Greg Johnson: From LA To NZ (Interview)

Kiwi singer-songwriter Greg Johnson makes his home in Los Angeles these days. But he is about to return to New Zealand for flurry of activity including a nation-wide tour, a live TV broadcast and the release of a career-spanning anthology. With all of this going on it seemed only right to give Greg a call to his LA home, just as he was preparing to leave for New Zealand to find out what is in store for fans once he gets here.

Listen to the 13th Floor interview with Greg Johnson here:

Or read a transcription of the interview here:

Marty Duda: Well the first thing I guess I should talk to you about is this video thing you’re doing at Juice Bar. This televised concert… are you playing with a full band? Are you doing anything different from your normal show? What’s happening with it?

Greg Johnson: Yeah the Juice show… in fact all the Auckland shows will be full band and South Island one’s are trio. Just for logistical reasons really. And the Juice one will be the full shebang. I’m actually pretty excited about that because it’s a real challenge to pull of something and I think it could give us the extra edge to be a bit more precise than normal than the old television channels. It’s one thing being in the room with a few drinks in your hand, having it super loud and quite another sitting at home with a cup of tea watching on a small screen. (Laughs)

MD: Have you done much television?

Greg: Not a lot. And to be honest with you it’s a tricky medium you know. One thing I’m very confident about this time round is that we got Ricky Morris doing our sound. And he’s just so good that all I have to do is print a stereo feed out and there should be no trouble at all. I don’t think it’s like the old days where TVNZ used to have kind of a van full of old guys and they decided whatever went to air was what they decided to mix it.

MD: Right, right.

Greg: And if the guy doing it happened to be a Bing Crosby fan, then that vocals going to be dry and up front and those guitars are going to be back in the orchestra where they belong.

MD: Hopefully we’ve moved on from there. I’ve actually had bands and solo artists and things playing up in my studio where I live, where the 13^th Floor is and televise that. It’s amazing what you can do. The cameras are so cheap, you know. People will have two or three cameras and set them up and off you go.

Greg: Reflecting on what is really an old and pleasingly gone age of men in white jackets. But I have to say we did do that at party year in the Heartland once and the guy, they were literally in white coats because they were in government TV show. And the thing is they actually knew what they were doing. I remember one of the guys coming down, chatting with the other one:  “Do you think that bass needs a tuned up touch. What key are you playing the song in?” It was like, oh it’s brilliant. Everyone is a better singer than you are a better piano player and that’s just the guy down at the local pub. I love it.

MD: Right. So music wise what kind of stuff are you going to be playing for this thing?

Greg: Well I’m trying to mix it up a bit cos um there’s a certain amount of my sets where people just demand familiarity. And then there’s the other half which is the kind which has always just chosen some of my favourites from all of my albums which have come to the fore. And I had to kind of dig out a few that I haven’t done. A couple I’ve never done live off of Sea Breeze Motel and one or two others just to keep it interesting you know. I’ve got Lisa Crawley in the band now which is kind of great, it’s really great having her tagging along because the girl can sing and she’s ten times the piano player I am. So it takes a bit of pressure off me to do stuff. I’m gonna get strung with a bit more acoustic guitar and play the piano on a few solo-ly ones. But hopefully…it’s just good to have another keyboard player in the band honestly. And then Ben King just does…that leaves Ben King free to do what he does best which is kind of play beautiful licks and sing wonderful harmonies. So, you know, the other two boys are just always there. I don’t even know what they do, it’s just so good, I just let them do it (laughs).

MD: So how did you get hooked up with Lisa Crawley? I know she’s also the opening act on the tour right?

Greg: Yeah that’s exactly right. And she’s got an album out so that’s pretty cool timing for her to get in front of a few people who maybe haven’t seen her. And yeah she well Wayne and Mark it seems like they were always talking about her. And I decided I needed a keyboard player and just asked them who they thought. And they were unanimous; there was only one person for this job. It’s great to have a girl in the band as well. It makes it a bit more friendly. We’re too old now for it to be as unfriendly now, or as it used to get.

MD: And did you also, have you recorded something with her?

Greg: Not yet. Oh yes I have actually yes. We’ve done a version of Fairytale of New York for a Starship Hospital charity help, patient help.

MD: Ok great yeah.

