269:) that they decided they could do better themselves. "Me and Davie, or me and Brian, or me, Brian and Davie went to see Captain Beefheart, and Left End were playing. And they were real bad. And I said that we could do better than that. We started practicing on the back porch. I played guitar and Brian played piano cause he didn't want to play guitar. We figured Davie could sing cause he didn't do anything else. We had our ideas about playing anti-music back then." The band only played out 5 times. The first two times were in Columbus, Ohio, where they'd relocated "because John thought his life in danger from a jealous husband. The rest of us just followed as usual." Their last three shows were after returning to Cleveland. A few years after the eels called it quits,
33:
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336:, also a member of "The Dicks" and seen in the fake band photo of the X____X single. Once in NY, most of his creative energies were focused on his visual art. Despite an increasing addiction to drugs and alcohol, Morton was initially very productive, exhibiting often in his own solo shows and w/ group shows such as his own curated
200:
and
Dendler was also living in New York at the time. Upon inquiring as to the jacket's current whereabouts, Dendler answered by pointing to the doormat below them. Morton offered to replace the doormat and asked if he could have the jacket even though it was now tattered, in need of much repair.
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jazz catalogue from him. Laughner's interest was piqued by this esoteric taste in music, as well as by Morton's hulking appearance and peroxide blonde long hair, both at that time in
Cleveland (especially) being quite unique, so he struck up a conversation. A few years later the two would both
324:, another band that Morton has played with at various times over the years in Cleveland and New York (most recently on their 2010 Dymaxion US Tour of 2010). Johnny and the Dicks played gigs in DC, Buffalo and Cleveland, ultimately releasing an "album" with no record, just the cover art.
302:. You could put anything between the X's, like "Appearing tonight, "X 'Charles Manson and the Family' X" In our short 6-month career we played out 4 times, recorded two 45s on Drome Records. We were a very tight band, not by design.
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Morton subsequently repaired the jacket using safety pins to make it wearable and liked the look so much that he gleefully added even more safety pins. It's also been said that Morton wrote the lyrics to one of his earliest songs,
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In 2011, he participated in the Violet Times curated Foggy Notion art exhibition where he also debuted a new 3 piece musical group, The
Dunking Swine of Chelsea, performing on treated electric sitar, theremin,
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music attaining mainstream attention on an international level like never before. Both sides were recorded during one of the band's many rehearsals, with the original Rough Trade single release version of
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and others during the punk rock explosion of the late 70's. It was a jacket that Morton had admired a few years prior on his friend and mentor, Royce
Dendler, an assistant professor at
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added a lot of professionalism with his work on the drumbo kit." A fake band photo with no actual members was also circulated and appeared on the back of one of the band's two
205:, after Dendler "walked him around New York and told him to write them." He recorded the song a few weeks later in September 1972 and it was eventually released in 1997 on the
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Throughout the 80's and 90's Morton continued to focus on his visual art as well as writing, surfing, traveling and eventually overcoming his various addictions. He formed
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in 1972. The other original members were his friends Dave E McManus and Brian McMahon. The impetus for finally becoming an actual band being after they'd been to see a
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Morton wore a jean jacket held together by safety pins as early as 1971, years before the use of safety pins became a widespread part of
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In 2012 Morton played on the sessions for two
Scarcity of Tanks albums and performed as part of the group at a show in Brooklyn, NY.
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perform at the
Special Extermination Night shows at the Viking Saloon. Morton appeared with electric eels, Laughner as a member of
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799:"Something That Would Never do: I interviewed John Morton in Maximum Rocknroll for the Foggy Notion art exhibition, yes i did"
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177:, and other avenues. "Being an artist seemed like a way-viable means to get away with a whole lot of societal misbehaving."
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367:. Some of his writing has been published in the Ecstatic Peace Poetry Journal (#5 and No. 6, poems 2002), Cle Magazine (
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a catalog of Morton's music released by his bands and appearances on other bands' releases, including artwork credits
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includes a selected list of exhibitions (curatorial and participatory), published writing, and music discography
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Growing up in and around
Cleveland, John Morton played in bands during school while simultaneously getting into
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w/ accompaniment by violin and vocals. As of early 2013, it's been the
Dunking Swine's only live appearance.
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were also formed in 1979, a performance art group who performed to a pre-recorded soundtrack, including
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196:, whom Morton met when he was 14 years of age. Morton later visited Dendler while he was attending
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Those Were
Different Times A Memoir Of Cleveland Life: 1967–1973 (Part One) by Charlotte Pressler
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558:, Aglutinador Space, Havana, Cuba. A one-person exhibition concerning an ex-pat's life in Cuba.
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184:. The use of safety pins in clothing and piercings was later popularized by artists such as
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532:, One-Person Photography and Art Installation The Word & Image Gallery, Treadwell, NY
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includes history, discography / recording details, MP3s and notes by former band members
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store, where
Laughner clerked after school, when Morton ordered about half of the
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In late 1978, Morton moved to New York with his wife at the time, the artist
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Those Were Different Times A Memoir of Cleveland Life: 1967–1973 (Part One)
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From the Velvets to the Voidoids: A Pre-Punk History for a Post-Punk World
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completed the bills which took place in December 1974 and January 1975.
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352:(201 W 41st, Summer 1980). Morton was one of the prime movers of
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gig and were unimpressed enough by the support band (Youngstown's
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includes images of art and links to other articles about Morton
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Morton playing with X_____X at the Cake Shop in New York City
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506:, Group Exhibition, Live With Animals Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
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He continues making art and music, as he has always done.
