{"id":537,"date":"2025-07-05T11:32:28","date_gmt":"2025-07-04T23:32:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/?p=537"},"modified":"2026-04-09T19:38:49","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T07:38:49","slug":"the-johos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/upthepunks.co.nz\/bands\/2025\/07\/the-johos","title":{"rendered":"The Johos"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Knock, Knock! It’s The Johos!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Johos were a three-piece punk band formed in 2012 at Turret House<\/a><\/strong>, Wellington, New Zealand, known for their raw energy and irreverent humor. The lineup featured Axle on bass and vocals, Jessy McNamara on drums, and Sam Thurston on guitar and vocals. Drawing their name from an abbreviated term for Jehovah’s Witnesses, The Johos crafted fast, catchy punk anthems with demented vocal interplay between Axle and Sam. Their music blended sharp-witted jabs at evangelical Christianity in songs like \u201cBlood Transfusion<\/em>\u201d and \u201cKnock Knock<\/em>\u201d with gritty tales of drunken gutter punks (\u201cPunisher<\/em>,\u201d \u201cOverblast<\/em>,\u201d \u201cContamination<\/em>\u201d) and philosophical nihilism (\u201c1000 Mooing Wankers<\/em>,\u201d \u201cBlood Buzz<\/em>,\u201d \u201cHandicapper General<\/em>,\u201d \u201cWhole World Drunk<\/em>\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I reckon we are mostly having a laugh at stupid religious concepts. We were all raised in Catholic households so there is this obvious binding hate for new life churches (as if they are somehow worse than the classic vultures hahahah). Especially the ones bold enough to come knocking at your door. I guess we should probably take a secular approach in some songs . We put a lot of energy into evangelizing punters so they live out their lives the way we think they should. LOVE! HUNGER! cannibalism? …PUNK! You know? That kind of jizz-jazz. If only we could tap the Parachute music festival. THEN! We\u2019d be political!
<\/p>\nJessy McNamara, Living The Dream #10<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The band hit the ground running with their debut gig in October 2012, sharing the stage with The Dilfs<\/a><\/strong> and Captain’s Log<\/a><\/strong> before tearing it up at Christchurch\u2019s Punkfest<\/strong>. They later performed at \u201cGettin\u2019 Worse: Punx Still Angry<\/a><\/strong>\u201d as part of the Up The Punks 2012<\/a><\/strong> exhibition. Despite busy schedules\u2014Sam with Rogernomix<\/a><\/strong> and Meth Drinker<\/a><\/strong>, Axle with Awkward Death<\/a><\/strong> and Vomit Storm<\/a><\/strong>\u2014The Johos played a handful of shows in 2013. That same year, they recorded their 11-track album, “Knock, Knock! It\u2019s\u2026(The Johos)<\/a><\/strong>“, at Scumbag Studios<\/a><\/strong>, released by Zero Style<\/a><\/strong> on blood-red translucent cassette with a lyrics zine printed over recycled Jehovah’s Witness Watchtower booklets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2014, The Johos played a memorable Take Shelter<\/a><\/strong> show in World War II bunkers above Scorching Bay. Their final performance was at Valhalla on April 24, 2014<\/a><\/strong>, before Jessy McNamara\u2019s departure overseas brought the band\u2019s sermon to a close. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Origin<\/strong><\/td>Turret House<\/td><\/tr>
Genre<\/strong><\/td>punk<\/td><\/tr>
Years Active<\/strong><\/td>2012 – 2014<\/td><\/tr>
Labels<\/strong><\/td>Zero Style<\/td><\/tr>
Associated Acts<\/strong><\/td>Awkward Death
Rogernomix
Piggery<\/td><\/tr>
Past Members<\/strong><\/td>Jessy McNamara (drums, vocals)
Sam Thurston (guitar, vocals)
Axle (bass, vocals)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Releases<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
Title<\/th>Date<\/th>Label<\/th>Type<\/th>Format<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Knock, Knock! It’s…<\/strong><\/td>2013, Sept 19<\/td><\/td>album<\/td>tape\/ DL<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n