The icing on the cake _{by Madelaine Empson}

New Zealand-born, LA-based musician Greg Johnson, known for songs like Liberty, Isabelle, and Swagger, turned 60 this year and has a new album to show for it. He describes Some Night Somewhere, out on the 5^th of October, as a collection of vignettes – some real, some not.

“The sound is a full sonic palette, 100 percent real instruments (real synthesisers!) played and sung by carefully modified humans, all friends and familiars from my live and studio work. It has loads of trumpet and even a saxophone solo by the amazing Sylvain Carton. I designed this collection for vinyl with two distinct sides. Pairs well with dark red stone fruit and hints of tobacco snorted off an old leather glove.”

The career-spanning national Greg Johnson – 60 tour reaches Old St Paul’s on Friday the 30^th of October.

Happy birthday, Greg! What did you get up to?

A bunch of friends and I went to the best Spanish tapas restaurant in Santa Monica. I got played by the wine waiter brilliantly with pitches like, ‘This wine comes from a tiny vineyard in the mountains that doesn’t make enough to sell outside of Spain except for these few bottles, would you like one of them?’ Yes! Of course! My friends generously covered the bill which was... substantial. 

If you could go back in time, what would you tell past Greg at 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50?

10: Enjoy the careless freedom, it’s only going to diminish from here on in.
20: Leave for the UK or US now while you’re still young enough to have a real shot at the big time! 
30: Work harder, party less.
40: Enjoy that lustrous hairdo while it lasts.
50: You might as well relax and enjoy, it’s too late for ambitions now.

How does 60 feel and what are you most looking forward to about the next decade of your life and music?

I think I took my own advice and I’ve reached acceptance. I’m very lucky, one of the most privileged and free humans to ever live I guess, to be born in NZ and have great family and friends. I believe no one will ever again have the kind of freedom our Generation X had to be able to disappear, to think and speak freely. And for all the disappointments of my music career, there have been some great moments too – many, many stories, and I’ve done it the way I wanted, never followed fashion or advice from others about my artistic path.

We can’t wait to celebrate with you at Old St Paul’s. Anything you’d like to say to your Welly fans ahead of the concert?

I’ve always had a special relationship with Wellington since way back in the Student Orientation and Bar Bodega days. So many great times in the city!  I think there’s a certain cerebral quality to the music listeners in Wellington and they seem to appreciate the music I play. I’m re-inventing a few of the oldies for this tour and the band has never sounded better. Old St Paul’s is really the icing on the cake as a venue too… Can’t wait!