John Bechdel

John Bechdel
John Bechdel at Toronto during Ministry Tour, May 2008.
Background information
Birth name	John Curtis Bechdel
Also known as	JB
Born	(1964-08-23) August 23, 1964 (age 57) Beech Creek Pennsylvania USA
Genres	Industrial Industrial rock[1] Industrial Metal Electronica Trance
Occupation(s)	Keyboardist, Programmer, Producer, Mix Engineer, Remix Artist, Guitarist, Vocalist
Instruments	Synthesizer Guitar Bass Guitar Vocals
Years active	1990–present
Labels	, Epic Records, Roadrunner Records, Megaforce, 13th Planet, Nuclear Blast, Cleopatra Records
Associated acts	Ministry, Fear Factory, Killing Joke, Prong, Murder Inc., , Ascension of the Watchers

John Bechdel (born August 23, 1964) is an American musician whose professional career in the music industry began in 1987. Since 2006, he has been the keyboardist for the Multi-Platinum selling Industrial Metal band, Ministry. His other accomplishments include playing keyboards for Fear Factory, Killing Joke, Murder, Inc. and Prong. Throughout his career, he has played on many studio albums and appeared in multiple music videos. He is also known for many other musical endeavors including his own band False Icons, John Bechdel (solo artist), Ascension of the Watchers, Nukes, Brian Brain, Her Vanished Grace and Abstinence. His remix work includes Static-X, Ministry, Prong, Monster Voodoo Machine and Mass Dirge. He has also been producing bands including ChmclStr8jckt's Wrchd Thngs and Drk Prgrssn albums on Cleopatra Records. He received a Certified Gold Record for his work with Fear Factory on their Obsolete album which featured a remake of "Cars" with Gary Numan and, received he a Grammy Nomination for his work with Ministry for Best Metal performance. There is a documentary about Bechdel's career available on Vimeo called Killing the Joke-The John Bechdel Story, produced by Darryl Hell.

Early life[]

John grew up in Beech Creek, PA and started playing piano at age 5. First performance was at age 8, a piano recital with mother Helen. Listened to The Beatles since age 4 and in 1976 at age 11, randomly encountered John Lennon at FAO Schwarz in NYC, he had a brief dialogue and got his autograph, which he still has. He started playing guitar at age 12 and played in bands since age 15. In 1981, he bought his first synthesizer, a Micromoog at age 17 after seeing a Kraftwerk Concert in NYC. He built his own stage lighting system in high school.

Education[]

Bechdel studied electronic music at Hampshire College 1982–1986. Graduated with BA in Electronic Music and Music Production. Hampshire did not use tests or grades, instead used Evaluations and Divisional Exams. The students could design their own curriculum. Bechdel worked with colleague Charlie Clouser (Nine Inch Nails, White Zombie, Marilyn Manson, SAW) in the Electronic Music Program. He learned modular synthesis on the ARP 2500, music production and multi-track recording techniques. For his Division I project in Physics, he built a functioning oscillator module. Bechdel learned programming on one of the first Yamaha DX-7s and did his Division 2 thesis on FM synthesis. Among other classes he focused on studying Electronic Music, Physics and Acoustics. For his final Division 3 project, he produced and composed and wrote the music for his own band and recorded 16-track professional recording studio.

Early career[]

1987 moved to NYC. Joined first touring band; Brian Brain with Martin Atkins, Margo Olivaria, Geoff Smyth, Joe Trump and featured select performances with Trent Reznor. Worked at Sam Ash Music as MIDI specialist and Sampling Dept Head. Attended Kurzweil Music Systems training seminar for the Kurzweil K-250 and met president Ray Kurzweil and vice-president legendary Synthesizer designer Bob Moog. Attended an Advanced FM training seminar with FM expert Phil Clendeninn from Yamaha Music Corp. Started career as a programmer writer/producer and recorded in major NYC studios. Gave seminars on sampling and programming in NYC.

Family Life[]

Father- Bruce Bechdel, Mother- Helen Bechdel, Sister- Alison Bechdel, Brother- Christian Bechdel. Bechdel grew up in the family Funeral business- Bechdel Funeral Home. Both parents taught High School English and had master's degrees from Penn State University. Father graduated from Franklin and Marshall college, collected & dealt Antiques, he did home restoration and was president of the Lock Have PA Historical Society. Mother graduated from Lock Haven University, studied acting at Cleveland Playhouse and performed Summer theater at Millbrook Playhouse in Mill Hall PA.

