Calvin Johnson
Indie Rock / 50's
Calvin Johnson (born November 1, 1962) is a guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, music producer, and disc jockey born in Olympia, Washington. Known for his uniquely deep, droning singing voice, Johnson was a founding member of the bands Cool Rays, Beat Happening, The Go Team, Dub Narcotic Sound System, and The Halo Benders.
Calvin Johnson is also the founder and owner of the influential indie label K Records in Olympia, Washington, and was one of the major organizers of the seminal International Pop Underground Festival. Johnson has been cited as a major player in the beginning of the modern independent music movement.
Johnson has worked with Modest Mouse, Beck, Heavenly, The Microphones, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The Blow, and Built to Spill among others. Since founding his Dub Narcotic recording studio in 1993, he has produced and engineered recordings by many bands and artists.
Nirvana's late singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain was an admirer of Calvin Johnson's, and even got the K Records logo (a small "K" in a shield) tattooed on his arm. They were friends in the early 1990s, when Cobain lived in Olympia. On September 25, 1990, Cobain appeared on a college radio show hosted by Johnson and performed a number of songs acoustically, including a duet with Johnson on the Wipers song, "D-7."
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