash. Biggs, a painter, initiated the label with a seven-inch single from The Germs in 1978. A full album...

/London Records

London Records

London Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label....

, Arena Rock Recording Co.

Arena Rock Recording Co.

The Arena Rock Recording Company is an independent record label based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Albums are distributed by Redeye in the United States and Koch in Canada.-History:...

, New York Night Train and Groover Recordings. According to the New York Times: "Grand Mal mixes three parts Rolling Stones, one part Velvet Underground … rock with an unabashed swagger."

He has worked regularly with producer Dave Fridmann

Dave Fridmann

Dave Fridmann is an American record producer and musician. From 1990 onwards he co-produced all releases by Mercury Rev and The Flaming Lips...

 and has collaborated on recordings with members of Mercury Rev

Mercury Rev

Mercury Rev is an American alternative rock group, that formed in the late 1980s in Buffalo, New York. Original personnel were David Baker , Jonathan Donahue , Sean Mackowiak, a.k.a...

, Joan as Police Woman

Joan Wasser

Joan Wasser is a violinist and singer/songwriter in the indie rock world. She began her career playing violin with the Dambuilders. She has released three albums as a singer songwriter, the 2006 Real Life the 2008 To Survive and the 2011 The Deep Field...

, The Flaming Lips

The Flaming Lips

The Flaming Lips are an American alternative rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983.Melodically, their sound contains lush, multi-layered, psychedelic rock arrangements, but lyrically their compositions show elements of space rock, including unusual song and album titles—such as "What...

, Antony and the Johnsons

Antony and the Johnsons

Antony and the Johnsons is a music group presenting the work of Antony Hegarty and his collaborators.-Career:British experimental musician David Tibet of Current 93 heard a demo and offered to release Antony's music through his Durtro label. The debut album, Antony and the Johnsons, was released...

, Favourite Sons

Favourite Sons

The Favourite Sons is an indie rock band from Brooklyn, made up of Ken Griffin and four members of Jagjaguwar's Aspera. They have released one full length album, Down Beside Your Beauty, which was mixed by Victor Van Vugt The Favourite Sons is an indie rock band from Brooklyn, made up of Ken...

, Home

Home (band)

Home is an experimental pop band formed in Tampa, Florida in the early-1990s, before relocating to New York in 1996. The band released eight self-produced, sequentially-numbered, ultra-low-distribution albums on cheap Radio Shack cassettes before signing to Sony's Relativity Records label, which...

, Shady

David Baker (singer)

David Baker was the lead singer and founding member of the band Mercury Rev. He is prevalent on the albums Yerself is Steam and Boces and all of the singles and Peel Sessions the band did concurrently...

, The Silent League

The Silent League

The Silent League is a post-rock, chamber pop band from Brooklyn, New York founded by Justin Russo, formerly of Mercury Rev. Their 2004 debut, The Orchestra, Sadly, Has Refused, featuring Sam from Interpol,...

, Hopewell

Hopewell (band)

Hopewell is an American rock band. The band was founded by Jason Sebastian Russo, of Hopewell Junction, New York. At 19, Russo joined Mercury Rev, and then struck out on his own with a band named after his hometown.-History:...

, The Jealous Girlfriends

The Jealous Girlfriends

The Jealous Girlfriends is a rock band based in Brooklyn, New York. Their music video for "How Now", directed by Sarah Soquel Morhaim, won first place for the iPod Music Video Contest.-Biography:...

, The Mooney Suzuki

The Mooney Suzuki

The Mooney Suzuki is an American garage rock band that formed in New York City in 1996. Originally comprising vocalist and guitarist Sammy James, Jr., guitarist Graham Tyler, bassist John Paul Ribas and drummer Will Rockwell-Scott, the band has released four studio albums – People Get Ready ,...

, VietNam (band)

VietNam (Band)

VietNam is a rock, soul and blues band from Brooklyn, New York on Kemado Records. The Band consists of Joshua "Exploding Motorcycle" Grubb on Lead Guitar and Vocals, Michael "Jesus Beard" Gerner on Guitar and vocals, Ivan "DJ Dolphin" Berko on Bass and Harp and Michael "Flaming Locks" Foss on Water...

, Mike Bones

Mike Bones

Mike Bones is the stage name of Mike Strallow, a New York based guitarist singer-songwriter who established himself as one of the top guitarists on the New York underground/independent scene for his work with Soldiers of Fortune, Damon McMahon, Lizzie Trulie, and the Mighty Flashlight...

 and others.

St. Johnny

St. Johnny

St. Johnny were a New York-based Rock band, formed in 1989 and split c.1995. They were signed to DGC Records.-Members:*Bill Whitten 1989-1995 *Tom Leonard 1989-1993 *Jim Elliot 1989-1995 *Wayne Letitia 1989-1994...

 Discography

Singles

• “Go To Sleep” (7″) (Ajax Records) 1992
• “A Car or A Boy” (7″) (Geffen) 1993
• “Gilligan/Live at the Sports Page Cafe…” (7″) (Twisted Village) 1994
• “I Give Up/One Of The Boys” (7″) (Love Kit) 1994
• “Scuba Diving/Welcome Back Kotter” (7″) (Geffen)

EPS

• Four Songs (EP7) (Asthma) 1992
• Go to Sleep (EP7) (Ajax) 1992
• Early Live Recordings (Twisted Village) 1994

Full-Length

• High As A Kite (Rough Trade UK, Caroline) 1993
• Speed Is Dreaming (DGC) 1994
• Let It Come Down (DGC) 1995

Tracks Appear On:

• “Ashes and Slashes” My Companion Turn of the Century (LP) 1990
• “Wild Goose Chasing” DGC Rarities: Vol.1 (CD) (Geffen Records) 1994
• “Scuba Diving” Buy-Product (CD, Comp) (Geffen Records) 1995
• “Scuba Diving” CMJ New Music April – Volume 20 (CD, Promo) (College Music Journal) 1995
• Incredible Son of Swag (CD) (Geffen/DGC) 1995

Grand Mal

Grand Mal (band)

Grand Mal is an American rock band, formed by Bill Whitten in New York City in 1995 and has recorded for No.6 Records, Slash/London Records, Arena Rock Recording Co., New York Night Train and Groover Recordings.-Members:...

 Discography

EP’s

• Grand Mal (No. 6) 1996

Full-Length

• Pleasure Is No Fun (CD/LP) (No. 6) 1997
• Maledictions (CD) (Slash/London) 1999
• Bad Timing (CD) (Arena Rock) 2003
• Love Is The Best Con in Town (New York Night Train) 2006
• Congratulations You’ve Re-joined the Human Race (Groover Recordings) 2007
• Clandestine Songs (Groover Recordings) TBR April 7, 2010

Tracks Appear On:

• “Stay in Bed” Jawbreaker (film)
  Jawbreaker (film)
  Jawbreaker is an American black comedy satire film, directed by Darren Stein. It was released February 19, 1999. The film stars Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz, and Judy Greer as girls in an exclusive clique in their high school. Charlotte Ayanna has a non-speaking cameo role as a...
  
  : Music from the Motion Picture (London) 1999
• “Hey Man” This is Next Year: A Brooklyn-Based Compilation (Arena Rock) 2001
• Jean and Cover: A Compilation (Groover Recordings) 2005
• The World Turns all Around Him: A Compilation (Groover Recordings) 2006
• 50 Minutes: A Compilation (Exercise1 Recordings) 2006

External links

• Myspace: Grand Mal
• Blogspot: Clandestine Band
• [ All Music Guide: Grand Mal]
• [ All Music Guide: St. Johnny]