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Anthony R. "Tonie" Joy is an American musician based in
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
, Maryland. Joy is known for his work in various underground rock and
post-hardcore Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. Like the term " post-punk", the term "post-hardcore" has been applied to a broad conste ...
bands. He ran the independent record label
Vermin Scum Vermin Scum is an Annapolis, Maryland-based record label founded by Kenny Hill (b. 1965 - d. 2020) of the bands Spastic Rats and the Hated. The name was given to fit the theme of the label's first release, the Spastic Rats' "Rodentia." Released ...
from 1989 until 2001. He emerged in the late 1980s and has been a key figure in several notable bands. Joy is perhaps best known for his role in
Moss Icon Moss Icon is an American post-hardcore band formed in late 1986 in Annapolis, Maryland, United States. Its original lineup comprised vocalist Jonathan Vance, guitarist Tonie Joy, bassist Monica DiGialleonardo, and drummer Mark Laurence. Alex B ...
, a band that played a significant part in the development of the post-hardcore and emo scenes with their complex song structures and introspective lyrics. Moss Icon's music, especially their album ''
Lyburnum Wits End Liberation Fly ''Lyburnum Wits End Liberation Fly'' is the sole full-length album by American post-hardcore band Moss Icon. The album was recorded in 1988, and released in 1993 on Vermiform Records. The band broke up in between the recording and release, in 1 ...
'', has been highly influential in shaping the sound of later emo and post-hardcore bands. Apart from Moss Icon, Joy has been involved with other bands, including Breathing Walker, an offshoot of
Moss Icon Moss Icon is an American post-hardcore band formed in late 1986 in Annapolis, Maryland, United States. Its original lineup comprised vocalist Jonathan Vance, guitarist Tonie Joy, bassist Monica DiGialleonardo, and drummer Mark Laurence. Alex B ...
, Universal Order of Armageddon (UOA),
The Convocation The Convocation (formerly The Convocation Of...) is an American psychedelic rock band from Baltimore, Maryland. History As The Convocation Of..., the band was formed by George France, Tonie Joy, and Guy Blakeslee in August 1998. Joy had previo ...
, and
Born Against Born Against was an American hardcore punk band from New York active between 1989 and 1993. Though Born Against received little media exposure while still together, they have since been described as "legendary" by the ''Chicago Reader'' and the ...
. Each of these projects has contributed uniquely to various sub-genres of punk and hardcore, with UOA being notable for their intense, chaotic sound and ''The Convocation Of...'' blending post-rock and experimental elements. Throughout his career, Joy has been appreciated for his innovative guitar work and his ability to blend intensity with emotion in his music. His contributions have left a lasting impact on the alternative and punk music landscapes.


Musical career


Early Influences

Having been inspired by his father Bill's early '70s
acid rock Acid rock is a loosely defined type of rock music that evolved out of the mid-1960s garage rock, garage punk movement and helped launch the psychedelia, psychedelic subculture. While the term has sometimes been used interchangeably with "psyc ...
band Grok and previous group The Verdicts, Joy began playing music as a teenager. Joy got his first guitar when he was 15 years old. He met up with his father at a guitar store, and they split the cost of the guitar - with his father paying half as a Christmas present. This was the first time Joy was able to start seriously learning and playing guitar. Joy had a diverse range of early musical influences starting from a young age. He was drawn to the loud, distorted sounds of 1970s hard rock and metal bands that his parents and older cousin, who loaned him records by Joy Division and Throbbing Gristle. He listened to, such as
Deep Purple Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical style has varied throughout their career. Originally for ...
,
Black Sabbath Black Sabbath are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. After adopting the Black Sabbath name in 1969 (the band ...
, and
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1968. The band comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones (musician), John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham. With a he ...
, as well as psychedelic rock from the late 1960s (bands like
Jefferson Airplane Jefferson Airplane was an American Rock music, rock band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1965. One of the pioneering bands of psychedelic rock, the group defined the San Francisco Sound and was the first from the San Francisco Bay Area, ...
). As the 1970s progressed, he began gravitating towards more experimental and avant-garde music. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he was exposed to punk rock and gained an appreciation for bands in the emerging hardcore scene like
Minor Threat Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1980 in Washington, D.C., by vocalist Ian MacKaye and drummer Jeff Nelson. MacKaye and Nelson had played in several other bands together, and recruited bassist Brian Baker and guita ...
. Joy also listened to new wave and post-punk acts like
Siouxsie and the Banshees Siouxsie and the Banshees ( ) were a British Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. Post-punk pioneers, they were widely influential, both over their contemporaries and later ...
. Throughout his teenage years, Joy remained open-minded with his tastes, enjoying a variety of styles including psychedelic rock, metal, and any "weird" or unique music. These diverse influences from his early life helped inform the unconventional sound that Joy and
Moss Icon Moss Icon is an American post-hardcore band formed in late 1986 in Annapolis, Maryland, United States. Its original lineup comprised vocalist Jonathan Vance, guitarist Tonie Joy, bassist Monica DiGialleonardo, and drummer Mark Laurence. Alex B ...
would go on to create in the 1980s DC underground scene.


