JOHNNY GATES Q + A
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND AND WHO HAS INFLUENCED IT?
I came up in the DIY "Emo" scene, so that world will always be a part of me. But when I moved to Nashville, I started to really dive into the alt country, singer songwriter world, and I became obsessed - I think I sit somewhere in the middle of all that. My favorite moments during my sets, are when it's completely quiet, and everyone is just in that moment together. Whatever genre that is, sign me up!
And as far as influences go, Bob Dylan is probably the best to ever do ‘the singer-songwriter thing’. And I'm a massive Butch Walker fan. I saw him play a set at Hollywood Forever, and it kind of changed my life.
TALK ABOUT BEING CONSIDERED A ‘ROCK’ ARTIST IN NASHVILLE
A lot of people hear the word ‘Nashville,’ and they automatically think Country music. - Which isn't a bad thing. That’s what drew me here, to be honest, and music row has taught me how to be a better songwriter. But, being a "rock" artist in Nashville, means that your road could be a little bumpier than others, as far as finding where you fit. I've hit walls in the music industry here, because I looked a certain way, or didn't sound a certain way - but that's just part of it. I think at the end of the day, being an outlier has forced me to double down on exactly who I was. There's a great scene here for everything else, and you find it every night in East Nashville.
ANYTHING YOU’RE BINGING ON QUARANTINE - SHOWS, PODCAST, MUSIC, ETC?
I just finished season 3 of Ozark. I’m obsessed with that one. It took me like two days to finish it, haha. Zero Zero Zero is another one I’ve been really into. The Watch is another good one too.
I'm a sports nerd when it comes to podcasts, so I'm all about the Bill Simmons podcast.
Regarding music, I'm really into the new Phoebe Bridgers stuff, and the new Ruston Kelly.
I’m basically just trying to not watch the news and get petrified.
TALK ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES LIVING AND MAKING MUSIC IN BOTH NASHVILLE AND LA
Each city has left a major mark on me, so I’m definitely the wrong person to pick a side.
Nashville fulfills the songwriter in me - and the community aspect is incredible. This city has those special nights where, you’re at a writers round, and you hear a writer like Natalie Hemby or Hillary Lindsay play a song, and it just hits you - this place, and the music made here, is unlike anywhere else. You immediately drive home and want to write a million songs. I’m obsessed with those nights.
LA fulfills the other part of me. It’s beautiful, weird, diverse and crazy. Everything seems impossible one minute, and totally possible the next. I can honestly say LA woken me up as an artist. It has such a scene, that’s hard to find in other cities. I made some best friends there. Also, the Hotel Cafe is probably my favorite venues to play.
ANY ARTISTS YOU’RE LOVING RIGHT NOW?
I’m a big fan of what Ruston Kelly is doing. His take on the Singer-Songwriter genre is super refreshing. I was obsessed with the Boygenius record ft. Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus and I’m really looking forward to the new solo Phoebe Bridgers album! I’m a fan for sure.
FIRST THING YOU’RE GOING TO DO WHEN YOU GET OUT OF QUARANTINE
Play a damn show! The awkward silence after the live stream songs is starting to get olddd - haha. But really, I’ll probably head home to Rhode Island for a bit to see family. Or just hit a bar with some friends. It’s weird that it all seems so foreign now.
TALK ABOUT YOUR NEW PROJECT AND WHAT YOU’RE EXCITED ABOUT
So my new project is something I’ve been thinking about doing for a long time. I came up playing in bands, with my best friends from home, but life, the road, and moving to different cities, started to get in the way. Eventually, I started writing more solo stuff and playing solo shows around Hollywood. It's been a wild ride to get to this point, but I'm just really excited to be making and releasing music that totally represents me, as a person and an artist. The thing i'm most excited about is getting back in the van and touring, with these songs.
TELL US THE BACKSTORY ON ‘SUCKER PUNCH’
I don’t have the best resume when it comes to successful relationships, and I guess you can say I’ve got a guard up. With Sucker Punch - I had the hook. It was about a certain situation where, she just kind of hit me out of no where, and I was okay with it.
I wrote it with my buddy Jake Ohlbaum, from The Foxies, over at his spot in East Nashville. The plan was to fully record it for my next EP, but then this whole quarantine thing happened, and I wanted to just record something quick and live-ish and release it ASAP. I threw down a guitar/vocal at my spot, emailed it over to my pedal steel player in LA; Dan Wistrom. He tossed some pedal on it, sent back, and we were done. I think a lot of people right now are just creating with what’s around them, and I wanted to be a part of that.
LISTEN TO ‘SUCKER PUNCH’ ON SPOTIFY'HERE
