Bio/One Sheets/Awards

These Are The Days (2018) EPK

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Bio:

Colorway is the music of F. Alex Johnson (guitar/vocals) and features Riley Godleski (drums/vocals) and Matt Clegg (bass). Since forming in 2012 in Northampton, Massachusetts Colorway has played to thousands of music lovers all across the Northeast. The band draws on their love of American and British rock mixed with inventive, energetic and melodic lead guitar. Colorway’s live show is always a moving experience for the listener and the musicians themselves, striving to elevate the room and connect with the audience at each live performance and with every spin of any one of their albums.

Colorway released their self-titled debut in 2013 and “The Black Sky Sequined” in 2015. The ten song effort was called “One of the finest rock albums of 2015” by Ric Albano (Modern Rock Review) and Diffuser’s Chuck Armstrong called the band’s single “Come Back July” “impossibly catchy” when they premiered the video in 2015. The song was also chosen by the listeners WRSI 93.9 (AAA radio) as one of the top ten songs of the year.

The band’s third album, “These Are The Days” was released in June of 2018 and includes Chris Collingwood (Fountains of Wayne/Look Park) on backup vocals. The album–co-produced by Danny Bernini (Blondie, Martin Sexton, Stryper)–features nine songs about incredible love, loss, heartbreak and joy in this world we’re forced to share. Eric Danton (Paste, WSJ, Pitchfork) called “These Are The Days” “a rock-solid collection of songs with catchy hooks, taut riffs and hard-won wisdom.”

Colorway has shared stages with Foreigner, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, The Yardbirds, Delta Deep (feat. members of Def Leppard and Stone Temple Pilots), Ian Hunter and The Rant Band, and Television’s Richard Lloyd (who called the band “amazing and inspiring“). The trio was also included in the 2016 Green River Festival which Rolling Stone named a “must see” music fest and the continue to tour the east coast and beyond. Alex has recently toured as a solo performer in The Netherlands, Belgium and Japan. 

Though the easy way to describe the style of music is rootsy, pop-rock, don’t be fooled. The band can jam, and are convincing audiences far and wide that it’s possible to extend the boundaries of the traditional four minute song and still have it stuck in your head all day.

Some other artists Colorway has performed with:

Quinn SullivanMatt Schofield, Davy Knowles, And The Kids, Aldous Collins Band, Mammal DapThe Z3 featuring Ed Mann (Frank Zappa), Flux Capacitor and more.

Booking/Press/Radio:
Alex Johnson
alex@colorwaymusic.com
413.320.8541

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Quick quotes:

“Colorway is awesome!” –Dave Eisenstadter, Editor, Valley Advocate

“Bravo! Bravissimo!! Universal material that will appeal to people from all over the world, at any age!” Patrick Moraz, Yes/The Moody Blues

“‘These Are The Days’ will give you hope for humanity.” –Chris Goudreau, The Valley Advocate

“You gotta hear this band!”–Peter Holsapple, The dB’s/REM

“Great stuff!” –Chris Collingwood, Fountains of Wayne/Look Park

What people are already saying about Colorway’s third album, These Are The Days:

“GREAT guitar throughout these nine, tight, non-overproduced songs. Very fluid and imaginative playing and Alex isn’t afraid to take chances. An excellent album.” —Tom Guerra, Vintage Guitar Magazine

“This record sounds f*cking great! Sounds like you’re channeling Golden Earring . . .  which is f*cking sweet.” –Chris Collingwood

“Their third album is their strongest yet . . . songs you want to drive to on a summer day . . . songs to put a smile on your face.” —Lauren Daley, Southcoast Today/The Boston Globe

“Alex’s guitar playing is exceptional, and the whole vibe is positive and fun–well done!”Morgan Fisher, Mott the Hoople/Queen

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About F Alex Johnson

F Alex Johnson lives and breathes music.

Whether he is performing on national daytime and late night TV, filling 2,000 seat theaters around the globe and appearing in major studio feature films with the Young at Heart Chorus, earning Independent Music Awards with his instrumental and spoken word contributions to charitable organizations, recording and performing with his rock trio, Colorway, or playing live solo electric or acoustic, nothing seems to get in the way of the man and his love of music.

The music Alex makes with Colorway is born from a steady diet of 1970s gritty guitar rock and pop, combining smart, sharp hooks with melodic, inventive and exciting lead guitar playing. With steady and sure vocals he sings about love, loss, redemption, acceptance, joy and why it’s probably for the best that we don’t know what’s right around the corner.

Alex—originally from Southeastern Massachusetts, co-founded the Western Mass alt-country sextet, Drunk Stuntmen in 1993 and played upwards of 250 shows a year until parting ways in 2008. He continues to perform on guitar with the senior singing sensations, The Young at Heart Chorus. With the chorus Alex has toured five continents and performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as well as Ellen. With his current band, Colorway, (featuring Riley Godleski on drums and Matt Clegg on bass) he’s released three full-length CDs. Colorway’s most recent album “These Are The Days” is receiving rave reviews. The Valley Advocate’s Chris Goudreau said the nine song effort “. . . will give you hope for humanity.”

