About Me
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JESSE WILL BE ON TOUR WITH "THE TIME"
STARTING JUNE 24TH THROUGH AUGUST 2ND @ THE FLAMINGO IN LAS VAGAS!! ( SEE BLOG FOR DETAILED INFORMATION ).Date:Tuesday, June 24th, 2008
See blog for more dates!
Time: 7:30 PM
Price: $150, $125, $75, and $65 (plus tax and fees)
Venue: The Flamingo Showroom
Reservations: (702) 733-3333, (800) 221-7299
Online Reservations: Buy Tickets Now!
Jesse Johnson..the name you may not remember too well, but for Mpls. Sound music lovers y'all know him as the former guitarist from The Time.
Jesse Johnson was born in Rock Island, IL. He started playing guitar in his teenage years. His genre influences are of Rhythm & Blues and Rock.
In 1981, Jesse on upon a friend's suggestion went to Minneapolis all on talks of a new music scene growing from there. In Minneapolis, he met up with Morris Day. Jesse impressed Morris with his style and also thought he resembled Prince. Eventually, he met Prince and without hearing him play automatically hired him. Around this time, there were no plans for The Time to be a six man band (7 when you include Jerome Benton). Jesse says in this article, "At first, it was just gonna be Morris and I. It was gonna be, stylistically, like a Hall and Oates thing, and we were just gonna hire a band to back us." (from 'Ex-Time Guitarists Bares His Soul' by Ben Petrik, 1997 The Echo). In the end, Flyte Tyme--a local band was hired and soon became The Time.
1981-1984 Jesse was the main guitarist in the band. While Prince is credited for a good amount of the songs on each of the three albums, The Time (1981), What Time Is It? (1982), & Ice Cream Castles (1984). Jesse still had a little room to stretch out his creative muscles, from that came the well known The Time song "Jungle Love". Having had that song credit, Jesse felt it wastime to go looking for a solo deal.
In late 1984, Jesse signed with A&M Records and the following year in 1985 released Jesse Johnson's Revue. From the album hits such as "Can You Help Me" and the funky b-side "Free World". The song "Free World" tells of his constant comparison to Prince (hear the line "Nobody likes the way I hold my mike, they say it's too much like my *friend*"). One also cannot forget the slow jam that is "I Want My Girl".
In 1986, Shockadelica is released. This album causes a rift between Jesse and Prince. For those who don't know about the story of 'Prince, Jesse, & Shockadelica', here it is:
Prince recorded a song titled "Shockadelica", lyrics inspired by Troy Beyer but also a sorda 'diss' at Jesse's latest album title. Prince teased about how could he have a great title but no song on the album with the same name. Prince offered the song to Jesse but he turned it down, and because of that Prince rushed for the song to be released out before Jesse's album. By time Jesse's album was released it looked as if Jesse stole the title from Prince.
Despite that problem, the album's most notable hit was "Crazay" (duet with Sly Stone).
In 1988, Jesse releases Every Shade of Love. The most notable hit is "Love Struck".
For a short while, Jesse reunites with The Time for their 1990 reunion album Pandemonium and for Prince's sequel to Purple Rain..Graffiti Bridge.
Eight years pass by until 1996, when Jesse comes back. No Mpls. Sound..but his TRUE genre..his musical roots, the release of his rock album Bare My Naked Soul. "My Life" was one of it's singles and received air play on Adult Oriented Rock stations.
The latest CD release Jesse has done is Ultimate Collection back in 2000. It's a nice compilation of all his past hits, 3 b-side tracks, one 12" mix track, and one previously unreleased track "Vibe"--also a very nice CD booklet of notes about each track. While it's mentioned in the booklet, he released Bare My Naked Soul in 1996, no tracks from it appear on this CD.
To this very day, Jesse fans are still waiting for his return. Things have been said..but no real confims have been made, until then we all just enjoy his past releases~Jesse we miss ya man! Come back soon, Much Love! ;)
Additional infoDuring Jesse's music career in the 80s he has produced and written songs from many people. Janet Jackson's 1984 album Dream Street was produced by Jesse. "Fast Girls", one of the tracks on that album he took and reworked it and released it as the b-side to "I Want My Girl" the following year. He's written and produced tracks for Ta Mara and The Seen, one of their most well known hits are Mpls. Sound influenced "Everybody Dance" and "Blueberry Gossip". In the late 80s, his next protege band was Da Krash, with hits such as "Trapped In Phases" and "Temptation Sensation". Later on Da Krash evolved into Kool Skool, and with them they cut the song "Wasn't I Good To Ya?". Other people he's written/produced for are After 7, Paula Abdul (on her Forvever Your Girl album), among others.
Jesse has also contributed to movie soundtracks in the 80s and 90s. "Heart Too Hot To Hold" (a duet with Stephanie Spruill) can be found on The Breakfast Club 1985 soundtrack, "Get To Know Ya" found on the 1986 Pretty In Pink soundtrack, "The Boys Are (Back in Town)" found on the 1990 Another 48 Hours soundtrack, "Jump For It" found on the 1992 White Men Can't Jump soundtrack, among others.
Like many other music artists Jesse has had his up's and down's, but has managed to get passed his struggles and in the end he turns out well with no regrets.
These days Jesse lives in Los Angeles, he produces and writes music for other music artists. He seems quite happy and content with his life, all based on from the 2004 Minarik Guitars clip. From all Jesse fans, we all wish him the very best ;)
Here are a few additional JJ Facts:
* Jesse was the first to bring Janet Jackson to Mpls.
*Crazay was a smash and only number 2 to Oran Juice Jones' The Rain.
*Jesse produced a few significant 80's artists inclusion on the Hughes' Brat Pack soundtracks, also he was the ONLY musician Prince respected and supported from the Time.
