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MIkael Wesley Johnston

From EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki



Mikael Wesley Johnston
File:MikaelDebbie.jpg
Mikael Johnston with Debbie Harry of Blondie
Mikael Johnston with Debbie Harry
Background information
OriginSan Francisco, CA, United States
GenresProgressive house, electronica, house, electro house, Rock, Pop
Occupation(s)Producer, Remixer, Audio Engineer, composer
Years active1993-present
LabelsMephisto Records, City of Angels, Warner Bros. Records, Capital Records
Associated actsJane's Addiction, The Sounds, Blondie, Sleep Party People, Goapele, Static-X, Smash Mouth, Lily Allen, Mephisto Odyssey, Dresden and Johnston

Mikael Wesley Johnston is an American Billboard Magazine charting record producer, audio engineer, mixer, remixer, musician and composer. He is best known for founding the 1990s pioneering San Francisco house music act Mephisto Odyssey, the EDM act Dresden and Johnston and for his work as a producer, engineer, mixer and remixer for acts such as Jane's Addiction, Static-X, Los Amigos Invisibles, I Am The World Trade Center, The Matches, The Sounds, Goapele, Smash Mouth, Lily Allen, Nadia Ali, Sleep Party People and Blondie.

Professional career[edit]

Mikael Johnston started his professional career in the early 1990s as the co founder of the pioneering San Francisco house music act Mephisto Odyssey. Mephisto Odyssey have been credited as being pivotal in defining the nascent San Francisco house sound, becoming the first American electronic music outfit to sign to Warner Bros. Records and the only act to ever officially remix rock legends Jane's Addiction.[1] After leaving Warner Bros. in 2002 Mikael found his way to Athens GA where his reputation helped land him the job as producer and mix engineer for I Am The World Trade Center's seminal and critically acclaimed album "The Cover Up!" [2][3]

In 2005 Mikael returns to San Francisco California where he is introduced to The Killers Hot Fuss producer Jeff Saltzman by entertainment attorney and original Green Day Manager Elliot Cahn. Recognizing Johnston's talent after hearing his work as the producer, engineer and mixer for The Matches EP on Yellowcard's label Takeover Records[4] Saltzman hired Mikael to assist on the Smash Mouth album Summer girls.[5] Shortly following the completion of the Smash Mouth album Saltzman hired Johnston again, this time as an engineer for the album Dying To Say This To You by Swedish supergroup The Sounds.[6] The album was released to critical acclaim[7] and the single Tony The Beat is named by Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the top 100 songs of 2006.[8]

By late 2006 Johnston decides to reinstate his old Warner Bros. Records act Mephisto Odyssey with friend and Mephisto Odyssey touring member Josh Camacho. Several singles and live appearances follow[9] until mid 2008 when Johnston connects with Skyblaze Records through his attorney Elliot Cahn. Through Skyblaze Johnston is given the opportunity to mix the single "Don't Be Shy" for acclaimed neo-soul singer Goapele. Shortly after his work with Goapele, Johnston is reunited with long time friend and IDMA award winner Dave Dresden by their mutual friend David Penner of Andain. After spending some time in the studio together Mikael and Dave decide to form a new pop EDM project called Dresden & Johnston.[10]

During Dresden & Johnston's tenure from 2009-2011 they produced three Billboard #1 remixes for Lily Allen's The Fear, Nadia Ali's Love Story and Enrique Iglesias's Tonight.[11] The duo also produced their own Billboard top 10 single called Keep Faith which led to a short DJ tour in both North and South America.[12][13] Their partnership ended at the end of 2010 when Dave Dresden decided to reunite with his previous project Gabriel & Dresden.

