SEARCHING FOR THE PERFECT BEAT
CHART BEAT – OCTOBER 1983


‘A broken soul stares from a pair of watering eyes. Uncertain emotions – force an uncertain smile.’

‘Whispering sadness like a mild form of madness’.

‘You write poison pen letters while crying crocodile tears.’

Looking back on Matt Johnson’s lyrics over the past few years I couldn’t help noticing just how sad they were. Matt’s not had it easy recently. His material only had to find its way onto a reviewers’ desk to warrant an immediate slagging off. It just wasn’t trendy to like The The.

I brushed a tear aside to ask him if perhaps the frustration found its way into his songs.

‘The lyrics are often quite down but the music isn’t. Everyone does get depressed, but now I’m trying not to dwell on things too much. I want to write things that make people feel good.’

Well the last few months have seen Matt working hard on his latest album ‘Soul Mining’. Working so hard in fact that, he became quite ill. Lack of sleep and proper food led to tonsillitis and then to a virus which left him temporarily blind. Not only that, his latest single ‘This Is The Day’ didn’t get the chart acclaim it deserved or Matt expected.

No, Matt isn’t modest by any stretch of the imagination. Neither will he let things get him down. A short holiday abroad and he’s back to his normal self, enthusing about ‘Soul Mining.’

‘I was disappointed when ‘This Is The Day’ failed to get any higher but you can’t dwell on it.’

‘The new album is so good and I’m so proud of it. It shows up all the other albums in the charts at the moment. I’d like to put everything into recording fantastic albums and release one every year and hopefully collect an older audience who take the records home and actually listen to them.’

What do you think of the pop star syndrome?

‘I find it repulsive. But I have to compete in that rat race. In all honesty I could have had three hits by now if I’d wanted. If I’d conformed and generally been a nerd.’

Strong words from someone whose singles have yet to see the top thirty wouldn’t you say?

‘I know that I will get success but I’d rather it came slower. As long as I enjoy what I’m doing I’m being successful. It’s a drag that if you don’t get a hit you feel you’ve failed but you shouldn’t because you are being successful by doing what you want to do.’

Does it bother you when your music gets criticised without even a listen?

‘No, I get slagged off in the music papers but I don’t care – I just look at it this way. Next year my record will still be here whereas tomorrow that paper’s in the bin, forgotten.’

‘This Is The Day’ seems to mark quite a change with its optimistic lyrics. Is this similar to other tracks off ‘Soul Mining’.

‘Soul Mining’ is musically diverse. There’s a new version of ‘Uncertain Smile’ which Jools Holland plays on. The last track is called ‘Giant’ and lasts nine minutes. It ends with a big African chant. Each song creates an image. The cover has a picture of a girl and there’s a guy banging himself on the head with a hammer!’

Matt is signed to Stevo’s Some Bizzare label which also boasted Soft Cell. Well what next for Matt Johnson? Any plans to work with labelmate Marc Almond, who is at the moment ‘taking stock’ of his career.

‘Well now Soft Cell have split I’m heir to the Some Bizzare throne. Sure I’ve got a lot of respect for Marc but I can’t see any chance of working with him for a while – I’m too busy.’

‘My present plans are to promote the album and make sure it’s a success, get myself fit and then follow up with another album.’

‘I want to write something that is honest. My music comes from the heart.’

And you know what? I think he really means it, and good luck to him.