John is a father of 3 children: Willow, Lyra and Rigel Bechdel. Sister- Alison studied/college Simon's Rock early college BA from Oberlin. Created comic strip "Dykes to Watch Out For." Graphic Novels: Fun Home, Are you my Mother and The Secret of Superhuman Strength. Fun Home^[2] was adapted in a Broadway Musical^[3] which was nominated for 10 Tony awards and won 5 including Best Musical https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmt7Taz6JUU Known for "The Bechdel Test" as described in Merriam Webster's Dictionary. Brother- Christian graduated from Grove City College worked for Amtrak and is an avid lifelong collector of model cars, trains, planes and various memorabilia.

Professional career[]

1989 joined legendary English band Killing Joke as live keyboardist and moved to London. Contributed on the Extremities Dirt and Various Repressed Emotions album. Credited for additional keyboards and technical support. First time performing European tours and first time performing large music festivals.

1991 Murder Inc. Keyboards

1992 Briefly collaborated with Ogre from Skinny Puppy on an unreleased project.

Abstinence -Revolt of the Cyberchrist. Keyboards/sampling

Monster Voodoo Machine. Remixed Temple (Jericho Meltdown Mix)

1993 joined Prong. Performed Keyboards/Sampling on Cleansing, their top selling album. keyboards. Toured USA and Europe.Supported Pantera and Sepultura on the US Far Beyond Driven tour.

1995 Opened his own recording studio and began professional producing career.

1996/1997 began composing original material which would set the foundation for his own band False Icons.

1998 joined Fear Factory as live keyboardist for Obsolete, Digimortal, Archetype albums. Performed first World tour: USA, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

Received certified Gold Record for Obsolete in the US.

Appeared in the video "Cars" with Gary Numan, a remake of his 1979 hit single.

2002 officially formed False Icons and Ascension of the Watchers

Discography[]

Touring career[]

2004 Performed last tours with Fear Factory in Australia, South Korea and the US.

2005 First False Icons performances, second one at CBGB’s NYC.

2006 Joined Ministry and Performed live keyboards on the Rio Grande Blood tour in Us and Europe.

2008 Performed keyboards in Ministry on The Last Sucker tour in US and Europe. Received a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance.

Released debut False Icons album God Complex on 13th Planet Records. Produced by Al Jourgensen.

Released debut Ascension of the Watchers album on 13th Planet Records. Produced by Al Jourgensen.

2011 collaborated and featured with the Chilean band Vigilante fronted by Ivan Munoz on The New Resistance album.

2012 Performed on the Ministry Defibrilatour promoting the Relapse album in Us and Europe.

Released self produced False Icons EP. Performed Cold Waves III kick off party and toured Eastern US.

2015 Performed on the Ministry From Beer to Eternatour tour promoting the From Beer to Eternity album in Australia, South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico and the US.

2018 Released Killing The Joke - The John Bechdel Story Documentary produced by Darryl Hell.

2018/2019 toured the US and Europe for the Ministry Amerikkant album, the first Ministry album to feature his work.

2019 Recorded and Produced first solo album

        Produced CHMCL STR8JCK's WRCHTD THNKS

2020 Launched solo career debuting first single Breathe.

         Produced CHMCL STR8JCKT's DRK PRGRSSN

     Producer and co-writer for NUKES featuring Chris Connelly

References[]

External links[]

• Ministry Twilight Zone video
• Ministry Victims of a Clown video
• Fear Factory "Cars" video with Gary Numan
• Vimeo discog trailer
• Vigilante - The New Resistance video
• Discogs.com
• Regen magazine interview
• Side-Line magazine
• Michael Nagy False Icons interview
• Michael Nagy Ascension of the Watchers interview
• Ascension of the Watchers
• Selective Memory Magazine
• Band Tiger Magazine
• Lollipop Magazine
• In The Loop video JB explaining how Ministry live works
• Nothing Shocking Podcast
• Village Voice article

Bibliography[]

Further reading:

• Hämäläinen, Jyrki "Spider" (2020). Killing Joke: Are You Receiving?. Milton Keynes: New Haven Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1912587407.