Jon Erik Johnson has passed away., A truly great soul moves on. Options

[thread-perpetuating crocodile]

oh god...this is terrible news.

i'm so sorry for your loss. for everyone's loss.

[JVK]

Man, this is so sad. On the way to work I was thinking about the first time I hung out with John. It was at a Scene Of The Crime recording session a few years ago. He was there with L@PPB for the immortal "Homo Rainbow" session. I was the with Philony Phil and Andre doing. ToHellYouRide, which turned out to be Phil's last recording befor he died. The Dents were there too.We all had such a blast all hanging out and singing back-ups on eachothers tracks. Some where I have photos of those sessions. Jon's gentle chaperoneing of Tommy Long's hijinx in the "exercise room" were classic. I'll try and find 'em and scan them in at work soon.

[Kier]

Man, I just talked to him last weekend and like the good soul he is, he was helping me out with something. He was an excellent man and a heck of a musician. His knowledge and understanding of music was like none other. Oh man, I am sad.. he really was a nice guy. I am glad I got to write the Noise feature on the Lenny and the Piss Poor Boys because I really got to see those guys closer up, and find out how great those guys all are on and off the stage... that evening I spent watching them play in Jon's apartment was an unforgettable performance.

Oh man, I am sad. I had no idea. He was so young, such a strong spirit... a really good man.

[radioswthrt]

i'm sorry to hear this, and condolences to those who knew and loved him.

i never met him in person, myself, but he played a funny part in my acclimating to boston when i moved here years ago. i'd seen the bourbonaires play at the met cafe, and around the same time was accepted to college in boston. i dropped them a line just for the hell of it to see what they could tell me about where to find shows in boston- it was important to me and i wanted to keep it up. jon sent me a whole lot of information, tons of thoughtful response that put me in the right direction when i moved here. that correspondence was one of the best, long-lasting favors i've seen, and it was from a total stranger.

several years later, after i figured out he was the same guy, i got in touch with him on here this year to say, hey, thanks, it's been 7 years, and it's a part of the reason i'm still here.

[christocon]

i'm terribly sorry to hear this. i didn't have the pleasure of having met the man, but have "known" him through this place for years and years now, and believe in my heart that he truly must have been the great man i always imagined him to be.

this is a personal lesson to always try and live life in the moment when it comes to positive, worthwhile endeavors. i was in line at cvs in wollaston just two weeks ago and was looking around me in the store, as you do when bored in the line. i saw a man i recognized as jonerik come into the store and get in line a few spots behind me. i wanted to pop back and introduce myself, but felt awkward about the exchange ("hey! i know you from the noise board") in the middle of cvs, so i passed, figuring i'd have that chance again. i'm sad that i don't.

[bmo]

wow. very sad news. all my sympathies to Dakota and the entire family.

[Rudegirl]

I'm still crying on and off since last night when I heard.

Adjectives, there are so many adjectives to describe him and all of them speak to how wonderful, kind, caring, generous...beneficent.

I just keep thinking it doesn't make sense and I can't believe it. The last time I talked to him he was all excited because he was going to get to start driving again.

I am one of the lucky ones who got to befriend both brothers seperately and I appreciated so much the contrasting personalities and amazing similarities. I will miss his gentle ways and shy smiles and the fantastic way he seemed to expand to fill the room when he was among people he was comfortable with.

Aw crap, here come the tears again.

[duffy]

Thoughts and prayers go to you and your family in this very sad time.

[Jethro]

Very sad news. I didn't know him personally, and only got to see Lenny and The Piss Poor Boys once, about 2 months ago at the Abbey - but his musicianship and presence + demeanor on stage struck me immediatly and were truly inspiring. I'm grateful that I was able to see him perform.

[In the Woods]

This is heartbreaking. I never met him but the loss is still palpable. I don't know what else to say. My sincere and deepest condolences to family and friends.

[Dan from providence]

I'm so sorry. This is terrible.

[charolastra]

How terrible, I'm very sorry to hear this. While I never had the pleasure of meeting him in person, I really loved reading about his trips to Japan, and how he was really great about answering kooky questions about his trips, or stupid nerdboard questions. This is so shocking, and I hope that Dakota, his family and his girlfriend will find the stregth to carry on through this.

[JodyThePig]

You know how sometimes you'll see some talking head on television promoting some political position that opposes your own, relying entirely on talking points that never really address the issue and spending more effort in deriding the opposition than in arguing his own point, and your frustration mounts and mounts until your faith in the prospects for democracy in America has all but expired?

Jon Erik was NEVER like that here. Like mercyjames noted, Jon was able to present his views on what's right and proper through reasoned argument, and his arguments were always so reasonable that they forced me to work harder to justify my own views to myself.

This was a gift that I received from Jon many, many times, a gift that he probably wasn't aware he was giving, and one from which I've benefitted greatly.

[In the Woods]

You know how sometimes you'll see some talking head on television promoting some political position that opposes your own, relying entirely on talking points that never really address the issue and spending more effort in deriding the opposition than in arguing his own point, and your frustration mounts and mounts until your faith in the prospects for democracy in America has all but expired?

Jon Erik was NEVER like that here. Like mercyjames noted, Jon was able to present his views on what's right and proper through reasoned argument, and his arguments were always so reasonable that they forced me to work harder to justify my own views to myself.

This was a gift that I received from Jon many, many times, a gift that he probably wasn't aware he was giving, and one from which I've benefitted greatly.

Hear, hear.

