press release
    9th February 2005

Surfers Against Sewage supporter Jack Johnson is to play the first of two UK dates at The Stannary, Penryn on 4th May 2005, in a show eagerly anticipated by his legions of fans. Jack will be supported by fellow surfers and musician Donavon Frankenreiter, who played his first ever UK date last October at the Blue Bar in Porthtowan, a show which famously sold out in only 2 hours!

From his early years spent on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, singer songwriter, filmmaker, and surfer Jack Johnson has become a huge cult success amongst surfers and music lovers alike the world over, and especially in Cornwall, where he has a particularly strong following. Any gathering in any Cornish surfing community over the past few years will have featured Jack Johnson’s mellow bluesy songs as a soundtrack.

A surfing accident at the age of seventeen which kept him out of the water for 3 months is to thank for Jack’s musical development – the boredom of being landlocked focussed his efforts on the guitar which he had been playing for a few years, and allowed him plenty of time to listen to many of the other musicians which have proved influential, from Cat Stevens to Fugazi.

After a period spent at the University of California studying filmmaking, Johnson spent a year travelling the world with surfing friends Chris and Emmett Malloy, which resulted in the acclaimed surf film “Thicker Than Water”, which he co-directed and shot (later named Film of the Year by Surfer Magazine).

Johnson’s first collaboration with surfer Garrett Dutton (G.Love) came at around this time, when they worked together on Johnson’s track “Rodeo Clowns”, which quickly gained a radio presence and began to spread knowledge of Johnson’s musical talent beyond the surfing community. Remaining focussed on filmmaking however, Johnson escaped the building pressure to sign a record deal to make his second surf film “The September Sessions”, which was again received with much critical acclaim. Meanwhile, a bootleg tape of his songs fell into the hands of musician Ben Harper and his manager, who managed to persuade Johnson to take some time out to record his debut album “Brushfire Fairytales”.

Opening Ben Harper’s US/Australian tour in 2001 with tracks from the debut album built Johnson’s profile quickly, and within a year of release the album had sold 100,000 copies. The next album, “On and On” (like this latest album) was produced by Mario Caldato Jr, (Beastie Boys) and mixed the now expected mellow tracks and ballads with more serious social commentary, demonstrating further Johnson’s personal beliefs in harmony and environmentalism. The second album was released on Johnson’s newly formed Brushfire Records, which also hosts G.Love and Donavon Frankenreiter.

This gig is one of only two in the UK and is to promote the release of Johnson’s third album “In Between Dreams” (out in the UK on 28th Feb), which from early reports feature nostalgic and romantic songs, including first single “Sitting, Waiting, Wishing” (download single from Napster from 31st Jan) which is about a friend’s pursuit of a girl as well as the sweet love song “Better Together” written for his wife, Kim. Johnson is now also a father and reflecting on all he has achieved so far in his thirty years one can’t help but think that his life is truly charmed!

Fans of Jack Johnson will have a chance to hear tracks from the new album “In Between Dreams” on 19th Feb ahead of it’s UK at the following venues: Solo Music in Truro, Jam Records in Falmouth, The Tap House in St Agnes, The Chy Bar in Newquay, the Sand Bar in Praa Sands, Down the Line Surf shop in Hayle and The Dog House in St Merryn. They will also be able to enter a draw to win tshirts and tickets for the show at the Stannary.

Tickets for the show (which is for OVER 18s only – ID may be required) are £12.50 and will be available from 11th Feb from the following ONLY: Solo Records in Truro, Jam in Falmouth and www.seetickets.com 0871 2200260 (subject to a booking fee)

SAS HAVE BEEN INVITED TO HAVE AN INFORMATION STAND AT THE EVENT TO PROMOTE ITS CAMPAIGNS FOR CLEAN AND SAFE WATER.

More info from www.sw1productions.co.uk