Alex and Colorway tour up and down the east coast regularly, sharing stages with artists such as Television’s Richard Lloyd (who called the band “amazing and inspiring”), Quinn Sullivan, David Byrne, The Yardbirds, Ian Hunter and even Foreigner among many others.

Whether he’s performing solo electric or acoustic—crafting loops that allow him to sing, solo and build complex sonic soundscapes with just his voice and guitar—or with his trio, Alex believes that deep down we all want to enjoy ourselves and connect somehow even for an evening in this short life we are given.

 
 

Some more info:

Colorway didn’t start the rock revolution, but its fighting spirit is certainly strong. Band leader F. Alex Johnson stands tall, front and center and sings about why love, loss and the search for contentment isn’t something to scoff at. But his searing guitar work is the real star here, bending, bobbing and and weaving lyrical solos up and down the neck. His extensive experience from recording and performing in the U.S. and around the globe isn’t worn on his sleeve. But you can see it and feel it in the way he does what he loves—what’s he’s done almost all of his life. 

The power trio format—guitar, bass and drums—is the perfect vehicle for Colorway’s music. Space is as important as density here, and bassist Matt Clegg and drummer Riley Godleski hold down the proverbial fort with equal parts grace and ferocity. Meanwhile, Johnson powers on, sometimes teetering dangerously close to aural chaos but somehow always coming in for a secure landing. 

In short, Colorway, who calls Northampton, Massachusetts home, is a reflection of three very different people’s love of music in all its forms. 

Come join the rock revolution and see, hear and feel what Colorway does. They promise it will be one hell of a time. 

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Info on the first two albums:

F. Alex Johnson formed Colorway in early 2013 in Northampton, Massachusetts along with bassist Dave Hayes (Superkart/Heather Maloney) and drummer JJ O’Connell (Heather Maloney/MC Frontalot).

The band seamlessly fuses stuck-in-your-head pop songs with ferocious Gilmour/Zappa-influenced guitar playing. Colorway’s self-titled 2013 debut included the song “Live With Me”, which was chosen by WRSI 93.9 (AAA radio) listeners as the #3 song of the year.

Colorway wasted no time releasing their second album, The Black Sky Sequined, which was recorded by Mark Alan Miller and mastered by multiple Grammy award-winning engineering legend Bob Ludwig.

The ten song album features nods to rock and pop luminaries like Tom Petty, Wilco, Richard Thompson, The Black Keys and XTC. But Colorway does so while maintaining a rough edge and original sound that aims to speak to music fans of any generation. Alex’s subject matter touches upon the joys of life, the heartache of loss and the terrifying beauty of a life currently lived clean and sober in a crazy and punch-drunk world.

The first single, “Come Back July” was chosen by the listeners WRSI 93.9 (AAA radio) as one of the top ten songs of the year.

In July of 2015 bassist Matt Clegg and drummer Riley Godleski joined the group replacing Dave and JJ. 

 

View Colorway’s 2016 one sheet here.
View Colorway’s 2015 hot sheet here.


View Colorway’s
The Black Sky Sequined press release here.
View Colorway’s
The Black Sky Sequined radio one-sheet here.

Awards:

 

2014 Independent Music Award:

In the spring of 2014 F. Alex Johnson won an Independent Music Award for his contribution to the album Action Moves People–a compilation of spoken word with music accompaniment benefitting Move This World. MTW is a global non-profit that uses creative movement to address and transform conflict and violence in communities. The lead-off track to the album is titled “The Human Race” featuring the words of Karelleyn Brae Wade with original music by Alex who also provides the spoken word. Check out the track here or the whole album here. 

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Videos:

 

Watch Colorway Perform “Keys To The Kingdom” Live On MassAppeal on NBC

 

Watch Colorway perform “Everybody Wants Me To Love You” live at their album release party for “These Are The Days”.

Watch Colorway Perform “I’m Still Running” Live at The Calvin Theater, Northampton, MA, 8.19.17

Watch Colorway Perform “Everybody Wants Me To Love You” Live At The Parlor Room, Northampton, MA, 12/31/16.

 

Watch Colorway perform “Explain” at The Calvin Theater, 5/6/16.

 

Watch Colorway perform “I Don’t Want To Go Home” recorded at Luthier’s Co-op in Easthampton, MA 2/19/16 below See more videos here.

Watch Colorway play “Me and My Baby” live from a recent appearance at Radio Bean in Burlington, VT. See more videos here.

 

 

Colorway’s one-sheet for quick facts about the band’s 2013 debut album:
Colorway one-sheet