Neon Blonde

Neon Blonde is the alter ego of Blood Brothers Vocalist Johnny Whitney and drummer Mark Gajadhar. Unlike the often frantic and frenzied songs of the duo's other band, Neon Blonde is a much more eclectic, dancy and melodius venture, which touches on the art-rock tunes of Brian Eno and early David Bowie. The Seattle band's debut Dim Mak album "Chandeliers in the Savanna" is a collision of elements -- rickety old drum machines, chiming guitars, pugilistic drum breaks, slinking pianos and Whitney's characteristic falsetto wail leading over the top

Those familiar with Whitney's former bands, The Vogue and Soiled Doves (the former having released its first album and garnered "bands to watch" praise from Alternative Press while the group was still in high school) will hear elements of the dark melodies of that group, which later splintered into the Blood Brothers and The Chromatics. But, Neon Blonde brings a refreshing experimental edge to its songs, which results in a charming pastiche of styles and sounds

Dim Mak Releases:
DM084: "Headlines" CDEP/12" single Street Date: July 12, 2005
DM067: "Chandeliers in the Savanna" CD/LP Street Date: September 13, 2004

Press

Look here, even our Soviet brothers enjoy Neon Blonde. If we knew this, maybe we could have avoided that whole nasty Cold War thing.

Redefinemag.com
Great interview

Chandeliers in the Savannah
"Throughout, Whitney comes off like an alternate-reality version of David Bowie if he'd started smoking crack rather than getting hooked on coke"

Urb September 2005

3/3/06
Neve Magazine 2/06
Neon Blonde: Chandeliers in the Savannah
Nobody likes change-especially spoiled brat hardcore kids. Heaven forbid that any band should ever want to alter its sound or ameliorate its craft. After the Blood Brothers released the under appreciated yet absolutely stunning Crimes LP in 2004, a good chunk of their fan-base called foul and complained of them 'selling out' and being 'an art project masquerading as a hardcore band.' Fuck them. Neon blonde, the side project from BB howler Johnny Whitney and drummer Mark Gajadhar, will no doubt cause more bellyaching due to its strict non-conformity to punk-standards (oh, the irony) and eclectic mix of glam-soul, unsyncopated drum-machines and excessive banshee-like yelping. Openers "Black Cactus Killers" and "Princess Skullface Sings" are just familiar teases, further prodding into Chandeliers in the Savannah will quickly reveal that this isn't simply shrieking hardcore; this is progress-and progress is a mighty task.

"That description may sound like a horrific car crash, but trust me these
guys pull it of flawlessly"

Interview about various Blood Brothers side projects

Sweet Review from excellent Dutch zine

"The delivery is no less fiery than anything else Whitney has performed, and the sustainability of those performances are testament to his ball-shattering range"

Boozeismymomma.com say, "their general "fuck off" attitude and complete lack of tact or regard for common decency, not to mention a massive appetite for drugs, alcohol, and violent, head"

30music.comsays, "Neon Blonde have taken the energy and high octane virtuosity of their main project and placed it in an electro noise-rock setting..."

"tosses (m)any rules of modern music to the FM curb"

Great interview

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