A Grape Dope

{{Short description|American drummer and producer}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = A Grape Dope | image = | image_size = | landscape =  | alt = | caption = | birth_name = John Herndon | alias = Johnny Machine, A Grape Dope | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|04|08}} | birth_place = Long Island, New York, U.S.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/john-herndon-mn0000187016|title=John Herndon|website=Allmusic|first=Jason|last=Ankeny}}</ref> | origin = Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | death_date =  | death_place = |spouse = Kathryn Frazier | genre = Instrumental hip hop, indie hip hop, jazz, post-rock, electronica, progressive rock, dub | occupation = Producer, musician | instrument = Drums | years_active = 1990–present | label = Galaxia | website = {{URL|www.trts.com}} }}

'''John Herndon''' (born April 8, 1966)<ref name=":0">{{cite web |last=Locker |first=Melissa |date=19 November 2020 |title=John Herndon of Tortoise has a deal for you |url=https://chicagoreader.com/music/john-herndon-of-tortoise-has-a-deal-for-you/ |website=Chicago Reader}}</ref> is an American musician and artist. Based in Chicago, he was a founding member of the post-rock band Tortoise, where he plays drums and percussion.

Herndon also works as a producer for instrumental hip hop under the name '''A Grape Dope'''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.avclub.com/madison/articles/tortoises-john-herndon-to-dj-with-madisons-kaboomb,28487/ |title=Tortoise's John Herndon to DJ with Madison's Ka-Boom!Box at Mickey's |newspaper=The A.V. Club |first=Scott |last=Gordon |date=May 27, 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615155256/http://www.avclub.com/madison/articles/tortoises-john-herndon-to-dj-with-madisons-kaboomb%2C28487/ |archivedate=June 15, 2012 }}</ref>

== Early life == Herndon was born in 1966 on Long Island, New York. He was the second child of his family, with a brother two years older than him. After his family moved to Boston, Herndon's father was jailed and his mother was a drug addict, so the children were put into the foster care system when Herndon was a toddler. He described the experience as abusive. He remained in the system until his father was released from prison in 1971.<ref name=":0" />

In 1976, Herndon moved to the North Carolina mountains with the Grateful Union Family Trust, a commune that Herndon's father and his girlfriend were a part of.<ref name=":0" />

==Career== John Herndon is a member of the bands Tortoise and Isotope 217, playing mainly drums but some other percussion (vibraphone, etc.) and occasional keyboards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://brainwashed.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2439&Itemid=1|title=A GRAPE DOPE, "MISSING DRAGONS"|publisher=Brainwashed}}</ref> He produced Deep Puddle Dynamics' song "More from June" in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/103|title=Dusted Reviews: Deep Puddle Dynamics / Anticon - More From June / We Ain't Fessin' (double quotes)|publisher=Dusted Magazine|date=March 31, 2002|first=Sam|last=Hunt}}</ref> He released the ''Missing Dragons'' EP under the alias A Grape Dope on Galaxia in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/3554-missing-dragons-ep/|title=A Grape Dope: Missing Dragons EP|publisher=Pitchfork Media|first=Andrew|last=Bryant|date=July 2, 2003}}</ref> It features a guest appearance by rapper Doseone.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://exclaim.ca/Reviews/DanceAndElectronic/grape_dope-missing_dragons|title=A Grape Dope - Missing Dragons|magazine=Exclaim!|first=Andy|last=Lee|date=May 2003}}</ref>

== Personal life == Herndon resides in Los Angeles, California. He has two children, one of whom is noted rapper and producer 2hollis, the other being the vocalist for the Los Angeles based straight edge hardcore punk band Start Today.<ref name="Pitchfork">{{Cite web |last=Pierre |first=Alphonse |date=2025-03-07 |title=In Defense of 2hollis |url=https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/in-defense-of-2hollis/ |access-date=2025-05-07 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Caramanica |first=Jon |last2=Coscarelli |first2=Joe |date=January 9, 2026 |title=For 2hollis, Music Is a Family Business. So We Interviewed Him and His Dad. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/arts/music/2hollis-john-herndon-popcast-interview.html |url-status=live |website=The New York Times}}</ref>

==Discography== {{See also|Tortoise (band)#Discography|l1=Tortoise discography|Isotope 217#Discography|l2=Isotope 217 discography|The For Carnation#Discography|l3=The For Carnation discography|Five Style#Discography|l4=Five Style discography|Poster Children#Discography|l5=Poster Children discography}}

===Albums=== * ''Backyard Bangers'' (2020)

===EPs=== * ''Immediate Action'' (2000) * ''Missing Dragons'' (2003)

===Productions=== * Deep Puddle Dynamics - "More from June" from ''We Ain't Fessin' (Double Quotes)'' (2002)

===Contributions=== * Themselves - "You Devil You" and "Hat in the Wind" from ''The No Music'' (2002) * Doseone - "By Horoscope Light I&II" from ''Ha'' (2005)

===Remixes=== * Tommy Guerrero - "Birds Over Head (John Herndon Remix)" from ''Junk Collector'' (2001) * Trans Am - "Cold War" from ''Extremixxx'' (2002) * Themselves - "Dr. Moonorgun Please" from ''The No Music of AIFFS'' (2003) * Via Tania - "On Sawyer" from ''Boltanski'' (2004) * Via Tania - "Felt Cave" from ''True'' (2005)

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{Discogs artist|A Grape Dope|A Grape Dope}} * {{Discogs artist|John Herndon|John Herndon}} * {{Discogs artist|U-Sheen|U-Sheen}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grape Dope, A}} Category:1966 births Category:American hip-hop record producers Category:American alternative rock drummers Category:Living people Category:Tortoise (band) members Category:The For Carnation members Category:Five Style members Category:Isotope 217 members Category:Drummers from North Carolina Category:Rappers from North Carolina Category:Drummers from Chicago Category:Rappers from Chicago