Greg: It’s a duet. To me it’s the greatest song ever written. It’s pretty, it’s kind of dark, oh if you know the song anyway. It’s got a wonderful kind of sentiment to it. This nostalgia and sadness that comes with Christmas as far as I’m concerned. But that was great fun doing that and she really nailed down Kirsty MacColl’s part. I tried to do it differently. No one’s ever going to be able to do a better version of it than they did with that real orchestra. So we just tried to, I mucked it up, I put a kid on piano’s doing string hearts. It’s interesting and you know it’s for a great cause.

MD: So when is that coming out, do you know?

Greg: I don’t actually know but I can imagine it’s before Christmas. Although it depends which label is putting it out I guess.

MD: And you also have a greatest hits collection coming out as well.

Greg: Yeah there’s going to be an anthology coming out. I hesitate to call it the greatest hits because we’ve sort of done one of those and it’s sort of radio hits. But it’s going to be an anthology really which will be a double CD, it’s going to have a lot of stuff that’s not available anymore, except off our website (laughs). It’s going to be a nice little patch for anyone that still wants an introduction and really not just the introduction but also kinds wants the broad stoke. Then this is going to be it. This is coming out hopefully next year or perhaps before Christmas.

MD: I think I saw that it’s possibly being released in about a month or so, sometime.

Greg: That’s what I’m hoping yeah.

MD: And so did you pick the tracks yourself? How did you feel about putting this thing together?

Greg: Yeah I did and Steve Cadman who’s been my New Zealand brains and manager for a little while now, he’s known the albums very well really. He put together a list, I put together a list, we brainstormed it. We didn’t want to copy too much of the previous compilations, although obviously there’s quite a lot of crossovers. And yeah it’s a good little, and I go way back on this one to a couple of tracks off The Watertable and get them re-mastered that should sound pretty nice.

MD: Right, right. And what about new music? Have you got anything you’ve been writing which you’re excited about?

Greg: I am, yeah I’m doing a new track that will go on the anthology, a track called Some OtherPplace, Some OtherT time and it’s been fun. I’ve had various players come in and out. It’s made me think about the next album, which I’m definitely going to do with a band in a room and that’s how it’s going to be. So we’re going to do it old school. A couple of weeks in a big studio, a big room.

MD: so what can you tell me about the new song?

Greg: Well it has…what can I tell you about it? I don’t know actually. It’s kind of a pop song. It’s quite dark in some ways. Tainted as always.

MD: Looking at your websites now, there’s about eight dates that you’re looking at doing.

Greg: Yeah I think there’ seven or eight. The Juice Bar is obviously the main ones because it’s Friday.

MD: And how is it being broadcast? Is it going out live?

Greg: I don’t know to be honest. I imagine they’ll broadcast live.

MD: Oh cool. These days it could be a webcast, it could be anything.

Greg: I really don’t know. You know what I’m just guessing.

MD: I assume it’ll be on the Juice channel. That would make sense.

Greg: Yeah that would be. And the others are sort of up and down the country. I think the Cooper’s Creek in Auckland is sold out. That’s an afternoon one on the Sunday. Again, the Kentish in Waiuku which is the first time I’ve played in Waiuku. It’s the first time I’ve played Waiukul; apparently it’s great fun. And then a little bit of South Island stuff. Picton, Nelson and the good old Dux Delux. Well it’s not the good old, it’s the good new Dux Delux is Christchurch.

MD: After it’s all done are you staying in the country or are you going to LA?

Greg: About a millisecond of time off on this one, it’s a really busy one unfortunately. We are driving the South Island bit from Christchurch up to the ferry and over to Wellington. Playing an afternoon in Wellington as well. It’s going to be like a bit of a road trip actually, I’m quite looking forward to it. Certainly more beautiful than staring out onto the side of the freeway.

Complete dates and ticketing for the Greg Johnson Spring Lounge Tour:

CHRISTCHURCH Dux Live, Thurs Nov 14 (Ticketek.co.nz )
NELSON The Boathouse, Fri Nov 15 (Ticketek.co.nz & Everyman Records)
PICTON Le Café Picton, Sat Nov 16 (Ticketek.co.nz & venue)
WELLINGTON Meow, Sun Nov 17, doors 4pm (Ticketek.co.nz)
AUCKLAND Juice Bar , Parnell, Fri Nov 22 (Ticketmaster.co.nz & venue)
WAIUKU Kentish Hotel, Sat Nov 23 (Ticketmaster.co.nz & venue)
HUAPAI Coopers Creek Vineyard, Sunday afternoon Nov 24, (Ticketmaster.co.nz & venue)SOLD OUT!