The Artist Explains: Sam Johnson - 'The Kids Are Alright'
Fresh from the success of his breakthrough EP ‘Eastcote’, Sam Johnson is back with the first taste of his second EP - with brand new single ‘The Kids Are Alright’. He took a moment to explain the track in more depth to us.
Hey Sam! So, your track ‘The Kids Are Alright’ is out now, how does it feel?
Feels great. I've had it in my pocket for a couple of years now, so it's a relief to finally get it out there and let it live with other people too.
Can you tell us what the track is about ?
I wrote it whilst looking over my friend Nick Atkinson’s DVD collection for some inspiration during a couple of days in his studio. I spotted one of my favourite films ‘Old Boy’ on his shelf, and started reflecting on my youth messing about in a small market town with all my friends in Shropshire, and how I'd grown up a fair bit since then. ‘Old boys, new tricks, and suburban Friday fun’ became the first line of the song, and from there I just wanted it to be a very personal account of the highs and lows of growing up where I did, a kind of anthem to my youth if you like. When I discovered Nick’s copy of the 2010 movie ‘The Kids Are Alright’ it all made sense. It wrapped up the sentiment of the song for that defining line of the chorus.
It is the first taste of your second EP, ‘Are We There Yet?’ - how is that coming along?
It's all done and ready to go. I'm very proud of it, and am interested to see what people think when I put it out there. I think it's my best body of work yet.
What can we expect from it? How will it differ from the debut EP?
I think it's a lot more direct and emotional than 'Eastcote'. It's a more honest and personal record. 'Eastcote' had a lot of characters and messages loosely inspired by my life, whereas 'Are We There Yet?' is far more literal and personal. A bit of therapy really.
Your musical story owes a small moment to chance, with a random meeting with Kevin Shields - can you tell us a bit more about that?
Yeah I think that was a really important moment for me actually. Kevin and I met when my uncle married his sister. His family then became my extended family and we had many fun Christmases out there in Ireland with them all. They're a really friendly lot. Kevin took an interest in my early songwriting when I was around 17 and recorded my first collection of demos when the nearby Grouse Lodge Studios gave him some free time with me. It was pretty magical to be honest, and I owe a great deal to his mentorship in those early years. He really taught me the importance of staying true to myself, and developing a sturdy backbone for what can often be a brutal industry.