PAUL JOHNSON — GUITAR
 a
Surfari since 1989
Paul’s impressive surf music
credentials actually predate the
Surfaris— in fact, he was (along
with Dick Dale) one of the
genre’s principal founders and
pioneers. He wrote the classic
tune, “Mr. Moto,” at age 14 for
his band, the Belairs.
(Charting in early ’62, this was
the very earliest recording to
be tagged at the time as “surf
music.”)
His innovative, lyrical playing
style led to numerous studio
credits (he played on records by
The Hondells, Davie Allan,
Bobby Sherman, Sonny & Cher
and others); his prolific output
of original tunes and creative
ideas made him one of the most
respected figures of that
period. (He turned down an offer
to join the Beach Boys in late
’62…)
When the surf trend waned, Paul
adapted and formed the
groundbreaking folk-rock band,
Everpresent Fullness,
which had a close brush with
major success. Following this,
he retreated from the active
scene and spent a number of
years living rurally, away from
the hubbub, seeking direction
for his personal and musical
life.
Paul’s path, as it turned out,
led full-circle. The ‘80s found
him back at the vanguard of a
growing surf-instrumental
revival that embraced his
melodic style. He made several
albums during this decade—some
with his band, the Packards,
and others showcasing his genius
as a solo-multitrack artist.
This brought him worldwide
renown as a leader in the early
and latter phases of this
musical subculture. (Witness: in
the late ‘80s, Guitar Player
magazine devoted a feature
article and a "soundpage" insert
to Paul’s music, and the Hard
Rock Cafe put a PJ guitar on
their illustrious wall for
display.)
Today, along with his high
visibility as a Surfari, he is
also quite active with the
Duo-tones—his innovative
collaboration with Gil Orr of
the Chantays ("Pipeline"). In
these and all his other many
projects, Paul’s MO is to keep
on breaking new ground with
further innovations that
continue to give new life to the
music. Thus he remains high in
the esteem of the genre's
enthusiasts as one of its
leading lights.
Paul also hosts one of the most
colorful personal websites on
the internet today; it’s an
extraordinary surf-instro
excursion, filled with history,
photos and free audio-streaming
of over 100 of his
recordings from every period.
Visit Paul online:
www.pjmoto.com
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