John
(Gianni) LonackerJohn
(Gianni) Lonacker
Raised by beavers in Northern California, John started playing the Autoharp when he was 5; piano when he was 6; drums when he was 8; clarinet, cello, tuba, and E-flat alto horn through middle and high school. He wasn't any good at those instruments, but people encouraged him anyway… Finally, practicing the Les Ismore philosophy, he chose Bass guitar because it had only four strings. He wasn't tall enough to play upright so he went electric and hasn’t looked back since (an unfortunate injury sustained while learning the fingerboard). He met his childhood friend and drummer Eric Nelson while both were pre-teens living on the same block and Eric was practicing in his garage (Eric still maintains the secret of how he got into John’s garage). He has played in various funky incarnations with Eric since then, most notably Fillet of Soul. He is also working on a musical video documentary side project entitled “Eric’s Right Foot - A Bassist’s Perspective”. Twenty years before the turn of the century he met his longtime friend, keyboardist, engineering mentor, fellow electronic technoid and consummate punster Athan Pasadis. Playing the local music circuit together for so many years has taught them not to put their faith in false profits. Rooted in the styles of Tower of Power, Brecker Brothers, AWB and funky R&B but loving to play it all, he has performed with the likes of Tom Farnham and... well, why play with anyone else?
ă2003 FUNKSWAY