John Bechdel (musician)

John Bechdel (Born August 23rd, 1964) is a keyboardist, composer and producer, and is an American musician. His professional career began in 1987. Since 2006, he has been the keyboardist for the Multi-Platinum selling Industrial Metal band,Ministry.
Other accomplishments include playing keyboards for the bands Fear Factory, Killing Joke, Murder Inc. and Prong. 
In 2001 he received a US Certified Gold Record with Fear Factory for their Obsolete album which included a remake of the hit song “Cars” featuring the original artist, Gary Numan.
In 2011 Bechdel received a Grammy Nomination for his work with Ministry for Best Metal performance.
There is a documentary about his life and career available on Vimeo called Killing the Joke- The John Bechdel Story, produced by Darryl Hell.
Throughout his career, Bechdel has played on many studio albums and appeared in multiple music videos. He is also known for other musical endeavors including his own band False Icons, John Bechdel (solo artist), Ascension of the Watchers, Nukes, Heat Wave International, Brian Brain, Her Vanished Grace and Abstinence. 
His remix work includes Static-X, Ministry, Prong, Monster Voodoo Machine, Jim Davies (Prodigy), Tigercide and Mass Dirge. He has produced bands since 1995 including most recently, ChmclStr8jckt’s Wrchd Thngs and Drk Prgrssn albums on Cleopatra Records.
==Background Information==
Birth Name: John Curtis Bechdel
Origin: Beech Creek, Pennsylvania USA
Genre: Industrial, Industrial Metal, Industrial Rock, Electronica, Trance
Occupation(s): Keyboardist, Programmer, Producer, Mix Engineer, Remix Artist.
Instruments: Synthesizer, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Vocals
Associated Acts: Ministry, Fear Factory, Killing Joke, Prong, Murder Inc., False Icons, Ascension of the Watchers
==Family Life:==
Father: Bruce Bechdel
Mother: Helen Bechdel 
Sister: Alison Bechdel 
Brother: Christian Bechdel
Bechdel grew up in the family Funeral business, The Bechdel Funeral Home
Both parents taught High School English and had Masters degrees from Penn State University
His Father graduated from Franklin and Marshall college, collected & dealt Antiques, did home restoration and was president of the Lock Haven, PA Historical Society. Bechdel's Mother graduated from Lock Haven University, studied acting at Cleveland Playhouse and performed Summer theater at Millbrook Playhouse in Mill Hall, PA.
John Bechdel is a father of 3 children: Willow, Lyra and Rigel Bechdel.
Bechdel's sister, Alison Bechdel, studied/college Simon’s Rock early college BA from Oberlin and Created the comic strip “Dykes to Watch Out For”. 
==Graphic Novels:== 
Fun Home, Are you my Mother and The Secret of Superhuman Strength
Fun Home was adapted in a Broadway Musical which was nominated for 10 Tony awards and won 5 including Best Musical.
Known for “The Bechdel Test” as described in Merriam Webster’s Dictionary Definition 
Bechdel's Brother, Christian, graduated from Grove City college worked for Amtrak and is an avid lifelong collector of model cars, trains, planes and various memorabilia.
==Early life:== 
John grew up in Beech Creek PA and started playing Piano at age 5. His first performance was at age 8, a piano recital with his mother, Helen. John 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 in 1981. 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 fellow 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:==
In 1987, John moved to NYC and joined his first touring band, Brian Brain, with Martin Atkins, Margo Olivaria, Geoff Smyth, Joe Trump and featured select performances with Trent Reznor.
John also worked at Sam Ash Music as MIDI specialist and Sampling Dept Head. He attended Kurzweil Music systems training seminar for the Kurzweil K-250 and met president Ray Kurzweil and Vice-President legendary Synthesizer designer Bob Moog. He attended an Advanced FM training seminar with FM expert Phil Clendeninn from Yamaha Music Corp and started a career as a programmer writer/producer as well as recorded in major NYC studios, and gave seminars on sampling and programming in NYC.
