John Doran

John Doran (born 1971) is a British music journalist, editor and author. He is a co-founder and editor of the online music publication The Quietus, and the author of the memoir Jolly Lad, published in 2015 by Strange Attractor Press.

Early life

Doran was born in Rainhill, a village near St Helens in north-west England. Vice, NME, Metal Hammer, Classic Rock and Prog. The Skinny described his work as marked by a willingness to write negative reviews during a period it characterised as one of widespread positive criticism in music journalism.

Broadcasting

In 2019, Doran presented New Weird Britain, a BBC Radio 4 series made with the producer Alannah Chance, which examined musical counterculture outside the United Kingdom's major cities.

Doran has presented editions of the BBC Radio 3 programme Late Junction and appeared on it as a guest. On BBC Radio 6 Music, he has presented The Freakier Zone and appeared as a guest on Mary Anne Hobbs's programme.

Doran presented British Masters, a filmed interview series for Vice's music channel Noisey, in which his subjects included Liam Gallagher, Dizzee Rascal, Cosey Fanni Tutti, Mark E. Smith and Johnny Marr. He has also conducted filmed interviews for Vice with figures including the musician Nick Cave.

Jolly Lad (2015)

Doran's memoir Jolly Lad was published on 1 June 2015 by Strange Attractor Press. A review in HuffPost UK also covered the book. In Louder Than War, the reviewer described the book as drawing on Doran's earlier Vice column and as an account combining elements of memoir, social observation and music writing. In 2020, the writer Darran Anderson recommended the book in The Guardian, describing it as "the most painfully perceptive book I've ever read about addiction".

Other work

Doran is a co-founder, with the publisher Mark Pilkington of Strange Attractor Press, of Acid Horse, an annual music festival held at the Barge Inn at Honeystreet in Wiltshire. On 8 July 2023, Doran and the former snooker world champion Steve Davis played a DJ set at Blur's concert at Wembley Stadium, appearing on the bill alongside Jockstrap, Sleaford Mods and Self Esteem.

He has also produced playlists and selections for several broadcasters and publications, including a YouTube playlist published by Louder Than War to accompany the release of Jolly Lad, and a BBC feature in which he selected ten record sleeve notes.

Personal life

Doran has spoken publicly about his recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction, which he has dated to 2008. He has lived in Stamford Hill, north London, and has a son.