THIS WEEK : ADY JOHNSON

Ady Johnson is a singer/songwriter originally from Sudbury in Suffolk and now firmly based in London.

This is a man with fire in his belly,poetry in his heart and a bitter sweet bite in his voice.

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Ady personally for a little while now & catching him live he has never been less than outstanding.

Make no mistake though,this is not jobs for the boys,this is a very fine artist we are talking about who stands up as at least an equal to the finest singer/songwriters this country is producing at the moment.If Ady had come from America we would all be raving about him as an credible alternative to compliment the ramshackle blues of Tom Waits and the subtle & reflective early leaning’s of Bon Iver.Well he’s our’s,he’s British and we represent the best music coming out of these shores on Fresh On The Net so what are you waiting for-check this guy out.

Ady might have taken a very different path in life after being trained as a boy to be antique furniture restorer by his late Grandfather.As brilliant as he was at this work it was a path that nearly cost him a finger on his left hand when a chisel took a fancy to 2 tendons and a bunch of nerves on said finger.Life always presents new opportunities and Ady grabbed them with both hands(now fully healed) by going onto to Major in Classical Guitar as part of his Performance Degree.

After seeing and hearing what an exceptional guitarist Ady is I could not resist inviting him to play on one of my own song ,which he very kindly did. I am so glad he went down the artistic route,sorry antique furniture-your day will come.

Maybe I’m A Blind Fool by Ady Johnson

After a fair period of time fronting Colchester’s organ driven rock ‘n’ roll band FuzzFace Ady went ‘solo’ in the last couple of years.Ady has released a wonderful album called ‘Tell The Worry Dolls‘ which serves as a great introduction to the man’s work. He writes timeless songs that sit on the borders of folk,blues & pop-dipping a toe into each without getting too wet.

In the music community(and it’s naughty cousin -The Music Industry) we are still in the improvement game,we want to see artists growing as performers,writers & musicians.I feel very strongly that we are only beginning to see the first shoots of what is possible from Mr Johnson.He is a tireless live performer and listening to him play the songs from Tell The Worry Dolls live its really apparent to me how much he has grown as an artist in the last year with brand new songs coming over like Bill Withers does Brit Soul Blues.

Talent lives here,wipe your feet if you are that way inclined,come in and enjoy Mr Ady Johnson!

Find him online Website Facebook Twitter Soundcloud

1. What are you up to at the moment?
Writing this on my iPhone as half the keys on my girlfriends laptop i’m borrowing are sticking. Musically and more generally speaking I’m writing some music for a short film by East6 Media and working on new material for my next release.

2. Favourite childhood memory?
Going swimming with friends at the outdoor swimming pool in Sudbury, laying down and drying off on a towel in the summer sun eating an assortment of sweets – Refreshers, Cola Cubes, Fruit Salad and Dib-Dabs etc. etc.

3. Hero?
My late Grandfather is a man whom I respect and have much love and admiration for. I only wish I had more time with him.

4. Villain?
I always thought Darth Vader was pretty cool. “The Force is strong with this one” etc.

5. What/who makes you laugh?
‘John Williams Shreds’ on YouTube rarely fails to bring tears to my eyes. (Hmm, a Star Wars thread here!?)

6. Describe what you do?
I write and perform songs to the best of may ability, in the hope that other people like them and are entertained in some way. I was so shy when I was younger and it sometimes surprises me on reflection.

7. Who’s hair would you like to have for just one day?
Mine, when I was around 12 years of age! It was far more manageable then and quite straight. Something happened in my pre-teens and it kind of went crazy. Maybe I started eating my greens or something?

8. Best musical experience to date?
I couldn’t say… I saw Ray Davis at Hope Farm Festival earlier this year. Even though he has probably been on better form, it was great to hear the Kinks classics performed by the man himself. Especially less obvious ones like ‘Dead End Street.

9. What artist inspires you?
There are so many and they are so varied. Paul weller has been an inspiration over the years, musically and in terms of his approach to music making. He’s a hardworking musician who never rests on his laurels – always bringing out something new but most importantly, doing it with conviction.

10. What does Fresh On The Net mean to you?
It’s a great resource. A platform for getting your music heard by a wider audience – and for the latter, the opportunity to hear some fresh music. I only wish I’d discovered it sooner! Keep up the great work all those involved!

Thanks for having me!