Long way to Lockhart but Good And Wicked ready for CD release

By Kyle Mooty

LPR Editor

Raven St. John has experienced many things in his years, including being born at Laughlin Air Force Base, experiencing close-up the space shuttle splashdown as a child in Hawaii, a member of the Air Force, and working with the San Antonio Jaycees handling some rather famous musicians.

Moving to Lockhart two years ago, St. John decided to hone his writing skills and playing abilities on the guitar as well as singing. He eventually put a band together. The culmination of his efforts will come to fruition on May 23 when Good And Wicked have a CD release party at The PEARL in Lockhart.

There will be some performances, mingling with the audience, and selling of some merchandise during the informal release party from 6-8 p.m.

Among the other things St. John has done is writing a commercial song for The PEARL.

The band St. John has assembled includes some talented artists, all from Texas and most from the Lockhart, San Marcos, and Austin area.

Tim Walsh plays the saxophone. He and St. John first met in 1986 when St. John joined the San Antonio Jaycees after being injured in the Air Force at Fort Hood.

Patrick McCurry is the band’s engineer as well as singing, playing bass and drums. He has a private studio in San Marcos.

“We all just sort if clicked,” St. John said. “Patrick is amazing. He and Tim are the only ones to the actually read music, but Paul McCartney doesn’t either, so I don’t feel too bad.”

St. John will meet vocalist Kayleigh Soukup for the first time at The PEARL event. Thus far, everything has been recorded in the studio. “She has a beautiful voice, I know that, St. Johnson said of Soukup.

The band’s steel guitar player is known as “Other David.”

“He is a natural musician who kind of goes into a trance when he’s playing,” St. John said.

Good And Wicked’s music has been compared to being a little Grateful Dead, a little Dire Straits, and a little Bob Dylan. The music is alternative rock, Indie rock to some.

“It’s very upbeat, very positive” St. John said. “We don’t have any negative stuff. That’s not what we are.”

St. John, who sings as well as playing the guitar and keyboard, said his influence came from the Laurel Canyon days as well as the Beatles and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

Among the bands St. John drove around while in San Antonio included Paul Revere & the Raiders, Gary Puckett, Bo Diddley, and the Bangles. St. John was offered the road manager’s position with Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad, but he didn’t want to move to Michigan.

While living in Oregon, St. John started a music festival and played in a couple of bands.

 “I didn’t start playing guitar professionally until 2016,” he said. “I had been in the music business, designing stage lights, and all other aspects, but never as a performer.

“I’m OK as a singer. I think I got picked up by aliens. That was the trade-off. They got my DNA and I got to be a better musician.

After his parents were divorced, St. John returned to Texas, where he graduated from Round Rock High School.

“I always joke about the midlife crisis, you know, buy a Harley or start a rock band,” he said. “Thankfully, I was already in the music business. I kind of clicked with the formula on writing songs. I would write stuff and throw it away. Now I am writing stuff that is structured and other musicians can play. I feel like our next production will be even better. I always want to push myself.”

He has authored two books which can be found on Amazon – Tales from the Enchanted Woods: Part One, and Hell’s Bell.

“I really like this town, St. john said of Lockhart. “When I came back, I thought I would move moving back to Austin. No! Growing up in the 60s, 70s and 80s there was amazing. Now, everything has changed.”