With a new single released in September and a full album due out this month, Stephen Anderson spoke with Teesside singer-songwriter Andrew Johnson as he puts the finishing touches to his forthcoming record.
What first drew you into music? And how did your journey as an artist begin?
I grew up listening to the likes of Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and Simon & Garfunkel. Ever since I could play a few chords, I was writing. And as soon as I could get my hands on anything to record with, I did. I started with a four-track Tascam and now I’m using Logic Pro on an Apple Mac. I seem to upgrade every ten years or so.
Tell me a bit about your new single, ‘Intertia’…
When it started, it was quite upbeat and up-tempo. I’d been posting some early ideas on TikTok and someone commented stating: “This could be a Bond theme.” That got me thinking – I wondered what it would sound like if I leaned into that. So, I re-wrote the song, which I rarely do. It really surprised me that I could pull it off because it’s not something I’d tried before. It’s quite a serious song for me, but I gave it a big, traditional, symphonic, orchestral dynamic. The sleeve has a bit of a Hitchcock feel to it – and the music, too, has a little of that Psycho or Vertigo tension.
Your new album is called ‘Exercise in Style’. What can listeners expect from it?
I’m currently putting the finishing touches to the album, which is due out this month. ‘Inertia’ is very much an outlier – nothing else on the album sounds like it. The rest is more in line with the singles I’ve released this year, which also feature sort of poppy, post-punk, with a hint of psychedelia. There’s one track called ‘Death to Yacht Rock’ which is very experimental. That’s probably the one people will listen to and say: “What the hell is that?” – but it still has hooks and a nice chorus. I’ve tried to create new textures and arrangements I haven’t worked with before.
Describe your writing and recording process…
It tends to come in spurts. When it happens, it all comes quickly. I do write odd bits that stand alone, but usually one idea opens up a whole well of other ideas – and that becomes an album.
I use my phone a lot: if I get an idea, I record a voice note or jot down a title. It might sound strange, but I’m not particularly interested in technique, and I don’t really know anything about guitars…it’s just a tool to write a song. The best stuff I do usually comes from a very personal place. Writing ‘Inertia’ was a bit different, though, because I had the stimulus of it being “a Bond theme”. I had a clear idea of how that should sound – even though I’m not trained, I just followed the vibe.
And how do you view the local music scene?
Growing up in Teesside, there weren’t many musical outlets. It felt like there wasn’t really a way out of Teesside musically. But I think that’s changed now, partly thanks to the internet, as we can connect with people beyond the region more easily. The local scene has grown and artists seem more confident now…they feel supported. There’s also more recognition nationally that Teesside is a place where great art and music can come from.
Andrew Johnson will be performing a few live gigs later this year. His new album ‘Exercise in Style’ will be available on all major streaming platforms this month.
