Interview with Dave Johnson - Musician, Singer-Songwriter

Dave Johnson is a Fremantle songwriter, multi instrumentalist and producer.

Indeed, Dave’s part of the fabric of Freo and has been ever since he arrived here some 35 years ago.

Dave’s earlier musical years, by his own account, were ‘flippant as the wind and carefree’. Guitar on shoulder, thumb out hitchin’, he traversed the country, Broome to Byron, Derby to Deniliquin. Busking, picking fruit, couch surfing and singin’round camp fires.

When Dave settled in Freo he joined a number of bands including the multi award winning Celtic Powerhouse Band, The Fling, who went on to record two albums and perform at all the major folk festivals in Australia and Europe.

After the Fling, Dave released his first solo album, Leaving Time. You can buy it here.

Dave went on to tour this album through Europe with fellow troubadour, Carus Thompson.

Dave’s second Album was On A Clear Day. Here’s the detail.

Dave then took a bit of a back step from gigging and touring, found himself a comfy job doing FOH sound engineering at one of Freo’s favourite live music venues – Clancy’s Fish Pub.

During this time Dave started up a choir/singing group at the local homeless shelter, which later became the much loved Starlight Hotel Choir.

He also found himself teaching music at a Juvenile Detention Centre to some of the most troubled and traumatised kids in the state.

It was from these later two experiences that his third album – Inequality Boulevard, due to be released next Monday – started writing itself. Look out for our review.

Here’s a little taster of Nauru one of the tracks off the new album.

Dave is a true believer in the power of music and the potential for the emotive combination of words and music to shift the status quo into a kinder, fairer society.

Dave Johnson kindly agreed to sit down with our editor, Michael Barker, to discuss his career to date, his latest record, and what drives his songwriting.

While you’re here –