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ABOUT THE CD:
The Tragedy of Johnny Patriot is a sixteen-song rock opera and a sophisticated tragic romance in parity with other Greek and Shakespearean stories of tragic vision. It commences with a young couple falling in love and marrying… and it eventually leads to their separation and tragic end. It is a classic romance about the professed undying love between two young sweethearts being crushed by the aftermath of 9/11. In this story, patriotism leads to a young husband’s joining the Marines to fight terrorism, where reality strikes back and faith in their eternal promise is put to the ultimate test.

It is a story that becomes inspired by an investigative reporter who inadvertently uncovers the tragedy while pursing an unrelated article on the passing of Pope John Paul II. The story’s protagonist, Johnny Patriot, whose life is directly affected by the destruction of the Twin Towers, finds himself emotionally compelled to join the Marines to fight in the war against terrorism. In so doing, he also finds his participation is at odds with his faith when he loses his best friend, and to maintain sanity, becomes indifferent to the atrocities of war. He realizes that the enemy is impossible to distinguish from the populace, and Johnny ultimately must conduct himself in a morally unprincipled manner to survive and have any hope of returning home safely to his wife and lover; only to find her and their new baby daughter dead from an auto accident upon his arrival. It is at this point where he realizes his fall from grace will now keep them separated for all eternity, and post-traumatic delirium sends him wandering off into a snow storm.

As an operatic work, the music’s lyrics prod at the escalating clash between world cultures and the hardening of political and religious ideologies surrounding the aftermath of 9/11. The Tragedy of Johnny Patriot speaks to the moral struggle our soldiers face in fighting an unconventional war. At its core, the storyline insinuates good and evil as mutually antagonistic and morally exhausting. The opera takes no hard political or ideological position, yet speaks directly to these issues as they impact the life of the story’s central character, a young brave marine who is caught up in circumstances where there can be no happy ending.

The CD is like the worm in a mescal bottle, wonderfully mesmerizing but tragic nonetheless!

Accompanying the CD is a 36-page libretto that documents a series of interviews conducted by the reporter with some of the acquaintances in Johnny Patriot’s past. The interviews help shed light on the story and its tragic conclusion. The interviews are provided in the libretto along with the song’s lyrical compositions. Although the music is wonderful by itself, to fully appreciate the rock opera you’ll want to obtain the original CD with libretto, rather than download an MP3 digital copy.

LOGLINE: A marriage is torn apart by the events of 9/11, and a young husband’s solemn promise to return home from the war leads to their separation for all eternity.

SUB-PLOTS:
1) The religious conversion of a secular reporter who uncovers the tragedy.
2) The fall from grace by the story’s protagonist.
3) The rise of the Country-Rock band, Picus Maximus.

CAST OF CHARACTERS: Johnny Patriot, wife Marija, her brother, Michael, and a magazine reporter, Tom Harbinger, who interviews several acquaintances from Johnny and Marija's past.

ABOUT PICUS MAXIMUS
Jim “Picus” Soldi is considered by many as a musical guru. As the lead guitarist for Montezuma’s Revenge, he was eventually swept up by the country legend, Johnny Cash. Jim toured with Cash for four years which led to future gigs with Ricky Skaggs, Waylon Jennings and Johnny Paycheck. Cash claimed Jim was the best in the business, which is no insignificant endorsement. Ironically, Jim owns Cash’s very first guitar, a guitar that was signed by Cash in the early 60’s when he traded it in for a new one at Valley Music (Jim’s father’s music store in El Cajon), stolen from the back of a van when Montezuma’s Revenge was touring, discovered in a pawn shop, and signed a second time for Jim by Cash several years before Cash asked Jim to join the band.

R. “Maximus” Sparhawk, like Soldi, first found fame as a 70’s bluegrass musician with Montezuma’s Revenge. With several independently produced albums to his credit, Sparhawk has performed on stage with numerous recording artists including appearances at the Grand Ol’ Opry, Calgary Stampede, and Academy of Country Music Awards. He is a consummate performer and lead vocalist on this album.

The back story is on how these two reunited. Maximus ran into Picus at a club in Leucadia, California, where attendance wasn’t at all like the crowds once generated by such music. “I was shocked!” said Sparhawk. “A guitar player of that standing should be driving huge audiences. It left me somewhat wanting as an artist. From that moment I felt compelled to try and re-establish some beachhead for the live music scene in San Diego. Somehow, it seems appreciation for live music – to see and hear and feel the magic – has been slowly sucked out of San Diego’s vibe since its heyday in the 70’s, when every night club on every block was alive with local bands. And, as you know, there is so much going on in the world these days and with Iraq, that I couldn’t suppress the urge to put the many world issues bouncing around in my head to song. So I began writing… profusely. I guess by bumping into Jim, an old creative flame was stoked up. I thought, here was my muse, partner, old friend and a damn fine guitar player whose company and playing I really enjoyed.”

PICUS MAXIMUS IS BORN: Sparhawk approached Soldi with his music, and a new alliance was formed and Picus Maximus was born. And now, a year and a half later, there are rumors of the project album just being completed at Jim’s “OutHouse Studio” in Ramona, soon to be released under their independent music label, Dakotas Publishing (ASCAP).

And for the band’s name, Picus Maximus, it was no accident. It is the Latin name for a large white-billed North American woodpecker considered extinct since the mid-nineteen hundreds. In the same year Soldi re-joined with Sparhawk to commence recording their Rock Opera (2006), a single lone woodpecker of this genus was reported sighted in Arkansas. Hence the analogy that live music, at least in San Diego, is being resurrected from near extinction with the arrival of Soldi and Sparhawk as the musical thrust behind Picus Maximus. Current world events have dictated a response from theses veteran samurais. Picus Maximus has been sighted alive, and The Tragedy of Johnny Patriot is coming soon to a venue near you.

Great music. Great story. Bound to increase focus on San Diego as a musical/creative hub.




Instrumentation
Picus: Lead Guitar
Maximus: Lead Vocal
"Grateful" Ed: Rythm Guitar
Cowboy Rob: Second Lead Guitar
Moon Pie: Keys
Dean: Bass
John: Drums


Discography
The Tragedy of Johnny Patriot - a rock opera

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