John London
Encyclopedia
John Carl Kuehne better known as John London, was an American
musician
and songwriter
, and was involved in several Hollywood
television
and movie
productions. He was most notably associated with both the band The Monkees
, and their 1960s television series.
A friend of Michael Nesmith
's from Texas
, who had played with him (mostly bass guitar
) in several working bands, he accompanied Nesmith and then-wife Phyllis Barbour to California
, to try their luck in the Los Angeles
-area music scene. When Nesmith was cast in The Monkees, he recruited London as his stand-in on the set, and when the originally-fictitious band began playing on their own recordings, London sometimes served as bassist, allowing Peter Tork
to play keyboards
, banjo
, or another instrument. London also co-wrote "Don't Call On Me" with Nesmith, which was featured on Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, & Jones, Ltd.
and a second-season TV episode, and appeared in bit parts on the show.
London also played bass for other L.A.-based bands. In late 1969, he and Nesmith, who had decided to leave the Monkees, formed a new group with pedal steel guitar
ace Red Rhodes
and drummer John Ware
. Calling themselves the First National Band
, the group signed with RCA Records
. While praised for their country rock
innovations, the band had little commercial success, and eventually broke up.
Years after the Monkees and the First National Band, London served as key grip
on several different productions, including 48 Hrs.
, Who Will Love My Children?, The Karate Kid, Long Time Gone
, and Hudson Hawk
.
He died in Rockport, Texas
in 2000, aged 58.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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....
and 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 was involved in several Hollywood
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
and movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
productions. He was most notably associated with both the band The Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
, and their 1960s television series.
A friend of Michael Nesmith
Michael Nesmith
Robert Michael Nesmith is an American musician, songwriter, actor, producer, novelist, businessman, and philanthropist, best known as a member of the musical group The Monkees and star of the TV series of the same name...
's from Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, who had played with him (mostly bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) in several working bands, he accompanied Nesmith and then-wife Phyllis Barbour to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, to try their luck in the Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
-area music scene. When Nesmith was cast in The Monkees, he recruited London as his stand-in on the set, and when the originally-fictitious band began playing on their own recordings, London sometimes served as bassist, allowing Peter Tork
Peter Tork
Peter Tork is an American musician and actor, best known as a member of The Monkees.-Early life:Tork was born Peter Halsten Thorkelson in Washington, D.C.. Although he was born in 1942, many news articles report him as born in 1944 in New York City as this was the date and place given on early...
to play keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, or another instrument. London also co-wrote "Don't Call On Me" with Nesmith, which was featured on Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, & Jones, Ltd.
Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, & Jones, Ltd.
Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. was the fourth album by The Monkees, released on November 6, 1967, when the Monkees were exerting more control over their music and actually playing many of the instruments themselves, something their record company had previously forbidden...
and a second-season TV episode, and appeared in bit parts on the show.
London also played bass for other L.A.-based bands. In late 1969, he and Nesmith, who had decided to leave the Monkees, formed a new group with pedal steel guitar
Pedal steel guitar
The pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that uses a metal bar to "fret" or shorten the length of the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. Unlike other types of steel guitar, it also uses pedals and knee levers to affect the pitch, hence the name "pedal"...
ace Red Rhodes
Red Rhodes
Rhodes played pedal steel on many country rock, pop and rock albums with The Monkees, James Taylor, Seals and Crofts, The Byrds, The Carpenters and many other groups. He is most often remembered for his work with former Monkee Michael Nesmith on Nesmith's first solo albums in the early 1970s...
and drummer John Ware
John Ware
John Ware was an African-American and later African-Canadian cowboy, best remembered for his ability to ride and train horses and for bringing the first cattle to southern Alberta in 1882, helping to create that province's important ranching industry.Ware was born into slavery in South Carolina...
. Calling themselves the First National Band
First National Band
The First National Band was a short-lived American collaborative band, led by former Monkee Michael Nesmith, which issued three albums in the country rock genre in 1970–1971.-Pre-First National Band:...
, the group signed with RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
. While praised for their country rock
Country rock
Country rock is sub-genre of popular music, formed from the fusion of rock with country. The term is generally used to refer to the wave of rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s, beginning with Bob Dylan and The Byrds; reaching its greatest...
innovations, the band had little commercial success, and eventually broke up.
Years after the Monkees and the First National Band, London served as key grip
Key grip
In the United States and many parts of the world in film-making, the key grip is the head of the grip department and chief rigging technician on the set. Using light, he or she is in charge of the shadows of light, the movement of the camera, the placing of cameras on any stationary, moving,...
on several different productions, including 48 Hrs.
48 Hrs.
48 Hrs. is a 1982 American action comedy film directed by Walter Hill, starring Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy as a cop and convict, respectively, who team up to catch a cop-killer. The title refers to the amount of time they have to solve the crime. This was Eddie Murphy's film debut , and Joel...
, Who Will Love My Children?, The Karate Kid, Long Time Gone
Long Time Gone
"Long Time Gone" is a country song by Darrell Scott, published on the 2000 album Real Time which Scott recorded together with Tim O'Brien.-Content:...
, and Hudson Hawk
Hudson Hawk
Hudson Hawk is a 1991 American action comedy film directed by Michael Lehmann. Bruce Willis stars in the title role and also co-wrote the story. Danny Aiello, Andie MacDowell, James Coburn, David Caruso, Lorraine Toussaint, Frank Stallone, Sandra Bernhard, and Richard E...
.
He died in Rockport, Texas
Rockport, Texas
Rockport is a city in Aransas County, Texas, United States. The population was 7,385 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Aransas County. The coastal community has approximately 8000 citizens. Large windswept live oaks are a dominating feature of the area and the state's oldest live oak,...
in 2000, aged 58.