John Chapman
Fictional character · In Event/Horizon
Established identity and circumstances
Jon is a guitarist, Deadhead and member of the Doodah Men. He lives with Ginny in a VW camper van and later joins Alien Hand Syndrome as a temporary replacement for Rusty Blades (“Dark Star Variations”; “Krapp’s Last Tape”).
He is technically knowledgeable about improvisation, bootleg recordings and audio equipment. His musical seriousness is greater than Steve initially assumes.
Desires, pressures and conflicts
Jon wants recognition as a musician, freedom from commercial constraints and continued sexual and artistic mobility. He is also dependent on unstable band arrangements and appears to have a shifting relationship with Ginny.
Agency
Jon:
- invites Steve to his performance;
- proposes sharing Ainsworth Street;
- helps Steve record Krapp’s Last Tape;
- encourages Steve to perform;
- accepts a major touring opportunity;
- leaves the camper van, tape recorder and rent money;
- later returns to Cambridge and offers his version of events.
Knowledge, concealments and contradictions
Jon says he was already separating from Ginny, had a girlfriend called Tamsin and had not been rescued by Ginny. He also claims that Ginny is wealthy and manages people who need support. These claims explain several earlier anomalies but are not independently verified. His own boastful accounts of sexual encounters are explicitly marked by Steve as potentially performative.
Position at the end Event/Horizon
Jon is touring with Alien Hand Syndrome and has formed or formalised a relationship with Tamsin. He is not returning to Ainsworth Street, at least for the immediate future. His connection with Steve is potentially renewed, but his trustworthiness remains uncertain.