About
Name: John-Allison Weiss
Nicknames: Johnny, JAW
Birthday: April 13, 1987
Height: 5'8"
Hair: Brown Eyes: Blue
Marks: Tattoos, scar on temple, freckles.
John-Allison Weiss is a singer/songwriter living life on their own terms. Born in Michigan and raised in Georgia, they started making music in high school and never stopped. Their career started online where they made lifelong fans through MySpace and Tumblr, lonely hearts across the globe who found solace in their soft songs and hope in their louder ones.
From 2010-2020 they toured relentlessly, sharing the stage with everyone from Lou Reed to Letters to Cleo. They wrote songs with heroes like Tegan Quin and Kevin Devine and took their music to two more continents with tours in the UK and Australia. Flying just under the radar, Weiss earned a cult following and the respect of peers like The Wonder Years, Into It. Over It., Now Now, The Front Bottoms, Jenny Owen Youngs, Julia Nunes, Cartalk, Hit Like a Girl, Kississippi, Koji, and the list goes on.
In 2021 Weiss successfully raised $14,000 to independently make their fourth studio album and went into the studio that summer with producer Bradley Hale (Sombear, Now Now). In mid-2022 they announced a partnership with Get Better Records to release the new record worldwide, details to come.
Today JAW continues to make music on the internet while roaming the continental United States in their travel trailer. Supported by Patreon and the sweet sweet streams of their legion of listeners, Weiss lives their life in pursuit of community, authenticity, and love.
Johnny currently lives with their cat Mouse in their best friends' driveway as they prepare to finally release their first album in six years.
History
2004-2005
The beginning. JAW plays bass in a pop punk band and a metal band in their hometown of Flowery Branch, GA. No real shows played. They start an acoustic duo with a friend and mostly play emo covers and songs JAW writes. This leads to eventual solo sets at open mics in Buford, GA.
2006-2009
JAW attends art school at University of Georgia. They play tons of shows in Athens, GA and Atlanta plus weekend shows in surrounding towns across the southeast. JAW books a couple DIY tours during this time by messaging coffee shops on MySpace and promoting on Facebook.
2009-2010
A kickstarter campaign to fund their EP goes early internet viral on Tumblr and JAW is recognized in outlets like the New York TImes and Wired for being on the starting end of this tech game changer. JAW also does a couple self booked tours with friends like Bess Rogers, Jenny Owen Youngs and Lelia Broussard: The Spring Break Forever Tour and the Quest For Glory Tour.
2010-2013
JAW moves to Brooklyn, NY where they live for three years. They play tons of shows in NYC and the surrounding cities with friends like Jenny Owen Youngs, Bess Rogers, Lelia Broussard, Field Mouse, A Great Big World, and Greg Holden. During this time they come out as gay and cut their hair into a cool mullet. Tours around this time included the self booked Forever Alone tour. This was the first time JAW got a taste of the solo road touring.
2012-2014
JAW again runs a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund their 2013 record Say What You Mean which they record in a literal closet with friend Chris Kuffner. The duo tours Europe opening for Lou Reed with JAW also singing in his backup band. After getting attention from Dan Campbell of The Wonder Years, JAW starts hanging around more folks in the "alt-press scene" (as they like to call it). During this time JAW plays Warped Tour twice on the acoustic stage. It was the best of times and the worst of times. JAW makes a big move to Los Angeles, California.
2015-2017
JAW signs to SideOneDummy records and releases a new album New Love produced by Bradley Hale and Forrest Kline. Things quiet down as JAW settles into a married life... but gender feelings are bubbling. It's not all dreary though, JAW releases a song called Runaway that's co written with the legendary Tegan Quin, and does full-band tours in the UK and Australia.
2018
JAW officially comes out as nonbinary and briefly identifies under the moniker A.W. (now defunct). SideOneDummy drops all of their artists and fires their employees. JAW is left without funding for a follow up to New Love. Switching gears, they book a DIY living room tour in late fall of 2018 and launch Lower Key Music in the process. JAW's song "Who We Are" is used as the theme for Cameron Esposito's podcast Queery.
2019
The AWFC is born on Patreon, which later becomes J.A.W.S. Club after JAW officially changes their name to John-Allison Weiss. Music is a little stagnant as Weiss is focusing on gender. They take voice lessons with Allie Moss to navigate a changing voice. Touring as always, JAW hits the road with Hit Like A Girl for their last tour before the world changes.
2020
The year starts strong with JAW releasing an EP from their new project Charlie Mtn. After all tours are canceled amidst the covid pandemic, JAW makes a decision to move into their Jeep and spend the year exploring the outdoors, camping, writing, and visiting friends. They deep dive into discovering themselves and what they want out of life: to write songs and share. This is also the year JAW loses touch with their parents over Black Lives Matter protests and begins to question their relationship to capitalism. Identifying as an artist becomes more important than ever.
2021
In January JAW writes and records demos for a new album. In February they buy an old camper on craigslist and move in. With a battery and a solar panel they spend their time boondocking in the desert, or plugged in at friends places. A Global Event will get you reevaluating your life, and JAW decides it's time to pursue art and personal pleasure for a while. In the Spring JAW launches a fundraiser for an album and in May they drop in on friend and producer Bradley Hale to make it. JAW and SOMBEAR spend two weeks in the suburbs of Minneapolis recording Weiss's next full-length record, their first in six years.
2022
JAW announces an alliance with Get Better Records and finally makes plans to release their new record.