This post has been edited by In the Woods: Jan 18 2007, 11:07 AM

[Lollipop]

When I first saw this on the board i thought it had nothing to do with OUR Jon Erik, but then saw this pinned and was greatly saddened. Like many, i never knew him, but I always considered Jon Erik the most intelligent person on the board. Though I disagreed with him on thoughts on religion and such, he obviously was a thoughtful, well-read person, so i always respected his opinions.

My thoughts go out to his family and the NB family!

[Big Tony]

This is terrible news. He was a strong thinker and very articulate. A powerfully effective advocate of whatever it was that he believed. You can't say that about very many people. Even if you disagreed with him on an issue, you had to respect his ability to approach it from the highest level as you wrestled back and forth with him. I will miss reading his posts and examining his point of view.

[THE LUXURY]

This is Jason -

This is absolutely shocking and saddening. I didn't know Jon as well as I should have, but through the board I always respected him as a voice of reason with a sense of humour squeezed in like lime to a good gin drink. And in Lenny and the Piss Poor Boys I thought he was fantastic.

I don't know what to say so I'll step back and let those closer to him do the talking, but I'm sad about this and I'll send all the strength I can to Scott and all his friends and family.

[openbar]

My heart breaks to see this.

You can say that again brother.

Thing is, I'm not sure she's been informed yet because of the language/time barrier. She absolutely adored Jon.

[T-Bone]

Since Jon worked within a few minutes of my office, we would often get together for lunch, and I remember having some great debates on politics and the like. One of the few guys I know who was on the complete opposite side of the fence but didn't feel the need to jump down your throat simply because you didn't agree.

I also remember that whenever I tried to pool money together to get AChick a gift like flowers or whatever, simply out of appreciation for her work here, that he would always be one of the first ones to offer some dough. He was a very generous person and quite thoughtful.

There was also an instance, maybe a month ago, where a user on the board threatened to leave because he thought we didn't moderate the mean people enough. I basically told him to get lost, but Jon wrote out a very nice, well-thought out response encouraging the user to stay and give the board another chance. He really didn't want this guy to go, even though he had no personal connection to him.

He was a great help on the board, and definitely a voice of reason. We really would not have been able to keep this board together without his hard work over the years. I will miss him very deeply both as a friend a co-worker of sorts. My only regret is that I never got to see him play.

[Biccer2]

So sorry for the loss.

[vixen]

I did not know Jon, but I am sorry for the loss. I do know Dakota, who is also a wonderful soul and my condolensces go out to you and your family.

[!@#]

............very sad news dakota. sorry man. j_po

[Padraig]

Just found out a few minutes ago. I can't believe it. I didn't know him as well as a lot of you guys probably did, but I spoke with him many, many times, split a bill with him, and later got to appreciate his sense of humor here on the NB -- I remember we had some good back-and-forths, building on quips. I never went after him on any political point, partly because I always thought he was such a decent, solid dude and not any kind of asshole. And of course I saw him play with Lenny & the PPBs so many times.

I remember once giving him a flyer for our second show, it had a picture of John L. Sullivan in a boxing match -- Jon took one look at the picture of the two half-nekkid dudes knocking the crap out of one another while gentlemen in suits salivated beyond the ropes and said, "What is this, gay boxing? Are you promoting a gay boxing event? Look at this guy! Look at that moustache!" Everyone around laughed. Then he said seriously, "No, no, that sounds like a good show..."
Another time I remember taking some girl I hardly knew to a show at the Middle East, maybe Darkbuster -- anyway, there was a long line. I said hello to somebody on the way there, then got in line, and Jon got in line behind us. I said hello to him, and the girl said, "Wow, you know everybody!" And I thought, "More like everybody knows Jon!"
And I cracked up at his answer to the commuting question in the last Noise. "I live in Wollaston and work in Kendall. My commute is very Chinese."

My heart goes out to Dakota. Losing your only brother has to be one of the worst things imaginable.

[mark lind]

Holy shit. I just saw the news online. Fucking terrible. You never know when its coming. All the best to his family and friends. I can't imagine what they're going through. So unexpected.

[The Archduke of Horseshit]

Hello

Jon Erik Johnson passed away the morning of Wednesday January 17th at home in his apartment in Wollaston at around 8:15 AM. It appears he died of complications from a sudden seizure. He probably was unconscious before he even knew what was going on, and passed away quickly without suffering.

I'd not been able to reach him over the course of the afternoon Wednesday, and when I called his place of work, he'd not come in and they'd not been able to reach him. On hearing this I felt worried and headed over immediately to his place and let myself in. I found him already gone.

Police, paramedics and others of that sort came over and were professional and warm. Their appraisal of what had happened was the same as mine. He'd had serious seizures of an epileptic grand mal type starting 9 months ago, and even though the meds he'd been taking for that had seemed to be helping, there's just no way to completely protect against this kind of circumstance.

It had been his 43rd birthday this last weekend, and he and I had a great weekend up in New Hampshire visiting with our parents. He'd been in excellent spirits, had a notable glow of well being and happiness. We had great family time together. Tuesday night he'd had a filmed interview and rehearsal with Lenny and the Piss Poor Boys, and they say he'd been in fine form, happy and laughing and doing some of what he loved best.

If it just has to happen that someone has to go, this is as good as it gets. Top of the game, enjoying life, and no warning or suffering.

But I miss him so bad. He was an amazing person, and my only brother. I loved him so much. Still do.

I didn't know Jon Erik but I am saddened by the loss. I just wanted to say that I am in awe of the strength and dignity of Dakota's open letter. It is a truly moving requiem for a lost brother and shows a depth of character that I am certain I could not muster if given the same circumstance.


-Jeremy