Jonn Penney

Jonn Penney (born 17 September 1968 in Quarry Bank, Staffordshire) is a musician best known as the lead singer of Ned's Atomic Dustbin.

He went to Thorns School and Community College in Quarry Bank, where he met Ned's bass player Matt Cheslin. Penney used to live in a house near the Swan Hotel in Stourbridge, where he used to drink. He now lives within walking distance from there.

He formed Ned's Atomic Dustbin in 1988 while still at sixth form college. In the early 1990s they had several hit singles, including "Happy", "Kill Your Television" and "Not Sleeping Around". Together they released three successful albums (God Fodder, Are You Normal? and Brainbloodvolume). The band split up in 1995 after record company problems.

In 1998 he formed a new band, Groundswell, initially with former Ned's Atomic Dustbin guitarist Rat. The band released a few singles, and played some successful shows, but did not have much commercial success.

After Groundswell split he completed a degree course, and now works as Media officer for Wolverhampton Civic Hall, while lecturing part-time and writing a weekly column titled 'Up Penneyscope' for local newspaper The Express & Star.

In 2000 he reformed Ned's Atomic Dustbin (with an altered line up including Andy King (bass) and Martin Warlow (guitar)) for occasional gigs. The band completed a five date tour in 2004, and Penney continued to play occasional gigs with the band.

Ned's Atomic Dusbin reformed with original line-up for a re:united gig at the London Astoria in December 2008 and then a home gig in Wolverhampton in May 2009.

When asked recently in a magazine interview, "How would you like Ned’s to be remembered?", Jonn responds, "Ned’s? They were that band that sounded like nobody else; they were unique!"

When asked if he would, "change anything?" Penney replies, "Change one thing and everything else would have been different - haven’t you seen The Butterfly Effect?"

Penney recently contributed vocals to a song by Wolverhampton rock musician and free software advocate, Jono Bacon.

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Wikipedia