Joshua Strawn

Biography

Joshua Strawn was born in a suburb of Des Moines, Iowa, grew up in Roanoke, Virginia, and currently resides in New Orleans, Louisiana. In Roanoke, Strawn met Jeremy Kolosine of the seminal electropunk band Futurisk, who was then playing in a dream pop/shoegaze band called Shakespace. Kolosine invited Strawn to join the band, first as a keyboardist, then later as a vocalist and guitarist. Simultaneously, Strawn took up playing bass in the Diplomats. Shakespace recorded one EP and one LP, while the Diplomats recorded an EP which was mixed by R.E.M. veteran Mitch Easter. The Diplomats disbanded before the EP was released, and Shakespace disbanded during the recording and mixing of their last LP.

Strawn moved to New York in 2004, and upon meeting bassist Ryan Rayhill, formed Blacklist. Simultaneously, he finished his studies at The New School, where he befriended Christopher Hitchens. Blacklist released several recordings on Wierd Records, a label which Strawn was closely involved from its inception until its conclusion, not only as an artist, but also as a co-thinker and copywriter. He joined Religious to Damn in 2009, and after Blacklist announced an indefinite hiatus from recording and touring, formed Vaura in early 2010 with Kevin Hufnagel, Toby Driver and Religious to Damn drummer Charlie Schmid. In mid-2012, Strawn launched Azar Swan, a collaboration with Zohra Atash, the lead singer and primary songwriter of Religious to Damn. In 2013, he started Vain Warr.

In 2016, he launched his own record label, Primal Architecture Records.

Influences

Due to the diversity of Strawn's musical endeavors, the influences he has cited span multiple genres, including Scott Walker, the Comsat Angels, Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne, the Manic Street Preachers, Ulver, Blut Aus Nord, Comus, the Sisters of Mercy, the-Dream, Kate Bush, David Sylvian and These New Puritans.

Lyrical themes

When being interviewed for Blacklist, Strawn described his lyrics as "militantly humanistic". Though lacking in many overt references, their album Midnight of the Century alluded to superstition and religion in almost every song, encompassing all three major monotheisms as well as political superstitions like Stalinism and fascism.

When being interviewed for Vaura, which has been associated by some with black metal, Strawn explained an affinity for Lucifer as an emblem of liberty and morality, saying, "Satan is the great refuser of tyranny, the original freethinker and civil disobedient...If I detach from what black metal musicians (and fans) say about black metal and just look at it as a collective gesture, I like that it’s an anti-religious moment with strong iconography. If Yaweh was telling Abraham to murder his son, it would be Lucifer telling him not to. I have zero question as to who falls on the right side of that moral question".

Non-musical endeavors

Strawn has written about his background in political action and organizing, from a brief stint with ACORN in the early 2000s, to being employed by the Human Rights Campaign and the Working Families Party. While attending The New School, Strawn was active with two philosophical organizations, the Nietzsche Circle and the Foucault Society, both created by Nietzsche scholar Yunus Tuncel.

While living in New York, Strawn worked full time as a social media analyst for ad research firm Competitrack, and part time as a freelance journalist. Strawn is currently a regular contributor to The Talkhouse. His writing on politics, music, and culture have appeared in The Daily Beast, BUST, Death and Taxes and Slutist.

With Shakespace

With the Diplomats

With Blacklist

With Religious to Damn

With Vaura

With Azar Swan

With Vain Warr

Other appearances