Mike Johnson (guitarist)
Encyclopedia
Mike Johnson is a United States
experimental rock
guitarist and composer, best known as the cofounder and member of the Denver
-based avant-rock group
Thinking Plague
. He has also been a member of Hamster Theatre and The Science Group
, and has collaborated with several musicians, including Bob Drake
, Susanne Lewis
and Janet Feder.
and electronic music
in college in Denver
but taught himself the guitar and composition. While at college in 1978 Johnson answered an advertisement at a local music store requesting a guitar player "into Henry Cow
, Yes
…" This put him in touch with bass guitarist and drummer Bob Drake
. Johnson and Drake initially played in a few cover band
s but in 1980 they began experimenting with prepared guitars and tape machines, and recording material Johnson had written. "Our goal was to combine the harder edge of progressive rock, as in Crimson
and Yes, with the more modern tonalities and experimental approach as reflected in the work of the Art Bears
, our major heroes at the time." By 1982 they had enough material to perform live and enlisted three other musicians for a brief tour of Denver. This band became the first incarnation of Thinking Plague
.
in 2000. Johnson and Drake led the group until Drake left in the early 1990s after which Johnson took the helm. Most of Thinking Plague's material was composed by Johnson.
in 2003. He toured with the 5uu's
and Hail
in the mid-1990s and has collaborated with a number of musicians, including Bob Drake, Susanne Lewis
, Janet Feder and Fred Frith
.
With Hamster Theatre
With Hail
With Janet Feder
With Fred Frith
With The Science Group
With Luciano Margorani
With David Shamrock
With Yugen
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
experimental rock
Experimental rock
Experimental rock or avant-garde rock is a type of music based on rock which experiments with the basic elements of the genre, or which pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique....
guitarist and composer, best known as the cofounder and member of the Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
-based avant-rock group
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
Thinking Plague
Thinking Plague
Thinking Plague is a United States avant-rock group founded in 1982 by guitarist/composer, Mike Johnson, and bass guitarist/drummer, Bob Drake. Based in Denver, Colorado, the band has been active off and on since 1982, taking on a number of musicians over the years...
. He has also been a member of Hamster Theatre and The Science Group
The Science Group
The Science Group were an avant-rock group founded in France in 1997 by English drummer Chris Cutler from Henry Cow and Yugoslav contemporary classical composer and keyboardist Stevan Tickmayer...
, and has collaborated with several musicians, including Bob Drake
Bob Drake (musician)
Bob Drake is an American multi-instrumentalist musician and recording engineer. He was a founding member of the avant-rock band Thinking Plague in the early 1980s, and a member of the 5uu's, Hail and The Science Group . He formed his own band, Bob Drake's Cabinet of Curiosities in 2007...
, Susanne Lewis
Susanne Lewis
Susanne Lewis is an American musician, songwriter and artist. She is a solo-artist and a founder or collaborator of a number of bands and music projects. She has a band with Bob Drake called Hail, who have released five albums , a solo-project called Kissyfur, and she also releases music under her...
and Janet Feder.
Biography
Mike Johnson played in his first band at the age of 13 and began writing music at 17. He studied classicalClassical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
and electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
in college in Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
but taught himself the guitar and composition. While at college in 1978 Johnson answered an advertisement at a local music store requesting a guitar player "into Henry Cow
Henry Cow
Henry Cow were an English avant-rock group, founded at Cambridge University in 1968 by multi-instrumentalists Fred Frith and Tim Hodgkinson. Henry Cow's personnel fluctuated over their decade together, but drummer Chris Cutler and bassoonist/oboist Lindsay Cooper were important long-term members...
, Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
…" This put him in touch with bass guitarist and drummer Bob Drake
Bob Drake (musician)
Bob Drake is an American multi-instrumentalist musician and recording engineer. He was a founding member of the avant-rock band Thinking Plague in the early 1980s, and a member of the 5uu's, Hail and The Science Group . He formed his own band, Bob Drake's Cabinet of Curiosities in 2007...
