Well, I’m back, friends… and, umm, I need your help again.  (Click on the photo above to see the video, made by Elaine DiFalco, in which she 'interviews' MJ.)

Over the last few years I’ve written a new album of music (around 45 minutes), and have now started the recording process.  I hope to release it by mid 2024 on the Cuneiform label, assuming I can get the funding needed (see below).

This will be a "Mike Johnson" album rather than Thinking Plague, and will feature a lot of real orchestration - strings, horns, reeds, etc., as well as 'rock band' with piano, organs, etc., and of course vocals. I'm very fortunate to have enlisted a formidable international line-up of guest artists for this project, including:

On bass, Simon Steensland - the uniquely extraordinary Swedish composer and multi-instrumentalist (J.G. Thirlwell, Thinking Plague, Kamikaze United, Sten Sandell, et al). https://simonsteensland.com

Also on bass, Dave Willey - multi-instrumentalist genius, composer and producer (Hamster Theatre, Thinking Plague, 3 Mice, Klemperei, Big Foot Torso, Legeia Mare, et al). https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dave-willey-mn0000938698/songs

On drums and percussion, Morgan Ågren - also from Sweden, the amazing Grammy winning, international drumming “superstar” (Mats/Morgan, Bill Laswell, Steve Vai, Trey Gunn, Henry Kaiser, Fredrik Thordendal (of Meshuggah), Terry Bozzio, Mike Keneally, Denny Walley, Glenn Huges, Dweezil Zappa, Kaipa, Karmakanic, Simon Steensland, et al) https://www.morganagren.com

Also on drums, Kimara Sajn - the absurdly talented composer and multi-instrumentalist (Polythene Pet, +1, Thinking Plague, et al) https://soundcloud.com/polyethylene-pet-1

On vocals, Elaine di Falco - the incomparable singer, composer, keyboardist and scholar (Caveman Shoestore, Hugh Score, Thinking Plague, Combat Astronomy, Yugen, 3 Mice, The Muffiins, et al) https://www.elainedifalco.com

On reeds and flutes, Mark Harris - master winds player, music scholar-teacher, and longtime friend colleague (Thinking Plague, Hamster Theatre, Ron Miles, Bruce Odland Big Band, Glenn Taylor Orchestra, Legeia Mare, et al) http://markshappynoise.com/projects/

On trumpet, Shane Endsley - killer trumpeter and composer (Kneebody, Steve Coleman, Ani DiFranco, Theo Bleckmann, Michael Formanek, et al) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shane_Endsley

On Piano, Jeremy Kurn - master pianist, composer and musical director - https://stageagent.com/talent/jeremy-kurn-b437

On Oboe and English horn, Caitlin Hilzer - oboist, music director, teacher and actor https://www.flyingsolopresents.com/caitlen-hilzer

On strings, Oene van Geel and friends - Oene is a brilliant Dutch composer-violist (Benoît Delbecq Unit, Cloud Ensemble, Estafest, Henneman String Quartet, Holland Baroque Society, Oxymore Quintet, Pavlov Trio, The Nordanians, Zapp String Quartet, Zapp4) https://oenevangeel.com

Guest guitarist, Bill Pohl - “Holdsworthian” guitar master (Underground Railroad, Thinking Plague, Last Chapter, Covenant, et al)
https://www.facebook.com/people/Bill-Pohl-Guitar/100063572680906/
https://www.facebook.com/TheUndergroundRailroadBand/

And on guitars, of course, me…Mike Johnson (Thinking Plague, Hamster Theatre, The Science Group, 5UUs, Cage of Reason, et al)

Out of the kindness of their hearts and their desire to be involved, many of these friends and close colleagues are recording parts for this project ‘pro bono.” Various others, however, have to scratch a living from their work, and cannot devote the time required without being paid. They have all offered their services at rates below the norm - in some cases well below. Nevertheless, it will cost a lot to pay all these wonderful musicians.

Here is my best approximation for what the total cost will be:

String section:
⁃ Musicians - $1433/day X 2 days = $2866
⁃ Studio & engineer - $464/day X 2 days = $929

Piano:  $600
Brass:  $2400
Reeds-winds: $400

TOTAL: $7195

We’re not offering “rewards” this time, and here’s why.  First, it’s not like I’ll have all of these CDs to send out when they’re made. I have to purchase them from the label, so that depletes the funds a bit. Second, it’s quite a bit of record-keeping, packaging and postal work, and making sure I don’t miss anyone, mix things up, and get people upset with me. Despite my having spent decades in the “real” working world, as an artist and an older person, I’m not great at that part and don’t enjoy it. It’s a distraction from things I need to be more focused on. Depending on how many people contribute, we may be able to include their names in the “Thanks to…” section in the CD booklet.

As regards to what happens if not enough people contribute, the main risk is that, if the process gets stalled, which means a longer delay before release, and could mean having to resort to alterations in the scores, relying on “sampled” instruments, etc. It could mean no record at all, due to life circumstances, seen and unforeseen. (This is where things are now in this streaming digital music world.)

After so many years of doing this, I’ve learned, and am still learning, a great deal about production and mixing. As it stands, I hope to mix this album myself, so I can really get exactly what I’m envisioning…well, to whatever extent may be possible! That will be a first! I’m wanting a wider range of timbres and dynamics - at times a hard ’rocking’ band with edgy string sections, aggressive brass, urgent reeds and double reeds; at other times plaintive, wistful or dreamy orchestral passages integrated with minimal or restrained ’rock band,’ and more. It seems like it has always been my “fate” to actually combine rock band with real orchestra, and I want it to have the best possible detail and clarity as well as atmosphere and attitude.  I may need to enlist help from some expert friends, but I intend for it to be more my sonic vision. (For more about the music, please watch the video - the music excerpts are just "quickie" temp mixes.)

So, if you’ve been hoping and waiting for new music from Thinking Plague - or more accurately, from me, the good news is that the music is written, the parts sent to the players, the recording has started, and everything is good to go…except for the funds to pay the musicians.  Please consider contributing whatever you may be able to.  Thanks very much.

Photo design by Raoul Rossiter

Thinking Plague page at Cuneiform Records:  

http://www.cuneiformrecords.com/bandshtml/thinking.html