12 questions for JOHNO WELLS

It’s hard to describe Johno Wells simply as artist when he is so much more. This emblematic figure has been shaping several sub sets of electronic music with his ideas and activism, dedicating himself to give more people access to a wealth of new musical flavors that exist in the world. The musician in him however has found a home in the experimental depth of edgy avant-garde explorations. His latest release on Errorgrid, the 5 track EP ‘Gotham Child’ (ERRGRD-018), is according to him his ‘most fearless effort to date.’
It’s most certainly also a testimony to his rapid development and deep focus of creation.
We asked him our 12 famous questions.

1. What drives you to create music? What do you seek to achieve with it?

As early as I can remember in my life, I knew I needed to make music. And did so.
It’s an inner push, a drive that I can’t put into words. It’s what I was put here to do.
As far as what I want to achieve—it’s our legacy as artists to release what we make. When I’m gone, what I’ve created will be here. Music that we return to again and again, because it’s somehow nestled into our being, our bones…this is what I want to be a part of. And this is what fuels me to release as much as I can. It can’t just die somewhere on a hard-drive. Also, sleep is overrated.

2. How would you describe your music to someone who’s never heard music before?

This is called EAR CANDY. It’s also going to hurt a little.

3. Which album do you wish you had made?

I really don’t wish I had made some else’s album, but maybe I wish I was friends with Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins) as he sculpted his guitar sound in the early years.
I would love to have been part of that.

4. If music is a form of therapy, what is it healing in you?

Music is definitely therapy for me. I can confidently say it’s saved my life. It was the first thing that was my identity and my refuge. I could sink hours, years, into it and never feel like I was wasting my time. Any moment I spend on making or listening to music is the best way I can spend my time. When that’s in the back of your mind every time you “return to the well”, that’s some serious self-care.

5. If you could use one image to represent the intention of your work and burn it into your audience’s heads, what would this image be?

I love the way tall buildings look from street-level. It causes this vertigo-type response where you feel like you’re falling backwards. Stop under a tall building and look straight up. That.

6. What do you consider your best piece of work yet? And why?

Without a doubt my latest release on Errorgrid: Gotham Child. I always thought concept albums were not for me. I liked listening to them, and getting into their story, but music literally falls out of me…I never saw a concept before making it. The concept grew and developed as I saw the tracks happen. But Gotham Child is an actual story of the last few hours of a human’s life. Each track carefully works with the next as we see his life end…the body give out…and then finally his death. I have never sculpted sound like I did on these tracks to match a story. I know it’s dark, and that’s also interesting because I’m not a dark person. Without a doubt, Gotham Child is my most fearless, honest, and coherent effort to date.

7. What is your sentiment about the current music scene, and how is it helping with the state of the world?

I love the fact that we can all release so easily. I’m not concerned with the mediocrity that brings. If what you’re doing is genuine, it has the same chance of standing out as it always did. It’s a playing field that has needed to be leveled since forever. Everyone should have a chance to release what they make (BandCamp, Spotify, etc.). I have no interest or concern with how much Spotify pays or doesn’t pay. And we’re obviously not going to become rich off BandCamp sales. Again, like above—this is about legacy. Getting it out there. To answer the second question, the role that art plays with helping the state of the world has been documented since the dawn of time, right? Genuine expression of what’s inside us is the biggest gift to share. And for those of us who are driven to create and put it out there, it becomes a responsibility.

8. How would you describe ERRORGRID in your own words? What is it to you?

I had such a love-affair with the exclusive, uber-curated, first IDM labels of the early 90’s.
There was real vision in the curating, and the music and visuals were part of the whole statement. Unfortunately, I felt a lot of that went away, and lost its original shine.
What I feel with Errorgrid is the return of this mentality…a tight, organized vision.

9. When do you consider a piece of music finished and ready for others to hear? 

Thankfully, I don’t suffer from analysis paralysis. I typically never work on a track again after the first night I build it and track it out. When it’s time to curate for a release, I browse the recordings and create a color palette from the choices. Often, I barely recognize the tracks I listen to. They feel like they were created in a different era by someone I don’t know anymore. This helps me let go and make the cruel choices;
ie: this stays, this goes, etc.

10. How much importance do you put into your tools?

I love tech. Period.
In my mind, I am running around and living on the motherboard, like in the first Tron movie. I picture voltage running…CPU cycles ticking…bandwidth hitting bottlenecks and releasing to the next available lanes. I am one with my tools. I understand when people say they are just tools, and I get it…and they obviously *are* just tools…and extensions of us. But it’s ok to love your tools, right? 

11. What is the one piece of equipment you will never part with?

My guitars. This was where it all moved to the next level for me. Being in bands. Performing. Sweating. Bleeding. (Punk rock hurts). Computers and modular gear can always be rebuilt or re-purchased. A guitar is precious.

12. What do you have in the works/ what is next for you?

I’m performing constantly, even more than before Covid. Now, with streaming, anything is possible. There’s always a performance or stream I’m either producing or playing on.
Also, I’m currently addicted to playing remotely with a portable battery and small modular rig. Blending this kind of tech and raw nature (beach cliffs, So-Cal canyons, etc) is a blast. 

‘Gotham Child’ is now out on Bandcamp.