Johnny Lanson & The Banned’s live show appeals to diverse crowds, tackles multiple genres, and features a wide variety of today’s popular music — making their live performances both dynamic and audience-engaging. Fueled by an energetic passion to perform, Johnny and his band, with Banks (hype-man, recording artist), have been entertaining audiences together for the past seven years at various night clubs, events, and festivals.
In the press, Johnny Lanson’s style has been likened to, “leaving a mental impression similar to mainlining Red Bull and vodka,” and he has been described as having “a heavyweight musical approach.” While drawing comparisons to some of rap-rock’s biggest names (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kid Rock, Everlast), his debut album, plus great live performances with his band, have been helping to establish his name in the alternative hip-hop genre (Gym Class Heroes, B.o.B., LMFAO).
His single “Eye On You” amassed airplay on urban radio stations and received club spins with its hip-hop driven arrangement and catchy sing-a-long chorus performed by Banks — adding to its appeal is a feature from Jungle Baby (Small Tyme Ballaz, Universal Records). “Its an awesome feeling to have a song take-off like this — to hear somebody you don’t know blasting your song at a redlight, feels nice,” Johnny says.
His self-titled debut album for So Suave Records is genre-bending — boasting southern rock sensibility over hip-hop heavy beats. Listeners experience an instantly addictive blend of hip-hop sprinkled southern rock with “My Own Two Hands,” and “Carson Daly” (sample lyric: “I feel good, I feel right / Fly with me and we’ll touch the sky“). Adding contrast to the album are hip-hop tracks “Gotta’ Get Paid (featuring Scragg Lee),” fan-favorites “Bubbles,” “I Can’t Help It (featuring Banks),” and hard-rock anthems like, “Fix” and “Night Stand.”
“As an artist, I think being able to produce my own songs helps translate a depth of feeling to the listener,” Johnny continues, “and as a producer, not limiting myself to a specific genre, or specific sound, is something I always try to do.”
Adding to the record are songs produced by Grade A Muzik (Alleyboy, Dirty, Yelawolf) and Chason Dreamz (NuNoiZe Productions, Universal Records).
Born in Montgomery, Alabama, and growing up in Deatsville — Johnny incorporates a diverse array of sounds into his music. He began singing in church at a very young age, and soon after getting his first turntables, became obsessed with the recording process. “Growing up, if I wasn’t playing baseball or basketball, I was always working on my next project,” he states.
“For me, music always starts with a feeling — it moves to capturing that feeling — then translating it into art,” Johnny says. “I want the audience to feel it, to relate to it, and to enjoy themselves — to be able to do that live and on a record — that’s what it’s all about.
