A bit more mixing and then mastering to do! Cashflow issues kicking in now, which has slowed me down - but it won’t be much longer … Thank you for your patience If I was signed already, or loaded, you’d have got it last year!

I need a bit of help with the artwork, so if anyone fancies volunteering a bit of expertise in this area, give me a shout! It would make a great project.

And the band is taking shape now too which is fabulous. All Benita Johnson gigs for the time being are solo until I start plastering “plus BAND” on my listings! Again, not too long to wait for that either, hopefully.

To be fair, unless I’m very lucky, I doubt there will be huge fanfairs announcing any of this, so keep checking back for news. One day soon …

Well, now here’s a thought! Since “Staying In” is the new “Going Out” ‘n all, maybe you’d like the gig to come to you!
You could book me to play at your place and sit around in your slippers with your mates, listening to some totally different new music, you wouldn’t hear unless you spent a packet on taxis and booze going to some club to find that you couldn’t hear anything anyway because everybody’s talkin to loud … and then you get home and you half wish you never went cos the bar staff were really something (or was that the beer-goggles??) but now you’re being sick everywhere and you’re sure you musta lost some dough somewhere cos you really couldn’t have spent all that ! …

I guess staying in might not sound as much fun, but y’know one of these days I’m gonna be a household name and you’ll be able to say “she sat right here in my living room you know!” pointing lovingly at the dent you’ve never smoothed out of the sofa where my arse was once (allegedly) parked … well, yes - don’t hold your breath! Lol!

Still, as I say - it’s a thought! Isn’t it! And the real beauty of it is that, although I can’t do it for free, I’ll accept whatever you can afford
Think about it why don’t you.
Send me a message when you’ve decided, and we’ll go from there.

B

Last night I was fortunate enough to be able to step in last minute as support for Gavin Thorpe at his gig at the Folk House in Bristol. It was a great night, really well attended and a lovely atmosphere.
Gavin has an interesting story (if I have any details wrong, I hope I am corrected): he’s a local guy, got signed by Atlantic only a couple of years ago, went off to America, recorded the album - everything looked really good…. but Atlantic shelved it and released some bloke called James Blunt (?) around about the same time … hmm… hard luck! I quite like Blunty-boy in small doses, but after seeing Gavin Thorpe live last night, I have to say GT is better!
Just goes to show … !
Anyway go check out www.myspace.com/gavinthorpemusic and give him your support. I still have 2 of his songs stuck in my head, Idiot and Out of Place - he has a great voice, a nice personality and is a pretty good songwriter to boot.
No, I don’t do this for everyone

B

sO, TONIGHT (15th April) I play a benefit gig in Bath, for The Big Issue. For anyone who doesn’t know what that is - it’s a magazine that’s published specifically for homeless people to sell on the streets so they can earn a bit of cash for themselves - and then the rest goes back into printing the mag. . . I call that a GoOd ThinG … so tonight is about raising awareness and raising cash - and having a good time listening to some fantastic LiVe MuSic! It’s all being set up by another singer-songwriter Leanne Walsh, from Bath (myspace.com/leannewalshmusic) and there are some other fabulous people playing besides myself. It’s at St James’ Wine Vaults, St James Sq, Bath 8.30pm if you wanna check it out! …
I am really chuffed to be a part of this event, for 2 reasons 1) I have some idea of what it’s like to be homeless myself - and now work with homeless people in my other job! 2) One of the first gigs I ever played was a benefit gig for The B.I. right back when it was quite a new thing … so it all seems to make sense to me.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that anything that can happen to one person, could happen to us all … we might all be unique, but we’re not so very different. At bottom, we all just want and need the same basic things - and we all have a responsibility to each other; we don’t all exist in individual me-sized bubbles immune & seperate from the things that affect other folks… sounds like a depressing thought - but it shouldn’t be! Just try to do one little thing today that makes a positive difference to someone else’s life, and one day when you need it, you’ll get it back … … you could start by buying a Big Issue - or coming to this gig
Be well. Be happy Take care.

Well, the album’s nearly done now I just need a band to make it live.

I need the following:

KEYS / SYNTH, ELECTRIC GUITAR (LEAD & RHYTHM), DRUMS, FEMALE BACKING VOCALS, CELLO, BANJO

I am very serious about this folks. Not scary serious or anything - just: it’s gonna happen.

The album material itself is not your typical singer/songwriter stuff and there’s a lot of really varied influences in there. It’s definitely Alternative - but could almost be Mainstream at the same time. There’s bits of folk, country, rock, jazz and funk. Also, besides the album songs, I’ve a whole back catalogue of stuff and new stuff I’m writing all the time which can all be developed and could keep us in business for some time to come… It’s fair to say that if you’re a straight-up Rock guitarist or a dedicated Jazz fan, this may not be the project for you: as it is much more diverse than that!

Anyone who is interested should contact me with “BAND” in the subject line, and we’ll go from there. If it seems like we’re on the same page, I can send you some sample tracks and you can see if it’s for you.

Bj 

Well where do  start? There’s been a lot going on …

First of all with the Recession & everything my plans for funding and getting this to come together full-time have fallen flat so I’ve gone back to the day job (which isn’t at all bad as day-jobs go) & got a kind of a promotion in with the bargain, hence securing my ability to further invest in the music side of things - Nice! So it’s not all bad

Second I’ve been back in the studio … You’ll hear some new tracks recorded with a mate on my myspace site (www.myspace.com/benitajohnson) … but the main work I’m doing at the moment is on an album. It’s proved to be a tricky process - it’s fair to say I do everything the hard way! But we’re making progress and it’s sounding good. initial estimates were that I’d be done by Christmas - right now though, I’m not thinking about a deadline. I don’t think that’s helpful.

