Let's talk; Tea and Trump

This is an appeal for Dan's speciality rice to be tried by everyone in the world. Oh yeah! And don't forget about Johnny Black's new single, Lifeless. #Dansriceforlife

Daniel Walsh, holds a timid persona at first. Then fast forward a few months and it’s guaranteed you will bump into him, drunk and charming everyone with his eccentricity and humour. You will most likely see him, getting a piggyback home off someone (in this case off my boyfriend) and shouting about his speciality rice. I must add, THE RICE IS FUCKING AMAZING! Forget about the music Dan, you should be a chef. I joke I joke.

Dan’s personality can lift your mood instantly. However, creating the complex character that many people have grown to love in Manchester, Johnny Black; he’s able to express himself in many bizarre and extraordinary ways. Parts of Johnny Black’s nature is fictional. However, Johnny to me, is an embodiment of some of Dan’s feelings towards society, earth and the universe.

Since the last time we spoke, Johnny Black's adventure's here on Earth have continued to amaze. His music, journals and image have never stayed consistent, always keeping us guessing. Of course, never letting us down, he released the entrancing, heavenly sweet single 'Lifeless' on the 30th of June. I was eager to have another chat with this magical creature and find out what he has been up to.

You wrote after the first time we spoke, that you have learnt how to make a cup of tea. What else have you learnt since?

I've learnt that as soon as the climate changes in places like Manchester, the people turn into the happiest bunch in the world - it was quite disturbing the first time I saw this happen, as it completely threw my perception of what humans were meant to be like.

The contrast from the shimmering, summery sound of your new single ‘Lifeless’ compared to the lyrics and deep writing in your journal is intriguing. Why did you decide to go for that vibe?

On this journey through different worlds, scenes and settings, I felt it was important to test out opposing methods of connecting with this peculiar bunch of humans I was surrounded by - it was almost a learnt transition from seeing how people reacted when a bit of sunshine came their way!

Is your music changing since living among humans?

The music is definitely changing the more I come to understand why people react in the ways they do to things that someone from another planet would see as trivial. But in actual fact the things that may seem trivial play a massive part in the character building and evolution of human emotions.

Is the single a part of your new plan to encode information into your songs, in order to communicate with people?

Ah haaaa, you see if I told people that then the secret wouldn't work!

Can you say which specific lyrics are encoded?

Have a listen out for anything that sounds audibly strange - there are bits and pieces that you might be able to pick out!

In your journal, you wrote that you are experiencing human emotions. How do you know you are experiencing the feelings that a human has, if you have never lived as a human being?

That's a very good question. I can honestly say that I haven't much inclination that I do; I merely just mirror against what I see other humans doing - although saying that, it must feel for humans that they aren't entirely sure that the feelings they are feeling are natural or know objectively why they feel these sometimes. It's like somebody forgot to leave a manual for the human race which seems absurd.

You have discussed the use of Instagram and Facebook as draining your power source. What exactly did you mean by this?

The strange nature of these beasts that I have attempted to use is that initially, the energy that I put in seems to be put to good use, and I expect that there will be some sort of tangible outcome that I can utilise to further progress in my journey. However this expectation always subsides when I realise there is no real output that I can feed from or use to my advantage, no matter how long or how many times I do this.

Can you tell us something that no one would know about Johnny Black?

Kidney beans. I have a physical obsession with kidney beans. That's where I get most of my external energy from.

Lifeless was released on the 30th of June. When will your next gig be to promote the single?

I'm hoping to do a show over September or October to celebrate the next instalment of the Johnny Black story.

What exactly did you mean, when you wrote in your journal, “I know that what I do in your world directly affects which direction I move in my world.”?

This is a strange one to get your head around. A good example would be when I make an important decision morally in the human world, in the startup world that precedes the human world I am given a limited amount of energy to physically move in the direction I need to (approx. equates to 10cm in movement in a world which is only the size of a music hall).

Your image as an artist has changed. For example, you now have a lot of colour in your artwork for your new single. Why is that?

This is a way for me to express how I feel an artist should display themselves to relate to everyday life. In reality, nothing ever stays the same and to expect it to would be crazy, particularly in the world that humans live in today. Everything is moving so fast and minds transform so quickly and unexpectedly that this has to be physically represented somehow. Humans often have a career choice or a goal but we all know in 5 years time this could be completely different - through the reason that the goal never really changes but just the path that the person ends up walking along. The journey is never over until it's REALLY over.

"I would like to fall to pieces again. So you can put me back together and I can start a fresh because I'm lifeless."

These lyrics could be interpreted in different ways. What was going through your mind when you wrote them?

15. I wrote this song quite a while ago typically it could be interpreted as being given a second chance by life, a lover, a country, whatever it is that needs rebuilding. Sometimes when things become too much, it's always important to remember that there is nothing wrong with not identifying with the person that you are, and with enough self-work, you can tear apart the boundaries that you have accidentally built around yourself over time and reinvent yourself as the person you really want to be in life. TEAR DOWN THAT WALL!

How do you feel about the politics here on Earth?

I feel even though the current political climate is completely up in the air and can be seen as one of the most failed period of politics in recent decades so far, on the other hand it could never be more of a positive indicator of society. It means that an array of things must have been happening to shake the political structure of western countries, so much so that no one has a clue what is going on and it's all ready to fall, providing an opportunity to rebuild something better and that works more efficiently for all using practically the same fabrics of life we had in the first place.

How do you feel about Trump's visit to the UK?

I heard a lot about this and saw lots of interesting and very intellectually funny signs floating about. I feel like it isn't something we should even pay attention to politically (socially, we did a good job of showing our detest of of this man), but at the moment world politics are so toxic that I feel like if we ignored them as much as possible and did everything in our own way, together, the political system would become so irrelevant that they would have no choice other than to collapse or join the innovate and forward-thinking society that we want to create.

What plans are ahead for Johnny Black?

I'm looking forward to releasing more music and trying to progress in way that is as natural as possible - finding out more along the journey and meeting more excellent and interesting people.

LIFELESS - OUT NOW!