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Todd St. John (aka Johnny)
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Todd St. John (aka Johnny) is one of the main members of a local 80’s music cover band Rubiks Groove. His main character is the bully Johnny from the movie Karate Kid. If your lucky you can catch them all over Middle Tennessee doing their thing.
1.
Tell me about yourself
Well, I’m 6 foot 1, and I’m tons of fun, and I dress to a ‘T'” (anyone, anyone? Rapper’s Delight?). So the 6 foot 1 part is correct. The rest? Hmmm… I dress up like a bully from an iconic 80s movie and play 80s/90s music?
2
Tell me about Rubiks Groove
Rubiks Groove is your “Live 80s & 90s Dance Party” that performs the hits of the 80s and 90s live in a high energy character-based band. Rubiks Groove is never about us- it’s about you. We don’t take ourselves seriously, but we do take the audience’s experience very seriously. We play the high energy songs that people want (sometimes putting aside personal tastes, and constantly try to come up with crazy, silly ideas/shtick/costumes to take you back, to take you away from the worries of this crazy life for a couple of hours, and to make you laugh. The result is mutual enjoyment (usually : ) for the audience and band.
3
When and how did you come up with this concept?
Todd St. John (aka Johnny) and Brian Holliday (aka Pee Widdy) came up with the idea after somewhat burning out on “trying to make it in the music business.” We were in an original band together and wrote together for a few years. During a somewhat lackluster writing session in 2007ish, Brian stopped and said something to the effect of, “why are our songs so darn serious? I want to do music that’s ‘fun!'” Todd- drawing from his past positive cover band experiences- suggested they do an 80s cover band as the 80s screamed “fun!” We then decided to look for other musicians who had “given up on their dreams to make it” in the music business and wanted to have fun performing again. : ). And who knew you could “create” so much in a cover band.
4
Why the 80’s?
The 80s were over the top. There was innovation, variety (from rock to rap to new wave to hair metal), and, of course, MTV that brought a new, crazy visual experience into our living rooms. The characters were iconic and somewhat “cartoonish,” which, we, of course, capture in our costumes, video, and silly “guest appearances” (can you say “Todd and Brian dressing up like Olivia Newton John in leotards in ‘Let’s Get Physical?'” Okay, maybe never again, but you get the idea).
5
What do you like to do in your spare time?
We like to dream up more new and crazy ideas for Rubiks Groove. And, of course, we love to spend every other possible moment with our families who have sacrificed so much to allow us to bring a little joy to people’s lives.
Todd and Rubiks Groove can be found playing all over Middle Tennessee including one of our favorite places Wild Wing Cafe.
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