On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, we dig in to stories from the solo years with Jamie Johnson.
Jamie has been working as a musician, producer and sound engineer since the early 1990’s.
As a house engineer at Phil Manzanera’s (Roxy Music) Gallery Studio, he recorded with some of the world’s leading musicians and producers, before becoming freelance in 1999.
He has worked on numerous No 1 albums for artists including Paul Weller, Razorlight and David Gilmour, he co-produced Robert Wyatt’s Mercury nominated album ‘Cuckooland’ in 2004, and recorded and mixed Paul Weller’s Mercury shortlisted album ‘Wake Up The Nation’ in 2010.
Jamie also contributed to albums – Heavy Soul, Heliocentric, 22 Dreams, Sonik Kicks and A Kind Revolution.
Outside of the world of Weller, Jamie has also recorded albums with some of Spain and South America’s most successful artists including Heroes Del Silencio, Robi Draco Rosa and The Hall Effect.
Jamie began teaching guitar in 2012, before starting Music Club in the summer of 2014.
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EP137 – Jamie Johnson – Sound Engineer – Paul Weller Solo Years – Paul Weller Fan Podcast : Desperately Seeking Paul
A playlist of Jamie Johnson connections…
1997 – Robert Wyatt – Shleep
Jamie recorded and mixed Robert Wyatt’s 1997 album Shleep – an album that featured Paul Weller on a number of tracks. Jamie also plays guitar on album opener Heaps Of Sheeps, a song that was arranged by Brian Eno.
Paul sang and played on Free Will And Testament and guitar on Blues In Bob Minor.
Jamie produced a version of September in the Rain which Paul featured on…
There is also a really unique version of The Style Council’s The Whole Point of No Return which closes the album. A version of the song that features Jamie as one of the chorus with Robert’s wife – the vocalist, lyricist, film technician and illustrator, Alfreda Benge – along with Paul’s engineer at Black Barn Studio (Paul Weller HQ) – Charles Rees.
1997 – Heavy Soul
Jamie was assistant engineer for the album ( a role shared with Charles Rees). He was also engineer on Mermaids. The song was the fourth and final single release of the album reaching Number 30 on the U.K. chart.
Jamie was also engineer for the B-Side of that single – Everything Has A Price To Pay (’97 Version) with Matt Deighton on guitar, Steve White on Percussion and Paul on guitar and vocals. The song was recorded for the Robert Carlyle & Ray Winstone movie – Face (a film that also featured the acting debut of Damon Albarn from Blur!).
2000 – Heliocentric
Jamie was Engineer for three recordings on the album – Frightened, Sweet Pea, My Sweet Pea and With Time & Temperance.
He also engineered on the B-side of He’s the Keeper on a track called Helioscentric which also featured Aziz Ibrahim on Lead Guitar, Charles Rees on Bass, Steve White on Drums and Percussion, Paul on Guitar and Mellotron and Brendan Lynch on Moog Keys.
Charles Rees and Stan Kybert engineered on Illumination, Studio 150 and As Is Now but Jamie returned for 2008’s masterpiece 22 Dreams. In the meantime Jamie had co-produced Robert Wyatt’s 2004 Mercury shortlisted album Cuckooland…
2008 – 22 Dreams
Jamie has an Engineer and ‘Mixed-By’ credits on the album with Have You Made Up Your Mind also earning a Producer ( Assisted By ) credit.
2010 – Wake Up The Nation
Jamie recorded and mixed Paul Weller’s Mercury Prize shortlisted album ‘Wake Up The Nation’ in 2010. He was Engineer on the album whilst also playing bass on Pieces Of A Dream ( the full story on the podcast! ).
2012 – Sonik Kicks
Credited as Engineer on Sonik Kicks – although it isn’t listed on which tracks.
2017 – A Kind Revolution
Jamie was back feeding into a Paul Weller album once again. He recorded Robert Wyatt’s vocals and trumpet for the song “She moved with the Fayre”