Shortly after leaving Dresden & Johnston Mikael reunited with his old colleague producer Jeff Saltzman who invited him to mix a cover song performed by the legendary band Blondie called "Rock On" to be given away as a free download on Amazon.com.[14] Following the success of the Blondie mix Mikael suggested he and Jeff co-produce an album for an up-and-coming, cutting edge shoe gaze band from Denmark called Sleep Party People. Jeff agreed to work on the album, Mikael reached out to his friend Brian Batz the founder of Sleep Party People who enthusiastically came to San Francisco and the album "Floating" was born.[15] Floating was released in 2013 to critical acclaim including being named one of the best indie albums of 2014 by The Huffington Post.[16]

After finishing the production for Floating Jeff invited Johnston to work on the forthcoming Blondie album Ghosts of Download as both a mixer and to collaborate on songwriting with himself, Natalie Hawkins and Blondie co-founder Chris Stein. The album was released on May 13, 2014.[17]

Selected Discography[edit]

Billboard Charts[edit]

Date Chart Album
Song 		Artist Peak
position 		credit
01/29/2000 Maxi-Singles So What Jane's Addiction 30 Remixer/Additional Production
04/01/2000 Hot Dance Breakout The Lift Mephisto Odyssey 3 Composer/Producer/Engineer
05/20/2000 Maxi-Singles Push It Static-X 5 Remixer
06/10/2000 Hot Dance Club Play The Lift Mephisto Odyssey 43 Composer/Producer/Engineer
08/05/2000 Hot Dance Break Out Sexy Dancer Mephisto Odyssey 2 Composer/Producer/Engineer
08/07/2004 Top 200 Beneath...Between...Beyond Mephisto Odyssey / Static-X 139 Composer/Producer/Engineer
04/08/2006 Top 200 Dying To Say This To You The Sounds 107 Engineer
04/08/2006 Heat Seekers Dying To Say This To You The Sounds 1 Engineer
04/08/2006 Independent Albums Dying To Say This To You The Sounds 9 Engineer
12/02/2006 Adult Top 40 So Insane Smash Mouth 25 Assistant Engineer
04/04/2009 Hot Dance Club Play The Fear Lily Allen 1 Remixer
04/18/2009 Hot Dance Club Play Love Story Nadia Ali 1 Remixer
06/19/2010 Hot Dance Club Play Keep Faith Dresden & Johnston 10 Composer/Producer/engineer
02/05/2011 Hot Dance Club Play Tonight Enrique Iglesias 1 Remixer
05/31/2014 Top 200 Ghosts Of Download Blondie 109 Composer/Mixer
05/31/2014 US Top Rock Ghosts Of Download Blondie 30 Composer/Mixer
05/31/2014 Alternative Albums Ghosts Of Download Blondie 22 Composer/Mixer
05/31/2014 Independent Albums Ghosts Of Download Blondie 21 Composer/Mixer

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Dealing With the Devil - How two Van Halen fans became major label electronica stars and lived to tell about it. So far. SF Weekly Sep 6 2000
  2. ↑ New album, different story. Creative Loafing July 1 2004
  3. ↑ I Am the World Trade Center The Cover Up, Pitchfork August 9, 2004
  4. ↑ The Matches Allmusic EP Credits
  5. ↑ Smash Mouth Allmusic Summer Girl Credits
  6. ↑ The Sounds Allmusic Dying To Say This To You Credits
  7. ↑ The Sounds - Dying To Say This To You NME Review
  8. ↑ The Sounds - Dying To Say This To You #43 Top 100 songs of 2006 Rolling Stone
  9. ↑ One Twisted Odyssey Breakthrough electronic group gets dropped from Warner bounces back with hip-hop July 2008 East Bay Express
  10. ↑ Dave Dresden Reveals New Partnership Beatport February 2009
  11. ↑ Dresden & Johnston Enrique Iglesias Tonight Remix Promotion
  12. ↑ Tilllate Dresden & Johnston Interview
  13. ↑ Dresden & Johnston Best of House Interview
  14. ↑ Mikael Johnston upgrades studio with API 1608
  15. ↑ Sleep Party People – ‘Floating’ NBHAP
  16. ↑ The Top 20 Albums of 2014... So Far
  17. ↑ Allmusic Blondie Ghosts of Download Credits

External links[edit]


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