It’s 2016, and most of the people I know are currently watching a sports event that I don’t really care about, so I decided to record a podcast episode. 

Things I’m geeking out about: 

• Colony 
• Agent Carter 
• DC’s Legends of Tomorrow 

Star Wars The Force Awakens 

• Saw it 3 times and read the book 
• Erased the stench of the prequels 
• Start of a new trilogy with new characters 
• It’s broken nearly all the box-office records at this point, so there’s not much more I can say about it 
• I will say, though, that the biggest critique I have heard is that it has the same basic story points as “A New Hope.” This may be true, but I think it makes sense, given the fact that JJ Abrams needed to make a movie to bring in a new generation of Star Wars fans. My guess is that the next film in the new trilogy will go into new territory.

David Bowie 

• My “Ashes To Ashes” cover: https://soundcloud.com/michaeljjohnson/ashes-to-ashes-a-tribute-to-david-bowie 
• 1st Bowie tune I ever heard: Fame 
• Scary Monsters era 
• Bowie was the type of artist you rarely see anymore. He was constantly changing, and never stuck with the same sound or style for more than a few records.  
• He didn’t really become a superstar until “Let’s Dance,” and that was just another phase of his career. 
• At the height of his fame, he released a record with a band called Tin Machine, without giving himself star billing. 
• Work with Trent Reznor  
• Bowie/9 Inch Nails Tour 
• “Afraid of Americans” 
• Final album “Blackstar” was basically about his death. It was musically adventurous, yet it reached back into his past as well, incorporating styles from some of his earlier periods.  
• He was an uncompromising artist until the day he died. 

X-Files 

• New 6-episode miniseries tonight 
• I’ve been a fan since the beginning 
• The show basically created the template for the modern genre series, with an over-arching mythology that ran from beginning to end. Each season was a mix of mythology-heavy episodes and “Monster of the Week” episodes. 
• Some people don’t necessarily like the mythology episodes, but I always did. 
• At the same time, I had developed an interest in conspiracy theories, and it was fascinating to see them depicted in the show. 
• This was the first show that got me interested in the showrunner as auteur
• Some great writers came out of this room, including Vince Gilligan and Frank Spotnitz
• Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny 
• AD Skinner, The Cigarette Smoking Man, Alex Krychek, Max, the alien abductee from NICAP, the Lone Gunmen
• X-Files nights at Miami 
• In the last couple of seasons, since they had tied up so much of the mythology, I think they started running out of ideas. But I am a fan of Agents Doggett and Reyes, especially since I think both actors were far superior to Duchovny. 

My top 10 X-Files episodes, in chronological order: 

1. S1, episode 2: "Deep Throat"
2. S1, ep 17: "EBE"
3. S2, ep 25: “Anasazi” 
4. S3, ep 2: “Paper Clip” 
5. S3, ep 20: “Jose Chung’s From Outer Space.” 
6. S4 ep7: “Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man” 
7. S5 ep 3: “Unusual Suspects” 
8. S5 ep 12: “Bad Blood” - 
9. S6, ep 4&5, “Dreamland, parts 1 and 2” 
10. S6, ep 14: “Monday”

In episode 4 of “Frequencies,” Michael J. Johnson ruminates on our current golden age of science fiction on television, and talks a bit more about some of the shows he is watching. He then does a spoiler-free review of the film “Straight Outta Compton.” Finally, he embarks on the first of what is to be many rants about creators rights.

SoundCloud link to the podcast episode

ITunes link to the podcast

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Here are links for the items I discussed:

Mr. Robot

The Whispers

Fear The Walking Dead

Straight Outta Compton

The latest kerfuffle on creator's rights is the subject of my rant at the end. Here are some sources for you:

The original NYT piece

Salon's awesome rebuttal

The article I referenced on the musical 99%

Another excellent rebuttal

And here's another!