Moss Icon (1986 - 1991)

In 1986 he co-founded
Moss Icon Moss Icon is an American post-hardcore band formed in late 1986 in Annapolis, Maryland, United States. Its original lineup comprised vocalist Jonathan Vance, guitarist Tonie Joy, bassist Monica DiGialleonardo, and drummer Mark Laurence. Alex B ...
which is known as an early influence on the hardcore
punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...
splinter genre known as "emotive hardcore" or
emo Emo () is a genre of rock music characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of hardcore punk and from the Washington, D.C., hardcore scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore. The bands ...
. Tonie Joy has said that seeing The Hated play for the first time inspired he and Jonathan Vance to start Moss Icon, saying, "“I remember thinking, ‘This is like hardcore thrash meets Richie Havens.’ How were they strumming so fast?” Joy says. “I think that night jump-started the idea of us doing a band.” Moss Icon were active until 1991, briefly in 2001, and occasionally since 2007. Joy recalls: "The folks in Moss Icon, we were between 16 and 18," Joy said ..., "all in middle class and upper-middle class suburbia outside of Annapolis. I lived with my grandmother, which made me a little different than most of my friends. I was never much of a child. I thought the Black Panthers were cool when I was, like, 10." In 1990 Joy played guitar in Breathing Walker, a band containing members of Moss Icon as well as other musicians.


Post-Moss Icon (1991 - 1995)

Shortly thereafter, following a brief period playing guitar in and contributing artwork to Lava, Joy co-founded Universal Order of Armageddon, another influential post-hardcore group. During this time Joy served as the bassist in the final lineup of the political hardcore band
Born Against Born Against was an American hardcore punk band from New York active between 1989 and 1993. Though Born Against received little media exposure while still together, they have since been described as "legendary" by the ''Chicago Reader'' and the ...
. Joy's first appearance as a front man came in 1995 with The Great Unraveling, a band formed by members of Universal Order of Armageddon. Joy was also an occasional member of the group Men's Recovery Project in the late 1990s.


Universal Order of Armageddon (1992 - 1994)

The band was known for its intense, chaotic performances and a sound that blended elements of punk, hardcore, and experimental rock. Universal Order of Armageddon's music was marked by frantic energy, complex structures, and a raw, aggressive sound. Their performances were often unpredictable and highly energetic, contributing to their reputation in the underground music scene. They released a self-titled EP, a full-length album, and several singles. The band's influence, especially marked by Joy's distinctive style of guitar work, extended beyond their brief existence, impacting many subsequent post-hardcore and punk bands.


The Convocation (1998 - present)

After Universal Order of Armageddon's dissolution in 1997, Joy co-founded The Convocation Of..., who, despite a period of inactivity from 2002–2005, currently remain active under the name ''The Convocation.'' It was formed in 1998 by Joy and drummer George France. They were later joined by bassist Guy Blakeslee of
The Entrance Band The Entrance Band (formerly called Entrance) is a band started by Guy Blakeslee (born April 29, 1981). Their style of music has been described as psychedelic rock or stoner rock. Blakeslee was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland and first ga ...
. The band's sound is characterized by a mix of post-hardcore, experimental rock, and psychedelic influences. Their music often features intricate guitar work, dynamic rhythms, and a blend of melodic and dissonant elements. The Convocation is known for its atmospheric and expansive soundscapes, distinguishing them within the post-hardcore scene.


2010 - present

In 2010 he briefly played bass in the hard rock band The Pilgrim and in 2011 played guitar on a few tracks on the
Cold Cave Cold Cave is the solo project for musician Wesley Eisold, described as a "collage of dark wave, darkwave, noise music, noise, and synthpop." A number of reviewers note the affinity with early 1980s post-punk and early synthpop, in particular Jo ...
LP '' Cherish the Light Years'' and was a touring guitarist on their 2011 UK and EU tour. Later this year, Joy debuted his 7 piece live band called Slow Bull, the culmination of several years of solo writing and recording efforts. Joy currently is in band calle
Rogue Conjurer
Joy also in 2024 contributed guitar tracks to the forthcoming record "Learning to Live with Fire" by Caithlin de Marrais, the singer and bassist for
Rainer Maria Rainer Maria is an American emo band from Madison, Wisconsin, later residing in Brooklyn, New York. The band was originally active from 1995 to 2006 and reunited in 2014. They have released six full-length albums, a live DVD, and numerous liv ...
.


Equipment

When asked why he preferred Fenders and single coils over Gibsons and humbuckers, Joy explained that Strats felt more comfortable and he appreciated working within their limitations. He also admired Ritchie Blackmore, who used Strats.


Signature sound

Tonie Joy’s guitar playing style is distinctive and influential within the post-hardcore and experimental rock scenes. Overall, Tonie Joy’s guitar style is a blend of aggressive punk energy, experimental creativity, and complex rhythms, all delivered with a raw and authentic DIY spirit. Tonie Joy’s approach is marked by a raw and aggressive sound, typical of the post-hardcore genre. His playing often features heavy distortion and a gritty tone, which contributes to the intense atmosphere of his music. Joy incorporates experimental elements into his guitar work, utilizing unconventional chord structures and dissonance. This experimentation adds an atmospheric and sometimes chaotic feel to the music, setting it apart from more traditional punk and hardcore styles He frequently employs various effects pedals to create a wide range of sounds, from reverb and delay to more flanger and phaser. This contributes to the expansive and layered textures in his music His playing often features complex rhythms and time signatures, which adds to the unpredictability and excitement of the music. This complexity is a hallmark of his work with bands like Universal Order of Armageddon and The Convocation Influenced by the DIY ethic of the hardcore punk scene, Joy’s style also reflects a hands-on, unpolished approach that emphasizes authenticity and emotional expression over technical perfection His playing is deeply emotive, often conveying a sense of urgency and passion that resonates with listeners. This emotional intensity is a key aspect of his contribution to the development of the emo and post-hardcore genres.


References


External links


Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Joy, Tonie American punk rock guitarists Living people Men's Recovery Project members American male guitarists 20th-century American guitarists 21st-century American guitarists Musicians from Baltimore 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians Year of birth missing (living people)