Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson
Singer/songwriter and guitarist known for his acoustic guitar-based folk rock songs. He first gained attention for his 2001 debut album Brushfire Fairytales. His best known songs include "Flake," "Better Together," and "Banana Pancakes."
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionRock Singer
Date of Birth18 May 1975
CityNorth Shore, HI
CountryUnited States of America
song reading writing
I can never tell what's going to end up being on an album until it's all finished. I'm reading the news everyday, and sometimes I just have to be away from it. And that ends up writing the songs for me a little bit.
nice people community
To be part of a community feels really good - to be among people who have similar feelings and want to share thoughts. It's a nice feeling.
song simple people
Sometimes, the simple messages are the best thing music can do, really. Sometimes, songs can stir people up, motivate them to make change.
song thinking people
The songs themselves sometimes have messages and people can read into them different ways, but I try to use concerts as a way to gather people and then have information there. I think that's important to find that balance, a way to be able to turn people on to things at the shows, but also just have it be an entertainment experience for people who just want to hear music and dance and don't want the extra stuff.
couple fall writing
Sometimes I just start humming something, find a melody I like a lot, and if it sticks around for a couple days, a few words will lock themselves into place. I might just get the first line. Then words just keep falling into the syllables. The choruses kind of write themselves and verses I have to work at a little bit.
song feel-better thinking
What I like to do with music is make people feel better. Make people realize that all humans have the same problems, more or less. A lot of people deal with the same thing. A lot of times people think problems are specific to them and they if they hear a song about a problem common to them, they feel good because they know that someone else has gone through it.
running jumping guy
Guys who do a lot of running and jumping around cannot get themselves set to throw a hard punch.
song hands guitar
I never took singing lessons. I guess, I feel comfortable with it, but I do not feel like a singer. I never want to sing without a guitar in my hand. I consider myself more of a songwriter, rather than a singer. I could never be in a wedding band and just sing Marvin Gaye songs.
character fighting battle
The bitter attacks I faced were far worse than any fighter I ever faced in the ring. The caustic remarks, the threats to injure me, the shots at my character-fighting those were my toughest battle.
school kids age
We get to go out into the schools and work with the kids on connecting them to their food at a young age, to actually see where their food is coming from, to see that their food is coming from the earth and not just from a supermarket. Once they make that connection, they can start to build upon that.
fun people economy
Supporting local food production is so much healthier for people. It's better for the local economy, and it's a lot of fun.
song writing different
The music brings me confidence and freedom. It's also the thing that can make me feel the most vulnerable. Once I finish writing all the songs for an album, once I actually record them, that whole process is usually easy and enjoyable. The part where I feel the most vulnerable is when it's all finished, I can make no more changes, I've turned it in, and there's no going back. All of a sudden I hear the songs in a different way; that's when I feel vulnerable.
song thinking ideas
When I'm playing music I'm usually not thinking of surfing, just because I'm usually thinking about the chords and the lyrics, and sometimes that messes me up 'cause you'll start thinking, "Wait, how am I doing this?" But when I'm surfing, I'm usually thinking about music - whether it's an idea for a new song, or just singing a song in my head.
opportunity ideas swings
Some fighter's waist a lot of their energy. Wait for your opportunity and when it comes, avail yourself of it. The idea of boring in and throwing punches helter skelter without reason doesn't amount to a row of pins. Every time you miss a swing it is worse than being hit.