Bonus: "Sleeping Through A Revolution" - Something of a critique on digital utopianism




 

Some people have asked me why I post so much about artist rights, copyright, the loss of income from recorded music caused by piracy, streaming, etc, and all the issues surrounding it. Here is a breakdown of my motivations:

1. Since piracy sites are ad-supported, this means someone is making money from it. So, the sites themselves are making bank, and, of course, Google. If nobody was making money at all, that would be a different story.
2. Streaming is happening - the clock can't be turned back on that. However, we still have time to figure out a way artists can get an equitable slice of the pie, so I feel like we need to keep talking about it.
3. It costs money to make music. Musicians still need to buy and maintain their instruments, and even if you do all your recordings at home, you still need to buy the gear, plus there are still other costs, such as publicity material, etc. Which brings me to:
4. This has affected the entire eco-system, including studios, music retailers, live music venues, support industries such as band photographers, the music press, etc. Which brings me to:
5. An entire segment of our population is being squeezed out of existence economically: musicians. Yet, people still want to listen to music. So, in effect, in our capitalist society, musicians are being asked to work for free. (In my mind, I have begun to call this "Musical Socialism.") Yet, musicians still have to pay their bills, rent, food, gas and upkeep for the tour bus, internet access, phone service to book gigs, student loans, etc.

I could go on, but I won't. I certainly hear plenty of "digital utopians" out there advocating for the other side, and they seem to get the lion's share of the press, so we the faithful need to keep the conversation going. I would like to also point out that this greed for free content is continuing to spread out to other industries and media as well. How long before it affects your business, and thus your way of life?

Up until the end of the 20th Century, university music students were generally expected to settle on one instrument, major/emphasis, and musical genre, and work almost exclusively on that. The idea was to choose your career path and stick to it, trying to be the absolute best in your area. There were enough job opportunities for specialists, as long as you were really good at it. The climate has changed, however, as paying gigs have become more and more scarce. In fact, it almost seems like this trend has reversed itself, and the specialists are sitting at home, while those who can wear many hats are the ones making a living.I entered college while this transition was beginning. I can’t honestly say I was savvy enough to see the writing on the wall. However, since I was naturally inclined to be interested in a number of things, it turned out to be the perfect environment for me. It took the colleges and universities a while to catch up to this phenomenon, though. So, I learned what I could in college, and completed my education “in the streets.”
There is still a place for the specialists, but symphonies, opera companies, and similar institutions are struggling, and each time one goes bankrupt, there is more and more competition for fewer jobs. The versatile musician is ultimately more employable in the modern economy.
I use myself as an example. Over the years, I have made a living as a vocalist, guitarist and bassist, and I have even played keyboards on gigs. I have played or sung classical, jazz, rock, R&B, and hip-hop. I’ve made money as a live sound engineer, a composer, and arranger. I’ve directed choirs, orchestras, and vocal and instrumental jazz ensembles. I’ve produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered numerous recordings. And, of course, my degrees have allowed me to make a living teaching music as well.
My case may be a bit extreme, as not everyone has my style of ADD, coupled with a willingness/desire to learn new skills. However, I have many friends and colleagues who are making their living in a similar way. It’s not enough to just be excellent at your main instrument anymore. You must continue to practice your instrument and keep getting better, but you also have to accept the fact that there are thousands of people who are better at it than you. Having a diverse set of skills will often give you an edge that they don’t have.
When I received my undergraduate degree, I had one main goal: to be able to make a living in music without ever having to deliver pizzas again. Within a few years, I had achieved this goal, but it was only due to my versatility.
Still, there are a few downsides, which every aspiring musician should be aware of. If you are playing live gigs, you may have to learn songs that you would never listen to. Sometimes, it will seem like everyone in the room is your boss, which can be difficult if you have problems with authority. Sleep can often be only a luxury, and you will put quite a few miles on your car.
As for me, I have always been motivated by an overwhelming love of music, and the desire to communicate with the world through music. While these issues have bothered me from time to time, I’m ultimately happy to be doing what I love most, and to be getting paid for it. And that makes me very fortunate indeed!