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John Eyles
Writing about music is like doing a dance about architecture...
About Me
The first record I owned was “Twist & Shout” by The Beatles. The first album I bought was “Smiley Smile” by The Beach Boys, in 1967. The first jazz album I bought was “Filles de Kilimanjaro” by Miles, in 1968. The first CD I bought was “Gaia” by Marilyn Crispell, in 1989. I haven't yet paid to download an MP3... I started writing about jazz in 1992 when a friend asked me to be the jazz columnist for Murdoch's TODAY newspaper. (Thanks, Nick.) TODAY closed down late in 1995. Since then I have written for many print-based and web-based media, although I have an uncanny knack of writing for publications that close down! (The Independent Catalogue, Rubberneck, Avant, Opprobrium, One Final Note, Paris Transatlantic, BBCi ...) As well as AAJ, I currently write for The Squid's Ear — currently in good health! I have only ever parted from two publications on bad terms, the first a British- based magazine that asked me to write a good review of a mediocre album as the label had bought advertising space in the magazine, the second a US-based website whose editor asked me to rewrite my review of an old album because my view of it did not agree with his; in each case, I declined and never wrote for them again. When reviewing an album, I do not start writing until I am sure— usually after at least ten listenings. I could never write a review after one or two listens. If I really don't like an album, I'll usually leave it be. I would prefer poorer music to be neglected and fade away gracefully than to be panned. If I'm not 100% sure, I'll include some suggested improvements. For recreation I enjoy improvising using voice, alto or sopranino saxophone, and electronics. On Sunday 21st June 2009 as part of the City of London Festival I was one of several hundred saxophonists who crossed London Bridge into Southwark, giving a special performance of “The Leviathan” composed by saxophone professor John Harle to celebrate the City's 800th anniversary. For years I have been a regular participant at AMM drummer Eddie Prevost's weekly Friday evening workshop. I was a founder member of the Mopomoso Workshop set up by guitarist John Russell. I am a member of the thirteen-member London Experimental Ensemble (whose album “Child Ballads: The Final Six” [Don Giovanni Records, 2023] was nominated for Grammy awards in four categories in 2023); the London Improvisers Orchestra; the Mopomoso Workshop Group (a.k.a. MoWo); the large (sometimes one-hundred-member) ensemble Murmurists; the Noisy People's Improvising Orchestra…. In September 2024 and 2025 I took part in twenty-four hour performances that ran from Saturday 4pm to Sunday 4pm with other players... phew!
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