An Interview With Ellis Johnson

An Interview With Ellis Johnson

RAWNESS

What inspired the name of the band? What are your influences?

My background in music, started with Rock & Punk. I loved the rawness and the noise and it was everything that the other kids weren’t listening to, it felt precious to me. I remember being on a school trip listening to a cassette full of rock and punk, other kids were singing the thong song by Sisqo, and made fun of my music… years later some of the same people were listening to rock and punk, and acting like they always had been. One of which, had previously told me I “should be shot!” Because I was wearing a Blink182 T-shirt. Kids say the funniest things!… pricks. 
Although my love of rock and punk is without doubt a life long affair, My influences span many genres these days. Anything from Soul to Hip Hop to Electronic music. 

 How do you approach songwriting? Are there any themes that you are keen to
explore when you start off?

It’s a different approach every time, or at least a different angle towards the approach. Sometimes a melody hits me smack in the balls and I have to record it on the spot, to stop the ball ache. My phone is full of voice notes of me, humming shit and beat boxing. 
Sometimes I’ll sit with my guitar or piano, and shit just happens. 
If the lyrics come first, it’s usually because I’ve seen something that’s made me think and reflect. Sometimes I’ll even think of a name for a song, before the song exists, because I know I want to deal with a certain subject. Like dogging. 

ANGLE

ANGLE

 How do you approach songwriting? Are there any themes that you are keen to
explore when you start off?

It’s a different approach every time, or at least a different angle towards the approach. Sometimes a melody hits me smack in the balls and I have to record it on the spot, to stop the ball ache. My phone is full of voice notes of me, humming shit and beat boxing. 
Sometimes I’ll sit with my guitar or piano, and shit just happens. 
If the lyrics come first, it’s usually because I’ve seen something that’s made me think and reflect. Sometimes I’ll even think of a name for a song, before the song exists, because I know I want to deal with a certain subject. Like dogging. 

NOISEY

Why do you write the sort of music that you do?

I kinda answered part of that in the last question, I guess. But the actual sort of music I write, isn’t determined by any confinement. An idea is an idea, sometimes it can be really poppy and upbeat, sometimes it can be very guitar based and noisey, it depends on the idea itself. You start to realise what the song is and should be, once you start recording the ideas. Sometimes you know straight away, other times you record the idea and realise, this is an indie rock song, or this just needs guitar and vocals. I think that answers the question?!

How do you decide what songs to perform live and how do you transpose them
into that live setting?

My mate adopted a Beaver in my name, as a gift. She’s called Nora. She writes my set lists. 
 
That’s actually true. Well, not the set list bit. But I do have a beaver. 

BEAVER

BEAVER

How do you decide what songs to perform live and how do you transpose them
into that live setting?

My mate adopted a Beaver in my name, as a gift. She’s called Nora. She writes my set lists. 
 
That’s actually true. Well, not the set list bit. But I do have a beaver. 

NOSEY

What plans do you have for the future?

I’m gonna take my dog ‘Bowie’ out for a walk in a minute. Sometimes I walk past the neighbours and smile, but inside I’m screaming “nosey bitch”. I have this one neighbour that looks like one of the geeza’s from Kings of Leon crossed with a zombie from the walking dead. 

 
Musically, I’m gonna keep in writing, recording and hopefully producing great music. I can only plan so much, but if it works, I’d love a loyal following that care enough to come and see my shows.