Any artist is welcome to send us a track via freshonthenet.co.uk anytime between Monday lunchtime and Wednesday evening (or when we receive 200 submissions, whichever is sooner) - and all our moderators, including Tom Robinson, will listen to every track. This is our full inbox from the week beginning Mon 16 December 2024: from Friday afternoon you'll be able to hear our shortlist and pick your favourites on this week's Listening Post which will appear at freshonthenet.co.uk/batch554

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Entire Inbox: Batch 554

OWOSSO -- Mid-Michigan based singer-songwriter Johnny Z announces the music release of “Go Away, Rona!”, on all major streaming and download platforms. In addition to the song release, a music video has been created and is available on the artist’s YouTube channel.
Affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, as we all are, Johnny has not been idle, making productive use of the past six months by writing songs in a variety of styles, encompassing acoustic folk and acoustic pop, and through to this newest song, an intense musical statement reflective of our tension filled existence.
Inspiration for the song came from a casual Facebook post, by one of Johnny Z’s friend and fellow musician, lamenting the inability to perform with his bandmates, attributing this isolation to the Coronavirus. From this posting, Johnny recognized the potential for a title to a new song and it began to take form. The lyrics contain phrases which have entered our daily lexicon and imagery that we’ve come to find common place.
The words and music were written by Johnny Stephen Zawacki, his most recent in a string of 10 songs he’s penned since the beginning of the pandemic, and it’s a bit of a departure from his past and most recent writing genres. “Rona” is best described as post-metal pop, the latter incorporates a style which keeps the song very accessible and engaging to the casual listener. It’s fleshed out with the musical artistry of the writer, where he has social distanced in his home studio, relying only on himself for all singing and performances, and consists of multiple guitars, bass and percussion.
In conjunction with the release of the music streaming and download options, a music video has been created by Johnny Z, a natural tie-in, for him, since he owns and operates Michigan Video Services, and is adept at the compiling and editing of video. Interspersed with recording performance footage, the viewer will entertained with the familar, including familiar individuals and images gathered from the public domain and beyond.
“Go Away, Rona!”, is available to stream or download on all major platforms, including Amazon Music, Apple iTunes Music, Spotify and many more, worldwide. To search in your platform or app of choice, enter key words “go away rona” and/or “johnny z”. To stream the video, go to youtu.be/6NYNbRqjNAU, or simply search by entering the search words already referenced. 
lyrics

"Go Away, Rona!" (single version) by Johnny Z

Released only as an internet single, this track is available for sale via bandcamp, Amazon, Apple Music, and all other major on line retailers.

Internet Single Release

"Daddy Was a Rounder' by Johnny Z

Wrote this one, over a two day period, for the ‘What Sounds Good Tonight?’ Contest, sponsored by Campbell’s® and SoundCloud.

I'm drawing upon the new and old phraseology, of their soup promotion, and added the old-timey jump rhythm.

"What Sounds Good Tonight?" by Johnny Z

This is the song Wayne wrote and was recorded at a recording studio
in Flint Michigan called Prophonics inc.  Wayne Kazmer lead vocals and guitarist, Dave Wagner backup vocals and Bass guitar, John Baleja Rhythm guitar, and Bob (Prune)a Carter on the drums

It's A LIe

Cosmic Slide.wav

Aim A Little Higher

From the forthcoming album Endorfinika Splendara, slated for a 2025 release.

Words & music by d.iorio. Recorded, mixed, performed and produced by d.iorio. All rights reserved 2024.

endorfinika splendara

shauna Mc Ardle Music~ lights

The fate of our democracy rested in the hands of the USA voters. Though this song was initially directed at the conservative justices on SCOTUS, it really encompassed our choices regarding the direction for this country. We must keep in mind that the court's balance could be pushed even further toward an extreme conservative ideology. We are now in uncharted territory, though the direction the newly reelected president plans to take is VERY clear.

"Before the End" by Johnny Z

A song about the eternal endurance of love. 12 string guitar and vocals.

With This Love - Written By Bill Hall ©️ Wiliam J. Hall

The beginning part was written by David Mallet
used by permission.  Sung by David Tamulevich.

My part comes in after, and takes it from there.
Just a vision that doesn't want to come true, but slouches toward
somewhere to be born again.

A Resolution Of Something

Pay The Toll

A Change Is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke) BMI

I Will (Lennon-McCartney) BMI

A song about a magical rhubarb pie, and Cathi, the girl who baked it.

Rhubarb Pie

Johnny Stephen Zawacki, aka Johnny Z, is a singer-songwriter and music performance artist, based in Michigan, whose professional career began in the late-1960s.
     First taking the stage as a folk musician, which was an extremely popular genre of the time, he performed at notable venues such as The Earl of Old Town, in Chicago. His influences, however, did not end there and his public persona took on various forms over the years, most notably that of a singer-songwriter. Not limiting himself to live performances, Johnny Z has also contributed film and TV commercial soundtracks, as well as his own music recordings.
     A prolific songwriter, his ever-expanding catalog currently numbers around 100 songs, many of which are commercially available within nine album and seven internet single releases. Johnny’s love of all musical styles is reflected in what he writes, ranging from lullabies, through pop vocal, to classically inspired instrumental pieces. He addresses the human experience, whether it be through a traditional love ballad, or to that of our relating to the deep political and social concerns of the day. His skillful writing took on the current pandemic frustrations, in “Go Away, Rona!”, but in such a way that it’s timeless framing can be appreciated well beyond our present COVID concerns.
     The pandemic has necessitated a redefining of our social and professional lives and Johnny Z’s presentation of his recorded output has not been unaffected. Whereas he would previously assemble handpicked professional musicians to assist his recordings, at area recording studios, he’s now taken on all musical and technical aspects of this endeavor, which include all instrument performances, recording and producing. In fact, he’s gone a step further and has self-produced music videos to compliment his two most recently released internet singles.
     During the pandemic, Johnny Z has been musically invigorated, writing over a dozens new songs, some of which were included on his newest String Theory and Mind the Gap, new album releases, from 2022 and 2021, respectively. Another 17 songs were part of another 2021 release of rediscovered recordings, dating from 1982, which did with his Johnny Z and the Spotlights band, and titled Coda. He’s already working on a new album and the follow-up to String Theory, tentatively titled Artifacts. On January 6, 2023, he’s released a new internet only single, from this upcoming album, “Gotta Get Away”.

Fresh On The Net is a music blog hosted by Tom Robinson and Team Freshnet, offering independent artists an open door and a level playing field for their music. Our inbox is open at http://freshonthenet.co.uk every Monday to Thursday morning - if you share a track with us there it will be heard by every member of our moderation team.

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"Before the End" by Johnny Z

johnnyzawacki

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