BROADCASTS.com

Almost 40 years and counting, highly prolific kiwi singer-songwriter Greg Johnson is still going.\xa0

Those decades were packed with awards and albums, the thirteenth of which, \u2018Thunder in Fall\u2019, is releasing tomorrow.\xa0

The album's first single was released back in December, 'Rooster Tail\u2019 inspired by the sight of a rocket launched at sunset and the trail of smoke coming down.\xa0

Johnson told Newstalk ZB\u2019s Mike Hosking that it wasn\u2019t so much the rocket itself but the reaction on the ground.\xa0

\u201cThere\u2019s always a certain level of paranoia here. It\u2019s like, \u2018Oh Christ, the Russians, have the Russians launched a pre-emptive nuclear strike or something? But no, it was just the sun striking the smoke.\u201d\xa0

\u201cEveryone sort of stops from it.\u201d\xa0

Living in cities is a study in contrasts, Johnson saying that there\u2019s a craving for nature and moments of silence.\xa0

\u201cThose kinds of things are triggers for me, you know, as an artist.\u201d\xa0

Speaking of artistic triggers, one of the ones for \u2018Thunder in Fall\u2019 was the upright piano Johnson acquired.\xa0

\u201cI just want to abandon the electric guitar a little bit,\u201d he told Hosking.\xa0

Much like the rest of his discography, his latest album wouldn\u2019t be described as a \u201cparty record,\u201d Johnson describing it as quite a dark album with a real atmosphere.\xa0

\u201cI wanted something that\u2019s really nice to sort of sink your teeth into.\u201d\xa0

With the release of this album comes a tour, Johnson bringing his \u20181000 Miles Tour\u2019 to New Zealand next month.\xa0

Coming back, he told Hosking, is a highlight for him, especially playing smaller venues.\xa0

While he will be performing his new album, he isn\u2019t forgetting about his older hits.\xa0

\u201cThe core of my show is always my, my top ten. You know, my audience top ten, and then the other ten I choose from, you know, my pretty extensive book.\u201d \xa0

\u201cI\u2019ve got, so far, 87 of the songs I like to play in a little book, just small enough that I can\u2019t read the lyrics, so I have to try and remember them.\xa0

Greg Johnson will be back in New Zealand, performing from March 15th through til the 30th.\xa0

LISTEN ABOVE\xa0

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.