Go Johnny Go! Great Musicians Called John Quiz

Answer: John Lee Hooker

John Lee's career and life make fascinating reading, and luckily for the curious, Charles Shaar Murray did a sterling job on his biography before Hooker died.

What you are immediately aware of when you first listen to John Lee Hooker is his weird timing, which is referred to as non-metric, which seems off but somehow makes perfect sense. This caused several problems when John Lee played with less open-minded timekeepers, something he did in the latter part of his fabulous career. The stars hung out and played with him fairly late on, but the best collaborations have to be with the Groundhogs in the 1960s, and Canned Heat in the early 1970s. The latter combination yielded the indispensable album "Hooker 'n Heat".

However, John was best on his lonesome, best captured on the double album simply titled "Alone" recorded in the 1970s.

Then there's his talking blues, which is wonderful to listen to, but makes less sense than his timing. I still don't know what the heck a "Sheep Out On The Foam" is, and I've been listening to it for years.

Answer: Guitarist

Johnny Ramone was born John Cummings on Long Island, New York in 1948. He was a founder member of the Ramones and was with them right through their illustrious career. In fact, it might be argued that his guitar sound and playing style is the band's signature, although singer Joey Ramone is surely the iconic image of the band.

Johnny Ramone was pure punk; obnoxious, contrary and blunt. Interviews with him can be seen in the enthralling film "End Of The Century: The Story Of The Ramones".

The Ramones split up in 1996 and Johnny didn't do anything else in terms of music between then and his death in 2004 from prostate cancer. Other original Ramones Joey (vocals) and Dee Dee (bass) had already died in 2001 and 2002 respectively.

Answer: Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath/solo)

John Michael Osbourne is mostly associated with Black Sabbath by heavy metal fans, as a solo artist by hair metal fans, and as a lovable buffoon by TV fans. He sang for Black Sabbath on their first eight albums, regarded by many as their golden era, including the genre cornerstones "Paranoid", "Master Of Reality" and "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath".

He left after the lackluster "Never Say Die!" album in 1978 and embarked on a highly lucrative solo career. In recent years Ozzy has rejoined Black Sabbath for gigs, but as of 2012 they haven't recorded together again.

Euronymous' real name was Øystein Aarseth. He was a founding member of Mayhem and was murdered by Varg Vikernes, who was at that time bassist in the band.

Blues grand poobah Howlin' Wolf's real name was Chester Arthur Burnett.

Meat Loaf's real name is Marvin Lee Aday.

Answer: Eric Clapton

John Martyn had already made quite a name for himself on the British folk circuit by the time he recorded his first truly world-class album, "Solid Air". The title track was dedicated to Martyn's pal Nick Drake who died the following year.

Martyn went on to enjoy a relatively successful career, especially critically, although he never really reached the commercial heights of some of his contemporaries, such as Eric Clapton. He is often cited as having one of the most intriguing voices of his generation and several of his albums often appear on albums-you-have-to-hear lists.

John Martyn was a heavy boozer and also "dabbled" in drugs, probably contributing to his death in 2009 aged 60.

In 1977 Ted Nugent released "Cat Scratch Fever", and British superstar Cliff Richard released "Every Face Tells A Story".

George Harrison was married to Pattie Boyd before Eric Clapton got his hands on her.

Answer: The Three Johns

Despite the name, there were only two Johns in the original Three Johns who formed in 1981. They were guitarist Jon Langford and vocalist John Hyatt. The bassist was Phillip Brennan and the drum machine went unnamed.

They formed in Leeds and fitted in nicely with the ardent and often political pop that the city was spawning, with the likes of The Mekons (Jon Langford's main band), Gang Of Four and Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, creating a scene of sorts. They seemed to disappear around 1990 after a handful of albums and a string of Radio One sessions (John Peel, of course), but have been gigging again recently (2012).

The Who only had one John, John Entwistle. Their "Live At Leeds" album (1970) is a benchmark for live albums.

Although The Mission are from Leeds, they haven't had any Johns in their line-ups that I know of.

Dire Straits were from Newcastle and boasted just one John, John Illsley (bass).

Answer: Johnny Thunders

Johnny Thunders got his name from a comic book character but quickly made it his own when he found fame with the gloriously shambolic New York Dolls.

When he left the moribund Dolls he formed The Heartbreakers and recorded the quintessential sleazy rock 'n' roll classic "L.A.M.F." album. He then meandered through a disorderly career worthy of investigation until his sordid, and somewhat clandestine, death in 1991.

Johnny Rotten was the cartoonesque singer in the Sex Pistols. Johnny Hallyday is the French Elvis. If you don't know who Johnny Cash was, you need to wise up.

Answer: Pussy Galore

Jon Spencer is a true post-modern innovator since most of what he innovates has already been done, but he certainly adds a twist to it.

Some of Pussy Galore's output is tough listening, but heralded good tidings, i.e. the return of guitar-based rock 'n' roll, most firmly galvanized by The White Stripes although the ripples spread all the way through popular music in the 2000s.

Has anyone taken the plunge and called themselves Scaramanga? I for one would buy their album.

Answer: John Lawrence

Gorky's Zygotic Mynci formed in in Welsh-speaking stronghold Carmarthen in 1991 and a year later had recorded "Patio", once described by fellow-Welshman John Cale of Velvet Underground fame as one of his favourite records of all time. His insight was spot on as the record is a delightful collection of playful, folky, yet heartily contemporary ditties. They carried on in the same vein, citing Kevin Ayers as a guiding force, with "Tatay", "Bwyd Time" and then the big label debut "Barafundle", which still contained songs sung in Welsh. Other albums followed, but despite John Peel championing the band, commercial rewards weren't forthcoming.

John Lawrence left in 1999 and the band split in 2006.

Sir Thomas John Woodward is Tom Jones' full name.

Augustus John was one of Wales's finest painters.

Answer: Pirates

Johnny Kidd was born Frederick Heath in 1935 in London. He and his Pirates stormed the British charts and were arguably the greatest of all the pre-Beatles British rock 'n' roll acts, most notably for Johnny's refusal to mimic Elvis in his singing.

Although "Please Don't Touch" wasn't a huge hit at the time, it has been covered many a time, most successfully by a Motorhead/Girlschool hybrid in 1980.

"Shakin' All Over" was a UK hit, but our cousins the other side of the pond were ignorant of the fact and didn't get a taste of it until Canadians The Guess Who did a cover in 1965. Keeping the question theme alive, The Who did it at Leeds University in 1970, and included it on "Live At Leeds", probably the best known version.

Answer: Sleepy

Sleepy John probably got his name due to his proneness to narcolepsy, but it has been argued that it was a less prosaic moniker and came from his ability to distance himself from life when it got too dreadful.
He was born around the turn of the century (his birth wasn't recorded) in Tennessee and grew up in the area in impoverished conditions. He lost sight in an eye as a teenager.

He first recorded in 1929 and soon cemented his style, characterized by a mournful singing voice and a somewhat old-man's tone.

Like so many blues artists, he was tracked down in the 1960s by avid blues enthusiasts, by which time he was totally blind but still managed to kick out the jams.