133:(born March 27, 1953) is an American musician born in the
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Murder, Suicide & Junk: October 25 – November 9, 1980
657:"The eyeball of hell - liner notes by John Morton page 2"
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Someday All The Adults Will Die' Punk Graphics 1971–1984
519:, Group Exhibition, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY
253:
The electric eels 'Agitated' 45 cover by John D Morton
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545:, Bienal Alternative Group Exhibition, Havana, Cuba.
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also features many electric eels and related images
281:, released in the UK during 1978, at the height of
909:Maximum Rocknroll interview, issue #337 June 2011
601:Maximum Rocknroll interview, issue #337 June 2011
298:In late 1979, Morton formed a short lived band, "
293:
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328:Visual art, writing and music after leaving Ohio
834:(written 1978, published 1980), CLE 3A Magazine
493:, Group Exhibition, Hayward Gallery, London, UK
461:Albert Ayler's Ghosts live at the Yellow Ghetto
923:contains images and reviews of this exhibition
722:Paul Marotta's electric eels liner notes from
842:England's Dreaming: Sex Pistols and Punk Rock
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704:
620:"An Interview with John Morton by Alex Simon"
683:"The Styrenes - liner notes by Paul Marotta"
348:(Delancey St., Jan. 1980), and the infamous
737:"Die Electric Eels* - Agitated / Cyclotron"
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755:"Electric Eels Discography (Sort by date)"
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356:, becoming the group's president in 1982.
169:and others as well as art thru films like
141:, best known as the leader and founder of
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915:Ugly Things interview, issue #33 May 2012
273:released the band's debut, a 7" single,
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899:(contains explicit language and images)
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377:Sun Ra – Alien Against Manifest Destiny
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263:Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band
897:John Morton's electric eels website
290:being put to tape on May 25, 1975.
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474:– My Mind's Eye Records (2018)
294:Ohio bands after Electric Eels
220:Also around that time, he met
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927:Mortonian stuff emanates here
891:electric eels at Scat Records
885:John Morton: Artwork Extant!!
587:
439:Bad Fuggum From The Mysterium
257:John Morton founded the band
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16:American musician (born 1953)
953:American punk rock musicians
887:his visual art is shown here
530:Word Falling – Photo Falling
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373:Psychotronic Video Magazine
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724:Those Were Different Times
517:Looking at Music: Side Two
207:Those Were Different Times
844:(1991), Faber and Faber,
571:, ABC No Rio Gallery, NYC
365:The New Fag MotherFuckers
320:recorded with Morton and
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948:Musicians from Cleveland
569:Murder, Suicide and Junk
479:Selected art exhibitions
338:Murder, Suicide and Junk
861:(1993), Penguin Books,
543:Esta Es Tu Casa Vicenta
406:45 – Rough Trade (1978)
371:, short fiction 1998),
781:"johnny and the dicks"
583:, Delancey Street, NYC
354:Collaborative Projects
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43:Background information
929:John Morton's website
606:June 5, 2012, at the
575:The Times Square Show
413:CD – Homestead (1991)
350:The Times Square Show
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235:Rocket From The Tombs
397:Selected discography
346:The Real Estate Show
314:Johnny and the Dicks
163:William S. Burroughs
689:on February 8, 2012
626:on December 2, 2015
577:, Times Square, NYC
418:The Eyeball of Hell
318:You're Full of Shit
209:3x10" vinyl set on
828:Charlotte Pressler
645:Safety pin#Culture
581:A Real Estate Show
450:X STICKY FINGERS X
437:Amoeba (Raft Boy)
420:2xLP – Scat (2001)
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850:978-0-571-13975-0
465:Smog Veil Records
443:Smog Veil Records
434:45 – Drome (1980)
427:45 – Drome (1979)
411:God Says Fuck You
379:, article 1994).
361:Amoeba (raft boy)
304:Tony (Anton) Fier
224:at Disc Records'
175:A Bucket of Blood
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385:musique concrète
344:, Winter 1980),
334:Michele Zalopany
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215:The Styrenes
213:credited to
211:Scat Records
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186:Richard Hell
182:punk fashion
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167:Jack Kerouac
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943:1953 births
809:October 16,
432:No Nonsense
271:Rough Trade
190:Sex Pistols
99:avant-garde
937:Categories
838:Jon Savage
588:References
448:X__X LP –
342:ABC No Rio
153:Early life
137:suburb of
94:noise rock
54:1953-03-27
765:March 23,
693:March 21,
310:singles.
283:punk rock
279:Cyclotron
149:in 1972.
143:protopunk
135:Cleveland
84:Punk rock
604:Archived
470:X__X 45
463:EP CD –
430:X__X 45
423:X__X 45
404:Agitated
288:Agitated
275:Agitated
267:Left End
230:ESP-Disk
226:Westgate
203:Mr. Crab
117:mortonia
903:Discogs
822:Sources
741:Discogs
452:LP –
239:Mirrors
112:Website
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848:
467:(2015)
456:(2014)
445:(2002)
369:66 Dog
300:X____X
188:, the
77:Genres
72:, U.S.
66:Origin
459:X__X
441:CD –
145:band
863:ISBN
846:ISBN
811:2012
767:2013
695:2013
669:2013
632:2013
563:1980
550:2000
537:2001
524:2008
511:2009
498:2011
484:2012
277:b/w
119:.com
48:Born
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198:SVA
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