Jon “JD” Darley is a member of the chart-topping shanty group The Longest Johns, based out of Bristol, UK. Their rendition of “Wellerman” went viral on TikTok in the early days of 2021 and launched them into stardom. But even prior to that, The Longest Johns were innovating new ways to reach new audiences with their music online. In this episode, we talk to Jon about the whirlwind of the last two years, how they have blended their love of traditional music with their love of video gaming, and how they hope to be a “gateway drug” into the world of shanties and singing. (To be clear, the episode title is a Longest Johns inside joke...listen to find out more!)
⚓︎ Shanties featured:
- Opening credits: Paddy Doyle's Boots, trad. arranged by Pressgang Mutiny
- Live song: Leave Her Johnny, trad. arranged by Jonathan Darley
- Live song: Randy Dandy-O, trad. arranged by The Longest Johns
- Live song: Wellerman, trad. arranged by The Longest Johns
- Recorded song: Leave Her Johny Community Project, trad. arranged by The Longest Johns
- Recorded song: South Australia, trad. arranged by Fishermen’s Friends
- Live song: Here’s a Health to the Company, trad. arranged by Jonathan Darley
- Closing credits: Wellerman Community Project, trad. arranged by The Longest Johns
⚓︎ Find out more about Jonathan Darley and The Longest Johns at thelongestjohns.com
⚓︎ Find out more about Pressgang Mutiny here:
- pressgangmutiny.com
- facebook.com/pressgangmutiny
- TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram: @pressgangmutiny