John Dwyer

John Dwyer has been a driving force of the American rock underground for several decades, through the prolific output of his many bands, particularly <a href="spotify:artist:3qYfqdVwX0fil71onLpLkh">Thee Oh Sees</a>, as well as his renowned <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Castle+Face%22">Castle Face</a> label. Originally from Providence, Rhode Island, and connected to the city's storied noise-rock scene, he relocated to San Francisco during the late '90s and participated in several groups who earned cult followings, including the art-punk duo <a href="spotify:artist:6vztgb3PFi0wW5iRDBDfkV">Pink & Brown</a> and the garage-punk outfit <a href="spotify:artist:1ubsCjea2yzGyHQEPol3Y5">Coachwhips</a>. He launched the lo-fi experimental project <a href="spotify:artist:5PhWi4UkdjJYThzuoMItQa">Orinoka Crash Suite</a>, which shortened its name to <a href="spotify:artist:5PhWi4UkdjJYThzuoMItQa">OCS</a> in 2003. Briefly known as <a href="spotify:artist:3qYfqdVwX0fil71onLpLkh">the OhSees</a>, the project evolved from a psych-folk group to a full-fledged rock band. Dubbed <a href="spotify:artist:3qYfqdVwX0fil71onLpLkh">Thee Oh Sees</a>, they quickly earned a reputation for their intense, sweat-soaked live shows, as well as their restless release schedule, which averaged at least one full-length per year, in addition to singles, splits, and compilations. The band's sound constantly expanded, incorporating influences such as Krautrock, prog, and proto-metal. Dwyer explored electronic music with his <a href="spotify:artist:6dP7OHshDvGHaNNSwunol4">Silver Apples</a>-inspired solo project <a href="spotify:artist:0OqqomaR6NwSNKDpqnHlBo">Damaged Bug</a>, and some of these influences filtered their way into his main band, who shortened their name to <a href="spotify:artist:3qYfqdVwX0fil71onLpLkh">Oh Sees</a>, then finally <a href="spotify:artist:0Ynh5WKqwbdYqJUpVpfEGS">Osees</a>. Dwyer also began collaborating with a revolving cast of guest musicians on a series of freely improvised experimental albums, including 2020's Bent Arcana and 2021's Gong Splat.

Dwyer started making lo-fi experimental music in the late '90s when he was still based in Providence, where he grew up. Solo material as <a href="spotify:artist:5PhWi4UkdjJYThzuoMItQa">Orinoka Crash Suite</a> appeared on compilations, and he participated in noise rock groups like <a href="spotify:artist:0WTbd0CNzwX8ZM8xRr3qCf">Landed</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3MYvfJo6anRwgn8mOsv7mu">Burmese</a>, who were affiliated with the city's notorious <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Load+Records%22">Load Records</a>. After moving to San Francisco, Dwyer formed the <a href="spotify:artist:2og3FOCLYXT9H7IYE6QPUq">Lightning Bolt</a>-inspired duo <a href="spotify:artist:6vztgb3PFi0wW5iRDBDfkV">Pink & Brown</a>, with Jeff Rosenberg as drummer and Dwyer singing and playing guitar. Under the alias Hans Bunschlapen, Dwyer performed in the homoerotic electro-industrial dance group <a href="spotify:artist:1afKvMs6hSX8c0tXSy35GD">Zeigenbock Kopf</a>. He also formed the noisy garage rock band <a href="spotify:artist:1ubsCjea2yzGyHQEPol3Y5">Coachwhips</a>, who achieved their lo-fi sound by using a telephone transducer as a microphone.

