I remember the first time I saw Johnny Cosmic up on stage with Stick Figure. I thought, who is this guy? Why didn’t I know about this new addition to one of my favorite bands? But, when you think a little harder, you know that Scott Woodruff would never add a new member unless it was a great asset to his musical vision. Once you see a performance with Johnny, you understand very quickly what a force he is, with his amazing musical talents and some visions of his own. He plays guitar, keyboards and if you’ve ever heard him sing, he’s got killer, attention-grabbing vocals. He is also extremely busy helping many other reggae stars produce their own music, such as The Movement, KBong, etc. It’s obvious that his passion runs through his veins. Most recently and while on tour, Johnny jumped off the bus in Nashville, Tennessee and and headed over to Third Man Record Booth. What came next was pretty magical.
…while on tour, Johnny jumped off the bus in Nashville, Tennessee and and headed over to Third Man Record Booth.
Third Man debuted its record booth, a refurbished 1947 voice-o-graph machine that records up to two minutes of audio and dispenses a one-of-a-kind 6” phonograph disc to the user. Whether it be a song, a message to a lover, an audio postcard or just curiosity in a process that has mystified so many folks for ages, “the ability to hear yourself as others hear you” is not only a tagline, but an invitation, a charge, a call to arms, as the website for Third Man Records states.
Not only did Johnny create this unique piece of musical art with six tracks, but he also created his own animation to go along with his song, “Lovely Day”.
In Johnny’s words, “This is my first attempt at a stop motion animation. It's a space adventure made for the song 'Lovely Day'. When the bus stopped in Nashville on July 4, 2018, I went over to Jack White's Third Man record store. He's got a recording booth there. It has one microphone and it cuts straight to vinyl as you perform. The record pops out of the dispenser and sounds like it came fresh from 1947 when the machine was built. Record crackles and all. I chilled there for a few hours and cut six songs with the machine.”
The sound and feel of the crackling record makes you feel like you have gone back in time – a time when things were much simpler. I just want to grab a drink and sit out on the front porch while listening to this heartwarming mix of songs. There is also a sweet chipmunk remix of the song, “Lovely Day”.
Lastly, I must add, if you’ve ever met or had a chance to talk with Johnny Cosmic, he is such a kind and warm soul who takes the time to visit with you and ask you a couple of questions of his own. When you feel that warmth from such a talented soul, it only makes you want to support him that much more. Keep ‘em coming, Johnny! See video and Johnny’s graphics of “Lovely Day” below.
Purchase or stream “Lovely Day” & other Third Man live recordings by Johnny Cosmic:
Artist links: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
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