Shes out of her head

I have decided to treat you to a stripped down version of one of the songs from my solo album, Unrequited.

Purchase the album from iTunes, CD baby and www.mjohnson.biz

Red Phone Box

So the last couple of weeks I have spent a lot of my time recording, playing and producing a song for Amy Notman.
The song called Red Phone Box is written by Amy and our version can be heard on her Myspace. It was a good session that was followed by the compulsory ‘after recording’ pint.
We had a great time and hopefully we will do it again soon.
Check it out and if she is doing a gig near you, please go and see her.

Amy Notman

Spring In The Air

I have started work on the poptastic SFS debut album. It’s been ages since I released the EP and did some gigs (new dates to follow soon) so following the popularity of my SAW-esque ‘First Kiss’ I have been writing and recording.

The new album should be finished by the end of the year and if you want immediate album updates you can twitter me. Here.


REMIX
I have put up a page of some of the remixes that I have done for other artists (Ash, Imogen Heap, Erasure etc) feel free to have a listen and don’t be afraid to ask me to do one for you.
http://www.silverfactorysuperstars.com/SFSremix.htm

Ok, off to celebrate paddy’s day and find some pop inspiration
Viva the pop revolution!!!












Me @ Elstree Studios

Pop Revolution

A few months ago I mentioned that for some inexplicable reason I decided to write and record a song inspired by 80's pop gurus Stock Aitken and Waterman.

Well, finally after various rewrites and mixes I have finished it. It is called First Kiss and I have decided to give it to you for free and not only can you get the radio edit but you can also get the extended mix too.

You can listen to it at the SFS Myspace site or  at ilike if you want to download it as well. If you want higher quality mp3 versions I can send you a link to where you can download it from or I can send you an old fashioned CD. (mark@silverfactorysuperstars.com).

Let me know what you think.

Also you can now twitter me. here

There Goes The Summer

So its been a while, hope you are all ok. Since last we spoke I have been engulfing my self in music. It started in July when myself and my friends went to the beautiful latitude festival, despite the showers it was a great weekend, with lots of music.

About a week later I performed on a bandstand in Belper with Amy Notman, Lucy Milford, Jonathon Cundey, Chris Preston and Mark Lilley. Despite being told that we were to play alternate sets with a local steel band, we ended up doing the whole thing as they never showed up. We were saved by the experience of Amy and Lucy and their catalogue of songs, without them we would have looked quite stupid. Although judging from the pics below (courtesy of Mark Lilley) I think I was beyond help in the looks department anyway.

Then came August and the Moseley Folk Festival This has to be one of the quaintest festivals I have ever been to. For starters it is set in a hidden private park right in the town centre.

Moseley Park is unique. Less than 2 miles from Birmingham city centre. Unaltered for a 100 years. 11 acres of peaceful parkland, a beautiful lake packed with fish and surrounded by trees.
Moseley Park is a private park. You need a key to get in! So it's not 'institutional' like many public parks can be. It's a park out of time - some parts of it, such as the Ice House, go back 200 years.
(© Copyright 2006 Moseley Park & Pool Limited)

It is also an extremely friendly, real ale & cider swilling oasis, with some of the best music around.
Besides it being almost non stop rain on the last day and myself having a major stomach upset, it was fantastic, as the pics below will testify.
Highlights: John Tams, Seth Lakeman, Ruth Notman, The Destroyers, Waterson:Carthy, Rachel Unthank & the Winterset.

John Tams

21st century gigging

Ruth Notman

Then in September I saw the Stray Cats in Brixton. What a fantastic band but what a weird audience.
Don’t get me wrong they looked great all quiffed up and gave the whole gig a sense of authenticity but they never moved. Usually when you go to see a band that plays 80% of songs at a high tempo you start to move your legs, nod your head or even bounce up an down but not this crowd. Although they were obviously enjoying it they never moved, perhaps it was the sticky beer laden floor.

(photo by hwatson78)

Finally I have started to record my first SFS song in over a year. I got inspired when I heard the Pete Hammond remix of the Alphabeat song Boyfriend. It is so 80’s that it got me in the mood to record a Stock Aitken and Waterman cheese fest.
The song at the moment is called First Kiss and I have recorded the bulk of the instrumentation but writing cheesy lyrics is proving harder than I first thought. The chorus and bridge are written its just the verses.
Anyway check out the video below for my inspiration.