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Jay-Jay
Johanson
was born in the Swedish woods, applied
for art school in Stockholm and found his voice. A voice as
unique and haunting like a spooky hotel (see answer below).
Since Portishead hasnt released a reecord for more than 10
years Johanson got even more devoted followers.
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i-Tunes Playlist |
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Which
song do you listen to when
you
get up in the morning?
That changes so often. Right now there is a pile of CDs next
to the CD player in my bedroom which includes a lot of the ambient
stuff by Brian Eno – for instance "The Plateaux Of
Mirror" or "Pearls" (with Harold Budd). There's
also a CD by The Penguin Cafe Orchestra which is beautiful,
or the "Late Night Tales"-CD compiled by Air, which
features a lot of great songs (f.e. one of my all time favourites,
"Ghost" by Japan). This is the kind of music I listen
to when I can get up slowly. I like to start my days smoothly
and in a calm manner. But if I had to get up in a rush, when
I need to hurry, then I listen to the CD player in the kitchen.
And right now I listen a lot to "D.A.N.C.E." by Justice.
It's absolutely fantastic. I hope it's gonna be the big hit
of this summer!
you drive a
car late at night?
Oh, there's soooo much good music to listen to while driving
a car. It's the perfect setting to listen to music. But if I
have to narrow it down I would chose two of my biggest idols
ever. That is Chet Baker and David Sylvian. When it comes to
Chet Baker I listen to all his classic stuff, that everybody
knows. For David Sylvian, which was the singer of Japan, I really
like his album "Blemish" and also his first one ("Brilliant
Trees") and his second one ("Alchemy: An Index Of
Possibilities"). There's also this album he did with Holger
Czukay from Can called "Flux & Mutability" which
is great. I just read that Holger invited David to re-record
the two albums they did together in 1987 and 1988 which contained
only one song a side – actually to extend those songs
into 80 minutes versions. Which makes total sense to me. The
music of guys like Czukay or Brian Eno, this ambient, trippy
stuff, is meant to be very long and epic. So they probably must
have been very frustrated back then to cut and edit it to just
one side of an album. Well yeah, so a lot of this stuff fits
the situation when you're driving a car. I also have a lot of
soundtracks. The biggest part of my record collection are soundtracks
anyway. So they would work as well very well. But then also
spoken word stuff. I like those Charles Bukowsky things. And
this guy called Robert Ashley, who did a lot of interesting
stuff in the 70's. I love to hear stories when I drive.
you make love?
Hm, when I make love to my wife, it's mostly her who puts the
music on. Lately she put on Air, Jarvis Cocker and Phoenix.
you travel in a plane?
On my last flight, which was today, I listened to Nico. I recently
re-discovered her by listening to her "Chelsea Girl"
album. Hearing that I got into her work. Like her other albums
"The End" or "The Marble Index", which when
I first heard them thought were too gothic and bizarre for me.
But now I really appreciate what she did and truly adore her
music. I also listen to Lou Reed's "Street Hassle"
a lot on planes. To me, this is the best song ever recorded!
Just the other week we were playing in Valencia on the same
bill as John Cale. And it was great hearing him play those old
Velvet Underground songs and some of his early stuff –
also some tunes he wrote for Nico. So, let's say everything
connected with The Velvet Underground is perfect to listen to
while sitting in a plane.
you
ride a bicycle?
I don't ride bicycle anymore that often. And the last time I
rode one I defenitely wasn't having my iPod on. I guess some
hectic bop jazz music would fit the situation. For instance
The Modern Jazz Quartet or something by John Lewis, who wrote
most of the stuff for MJQ and was it's musical director. Yeah,
jazz music fits biking.
you
have to spend a night in a spooky hotel?
Oh! I wouldn't listen to any music in a spooky hotel. I would
feel totally inspired! I'd get a pen and paper and write some
new songs. I guess I should write my next album in a spooky
hotel! Great idea!
you jump
out of a plane with a parachute?
Electronical music would work for a parachute situation. The
beautiful sounds of Aphex Twin for instance. But then, if the
parachute wouldn't fold I'd have to chose something else. This
would also be my funeral song: Chet Baker - Farewell San Francisco
(from the "Albert's House" album).
you
are lovesick?
Nick Drake - Pink Moon (LP). I like all three albums he recorded
but I think this one is the best. It's so naked and lonely,
just him and an acoustic guitar. "Five Leaves Left"
is also very, very beautiful – with the added strings
and orchestral sounds. He died more than 30 years ago and released
just three albums but still has such a huge impact on todays
music. It's amazing. I think they just found some unreleased
stuff by him. I'm eager to hear that...
you
run naked through a cornfield?
This is also a situation where soundtracks work. For instance
the soundtrack to Peter Greenaway's A Zed & Two Noughts.
The score is by Michael Nyman and some elements of it invoke
the work of Heinrich Ignaz Biber. It's really hectic and monotone
music..
you want to disturb
bother your neighbors?
Something with a lot of subbass. "Aerodynamite" by
Daft Punk on full volume would defenitely disturb them!
you go to a club?
I love music from Paris in clubs. In my opinion Paris is ruling
the dancefloors since 1997 when the whole French house scene
started off – with people like Etienne De Crecy, Cassius,
Bob Sinclair and of course Daft Punk. And nowadays with labels
like Ed Banger or Versatile Records. They really brought the
fun back on the dancefloor. Before that it really kinda got
depressing in clubs. Everything was getting so serious. But
dancing is meant to be crazy and having fun like it used to
be. Therefore I would love to hear the new Justice track "D.A.N.C.E."
or a new track by Thomas Bangalter (one half of Daft Punk),
which I think is called "Signature"...
you
come home from the club?
Still one of my biggest influences is the first album by Portishead
"Dummy". It actually still has a place in my CD player.
I just got the news that Portishead will play some dates in
december to introduce their new album, which should finally
come out in early 2008. I mean after 10 years it's time! Okay,
Beth Gibbons released in 2002 "Out Of Season", the
album together with Rustin Man (the guy originally from Talk
Talk). This album would also be very nice to listen to when
coming home from a club.
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Jay-Jay Johanson
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