In 1978, and with little formal musical training, John became a member of Brisbane feminist punk group Zero (later Xiro) after a chance meeting with drummer Lindy Morrison and Brisbane visual artist Gary Warner.
In 1901, prior to Crete's union with Greece, Xiro Chorio was listed in the Turkish census as having exactly 100 residents, 99 of whom were of the "Musulman faith" and one of the "Greek Orthodox".