Namesakes #10: Jo(h)n Anderson

Last week, we had four Catherine Wheels to choose from, and the votes were pretty evenly spread... well, apart from the one featuring Goatman of Grotesque Corpse Stabbing fame. Not sure why he didn't tickle your fancy. I think the Aussie Catherine Wheels took it, giving them their second consecutive victory (after also winning the week before when they were called The Honeys). 

This week, we don't have three bands to choose from, but three men. All of whom share the same name (at least if you say it out loud).

Jon Anderson #1

Our first Jon Anderson, and surely the most well-known, is the lead singer of Yes, or Anderson Bruford Wakeman & Howe after they said No to the rest of Yes. He also teamed up with Vangelis for some memorable singles in the 80s. 

A lot of people will tell you that the only good Yes songs are the ones that go for on for three weeks, full of proggy noodling and Rick Wakeman keyboard solos. I, being a child of the 80s, much prefer their big singles chart hit: Owner Of A Lonely Heart. I remember when Alan Ross used to present the afternoon show on Pennine Radio, he'd play a listener's Top Three every day. I wrote to him and got him to play Bohemian Rhapsody, Endless Love by Diana Ross & Lionel Ritchie, and Owner Of A Lonely Heart. (I was a very confused 15 year old, to be sure.) Alan played all three, because local radio championed diversity and individual choice back in those days, rather than playing the same 12 records on high rotation as they do now. (Alan would later give me my first job, so obviously my dodgy taste didn't mark my card too much.)  

Because I think it's grossly unfair to pit any other song up against the majesty of Owner Of A Lonely Heart (Trevor Horn's finest hour, after Video Killed The Radio Star), I've instead chosen a track from Jon Anderson's 1988 solo album, In The City Of Angels, which I bought on vinyl from a basement record shop in Huddersfield when I was 16. This is co-written by Lamont Dozier... just sayin'.

John Anderson #2

Our second J. Anderson esquire was the lead singer of the band Charlie, who first appeared on the scene in 1971. They were the brainchild of singer-songwriter Terry Thomas, not the upper class comedy actor, but a musician who also worked with Bad Company and Foreigner, among others. Although never enjoying any chart success in the UK, Charlie managed four minor US hits, which presumably helped them keep the tour bus in petrol until they broke up in 1986.

John Anderson #3

Although our third John Anderson was the last to arrive on the scene, releasing his debut album in 1977, he's still going strong today, and has released 22 solo albums and over 40 singles, reaching the Number One slot on the Billboard Country Music charts five times. 

Regular readers will know that I'm an unashamed fan of country music, but I'm not sure I'd heard of this particular John Anderson until a couple of weeks back. Will he deserve further investigation? Perhaps that'll depend on how well he does in the voting today...

Which John (or Jon) gets your vote? Let me know in the comments...