And gigs - yes, now there’s a story! I’ve been doing a fair few of these - and some of them unplanned, which is always nice as I really miss it if I don’t have any to do for a while… And, do you know! I was verbally assaulted at one last week! shock horror! I was playing (musicians take note) at the New Inn, St Owens Cross, Hereford and a) they weren’t really sure what they were doing with the whole live music deal b) the locals weren’t prepared for such as me it seems! I was basically told I couldn’t sing for shit, they didn’t want me there and I should just fall off the planet and die!!! … lovely. I had a few choice words of my own to give out …. I did the gig and I got paid but it made me a bit mad… But I guess it was a reality check too - just shows that i’ve got very comfortable with my usual haunts …

Played a couple of gigs in Bath this week too. One at the Porter Cellar Bar I really enjoyed, so I hope they have me back …

And writing - loads of this going on feeling especially inspired at the moment … though I think it’s gonna cost me !! x

Thanks to you folks for checking in and reading my waffle. Please feel free to Comment - it’s a more reliable way of contacting me at the moment as my site email is full of spam!

x Bj

Next gig 27th June at the Thunderbolt, Totterdown, Bristol. (tbc)  

On the subject of gigs, I recently played The Olde Bath Arms in Frome. It turned out to be a really rewarding night and I hope they ask me back sometime … If you’re ever out that way, it’s well worth checking out on a Thursday night as they have a collection of singer-songwriter types playing and it’s a gorgeous place - with excellent food! (although, if you’re veggie, I hope you like artichokes!).

I’ve also been doing some rock-duo work with a friend of mine  (we call ourselves Label 5 - it’s a long story, and you’d have to have been there) … so we debuted at Alfie Kingston’s Acoustic Afternoon last Sundayat the 7 Stars pub in Redcliffe, Bristol … we went down really well so we’ll probably try to do more of the same over the summer… so if you see LABEL 5 entered on the gigs calendar that’s what I mean…

That’s all for now - fingers crossed for the 27th! If anyone’s stopping by the Thunderbolt any time soon, maybe chivvy them up for me?? Much appreciated xx

This blogging thing is quite a stretch for someone who doesn’t really say one hell of a lot. Which shouldn’t be confused with not having anything to say. Far from it! Want to know what I think? - What I feel? My songs should tell you that - all you need to know anyway. But since I HAVE a blog, I guess I oughtta use it … :) 

So I was recording Wednesday, did this open mic last night and a gig tonight on a boat - not my first time (that was another boat - the Thekla, a few years ago for Ladyfest) … I had spent the day surrounded by two-dimensional people and swiping at some phantoms from my past … it just got too hard to smile. Nobody likes that. People like people to be happy, and mellow and reasonable. Any display of true emotion, or frustration or (God forbid) anger is liable to get you hurriedly swept away by some giant social-cleansing dustpan. . . Days like this make it ever clearer to me how important music is in my life - and not just the gigs but everything that goes with it - especially the people.

I like genuine, real, multi-dimensional people. I might not like them very much - or I might not like what they stand for. But it’s not against the law to state preference and it’s a free country. But I respect their honesty, their conviction, their ability to stand true. I can’t stand anyone who just isn’t who they are. And I really find it hard to understand anyone who makes too many compromises … it’s fair to say, I probably didn’t like myself for a while there then! These last couple of nights, I have spent amongst some solid crystal characters. (not just the artists). You can’t fold them into the cartoon-strip of your daily grind and expect them to follow the script. I guess that’s something Music does for people - and not just the people who make it. A captivating tune, a lyric, a sound that grabs at your soul can take you anywhere you want to go. You can’t put a price on that!

I had a conversation with a guy recently who was trying to tell me how fortunate people like me are that we have this means of expression, this gift, this outlet … it was cringeable stuff, but he didn’t have to tell me, I know. Of course, he’s right - though it comes at a price, I think. Not that you’ll hear me complaining!! I wouldn’t have it any other way. I am certain that the same can be said for the folks I’ve shared the stage with recently… Check out Catherine & The Owl at www.catherineandtheowl.com Also Google “Amelia Tucker” and “The Funkinsteins”. And go to www.myspace.com/jackbirdjackbirdjackbird and last, but not least, go to Rita Lynch.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

There is so much out there! Get out of your box and start listening!

Bj

And not just any boat, sailor - it’s the John Sebastian Lightship! And what is that? Simple answer: I dunno. My best guess is that it’s some kind of mobile marine lighthouse - which defies the object surely? Why would you have a ship that’s a lighthouse? …. “hey look! there’s a rock over here! …… no over here! …. no now it’s over here! keep up!@@~?:@^&**”

… which I suppose is why it’s now securely moored and being used as a live music venue … well, at least it should be easy to find! It’s address is: Bathurst Basin, Bathurst Parade, Bristol. Not helping much? It’s between the Louisiana and the Ostrich pubs. Still no help? Go here : http://www.bristolbands.com/VenueDetail.php?venue=VLBS0000252 

I’m playing there THIS FRIDAY (30TH MAY) between 8:30 - 9pm. Yes, I know - but it’s worth it as there’s some great acts on display, and I’m just plugging a gap for the promoter last minute. The bill is:

BENITA JOHNSON / AMELIA TUCKER / JACK BIRD / CATHERINE & THE OWL

For a sneak preview and more helpful details I suggest you go to http://www.myspace.com/BristolBands.com

Thank you again to the gang for turning out to see me last night! Hope you enjoyed it - what did I tell you about the pizza!? I appreciate the efforts you went to - it’s a bit of a trek for some of you - and I didn’t get to talk properly to everyone as I didn’t have much time - sorry folks … next weeks gig will be a different story (don’t forget - change of venue - it’s now at the Full Moon) … Take care x