Dwyer began releasing music under the shortened <a href="spotify:artist:5PhWi4UkdjJYThzuoMItQa">OCS</a> name in 2003, with a self-titled double album consisting of a CD containing acoustic songs and a second disc of noise improvisations. <a href="spotify:artist:5PhWi4UkdjJYThzuoMItQa">OCS</a> gradually became Dwyer's main project, as his other acts disbanded, although he also played in short-lived groups like <a href="spotify:artist:2ZtnzkPlsqWlax9SaI3eKH">the Hospitals</a> and Yikes. Along with percussionist and musical saw player Patrick Mullins, <a href="spotify:artist:5PhWi4UkdjJYThzuoMItQa">OCS</a> released 3 & 4 on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Narnack+Records%22">Narnack Records</a> in 2005. Brigid Dawson joined the band for 2006's The Cool Death of Island Raiders, billed to <a href="spotify:artist:3qYfqdVwX0fil71onLpLkh">the OhSees</a>. 2007's Sucks Blood, as <a href="spotify:artist:3qYfqdVwX0fil71onLpLkh">the Oh Sees</a>, marked the first release on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Castle+Face%22">Castle Face</a>, the label co-founded by Dwyer. By 2008, the band amended their name to <a href="spotify:artist:3qYfqdVwX0fil71onLpLkh">Thee Oh Sees</a> and settled into a four-piece lineup featuring bassist Petey Dammit and drummer Mike Shoun, and their sound crystallized into a signature brand of psychedelic garage punk. The band earned much acclaim for their blistering live shows as well as their inventive albums and EPs, which appeared at a rapid pace on labels like <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22In+the+Red%22">In the Red</a>, <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Captured+Tracks%22">Captured Tracks</a>, and <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Castle+Face%22">Castle Face</a>.

While mainly busy playing in <a href="spotify:artist:3qYfqdVwX0fil71onLpLkh">Thee Oh Sees</a> and running his label, Dwyer occasionally participated in the free jazz trio Sword & Sandals. After relocating to Los Angeles, he launched his synth-based solo project, <a href="spotify:artist:0OqqomaR6NwSNKDpqnHlBo">Damaged Bug</a>, in 2014. <a href="spotify:artist:3qYfqdVwX0fil71onLpLkh">Thee Oh Sees</a> shifted their lineup but remained active, while Dwyer and Dawson revived <a href="spotify:artist:5PhWi4UkdjJYThzuoMItQa">OCS</a> for 2017's Memory of a Cut Off Head. As <a href="spotify:artist:3qYfqdVwX0fil71onLpLkh">Oh Sees</a>, the band released some of their heaviest material yet, from 2017's Orc to 2019's Face Stabber. Shortening the name to <a href="spotify:artist:0Ynh5WKqwbdYqJUpVpfEGS">Osees</a>, the group issued several albums in 2020, including the motorik psych-punk release Protean Threat.

In 2020, Dwyer started releasing a series of improvised group efforts recorded at his house, blending jazz fusion and Krautrock influences. Bent Arcana was the first, and it featured <a href="spotify:artist:3HJIB8sYPyxrFGuwvKXSLR">TV on the Radio</a>'s Kyp Malone, <a href="spotify:artist:09dtG7dXAqKLywqUfYSo6c">Mr. Elevator</a>'s Tomas Dolas, percussionist <a href="spotify:artist:6Hawprezl5SMdIX7IfnbBm">Ryan Sawyer</a>, and several others. Witch Egg followed in early 2021, featuring Dolas and saxophonist Brad Caulkins from the previous album, as well as drummer Nick Murray and bassist <a href="spotify:artist:37xkFjKBt1jPPZht4DPc8i">Greg Coates</a>. Next up was the more challenging Endless Garbage, which featured the freewheeling, splattery percussion of Ted Byrnes. Moon-Drenched followed, featuring much of the cast of Bent Arcana as well as electric pianist <a href="spotify:artist:3NAPMCsYGvsjBJuCTzb4GO">Ben Boye</a> and saxophonist Joce Soubrian. The year concluded with the release of Gong Splat, which included <a href="spotify:artist:37xkFjKBt1jPPZht4DPc8i">Coates</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6Hawprezl5SMdIX7IfnbBm">Sawyer</a> as well as percussionist <a href="spotify:artist:3tPndFYzl1nK2xeN9Z2aiU">Andres Renteria</a> and synth player <a href="spotify:artist:6t6IlKgI1nffZNQMV74l5e">Wilder Zoby</a>. ~ Paul Simpson, Rovi