jOnO (Jonathan Sammeroff) jOnO was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He is a Scottish singer songwriter and music producer who started recording his songs at the age of thirteen on a four-track cassette recorder.
Career Jono's name came into the public arena when he was awarded Artist of the Week for his debut single 'Silver Nails', released 21 May 2007, on XFM. source: Shortly following this was his first radio interview on BBC Radio WM on 6 November 2007. jOnO's second single 'Stuck in the City' was released on 9 June 2008, just prior to the release of his debut album, and for this he was awarded single of the week on John Peel Award winning DJ Jim Gellatly's XFM show. The video for 'Stuck in the City' featured on NME magazines website. source:
He regularly features in national papers including The Sun, The Daily Record, The Daily Mail, The Scottish Express, Music News Scotland, The Evening Times and The Sunday Herald, who suggested that singer songwriter jOnO brings the street credit of a soul soaked busker to his craft source: and he has been described as "a young Paul Simon". source:
His debut album 'Sentimental Anarchist' was released on 23 June 2008 to much critical acclaim, picking up album of the week on XFM, where according to his biography, "Every song and lyric written by, every voice sung, instrument played or beaten by, every sound produced, recorded, engineered, mixed and mastered by jOnO in one room in a Glasgow flat." source:
Following the release of his debut album and his album launch gig in Glasgow in 2008, jOnO embarked on a 20 date UK Tour, appearing at venues across the UK, and making appearances at the following BBC Radio stations; BBC Radio Liverpool 24th June, BBC Radio Stoke 25th June, BBC Radio Sheffield 25th June, BBC Radio York 26th June, BBC Radio Shropshire 27th June, BBC Radio Humber 27th June, BBC Radio Wales 1st July, BBC Radio Bristol 2nd July, BBC Radio WM 3rd July, BBC Radio Nottingham 4th July, BBC Radio Lancashire 5th July, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire 6th July, BBC Radio Norfolk 7th July and BBC Radio Suffolk 8th July. source:
'Stuck in the City' was then aired by Tom Robinson on BBC 6 Music source: , by Alex Zane on Myspace Radio source: and he performed a live session and interview with Russell Kane on Q Radio. As well as having recorded his own material, he has produced and released material, recording, writing and/or performing with many artists, both signed, charting and local, including Amy Belle (noted for her performace with Rod Stewart at the Royal Albert Hall), and Lisa Rose Harrison of Lemonescent.
Influences On his myspace page jOnO cites his influences as The Police, Bob Marley, Lenny Kravitz, John Mayer, Jamie Lidell, Michael Jackson, Guns n Roses, Smashing Pumpkins, Faith No More, Rage Against the Machine, Love/Hate, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Senser, Primus, Nine Inch Nails, Shpongle, Underworld, Daft Punk, Orbital, Dreadzone, Speedy J and Basement Jaxx.