Page 38 - Zone Magazine - Issue 033 - Jan Johnston

How are you? What’s been
happening in your world recently?
How much has 2020 affected you?
2020 Lockdown at first frightened me, I was thinking what now...no gigs, therefore no bumping into new producer djs which would always turn into new collaborations, new songs for me to write and record, so it was daunting...but then as everyone was straight jacketed they fought back and I began to receive lots of music compositions from many dj producers to write too....
So, since April I’ve been in the middle of writing recording frenzy which astounded my head...as I had lots more clarity in it, with not running around gigging. Paul Sawyer sent me three pieces of orchestration I’ve since written and recorded those with him the titles being...1.Circle 2.One Step Beyond 3. Right Place, Right Time.
I am constantly writing if not for my collabs for myself to have songs ready... for any opportunities the planet might throw my way..
Let’s take you back to the ‘90s for a minute. Talk us through that first interaction with Brian (BT). Did you know his work? How random did it feel this American producer contacting you after he found your music in a bargain bin?
Yes BT changed the course for me as he had found a single of mine in the bargain bucket...I won’t say the bin... which was Paris..my B Side was calling your Name...we arranged to send him those vocals as he said he fell on the floor when he put that song on...how ethereal it was and it was destined for the dance floor with his touch, it was received so well and loved...it was a song I wrote about my father’s faith originally. I hadn’t met or seen BT play so I went off to the Hacienda and was blown away...
‘Remember’ is one of his finest
pieces, and certainly a stand out on
ESCM. Tell us about the recording
process? Did you have any
expectations for it?
I went into the studio in Manchester, and co wrote REMEMBER with BT... Paul Oakenfold absolutely loved Calling your Name and then this new song Remember so he arranged for me to fly to BT’s studio in USA and I co wrote FLESH and LULLABY for GHIA for his album ESCAM... and we have continued to write together through the years..in fact we had just spoken not long before lockdown to arrange for me to get out to his studio to write together and Covid messed it up like a lot of things with regards travel but it’s on our bucket list...
As my time on tour with him and the guys allowed
me to meet Paul Van Dyk who I went on to write 4 songs for his REFLECTIONS album he made my time in Berlin amazing and massively memorable...
Of course, Big Pappa was knocking on the door soon after. The story behind ‘Skydive’ is fascinating, how complete was the track when you became involved? Did it’s sound have any bearing on your song writing or was it the other way around?
I met and wrote with Cosmic Gate with Anthony Pappa our SKYDIVE song and the SUBMERGE TRACK I co wrote TAKE ME BY THE HAND..these early songs opened the door for me to work over all these years with amazing new and old friends, I was young happy and now I’m a little older and happy...emmmm..a little older, at that same time I was writing with Jamie Myerson for my artist album EMERGING more acoustic based but some songs were mixed for the floor. This period was a very very happy time...I’ve been blessed and continued to write and work with outstanding producers
With regards Skydive I truly don’t remember if the music composition changed much after I wrote the story and melody to accompany it, as I don’t look at the overall sound when I’m in the writing phase it’s the chord structure and it was a beautiful transition of chords... easy for my verse bridge chorus formula... afterwards of course once the producers have the voice melodies flowing through they embellish where it’s needed to support the story melody.
Talking of song writing, talk us through a typical project. When you’re working with new people how much of those initial conversations do you have to feel them out as professionals before you’re comfortable to begin writing? I’ve heard a lot of horror stories in the industry...
With any new piece I listen to, I don’t look at who the artist is behind it I’m truly listening to the music so I’ve been working with very fresh young to the board guys and those with longstanding careers, and my formula is the same.. I’m never given a title, the music tells it’s story and I listen and construct my story through the age old verse into bridge to set up a chorus, with a middle 8 into chorus to fade so always plenty of content for the guys different mixes....
38
ZONE-MAGAZINE.EU