==Discogaphy:== 
https://www.discogs.com/artist/371783-John-Bechdel 
==Musician:==
Brian Brain - EP-Invisible Records (1989)
Killing Joke- Extremities, Dirt and Various Repressed Emotions- Noise International (1990)
Murder, Inc. (band)|Murder Inc.- Murder Inc- Invisible Records (1992)
Abstinence- Revolt of the Cyberchrist (1994)- Theorem (1995)- Delusions of Architecture (2014)-Furnace Records
Prong- Cleansing- Epic Records (1993)
Fear Factory - Digimortal (2001), Hatefiles (2003), Archetype (2004)- Roadrunner Records
False Icons - God Complex- 13th Planet Records (2008)
Ascension of the Watchers- Iconoclast (2004) self released, Numinosum (2008) 13th Planet Records Apochrypha- Dissonance Productions (2020)
Ministry - Last Sucker (2008), Adios… Puta Madres (2009), Enjoy the Quiet Live at Wacken 2012 (2013), Last Tangle in Paris Live 2012 (2014) 13th Planet Records, Amerikkkant (2017), Moral Hygiene (2021)-Nuclear Blast
NUKES- Death Sky (2020) No Devotion Records
Heat Wave International- We Wont Be Silent Maxi-single (2022) Give/Take Records
==Remixes==
Static X - Push It- JB Death Trance mix- Water Bros. Records (1999)
Ministry - Fear is Big Business- Weapons of Mass Deception mix (2007)
 Let’s Go- Dawn of Oblivion mix (2009)
 99%ers Livable Wage mix- 13th Planet Records (2014)
Prong - Spirit Guide Reality’s Edge mix 13th Planet Records (2009)
False Icons - Transform - Trance Form mix (2010)
Ascension of the Watchers - Wanderers Remix- Dissonance Productions (2021)
Abstinence- Stratum Remix- Furnace Records (2014)
Monster Voodoo Machine - Temple- Jericho Meltdown Mix- D-Tribe Records (1994)
Mass Dirge - Dim (Reprise)- Voidstar Productions (2007)
Die- Tec -No Prisoners- T.O.N. Records (1999)
Shimmer - Fly Away- Liquid 8 Records (2004)
Jim Davies- Hit The Rest (2022)-
Tigercide- Remedy (2023)
==Producer-Engineer-Programmer==
CHMCLSTR8JCKT- WRCHD THNGS (2019)- DRK PRGRSSN (2021)- Cleopatra Records
Die - Deport- T.O.N. Records (1999)
Malice Machine- Chemical Violence- Self Released (2021)
Her Vanished Grace - Soon- Athame Music (1996)
Davy Jones - (The Monkees) Just for the Record Volume 4- Hercules Productions (1996)
Johnny J Blair - Fire-CJAM Productions (2000)
Evinrude - Homegrown (Crass Acoustic Debut)- Luminous Flux Records (1997)
==Professional Career==
1987 joined Brian Brain on keyboards and guitar. Performed on Brian Brain EP 1989 Invisible Records.
1989 joined legendary London England based band Killing joke as live keyboardist.
Contributed on the Extremities Dirt and Various Repressed Emotions album recorded in London 1990. Credited for additional keyboards and technical support. (First time performing European tours and first time performing large music festivals.)
1991 Murder Inc. played Keyboards on debut album Murder Inc. Invisible Records. Performed in the UK and NYC.
(1992 Briefly collaborated with Ogre from Skinny Puppy on an unreleased project.)
1993-Present Abstinence-Revolt of the Cyberchrist, Theorem, Delusions of Architecture. Keyboards/sampling
Monster Voodoo Machine. Remixed Temple (Jericho Meltdown Mix)
1993 joined Prong. Performed Keyboards/Sampling on Cleansing, their top selling album. Toured USA and Europe. Supported White Zombie and 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
==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. Adios... Puta Madres|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.
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/killingthejoke
2018- Present- Toured the US and Europe for the Ministry Amerikkant , Moral Hygiene and Hopium For The Masses albums.
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
 
Category:1964 births
Category:Keyboardists
Category:Composers
Category:Producers
Category:American people