American dream lives for Greg Johnson

By GRAHAM REID

When the announcement came in mid-May a ripple of disappointment ran through the local music industry: the rug had been pulled from under Auckland singer-songwriter Greg Johnson in Los Angeles.

His American record company Immergent had hit financial difficulties and released Johnson and four other bands from their contracts, as well as most of the company's staff.

Local disappointment, however, was tempered by the knowledge that Johnson's deal had always been a good one: if Immergent didn't like the advance tracks for his album they would let him go and he would get all the music recorded.

And Johnson had already completed a four-track EP at Immergent's expense, which he could now use as a calling card.

Johnson has been slowly building up contacts in the music, television and film industries over the past year.

His gigs are creating a local fan-base, and the EP has already caught the attention of another producer keen to finish the album in the way Johnson wants.

Still, Johnson admits it was a setback. It was a kind of bad news/good news story but Johnson - home to play three shows before heading back to Los Angeles - says it wasn't unexpected.

"We were aware there was trouble at mill, for sure. There was an internal battle for funding between [producer Richard Dashut's] label, which was doing electronic music, and the other side of the label, which was ours doing [pop-rock] stuff.

"Their band Dishwalla had failed dismally, which wasn't a surprise, but they were pouring a lot of money down the toilet with that. Basically, the accountant said, 'It's one or the other'.

"I know the boss was devastated, especially since at their big conference with their distributor three days later all those people wanted to talk about was the advance copy of the EP they'd had from me."

Johnson now has 5000 copies of that four-track EP to work to his advantage. He sells them at gigs for US$10 ($17) - "That adds up" - and likes the idea they might become collectors' items.

The end of Immergent has been a curve-ball, says Johnson, "But they invested a lot of money in getting our visa working so we're good to go."

He also had the sense the honeymoon was over with the company's A&R department and there would be more interference in the direction and character of his music.

To be free of that is a relief, and not without irony. On the day the label collapsed he, guitarist Ted Brown and manager Michelle Bakker were introduced to producer Clark Styles - co-producer of the Dandy Warhols' 13 Tales from Urban Bohemia - who liked what he heard.

"He has been to a number of shows and says he has no doubt we have a classic album and we should just make it. He's going to do it for nothing basically, and we'll have the album that I want with a producer I want - and we'll sell it to someone."

Through Bakker immersing herself in the world of music supervision - schmoozing the people who place songs on television or film soundtracks - Johnson has had songs on television pilot shows, "all of which earn money".

"There's no question we'll stick it out up there. We're closer now to somewhere than we've ever been. If we can get ourselves through the next few months then getting off Immergent will be the best thing that will have happened.

"Luckily, we have saved all the really potential commercial stuff for the album. If there is ever going to be a shot - ever, ever, ever - then this is it.

"We have downgraded our lifestyles a bit but we're still in Santa Monica where all our friends are."

Last week Johnson joined a modest line-up of New Zealand artists playing to a small audience in New York's Central Park. He says it was a great day - he caught up with friends - and even if the numbers weren't huge it was successful on other levels.

"It was useful in that some people we had spoken to in New York and had dealings with were interested to come and see us. There were one or two publishing companies and a promoter interested, we won some new fans, but mostly it was just fun."

Ever the optimist, Johnson says while the Immergent deal has gone down they can only look forward. He is now well plugged into the music community in Los Angeles - keyboardist Rami Jaffee from the Wallflowers will play accordion on his album - and they have played regularly at the hip Hotel Cafe in Hollywood, where they are starting to build a following.

"It's baby steps and not the Hollywood Bowl. Yet," he laughs. "But you gotta think big, and you can actually do that there, which is what we like about it."

He is amused some think his world must have collapsed along with the Immergent deal. Far from it. He was showing photographs to a friend who said it must be tough for him up there.

"Oh, yeah. Every second shot is palm trees and beautiful girls. It's tough, really tough."


Performance

Who: Greg Johnson Where: Coast Bar, Quay St

When: Wednesday July 30, Thursday July 31 (both sold out), Friday August 1.