Did you find a review, that you think should be on this site, but is missing? Please send it to info@johnidan.com and keep on checking the site...

Good Times 1/2012
John Idan ‘The Folly’
Ein echtes Solo-Album, auf dem jede Note selbst gespielt und eingesungen wird: fürwahr der Wahnwitz (THE FOLLY), für den der gebürtige Detroiter und Wahl-Londoner John Idan sogar die Yardbirds verließ. Das Resultat geriet eindrucksvoll – psychedelisch perlender Soft Rock, nicht meilenweit von Yardbirds-Drummer Jim McCartys Sitting on The Top of Time (2009) entfernt.

Jeder Orgelton, jede Verzahnung akustischer und elektrischer Gitarren wirkt ebenso sorgfältig austariert wie der oft mehrstimmige Gesang, auch dank sensiblem Mixes durch Robin Black, der auch für Cat Stevens und Jethro Tull arbeitete.

Hit-Verdächtiges wie ‚Banging My Head on the Wall‘ firmiert durchaus unter Beat – sowas bildete einst Äther-Futter für Piratensender zwischen Caroline und Veronica. Mit ‚Sunny Franziska of the Western World‘ kommen dazu noch McCartneyeske Violinen ins Spiel. ‚No Other‘ huldigt Lennon. Blues erscheint erst zum Finale – er ist bei dem hier gezeigten Einfallsreichtum eben nur ein Aspekt im Arsenal. (Pinnacle/Viking Music, 13/54:22) utw

John Idan ‘The Folly’
In the late 80, “Detroit John”, as he was known then, moved from his native Michigan to London and got a gig as singer and second guitarist in the Topham-McCarty Blues Band – led by Yardbirds drummer Jim McCarty and the groups original (pre–Clapton) lead guitarist, Top Topham. That eventually led to his current gig as bassist and singer in the reformed Yardbirds. He can be heard pulling double duty (spelling original bassist Paul Samwell-Smith and the late vocalist Keith Relf) on the band’s star-studded Birdland (2003).

On his self-produced solo debut, Idan supplies all instruments (except for a string quartet) – recorded, he stresses, in analogue in real time and on real instruments – though, to his credit, the overdubbed one-man-band aspect would be impossible to detect if he hadn’t divulged details.

The biographical opener “The Ballad of Myself” has a distinctly Cat Stevens feel – not coincidently, no doubt, as the CD was mixed by Robin Black (known for his work with Stevens, Jethro Tull, Gerry Rafferty, and others). For the most part, Idan eschews the often hard edge of the Yardbirds in favour of a folkie feel, with layered acoustic rhythms – ironically sounding more English than the blues-rock Brits he fronts. When he does step up to play lead, though, he displays a style that’s both melodic and muscular. The Beatles-esque “That’s You and Me” reveals an uncanny ability to mimic George Harrison’s slide style.

If all the above-mentioned genres have you second-guessing from pigeonhole to pigeonhole, that’s the nature of this eclectic showcase. But Idan’s voice (vocally, instrumentally, and compositionally) ensures cohesion on this very auspicious outing.
Dan Forte, Vintage Guitar Magazine, March 2009


The Folly (Garden Of Idan)
As well as serving the present-day Yardbirds as singing bass player, Idan, a natural-born heart-throb, is the outfit's principal source of sex appeal. Commensurate with this, it's feasible that this first solo album, if exhaling from a late-night music-centre, might facilitate the winning of maidenly favours by smitten young executives in penthouses the world over.

It's almost the music at any given moment that matters more than individual items. Yet every one of them would stand tall if reduced to the acid test of just voice and piano or guitar. Indeed, if some soppy boy-band or singing Britain's Got Talent finalist was looking for material far above and beyond the usual drivel, they might find it in, say, 'That's You And Me', 'I Began To Realise' or 'No Other' - though the raunchier and more lyrically erudite 'The Kali Yoga's Gettin' Hot' occupies an area between these and compositions that are too autobiographical and peculiar to Idan alone for any attempted syndication.

Finally, John parades his exceptional talents both vocally and in an instinctive command of virtually every instrument heard on a confident and extensive breadth of artistic expression that doesn't need association with a famous group to enhance its intrinsic worth.
Alan Clayson, Rock'n'Reel Magazine no 11 September/October





RECORD REVIEWS (September 28, 2008)
By Beverly Paterson

John Idan “The Folly”
First albums are always risky business. But John Idan, who is a seasoned musician and has been performing on a regular basis since he was a teenager, need not worry. “The Folly,” which is does indeed mark his solo debut outing, is a winner all the way. Regardless of what your taste in music is, there’s something for everybody here. Reflecting the days, most notably the late sixties and early seventies, when radio broadcasted a diverse assortment of styles, “The Folly” could easily be coined a roots rock record, but the truth is, there’s a lot more going on than simply revisiting classic genres. The album opens up with “The Ballad Of Myself,” which begins on an acoustic note before gaining ground and turning into a gritty rock number. As the title indicates, this tune is personal and tells the story of John’s life. In fact, “The Folly” is a very intimate record. John openly shares his thoughts and feelings, which are often peppered with a positive spiritual essence, resulting in songs that play like audio snapshots. Love is the theme on finely constructed cuts such as “More To This Than We Know,” “We All Belong,” “That’s You And Me” and “Sunny Franziska Of The Western World,” while the bluesy hard rocking riffing of “Bangin’ My Head On The Wall” suggests a Rolling Stones “Beggar’s Banquet” era vibe. The sweet and slick sounds of Motown have not been lost on John either, as “I Began To Realise” mines the type of turf once mined by The Temptations and Smokey Robinson and The Miracles. Ruled by the artistic integrity of an original voice, “The Folly’ is a sheer pleasure.
Check out Beverly’s other great reviews here >>


Del T. Pittman "Dbot66"
This review is from: Folly (Audio CD) on Amazon
"This album has 13 songs, and in the days of Top 40 radio...all 13 would have been hits. The songs are diverse musically, and the music arrangements, lyrics, and melodies are solid throughout the album. When I listen to The Folly, I can hear the multiple influences that John must have been exposed to growing up. He's able to draw us in "to feel" the music. This may happen due to his long experience as a live performer. Truly, there is magic in the connectivity John makes with the listener that I haven't felt since Harry Nilsson's, Nilsson Schmilsson. This is a no hype review of one very amazingly solid album. A big Thank You to John Idan."




"Stirring stuff...a wide vocal range combined with a gutsy delivery made John Idan an admirable choice of front man - he knew how to deliver the goods. This is the stuff that memories are made of." BLUEPRINT

Mick Phelan February 7, 2008
Having been at the Yardbirds first gig at the Crawdaddy to last night at Eel Pie with TOP and JOHN...my humble opinion is that John is their best lead guitarist and Ive seen them all! Eric with John Mayall well that's another story!