The Badger Herald: ArtsEtc.: Charlemagne fit for a king, or a least a Floyd fan

ArtsEtc.

Charlemagne fit for a king, or a least a Floyd fan

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Also by Meredith Dietrich:

Eclectic musician shows rocker side (October 10, 2005)
Mest showing growth on CD (October 11, 2005)
Rascal Flatts tour with latest album (October 20, 2005)
Tedeschi wows listeners with soft style (October 21, 2005)
Late musical introduction produces talented singer (October 27, 2005)

Thursday, February 26, 2004 12:00 a.m.

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Possibly the only man with a handlebar moustache, Carl Johns, who makes up the one-man band Charlemagne, has a definite knack for music.

Johns has been singing ever since he could walk and talk when he was three years old. Now 29, he can play all sorts of instruments, including the piano (which he’s been playing since he was five), the guitar and the accordion. But the drums are his favorite.

“I was a drummer for a number of years before I became a songwriter. I feel the most free when I play the drums,” he says.

Originally from Indiana, he moved to Madison and began the band NoahJohn in 1999. NoahJohn is a four-man band that toured internationally until last year and released several albums. With the band on a break, Johns took time for his solo project. Charlemagne, meaning “Carl the Great,” was the name of a king of the Franks during the medieval period.

“I really liked the idea of going under a name, like a band name, for a solo project instead of just my own name,” says Johns.

Claiming that his music is supposed to sound like ’60s rock, Johns wrote the music with a pop attitude in mind. There are definitely tracks on the album that sound more pop-like to appeal to the masses, says Johns. Using relationships as the base for his song writing, some tracks are autobiographical, but others just tell stories about different connections between people.

Johns has a very eclectic taste in music: from artists like Missy Eliot (something he can dance to) to Shearwater, his friends from Texas.

“I think my favorite kind of music is good music, music that takes risks and sounds different from everything else that you hear,” says Johns.

With the Beach Boys (during their Pet Sounds stage), the Mamas and the Papas and the Velvet Underground in mind, Johns began work on his first self-titled solo album, Charlemagne. His goal during the album was to make it sound dreamy and psychedelic, reveling in a characteristic ’60s sound. Some songs on the album, such as “August Evenings,” where he slowly sings in his raspy voice, are reminiscent of Pink Floyd.

“I’ve been getting that a lot recently. I’m not a huge Floyd fan, but I like that stuff and it’s not really a mystery how the music might have ended up resembling that.”

His songs are soft and never overbearing, carrying a slow harmony and a crooning melody. In the track “Prisoner Of,” he croons, “A creature of the wrong mind / Will pain you to see.” The track “Dawn Upon” is slightly more upbeat, resembling the melody of Simon and Garfunkle. Here Johns sings, “And Lord I know I must be a stronger man / Help me forget her so I can.” What’s impressive is that while all the instrumentals might not seem that complicated, they are all played by Johns himself.

Hoping to tour around with the solo career for a while, Johns would like to visit Japan and see the culture there.

“I created songs knowing that I want people to listen, and I just want the songs to resonate with people in one way or another.”