. Johnson and Drake initially played in a few cover band
Cover band
A cover band , is a band that plays mostly or exclusively cover songs. New or unknown bands often find the cover band format marketable for smaller gigs, and these bands may be known as a wedding band, party band and function band. A band whose covers consist mainly of songs that were chart hits is...
s but in 1980 they began experimenting with prepared guitars and tape machines, and recording material Johnson had written. "Our goal was to combine the harder edge of progressive rock, as in Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
and Yes, with the more modern tonalities and experimental approach as reflected in the work of the Art Bears
Art Bears
Art Bears were an English avant-rock group formed during the disassembly of Henry Cow in 1978 by three of its members, Chris Cutler , Fred Frith and Dagmar Krause...
, our major heroes at the time." By 1982 they had enough material to perform live and enlisted three other musicians for a brief tour of Denver. This band became the first incarnation of Thinking Plague
Thinking Plague
Thinking Plague is a United States avant-rock group founded in 1982 by guitarist/composer, Mike Johnson, and bass guitarist/drummer, Bob Drake. Based in Denver, Colorado, the band has been active off and on since 1982, taking on a number of musicians over the years...
.
Thinking Plague
Thinking Plague was active on and off between 1982 and 2004 and quickly achieved prominence in avant-rock circles. They made five studio albums, and released one live album recorded at NEARfestNEARfest
The North East Art Rock Festival, or NEARfest for short, is a multi-day event celebrating the resurgence of progressive and eclectic music in the United States and around the world. The event is held annually in early summer in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, approximately one hour north of Philadelphia...
in 2000. Johnson and Drake led the group until Drake left in the early 1990s after which Johnson took the helm. Most of Thinking Plague's material was composed by Johnson.
Other bands and collaborations
While Thinking Plague has dominated most of Johnson's musical career, he has also been a member of Hamster Theatre since 1996 and The Science GroupThe Science Group
The Science Group were an avant-rock group founded in France in 1997 by English drummer Chris Cutler from Henry Cow and Yugoslav contemporary classical composer and keyboardist Stevan Tickmayer...
in 2003. He toured with the 5uu's
5uu's
The 5uu's were an American avant-rock group founded in Los Angeles, California in 1984 by drummer-composer Dave Kerman. The group released their first album in 1986 and recorded a second in 1988 with Motor Totemist Guild, a similar band from the area. The two groups merged in 1988 to form U Totem...
and Hail
Hail (band)
Hail are an American indie/punk band with an avant-garde twist consisting of Susanne Lewis and Bob Drake . The band has also had guest appearances from Mike Johnson, Dave Kerman, Chris Cutler and Bill Gilonis. Albums include Gypsy Cat & Gypsy Bird , Turn of the Screw and Kirk...
in the mid-1990s and has collaborated with a number of musicians, including Bob Drake, Susanne Lewis
Susanne Lewis
Susanne Lewis is an American musician, songwriter and artist. She is a solo-artist and a founder or collaborator of a number of bands and music projects. She has a band with Bob Drake called Hail, who have released five albums , a solo-project called Kissyfur, and she also releases music under her...
, Janet Feder and Fred Frith
Fred Frith
Fred Frith is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer and improvisor.Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as one of the founding members of the English avant-rock group Henry Cow. Frith was also a member of Art Bears, Massacre and Skeleton Crew...
.
Discography
With Thinking PlagueThinking Plague
Thinking Plague is a United States avant-rock group founded in 1982 by guitarist/composer, Mike Johnson, and bass guitarist/drummer, Bob Drake. Based in Denver, Colorado, the band has been active off and on since 1982, taking on a number of musicians over the years...
- ...A Thinking Plague (1984, LP, Endemic Music, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) - Moonsongs (1987, LP, Dead Man's Curve Records, U.K.United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
) - In This Life (1989, CD, Recommended RecordsRecommended RecordsRecommended Records is a British independent record label and distribution network founded by Chris Cutler in March 1978. RēR features largely "Rock in Opposition" and related music, but it also distributes selected music released on other independent labels.In 1982 Cutler established November...
ReR, U.K.United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
) - In Extremis (1998, CD, Cuneiform RecordsCuneiform RecordsCuneiform Records is an independent record label based in Silver Spring, Maryland.The label releases a mixture of musical styles, including progressive jazz, modern fusion music, progressive rock, the Canterbury Scene and electronic music...
, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) - A History of Madness (2003, CD, Cuneiform RecordsCuneiform RecordsCuneiform Records is an independent record label based in Silver Spring, Maryland.The label releases a mixture of musical styles, including progressive jazz, modern fusion music, progressive rock, the Canterbury Scene and electronic music...
, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) - Upon Both Your Houses (live at NEARfestNEARfestThe North East Art Rock Festival, or NEARfest for short, is a multi-day event celebrating the resurgence of progressive and eclectic music in the United States and around the world. The event is held annually in early summer in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, approximately one hour north of Philadelphia...
2000) (2004, CD, NEARfest Records, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
)
With Hamster Theatre
- Siege on Hamburger City (1998, CD, Cricetus, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) - Carnival Detournement (2001, CD, Cuneiform RecordsCuneiform RecordsCuneiform Records is an independent record label based in Silver Spring, Maryland.The label releases a mixture of musical styles, including progressive jazz, modern fusion music, progressive rock, the Canterbury Scene and electronic music...
, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) - The Public Execution of Mr. Personality / Quasi Dayroom (2006, CD, Cuneiform RecordsCuneiform RecordsCuneiform Records is an independent record label based in Silver Spring, Maryland.The label releases a mixture of musical styles, including progressive jazz, modern fusion music, progressive rock, the Canterbury Scene and electronic music...
, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) (partially recorded at Progman ComethProgman ComethProgman Cometh Music Festivals were two Canterbury scene music concerts held at the Moore Theatre in Seattle Washington in 2002 and 2003.-Friday, August 16th:* 7:00pm Glass * 8:30pm Hughscore* 10:00pm Pip Pyle's Bash! - world debut!...
)
With Hail
Hail (band)
Hail are an American indie/punk band with an avant-garde twist consisting of Susanne Lewis and Bob Drake . The band has also had guest appearances from Mike Johnson, Dave Kerman, Chris Cutler and Bill Gilonis. Albums include Gypsy Cat & Gypsy Bird , Turn of the Screw and Kirk...
- Turn of the Screw (1990, CD, Cuneiform RecordsCuneiform RecordsCuneiform Records is an independent record label based in Silver Spring, Maryland.The label releases a mixture of musical styles, including progressive jazz, modern fusion music, progressive rock, the Canterbury Scene and electronic music...
, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
)
With Janet Feder
- Speak Puppet (2001, CD, Recommended RecordsRecommended RecordsRecommended Records is a British independent record label and distribution network founded by Chris Cutler in March 1978. RēR features largely "Rock in Opposition" and related music, but it also distributes selected music released on other independent labels.In 1982 Cutler established November...
ReR, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
)
With Fred Frith
Fred Frith
Fred Frith is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer and improvisor.Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as one of the founding members of the English avant-rock group Henry Cow. Frith was also a member of Art Bears, Massacre and Skeleton Crew...
- PrintsPrints (album)Prints: Snapshots, Postcards, Messages and Miniatures, 1987–2001 is a 2002 album by English guitarist, composer and improvisor Fred Frith, and his first album of songs since Cheap at Half the Price...
(2002, CD, Recommended RecordsRecommended RecordsRecommended Records is a British independent record label and distribution network founded by Chris Cutler in March 1978. RēR features largely "Rock in Opposition" and related music, but it also distributes selected music released on other independent labels.In 1982 Cutler established November...
ReR, U.K.United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
)
With The Science Group
The Science Group
The Science Group were an avant-rock group founded in France in 1997 by English drummer Chris Cutler from Henry Cow and Yugoslav contemporary classical composer and keyboardist Stevan Tickmayer...
- Spoors (2003, CD, Recommended RecordsRecommended RecordsRecommended Records is a British independent record label and distribution network founded by Chris Cutler in March 1978. RēR features largely "Rock in Opposition" and related music, but it also distributes selected music released on other independent labels.In 1982 Cutler established November...
ReR, U.K.United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
)
With Luciano Margorani
- My Favorite Strings (2004, CD, Isinaz, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
)
With David Shamrock
- Thin Pillow (2004, CD, Pillowsounds, U.S.)
With Yugen
- Iridule (2010, CD, Altrock, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
)
External links
- Mike Johnson biography. Thinking Plague homepage..
- Interview with Mike Johnson, May 2001. The Giant Progweed; .
- Interview with Mike Johnson, November 2004. Progressive Ears.