Will Johnson is each a musician’s musician and a Texas indie-rock trailblazer.
Johnson, who began as a rock drummer, launched dozens of albums over three a long time in music. He initially discovered success as a lo-fi singer-songwriter and guitarist. Performing and recording beneath the moniker Centro-Matic, he launched a spate of albums, EPs and singles. That Denton-based band finally morphed into South San Gabriel, a quieter challenge with a revolving solid.
For the previous 7 years, Johnson — now understanding of a tiny city in Hays County — has been steadily releasing glorious albums beneath his personal title, and he’ll carry out this music throughout a Saturday, Feb. 3, present on the Lonesome Rose.
Other than his solo work, Johnson has initiated initiatives with many greats of recent indie music, together with Vic Chestnutt, David Bazan, Jason Molina, Mark Eitzel and Jim James of My Morning Jacket. His visibility reached a brand new excessive when he joined indie songwriter supergroup Monsters of Folks, consisting of Conor Oberst, M. Mard, Mike Mogis and My Morning Jacket’s James. From there, Johnson turned drummer for Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, one of many largest names in Americana.
We spoke to Johnson just lately over the cellphone. He dialed in from a frigid enviornment in Oklahoma, the place he was ready to carry out with Isbell.
Staying heat?
I can not bear in mind the final time I used to be heat. (Laughs.) I am in Oklahoma Metropolis, and it is about 17 levels on the market. I am in an enviornment, so hopefully the reception is not horrible. I have not executed a ton of enviornment reveals. This specific one is 2 nights on the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder enviornment.
Looks as if it might be more durable to play in entrance of a small group. In an enviornment the group turns into a faceless blob.
The faceless blob factor sort of helps, in a approach. However sure, I discover it extra intense to play to twenty individuals in a lounge.
You are amongst your friends at an intimate present.
Loads of the time. And there is nowhere to cover. It is intense for a motive. I like that vitality. It throws all people right into a susceptible scenario primarily based on belief. I like that vitality and it is good for everyone.
Your life is sort of a battery with the plus and minus. Going forwards and backwards from enviornment reveals to intimate stuff.
(Laughs.) You are proper. I believe it is good to maintain it switching up. I by no means wanna do one factor too lengthy. Every expertise teaches you one thing totally different, broadens your horizons a little bit bit. And also you stick round lengthy sufficient, you play in some exhilarating conditions.
What are a few of these for you?
Effectively, in 2009, I used to be concerned on this challenge Monsters of Folks with some outdated mates. We have been taking part in the Bridge College Profit and Neil Younger is standing there, shaking all people’s arms as they arrive off stage. That is an actual honor. But additionally a pair instances whereas we have been taking part in I used to be like, “Simply do not look left, he is over there. Simply maintain your head down and play your drums.”
How did you begin? Was music at all times in your bones?
Once I was 3 or 4, I would arrange a drumset with cookie tins on the sofa and wail away. Once I was 9 or 10, my mom bit the bullet and acquired me a $100 drumset. It was an early begin. I lived in a small city in Missouri and there wasn’t a lot to do — both sports activities, music otherwise you acquired in bother. There weren’t loads of choices. I used to be obsessed from the beginning, wished to know the way data have been made. Laying on the ground with document jackets sprawled out, wanting on the art work and the liner notes and the images, questioning the place this stuff got here from. That led to highschool bands in Killeen, Texas, however the cool factor there was the proximity to Austin. Quite a lot of golf equipment would let me in at age 15, 16 or 17, so I reduce my enamel taking part in at Liberty Lunch and Cannibal Membership and Texas Union Ballroom, locations that might let me in. I have been taking part in in bands my entire life.
I learn Sheryl Crow was your babysitter.
Ha! Yeah. And her mother taught me piano. We lived a half mile from one another in the identical small city in Missouri. She was additionally taking part in that Bridge College Present, so we caught up. It felt like seeing an outdated buddy.
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You began as a drummer, proper?
Yeah, I used to be a drummer proper out the gate. Once I turned 24, that is after I acquired critical about songwriting. I used to be a late bloomer. I used to be simply studying. It took me a short while.
Whenever you undertake totally different monikers, does it open totally different portals of creativity?
Sure. Considering of Centro-Matic and South San Gabriel, after we determined to do South San Gabriel, we have been at a crossroads. Centro-Matic by no means modified in its 18 years, however we knew we wished to collaborate, let different individuals in. We had all this further, low-key, nearly ambient stuff, [so] we let that be South San Gabriel, and Centro-Matic can be the rock band. So yeah, loads of instances it’s primarily based on that, adopting a distinct persona — exploring in numerous methods.
And now you employ your personal title. Obtained bored with introducing your self?
(Laughs.) Perhaps. I have not overthought it. I am letting Centro-Matic dwell as it’s, and South San Gabriel too, and I really feel we are going to come again to these.
How do you relate to Texas music?
Going again to childhood, there was a lot Texas music that knowledgeable me. After all, it might be Willie Nelson or Townes Van Zandt, but it surely might simply as simply be the Butthole Surfers, Scratch Acid or Roky Erickson. There was such a wild stunning music buffet stepping into Texas after I was younger. I did not pledge allegiance to a sure type. I used to be undoubtedly into punk rock but additionally liked the various panorama. That was actually necessary after I was 14, 15 years outdated, simply determining who the hell you’re on the planet. And with entry to Austin, I might go down and see nice bands just like the Reivers or True Believers. It was like a gap had been busted within the wall, that every one music did not should be like FM rock, largely what was mainlined into our navy neighborhood in Killeen. Van Halen or The Automobiles, nice stuff, however you realize… . You did not have to be that polished to have a life in music. There was an important radio present on KLBJ, Critic’s Selection. Jody Denberg did it. Each Sunday at 9. I had my two cassette recorders, and I would document it as I went to sleep. That is the primary place I heard the Minutemen, Hüsker Dü. And that is actually informative stuff.
You ever play within the Alamodome? What’s your expertise of San Antonio?
(Laughs.) Not but. We have performed Sam’s Burger Joint. That is at all times enjoyable. For some time, I’ve solely been doing lounge reveals in San Antonio — solely about 40 individuals, all acoustic in somebody’s lounge. I have not executed a venue present in San Antonio in 10, eleven years no less than. I like that metropolis a lot. I’ve at all times liked San Antonio and actually wanting ahead to being again.
$12, 9:15 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, Lonesome Rose, 2114 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 455-0233, thelonesomerose.com.
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