After establishing himself with his breakthrough debut EP 'Songs From An Empty Orchestra' in 2021, London-based artist S.F. Johnson now makes his eagerly-awaited return to deliver his shimmering new single 'The Goo'.
Capturing more of that warm and breezy aesthetic he is quickly earning a reputation for, 'The Goo' makes for a rousing return to form throughout. With his fresh and alluring textures perfectly elevating his dreamy vocals from start to finish, he is returning for this year with one of his most spellbinding efforts to date.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with him to find out more about his background and what has been inspiring him most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The guitar. My dad and uncle taught me how to play when I was 13-14. We used to spend hours working through old rock tunes at my gran and grandad’s house. I think the first thing my uncle showed me was Since You’ve Been Gone by Rainbow.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I listened to all sorts, mainly stuff from my mam, dad, auntie and uncle’s record collection. My dad and uncle were big into rock and my dad always had a newCD to add to the collection. The stand outs for me were always Roxy Music, Hall and Oates, Reo Speedwagon, Lindisfarne, The Police, The Eagles, U2, and Springsteen. David Gray, Travis, and Oasis were always being played around the house too.. My mam was also into a lot of 90s/Early 00s female-led bands, like Texas, All Saints, The Corrs, Spice Girls, and Shania Twain, I think this definitely influenced my palette and approach later on - I have fond memories listening to those records in the car with her. I was also into a lot of American punk/rock stuff like Blink-182, American Hi-FI, NOFX, and All American Rejects. I was a sucker for an American Pie-esque hard love song – downloaded all that for free on Limewire, of course. A bit later I went through a Shoegaze phase with Cocateau Twins, My Bloody Valentine, This Mortal Coil, Slow Dive etc, I think that’s probably the music that stuck with me most when writing songs, and I’ve always felt safe writing stuff that sounded in some way like that - that 4AD, reverb-drenched, DIY sound.
What was the first album you remember owning?
Slim Shady LP was the first album I ever owned, I had it on cassette. I remember leading my dad up to the rap section at HMV in the metrocentre when I was 12 and being like ‘‘can you buy me that?’’ I think I also copped a copy of Lil' Bow Wow’s ‘That’s my Name’’ and Limp Bizkit’s ‘‘Rollin’’. The old man was open-minded and I think he was just happy that I was into music early on. That record really spoke to me at the time. I was an angry kid, and it made me appreciate how people were putting raw feelings down on a record. It always struck me how vulnerable he was to talk about his feelings so openly like that (despite the controversies). This was years before I did anything musically, but as a 13 year old kid, it really stuck with me.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
There’s this song my buddy Jacob wrote, he did all the artwork and creative direction for my record too andI play bass in his band ' ‘The Daylight’’. He’s got this song called ‘’A Good Day to Die Alone’’, and when he sent me it on whatsapp I messaged him straight away saying‘‘maaaate wish i wrote that’’. It’s lyrically incredible, it hit me hard at the time. The first line goes: It’s a good day to die alone, and I’ve wondered if the post man knows’’. If that isn’t great I don’t know what is. Keep your eyes peeled for that one.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Usually I do my washing and tidy my room to clear my head, and then crack open a bottle. I’m trying to break away from the habit, but I often write music after a day at work, so I need a little something to separate my mind from the day, so I can zone into that world. I touch on these themes a bit in the album, as you get older, it gets harder to separate your daily life, and to keep that spark alive. As long as I got some wine I’m usually all good.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
I got really into the alt/indie scene in Berlin recently, people like John Moods, The Zenmenn, Discovery Zone, Better Person. All beautiful, next level music.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Being a Geordie, I’d have to say Sam Fender. I think his music is incredible, and it speaks to people like me from the city who grew up working class. I respect his attitude and approach, and from what I’ve heard him say in interviews I think we’d have a good chat about music and growing up in Newcastle as aspiring musicians.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Being able to create something from nothing. It’s a beautiful thing. Sharing songs with my mates and them feeling it, that’s a lovely feeling. My mates are like a little inner fanbase, I trust them because they are savage. I know if it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for anyone. They’re always the first to tell me if an idea sucks -my dad is still yet to do that.
And what is the most frustrating part?
The anxiety around not being successful. I hate that. For me, music is something anyone should be able to do, it’s an outlet there for anyone who needs it. My mate sent me this meme the other day about people making music in their 20s vs their 30s, I was triggered lmao. Still, I don’t think it’s lame in any way shape or form, as long as you’re happy doing it, who the fuck cares. Nothing brings me more joy than watching some 50-something geezer getting up at the buskers and singing Hey Joe for the 500th time. They’re living their musical fantasy, and that’s cool af to me.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
I think the best piece of advice I got was from my old bandmate when I was playing in Modern Pleasure. It wasn't necessarily directed at me, but more of a conversation we had with each other about how we’d be with people who come to our shows. There were a lot of aresholes kicking around on the scene at the time, people thinking they were above others. Leeds was bad for that. Coke-fuelled, part-time rockstars, and we hated that. I think the overall conclusion was to be nice, and be appreciative of anyone who listens to your music, comes and says hello or writes you a message on instagram. I’ve carried that forward and always make a conscious effort to say thank you. I’m grateful to those who engage with my music.
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S.F. Johnson's new single 'The Goo' is available to stream now. Check out the new video for it in the player below.