John McKay (the 1st studio guitarist of Siouxsie) releases his first solo album

[carl17]

May 2025:

John Mckay, the first studio guitarist of the band, will release his first solo album Sixes And Sevens on vinyl, CD and digital, on 8 May 2025, through his official website.

John McKay created a groundbreaking guitar sound in November 1977 at the band' first John Peel session on the beeb. His style was melodic and dissonant, jagged with fuzz (distortion). No one had heard a guitar style like that before. John McKay had an immediate impact on newcomers and then later guitarists. He was cited as an influence by Geordie Walker of Killing Joke, Steve Albini, Thurston Moore, Jim Reid of the Jesus and Mary Chain, and Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine.

This year, in May, he releases a collection of eleven unheard songs recorded  in studio between 1982 and 1986, sung by himself or his wife. Some were recorded with Banshee drummer Kenny Morris. Some were taped with mancunian musican Graham Dowdall  (who also played live with Nico).
Sixes and Sevens contains 11 tracks. The lead single "Flare" is out.



Link for Sixes And Sevens  on vinyl, CD and digital.  https://thejohnmckay.bandcamp.com/album/sixes-and-sevens

[carl17]

Out today ! Here it is.  He sings very well and the songs are sharp and melodic with great guitar textures.


Uncut magazine praised it.

[carl17]

John McKay is doing in 2025 several concerts with his band. His new album Sixes And Sevens is a brilliant post-punk record, it entered the UK Albums Sales Chart at number 38.

Live dates:
Reading, "the Face Bar",  June 17th
https://wegottickets.com/event/657318

London, "the Lexington", June 19th
https://www.seetickets.com/event/john-mckay-s-reactor/the-lexington/3405803

Milton Keynes, Forever Now Festival, June 22th

London, 100 Club, June 23th
https://www.aegpresents.co.uk/event/john-mc-kay/

Blackpool, Rebellion Festival, August 7th

Here's the picture of his 1st guitar who gave this unique sound on the albums The Scream and Join Hands.
It is a Hofner President with 2 holes ! He got it by his grand mother at 16. His uncle who went living in Australia, had left it in the attic. Had he not received it as a gift, he probably would have never played guitar ! The rest is history.

[carl17]

John McKay and his musicians including Jen of the Priscillas, will play the Siouxsie and the Banshees' early classics he composed: Hong Kong Garden, Mirage, Switch, The Staircase (Mystery), Icon, Playground Twist...

New date announced:
19 July, Birmingham, Hare And Hounds Kings Heath. 
https://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/Birmingham/Hare-And-Hounds-Kings-Heath/John-McKays-Reactor/41037741/

[Ulrich]

https://retroman65.blogspot.com/

I was at a local Club Velocity promotions gig at the Face Bar in Reading on Tuesday night to witness the long awaited return of the original Siouxsie & The Banshees guitarist John McKay. The first thing that hit me was how good he looked; all dressed in black, hair slicked back into a Samurai style top knot. Similar to (the much-missed) Geordie from Killing Joke, McKay is effortlessly cool, making it look so easy when of course, we really know it's nothing of the sort. There's a nonchalance to his playing style that belies the immense, razor sharp sound that he conjures from his equally cool black semi-acoustic Hagström guitar.
...

Earlier this year Tiny Global Productions released the beautifully packaged album "Sixes And Sevens" which features unreleased solo recordings made between 1980 and 1989. Former Banshees drummer Kenny Morris who along with McKay, jumped the Banshees ship mid-tour in 1979, features on some of these songs along with Soft Boys bassist Matthew Seligman and John's partner Linda on vocals – sadly both Matthew and Linda passed away in 2020. Don't be put off by the mention of 'unreleased' songs, as usually when record companies put out such recordings there's a very good reason why they were unreleased in the first place. Not so with "Sixes And Sevens" as the songs and sound are excellent and it begs the question just why they were not ever released at the time.

John has assembled a superb band around him, John McKay's Reactor, and it is very much a band rather than just a solo project. One of Retro Man Blog's favourites Jen Brown from The Priscillas is on lead vocals, a perfect choice, it's a role she just had to play, and she looks fabulous next to John.

Read more at the link above (also photos & video there)