Greg Johnson (musician)

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Greg Johnson (born 7 January 1968) is a New Zealand singer songwriter.

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Greg Johnson
Greg Johnson 200 (51477403658).jpg
Johnson in 2012
Background information
Born (1968-01-07) January 7, 1968 (age 56)
Auckland, New Zealand
GenresAlternative
Years active1987-present

Music career

Johnson was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He joined the early New Wave scene at age 15, playing in bands at live venues in New Zealand, including Mainstreet Cabaret, the Reverb Room, The Windsor Castle and The Esplanade Hotel. [1]

In 1987, he signed with Trevor Reekie, who owned indie label Pagan Records, releasing an EP under the name This Boy Rob before starting The Greg Johnson Set with Nigel Russell of The Spelling Mistakes, Danse Macabre and The Car Crash Set. The band recorded an album The Watertable in 1989 followed by Everyday Distortions in 1991. The single "Isabelle," produced by Mark Tierney, reached number 4 on the New Zealand charts. [2]

In 1995, he signed with EMI Records. He released Vine Street Stories, which was produced and recorded at his Auckland home, followed by Chinese Whispers and Seabreeze Motel. That year, Johnson won New Zealand's Top Male Vocalist at New Zealand Music Awards. [3]

In 1997, Johnson won the APRA Silver Scroll, New Zealand's most prestigious songwriting award, for "Liberty" from the album Chinese Whispers.

Johnson moved to Los Angeles in 2002 after signing a contract with Immergent Records. In 2002, he won NZ Tui Best Compilation Album 2003 for The Best Yet. Johnson released the albums Here Comes The Caviar in 2004 and Anyone Can Say Goodbye in 2006, followed by Seven Day Cure, Secret Weapon, Exits, and Swing The Lantern.

In 2005, Johnson performed a collection of his songs with The Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra at Auckland's Aotea Concert Hall. In 2005, his song "Save Yourself" from the album Here Comes The Caviar broke on over 50 US Adult Alternative Radio stations. While touring in the US, Johnson and his band performed a sell-out show at Boston's Paradise Lounge in August 2006.

Songs by Johnson have been placed in TV shows: The Hills , [4] Party of Five , Beautiful People , High School Reunion , Road Rules , Castle , The Brokenwood Mysteries , and 800 Words . Film score and placements include Fifty Pills and Last Chance Harvey .[ citation needed ] In 2018 Johnson scored a documentary on New Zealand wine, A Seat At The Table, which won 2019 Best Of The Fest at the Vancouver International Film Festival.

He continues to tour frequently in New Zealand, Australia, the US, and Europe. In 2018-19, he toured with his Every Song has A Story show, which features visuals and stories behind the songs and albums. In March 2024, Johnson toured in New Zealand.

In 2020 he produced a compilation of his songs and albums to date, The Digital Box. This coincided with the release of his 2021 album, Tilt Your Interior. [5] His 13th studio album, Thunder In Fall, was scheduled to be released via streaming services in February 2024.  

Discography

Studio albums

YearAlbumPeak chart positions
NZ
As the Greg Johnson Set
1991The Watertable
1993Everyday Distortions25
1995Vine Street Stories8
As Greg Johnson
1997Chinese Whispers16
2000Sea Breeze Motel10
2003The Lost EP
2004Here Comes the Caviar20
2006Anyone Can Say Goodbye17
2008Seven Day Cure20
2010Secret Weapon15
2012Exits21
2015Swing the Lantern
2021Tilt Your Interior25
[6]
2024Thunder in Fall25
[7]

Compilation albums

YearAlbumPeak chart positions
NZ
2001The Best Yet-
2006Greatest Hits24
2007Me and Joanna
  • US-only release
-
2007Trouble-Shooters Manual
  • US-only iTunes release
-
2020The Digital Box

Live albums

YearAlbumPeak chart positions
NZ
2011Small Towns Live-

Singles

YearTitlePeak chart positionsAlbum
NZ [8]
As the Greg Johnson Set
1991"Two Feet off the Ground"47Everyday Distortions
1992"Isabelle"4
"Talk In This Town"22
1993"Baby"
"Winter Song"44Non-album single
"Sun Beat Down"Vine Street Stories
1994"Come On"
1995"You Stay Out Of Your Life"
"Don't Wait Another Day"34
As Greg Johnson
1995"If I Swagger"Vine Street Stories
1996"Softly On Me"Non-album single
1997"Liberty"Chinese Whispers
"My Ship Is Sitting Low"
1999"Hibiscus Song"Sea Breeze Motel
"Beautiful Storm"26
2000"Cut To The Chase"
2003"Save Yourself"24 USA 44Here Comes The Caviar
2004"Kiss Me"
2005"It's Been So Long"
"Don't Be The One"
2006"Now The Sun Is Out"28Anyone Can Say Goodbye
2009"I Got Opinions"Seven Day Cure

Bluespeak discography

Awards

Personal life

Since 2002, Johnson has been a US resident, living in California. [9]

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References

  1. Mclennan, Peter (18 July 2012). "Dub dot dash: Fun supreme". Dub dot dash. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  2. "The Mixtape: Trevor Reekie". RNZ. 8 March 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  3. Thomas, Carly (4 March 2019). "Greg Johnson tour tells the stories behind his songs". Stuff. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  4. "The Hills " Season 2 " Songs From the Show " Ep. 208". MTV.com. Archived from the original on 23 March 2011.
  5. "Greg Johnson introduces 'Tilt Your Interior' Digital Box Set plus New Album". Songbroker Music Publishing. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  6. "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 19 July 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  7. "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 1 April 2024. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
  8. "Greg Johnson: Chart positions". nzcharts.nz. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  9. Smithies, Grant (20 May 2021). "'I just about carked it, mate!' Greg Johnson on music, life in the States and his brush with death". Stuff. Retrieved 11 March 2022.