Henry and his engine to roll into The Blue Fugue

Former MU student forms band with national aspirations, including MTV.

By Laura Parkinson, Staff Writer

Published Feb. 23, 2007

When John Henry saw Green Day on MTV in sixth grade, he knew that he wanted to be a musician. He immediately started taking guitar lessons, and ever since, he has been perfecting his craft.

"I was inclined towards guitars when I was little," Henry said. "I said that this is what you have to do. You have to play in a rock 'n' roll band."

Now Henry, an MU graduate, sings vocals and plays guitar with three MU students in John Henry and the Engine. Henry went to grade school in St. Louis with senior AJ Gennaro, who plays drums, and they worked on forming a band.

"AJ and I met up randomly around campus, and I had met him in grade school," Henry said. "I was at his house when he got his first drum set. I saw him at Mizzou, and I heard him play, and I was like, 'This guy has to play drums with me.'"

Once the band was formed, the members decided upon its name.

"I feel like the rhythm section is an engine," Henry said. "It is really smooth, tight percussion."

The other parts of the "engine" are graduate student Steve Senger (bass, vocals) and sophomore Rob Martin (piano, vocals). They have been John Henry and the Engine for a year and a half.

"They are pretty much the best guys around at their instruments," Henry said. "They are really nice, good people. It makes things efficient."

Once the band was formed, next was to bring together everyone's influences to form a unified sound from groups like Green Day, Elvis, the Rolling Stones and James Brown.

"We are straight up American rock 'n' roll," Henry said. "That is not to say that we aren't influenced by other styles, but we are an honest American rock 'n' roll band with influences from rock to soul and R&B."

How John Henry and The Engine blends all of its influences comes down to writing a lot of songs and filtering the music to find a perfect sound.

"A lot of times, it is not a question about writing a lot of songs, but songs that will work the best and trying to be as creative as possible with the music," Henry said. "If it comes out of you, it has to be honest."

In the future, Henry hopes to create a record with a more unified sound. Until then, the band's first record, Charlie Baby, which was picked up by Hometone Records, can be heard on several MTV shows. It has been licensed to MTV to use in its spring, summer and fall seasons of shows.

Meanwhile, John Henry and The Engine is staying busy. The band will perform tonight at The Blue Fugue and tour during spring break in eight cities, including Kansas City and Chicago.

"I want to have pretty much the best rock 'n' roll band and have live shows that really are exciting and emotional with different ups and downs," Henry said. "Something that covers the whole spectrum. I just want to give these people something they will remember."