Calvin Johnson (musician)

Johnson was born in Olympia, Washington. His first introduction to underground culture was in 1977 when he became a volunteer at Olympia's community radio station, KAOS-FM, at the age of fifteen. The station's uniquely progressive programming policy mandated a focus on music available through independent and artist owned labels, rather than centralized corporate media. This independent, do-it-yourself ethos has been an important influence on Johnson's career. Johnson soon began writing for fanzines, such as Sub/Pop (later to become Sub Pop Records) and Op, and also organized music and film events. Johnson attended The Evergreen State College in Olympia, where his first band, a short-lived group called Cool Rays, made their debut recordings with Steve Fisk in 1981. Calvin established K in the summer of 1982. At some point, his father gave him a Martin acoustic guitar. He later told an interviewer that his father had "received it as a wedding present from his bride." ==Career==

Beat Happening Johnson formed Beat Happening in 1982 with fellow Evergreen students Heather Lewis and Bret Lunsford. Beat Happening were early leaders in the American indie rock and lo-fi movements, noted for their use of primitive recording techniques, disregard for the technical aspects of musicianship, and songs with subject matters of a childish or coy nature. Instruments were guitar and drums, with members frequently switching instruments and Calvin and Heather taking turns on lead vocals. Tours with artists such as Fugazi confused and alienated audience members while articulating a punk rock position of defiance that was more sensitive than macho. His fifth album, Gallows Wine, is an eclectic collection of songs reflecting this singular environment including “Pink Cadillac”, written by Johnson when he was 16. The title song ”Gallows Wine” rips psycho psychedelic, poetic license intact. “Crazy Legs” is a Gene Vincent class act celebrating our sock population and “Orange Aid” melts downtown no WAV. Calvin Johnson traveled to Columbus, Mississippi to record Gallows Wine with the combo Hartle Road at their Pompeii studio. Columbus, in Lowndes County, is the childhood home of Tennessee Williams (just down US Route 45 from White Station, birthplace of Howlin’ Wolf). Current projects " event in 2011 In 2008, Calvin Johnson appeared in the film The Lollipop Generation by G.B. Jones. Calvin's newest project is Hive Dwellers, who made their recorded début performing Superchunk's "My Noise" on SCORE! 20 Years of Merge Records: The Covers! A full-length release is planned for fall 2009. Calvin has also revived his Dub Narcotic Disco Plate 45 rpm series, collaborating with artists such as Atlas Sound, Mahjongg, and Joey Casio at Dub Narcotic to record an A-side, and creating a Selector Dub Narcotic version for the b-side. == Relationship with other musicians ==

After meeting Ian MacKaye in 1980, Johnson later became friends with the members of Fugazi, and Beat Happening was the opening band on one of Fugazi's first tours. Johnson has worked with Modest Mouse, Beck, Heavenly, The Microphones, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The Blow, Jens Lekman, Mecca Normal, The Gossip, Built to Spill, and Fifth Column, among many others. Since founding his Dub Narcotic recording studio in 1993, he has produced and engineered recordings by many bands and artists. Friends of Kurt Cobain such as Ian Dickson of Earth, Mark Arm of Mudhoney, Bruce Pavitt and Slim Moon have all acknowledged Johnson's significant influence on the musician. Cobain cited Beat Happening's Jamboree as one of his favorite records, and even got the K Records logo (a small "K" in a shield) tattooed on his arm to "try and remind [him] to stay a child." They were friends in the late 80s/early 90s when Cobain lived in Olympia; he'd been a guest with The Go Team, and on September 25, 1990, Cobain appeared on a KAOS (FM) show hosted by Johnson and performed a number of songs, acoustically, including a duet with Johnson on the Wipers song, "D-7." Cobain later grew to resent Johnson's "arrogance" and denounced his ties in a (private) journal entry. Johnson is also referred to in the John Peel session version of the Hole song, "Olympia" (also credited as "Rock Star" on the album Live Through This). The band's lead singer, Courtney Love has the line: 'I went to school with Calvin,' a reference to Johnson's influence within the burgeoning Olympia indie music scene. In 1993, Johnson had a restraining order placed on Love for harassment and assault. == Solo discography ==

• What Was Me (2002, K Records) • Before the Dream Faded... (2005, K Records) • Calvin Johnson & The Sons of the Soil (2007, K Records) • This Party Is Just Getting Started (as Selector Dub Narcotic, 2016, K Records) • A Wonderful Beast (2018) • Gallows Wine (2023, K Records) == References ==