John Moen
Encyclopedia
John Moen is a musician and member of The Decemberists, Boston Spaceships
, and Perhapst. He sings, plays the drums, five banjos, the melodica
, occasionally the keyboard, and dances around with a floor tom. Moen has played the drums since he was 15 years old.
Prior to joining The Decemberists, John played with over 20 bands including singer-songwriter
Elliott Smith
, The Jicks
, Cavemanish Boys, The Dharma Bums
, The Minus 5
(sometimes) and the Maroons.
He was born in Brainerd, Minnesota
and raised in Salem, Oregon
. He has been an integral part of the music scene in and around Portland, Oregon
since the 1980s. He has one daughter and has expressed interest in gardening and cooking. He is also a big fan of the Portland Trail Blazers
NBA team.
Moen's nicknames include Spydur, Hot Dog, Jack, Banjo, Dusty, Johnny Go Go Go, and Mighty Music Cotton Candy Man.
He is noted for having perfect pitch.
Boston Spaceships
Boston Spaceships is a pop, punk and rock music band featuring Robert Pollard of Guided By Voices, John Moen , and Chris Slusarenko of Guided By Voices. The name of the band comes from a nickname Pollard gave to the Boston cream donut from Krispy Kreme, which is Pollard's favorite donut...
, and Perhapst. He sings, plays the drums, five banjos, the melodica
Melodica
The melodica, also known as the "blow-organ" or "key-flute", is a free-reed instrument similar to the melodeon and harmonica. It has a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. Pressing a key opens a hole,...
, occasionally the keyboard, and dances around with a floor tom. Moen has played the drums since he was 15 years old.
Prior to joining The Decemberists, John played with over 20 bands including singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Elliott Smith
Elliott Smith
Steven Paul "Elliott" Smith was an American singer-songwriter and musician. Smith was born in Omaha, Nebraska, raised primarily in Texas, and resided for a significant portion of his life in Portland, Oregon, where he first gained popularity...
, The Jicks
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks is a rock band consisting of Stephen Malkmus, Mike Clark, Joanna Bolme, and Jake Morris. Malkmus was the main singer and songwriter behind the influential 1990s indie rock band Pavement.-History:...
, Cavemanish Boys, The Dharma Bums
Dharma Bums (band)
The Dharma Bums were a U.S. garage band in the best traditions of the MC5 and early 80s college-rock bands such as Rain Parade and R.E.M.. The band's members were Jim, John, Jeremy, and Eric...
, The Minus 5
The Minus 5
The Minus 5 is an American rock band, headed by musician Scott McCaughey and featuring R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck.-Band history:Formed in 1993, McCaughey designed the Minus 5 as a pop collective, with each record the group put out featuring a new lineup...
(sometimes) and the Maroons.
He was born in Brainerd, Minnesota
Brainerd, Minnesota
Brainerd is a city in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,590 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Crow Wing County and one of the largest cities in Central Minnesota...
and raised in Salem, Oregon
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
. He has been an integral part of the music scene in and around Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
since the 1980s. He has one daughter and has expressed interest in gardening and cooking. He is also a big fan of the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
NBA team.
Moen's nicknames include Spydur, Hot Dog, Jack, Banjo, Dusty, Johnny Go Go Go, and Mighty Music Cotton Candy Man.
He is noted for having perfect pitch.