Andrew Johnson’s catalogue is as expansive as it is restless. With more than 40 albums released since 2003, his work resists easy categorisation, moving fluidly between melodic pop, indie-rock, and left-field experimentation. ‘Cover Girl’, his latest single, uses metaphor and punchy songwriting to examine image, performance, and the mechanics of the music industry itself. Liza-Lou Campy spoke with him about the creative process, his influences, and learning to trust instinct over polish.
‘Cover Girl’ feels like it continues a thread from the last single ‘Exercise In Style’. Where did the inspiration come from? And how does it fit into your broader body of work?
It was a bit of a pun, really. I liked the dual meaning of someone on the front cover of a magazine, but also someone who plays cover versions. There are three layers to it in my mind, but I’ll leave it to others to find their own hidden depths or shallows. On the album, I’d been writing about the music industry in a very metaphorical way, using simple, circular chord patterns or driving basslines to craft songs, which this almost has. It’s quite punchy and has a rising emotional intensity throughout, which felt right for what I was trying to say.
You’ve released over 40 albums under various guises since 2003. How does your creative process evolve when working on new music versus revisiting themes or styles you’ve explored before?
People often say “quality over quantity” when it comes to art, but my thinking is that everything felt right at the time of creation, so it doesn’t feel right to censor that too much when putting it out there. Everything has some charm, even if it’s rough around the edges. There’s still plenty of stuff left on the cutting room floor, but if people only like one song from each album, then there’s still plenty to fill a playlist. Under my own name, I think I’ve definitely come into my own at last. People who listen know that I’ll wrongfoot them occasionally, but I always find my way back to melodic pop music, in a very broad sense. I like to stretch those boundaries a little more each time by starting with a different framework or set of tools, just to see what happens.
Many people know you for blending indie-rock and pop, but also for straying into unexpected territory. Were there any new influences or experiments that shaped ‘Cover Girl’?
I’ve been down a massive Roxy Music rabbit hole for about six months. Those first five albums in particular are unlike anything else in the world of rock and pop. Bowie gets a lot of credit for his work in the ’70s, but Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music are right up there for me. You can hear the seeds of artists like Kate Bush and the whole New Romantic scene in their music and artwork. Ferry’s voice is unique, and his lyrics and theatrical, melodic swoops are underrated. There’s a bit of synth oboe on the final version of ‘Cover Girl’, which was directly influenced by them. I resisted going full Ferry, though. My ears, as knackered as they are, are always open to anyone doing something new or interesting with any aspect of music.
Stockton has a unique music scene. Has your hometown shaped your sound or approach to songwriting over the years?
I can’t say it’s influenced me massively. I live a strange, mostly solitary life and exist in a fantasy bubble most of the time, so I tend to delve into books, film, and music I’ve found elsewhere. I do go to a fair few gigs though, and I’ve enjoyed the likes of Risco, Onlooker, Benefits, and others locally. I write now and then with or for other people, and you can always learn a new approach from that. Inspiration mostly comes from weird angles. I’ll adapt a process from fine artists or writers just as readily as other musicians. I enjoy surprising myself when a song takes an unexpected turn as it evolves.
You can listen to ‘Cover Girl’ later this month on all major streaming platforms.
