Minkin's Music: John...and the Voices

By Jay Minkin

Minkin’s Music celebrated its 10th Anniversary within the Mimi Magazine publication in February 2017.

Always keeping your ear to the rail, listen to the explosive sound of my new local favorites, John Patrick & The Outside Voices. This five-piece wrecking crew just released their debut album Hound Dogs and is now barnstorming the country.

A charismatic performer, John Patrick Halling began his musical journey in 2013 as a solo performer doing open mics while paying the rent as a warehouse worker after attending Kent State University. He recorded a few full-band arrangements for his 2015 solo debut, Boy In The Water, resulting in the blossoming of his next chapter.  

Halling knew Jimmy Dykes (guitar), Johnny Miller (guitar), Kevin McManus (bass), and Sam Langstaff (drums) for a long time from other bands. The Outside Voices performed their first live show one year ago. The boys traveled to Amish Electric Chair Studios in June as a destination recording trip with producer and engineer Neil Tuuri. They camped out on the land, capturing the energy of their surroundings and channeling it within the studio. 

Self-produced from a portion of the band’s gig money, the 10 tracks comprising Hound Dogs were written by Halling and follow a theme of chasing after things we desire and all the vices that come with it.  

Writing songs from life experiences is part of the songwriter’s craft, and Halling expresses his journey through songs on this record like, “Down in the Valley,” which was written during a two-month period living out of his car while traveling cross-country after college graduation. “Terrible Feelings” is based on the true story of him driving to New York City and falling into a weekend romance.

Check them out for yourself at JohnPatrickHalling.com.   

Contact Jay at Blues4Bird@aol.com or post on his Minkin’s Music Facebook page.