Matt Johnson & the unique story of The The plus George Michael and the sunbed

About this episode

Matt Johnson shares his life story and musical journey in a conversation with Jason Wood.

Matt Johnson’s life story has been mapped out as one long Q&A conversation from meetings with old friend, fan and BFI director Jason Wood. ‘Cognitive Dissident’ traces his trajectory from the East End to Soho to the beloved albums he made with a series of super-groups and his 2021 comeback. He looks back here at …   … his earliest musical memories – Donovan, the Move, the Crazy World of Arthur Brown   … the old East End and the Two Puddings pub run by his parents, “full of ghosts”, Bobby Moore, Francis Bacon and the Krays   … his Uncle Kenny promoting the Who, the Kinks and Jerry Lee Lewis   … “Get yourself on a sunbed!” and other advice from George Michael   ... what he learnt at De Wolfe Music, aged 15, in the red-light Soho of the late ‘70s   … legendary manager Stevo signing the band’s CBS contract at midnight in Trafalgar Square   … “cigarettes, coffee, warm analogue equipment”: the Proustian scent of old studios   … his NME ad recruiting The The members via the Residents, the Velvet Underground, Syd Barrett and Throbbing Gristle   … being part of “the Long Mack Brigade” with Cabaret Voltaire, This Heat, Wire and the Gang of…

People in this episode

Hosts: Mark Ellen, David Hepworth, Alex Gold

Guest: Matt Johnson

Topics covered

• Matt Johnson
• The The
• George Michael
• music history
• comeback stories
• East End
• Soho

Keywords

• Matt Johnson
• The The
• George Michael
• Cognitive Dissident
• music history
• East End
• Soho
• comeback
• super-groups
• legendary manager

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: De Wolfe Music, CBS

Books & works: Cognitive Dissident

Places: East End, Soho, Trafalgar Square, Albert Hall

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