Spotlight: Joe T. Johnson Reflects On Small Town British Life With 'English Elegance'
TONGUE-IN-CHEEK LYRICS WRAPPED IN VINTAGE WARMTH - these are the elements that will make you fall in love with nostalgic Englishness almost as much as Joe T. Johnson.
Joe T. Johnson, from Bristol, UK, found himself at a loose end at the start of April 2020. Unable to perform with his ska band and trapped at home, he began to work on music ideas that had been with him for a while, just waiting for the perfect moment to be worked on. A year later and Johnson released his solo debut EP English Elegance.
English Elegance is a look at small-town British life, Johnson explains, “being inspired by the melancholy things about England… like… baked beans, English piers and donkey rides by the sea”. The lyrics tell stories of very organic topics, mainly things that made him laugh, but there is also a level of irony that pokes fun at England’s grubby exterior. This juxtaposition throughout the EP of romanticizing the weird and wacky parts of English culture creates a very nostalgic feel to the record. “One of the lyrics is ‘English Elegance mixed with the scum life’ it’s just like finding the elegance in things you wouldn’t usually expect” Johnson shared, he went on to explain that during the writing of the EP he was working in Bristol city center and visiting Swindon a lot. These two places gave him the topics and inspiration for English Elegance.
Johnson played and recorded the vocals, harmonica, guitar and bass himself at his home studio, only requiring a drummer to complete the project. He loved this method of recording because it allowed him to focus on individual parts and really study his writing. He shares, “I could just noodle around, spend a week listening to it and then just go back through it, it’s really chilled.” This relaxed style of recording suited his style. When listening to the record you can tell that each element has had to earn and justify its place in the song, giving the songs a very polished feel, whilst still retaining his signature laid back style that oozes from his personality.
The visuals are a very important aspect of music for Johnson and the artwork that is created alongside his music complements it perfects and goes hand in hand with his fun personality, as it doesn’t take itself too seriously. For example, the video for “Friends” shows Johnson and his partner, Justine Viot, dressed as old ladies on the beach having a great time. They drink port, explore the seaside, iron and perform the song. Johnson told an anecdote from the day – “We tried to get some mobility scooters, to rock around in, but we went to the shop dressed as the grandmas and the guy was just like ‘get out’, and I was like ‘mate we’ll put you in the music video’, and he said ‘no way’”. The ability Johnson has to display his personality in all aspects of his work makes his work honest and likable, he isn’t trying to be someone he isn’t, and this gives his music such a comfortable feeling.
When creating the EP and singles, Johnson decided to work with photographer Rob Bremner for the album artwork. Bremner is best known for his documentary and editorial photography of British life. His work, much like Johnson’s songs, captures the gritty but comforting aspects of Britishness. The relationship with collaborators is important to Johnson and is something he clearly takes his time with. His master engineer and producer for English Elegance was able to add warm vintage vibes that Johnson was aiming for in his sound, which he did by running the recordings through 1960s analogue equipment.
His next EP has finished the pre-production stage. In this, he will start with acoustic guitar and gradually build the song around it, slowly adding, tweaking and perfecting each part until he is happy with it. The lyrics will be as observational and satirical as ever. When discussing the new songs Johnson said “It’s really random, it’s a song about English seagulls, how naughty they can be and that”, this continuation of the winning formula from English Elegance is sure to make the new EP as enjoyable as the last. However, Johnson is making some changes in an effort to explore his sound, he is working with hip-hop producer Zac Mosalac to create a few beats for some songs. This moves the EP towards a slightly more pop-influenced sound, whilst still keeping his vintage feel.
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